Friday, October 26, 2007

of Faith

I am not the typical church-goer but that doesn’t mean I don’t acknowledge God.

It all started when this officemate of mine, out of the blue, asked me if I want to have a copy of the Cathechism songs he gave to Y. He said it in a sarcastic tone implying that I don’t know about Cathechism. I kept my cool and told him to just write the CD and give it to me. It happened while he and my other officemate were discussing about religion. Since I don't normally meddle with their religious discussions, I sensed the root of his sarcasm.

I think this particular officemate thinks I have become an atheist because the past months, I haven’t been going to church. Everytime they ask me why, I simply say these words: “…I have my ways of practicing my faith..”. Personally, I have nothing against the church. In fact, my first foundation was in a Catholic school (Colegio del Sto. Niño). The church had been my refuge when I feel down, and the first place I go for thanksgiving since time immemorial. I see the church as a place of worship for people but failure to go there, for whatever reasons, does not necessarily mean I'm doomed for life.

Though hints of questioning my recent non-attendance in church or non-participation in church activities happened many times, I just let them be what they think of me.
Never in my life that I discriminate people based on their religious affiliations nor insisted that my religion is better than others unless they are purely for the aim of gaining profit at the expense of others or spreading terror.…and I don’t insist to people that my religion is the REAL one. After all, we are free to choose our religion..as long as it does not step on other people's shoes. RESPECT. History itself spoke the ghastly effects on the absence of respect.
I need not go to a specific place to worship where in fact, I can worship God or Allah (or whatever name we call the Omnipotent) in my heart. I need not go farther when in fact, He’s just near. I may not have read the whole Bible but that does not make me any lesser of a person.

Call me whatever you like, it only tells me more about you than me.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

mOr.. yOu're nOt alOne. I've been in yOur shoe too, with the same persOn yOur referring too and it's just as irritating. I don't like it when sOmeone starts schooling me bout ReligiOn or Christianity for I knOw myself better and I knOw where my faith stands. If they trully knOw better, then they should have knOwn that it's better tO shut up than to brag!

Anonymous said...

mOr.. yOu're nOt alOne. I've been in yOur shoe too, with the same persOn yOu're referring too and it's just as irritating. I don't like it when sOmeone starts schooling me bout ReligiOn or Christianity for I knOw myself better and I knOw where my faith stands. If they trully knOw better, then they should have knOwn that it's better tO shut up than to brag! - jOji