There’s nothing wrong with your ability to make a choice.. I encourage you to choose it. No one is stopping you nor should they. However, your choice should not influence my life.

“As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. . . . what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.” (1 Cor 14:33-35, 37)

I suppose this is not technically church, but you come on. ”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember, the devil quoted scripture too!

Matthew 4:1-11

I don’t really think I’m told what to think or how to think. I make a choice to be a part of my religion.

You are all about choices…what’s so wrong with mine?

First of all, that’s not what I said. I never said there was no heaven, no hell, no god. I said I don’t know and I’m not going to waste precious time on earth trying to figure out the mysteries of life. I am not arrogant or stupid, whichever you prefer, enough to assume I could unlock that great mystery. Nor do I think any televangelist, priest, deacon, priestess, or other earthly being or book is going to solve that for me. I think choosing a religion for me personally is cowardly. Im comfortable knowing that i literally know nothing. And I don’t need to believe in “Him” just in case. That really wouldn’t be believing then either now would it? It would be copping out to societal pressures, or cult-like behavior, and join a religion.

Organized religion where I am told what to think, how to think, what rituals to practice, how to get closer to God, from people who literally know as much as me about the afterlife and the meaning of life, does not sound like a worthy use of my time. I’d rather dedicate it doing what I see as good things for others. My children will be raised doing charitable work each Sunday. Having no religion does not mean that a person lives selfishly, in fact it can be quite the opposite. In fact, most organized religions are based quite heavily on the dedication to the individual or self.

I luckily have never had to do that. My church and the people in it are seriously amazing. I have been with this church since I was born. I have been to other churches for service, but it just doesn’t do it for me like the church I am/have been a member of.

I guess I don’t really understand how you see religion as such a harmful and hindering proposition. I suppose if it has been a negative experience for you, then yes..but it has not been so for me. My church was amazingly helpful when I got pregnant at 19..they got me into contact with several people/organizations that could help me, and helped me talk with my parents. They weren’t judgemental or hurtful in any way. Oh, and my daughter is half-black, they knew that too, and they didn’t care..so if you’re basing your opinion of them being racist off of what they have done in the past, you should really look at what they do NOW. I do understand that not every person’s church experience isn’t as positive, but that doesn’t mean the religion ITSELF is to blame.

Get a life.

You forget yourself, Lauren. It seems rather irresponsible to say something so obnoxious, don’t you think?

Your attempt to read a nefariously sexist subtext into the 1 Corinthians reference you cite is a non-starter. There’s no “there” there.

BTW, Lauren—on a related note, if you’re looking for a fascinating read, check out Women in the Days of the Cathedrals by the late French scholar Regine Pernoud.

It’s reviewed by Charlotte Allen here.