Thursday, April 12, 2012
Howling At The Moon - I Mean BELL
To my way of thinking, the biggest problem with most any organized religion is the organization itself. Anything that gives an individual comfort and peace of mind is fine with me, but when a group begins proselytizing, I cringe... sometimes noticeably.
Therefore, I gave the Catholic church in Chanthaburi a wide berth, to the surprise of my Thai friend. We were on our way for a wander through the old part of the town and walked near the place on our way. Even knowing I'm not a participant in any Christian religion he thought I'd want to see the stained glass windows that he said were very nice. I may have missed out on an opportunity, but I passed on the offer.
We spoke briefly about it, sharing our views on one religion coming in and trying to take over an area where they didn't really need to be, and were agreeing on most points as the bell began to ring in the bell tower, announcing the mid-day services or whatever. I was just saying "Well, I don't care for it," when a dog along the way looked up at the church and started to howl.
"Maybe he's Buddhist," my friend offered, and we laughed.
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4 comments:
I am atheist and sceptical, on the verge to hostile, of any organized religion. But I rarely miss the opportunity to visit places of worship of any religion because they eclipse profane buildings in their architecture. This very church is on my list of places to visit in Thailand.
I would usually visit religious structures, too, but didn't this time. Merely a personal bias, I admit. Let me know how you like it when you go.
When I look at religious structures, no matter how beautiful, i see theft and the physical evidence of a war against life. I too stay away. The living ecosphere embedded in the oceanic cosmosphere is all the temple I need.
I don't care for the business practices of some religions, but (again) have no problem with what anyone wishes to believe in and follow... as long as it isn't pushed on anyone else.
Your comment is a good example of that: a point of view that you're free to follow because it's right for you. Thank you for joining in.
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