I'm going to go somewhere on this blog that I really haven't before — church. As you all know, my daughter attends Catholic school. Part of that deal is that we attend to church on Sundays (not that we didn't do that before. However, I do have to admit that we go more now that she goes to school there). I try not to go into too much religion here, because I don't want to offend others that aren't my religion. However, our priest brought up something in our homily on Sunday that mirrors life too much that I can't not comment on it.
In the Catholic Church, we are in the Easter season. Our readings and homily were about Thomas and how the term doubting Thomas has come around. Father Wayne talked about how many of us have seen Jesus (nobody raised their hand of course). However, even though we've never seen God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, we all believe in them. (There was more to the homily than this but this is jist of it).
Last night, Bill made the comment to me about how real life right now is mirroring this homily. The news was lamenting on about how Obama isn't going to release the pictures of a dead Osama bin Laden. How does this tie into the homily (if you haven't caught it yet)?
Our government has said he's dead. I have to go on the faith that they are telling the truth. Even though I can't see with my own very eyes (like I can't see Jesus), I have to believe that he is. I'm not a Doubting Thomas.
Personally, I don't want to see these pictures, and I do not think they should be released. Just because we are citizens of the United States doesn't mean we are privy to things like this. Plus, those people who are clamoring so much for them aren't going to believe that the pictures are real anyway (remember Obama's long for birth certificate).
What are your thoughts? Do you believe Osama is dead? Do you want to see the pictures? Why? And if your Catholic, do you have a homily that really struck home for you?
I don't really have any thoughts either way on the OBL photo issue, and that's saying a lot considering that I'm not overly faithful in our current administration. I think I might actually be more concerned about that helicopter tail getting in the wrong hands, than anything else.
It's ironic that your post mentions the parallels between religious faith and political faith and how the two, for you, mirror one another right now. After I thought about it I think it mirrors my own situation a bit too. After the loss of my son my faith and relationship with God and His "church" (I use "church" in a general term meaning the Judeo-Christian movement and not one particular denomination) has been rocky to the point of me being not so sure he's there. It wasn't that way prior to Joshua's death.
My views on the current political administration are similar. I'm pretty skeptical.
Easter is about the only time of year when a soft spot opens back up again, especially when I think of the sacrifice on the Cross.
Great post and definitely food for thought.
I'll be honest — if I lost one of my children, I think my faith would be rocked to the core too. I watch you and Heather Spohr get up each morning and live your lives, and I'm in awe. I don't know if I could get out of bed ever again if something happened to either of my kids.
II don't want to see the pictures because I don't need that image in my life. There is so much horror that we have become desensitized and it's heartbeaking. We need to bring back gentler kinder times again. I miss life without the information overload.