I always wondered about things.
When I was young, the catholic church gave me an envelope with numbers on it that identified me.
I didn't know that at 9 years old.
So when my mother gave me a dime to put in the envelope, I use to take the dime out and give an empty envelope.
LOL. Funny. But sad, noone bothered to explain the gesture.
How would they know I figured.
Then I would go spend the dime on penny candy and be happy.
We were poor and I rarely got money for penny candy.
I can relate. On "vacation" at grandmas house; (my grandma that had 10 grandchildren but only accounted 1, and didn't like the rest) and my 3 sibling and I were not the 1, lol. Anyway our mom would give us four kids a nickel to walk a 1/2 mile to the store to buy 4 bubble gums. And my grandma would scold my mom for "spoiling" us kids. Lol Spoiled, huh, that piece of bubble gum lasted all week...!!
Well one day the church called my house and told my mother I was giving empty envelopes.
Boy, did I get in trouble.
I was shocked that I had my own number.
I was offended.
Who were they to number me?
Gotcha. I can see your surprise.
I guess I was always independent, growing up in the city projects and surviving on a daily basis.
Well, after getting blasted by my parents, I decided "well, they never go to church, so who are they to tell me what to do with my dime".
And I deduced that since the catholic church was jam packed for 3 services every Sunday morning, that they didn't need my dime.
I needed it more than them.
Now when you think about it, giving a dime to the catholic when I did, I gave rebelliously.
Which in fact, is completely opposite of Scripture. One who does give is suppose to give cheerfully.
But when I kept it and spent it on penny candy, I was happy and thank you.
And people tried to tell me I was sinning.
But I kept doing it.
Well, what was the sin? Giving rebelliously or not giving? Scripture says giving rebelliously.
And WHEN you give, give cheerfully.
Until my mother no longer gave me a dime.
I forget what happened after that.
I still had to go to church but I forget about the envelopes.
I doubt I gave in to my mother, I was far too rebellious.
Seems the story is void of an understanding ever explained to you. Which is not a phenomen of why people rebel, being void of understanding.
But I guess my problem is, who are these church people that they felt they had a right to number a 9 year old boy and keep- track on my giving?
Many times good intentions come across as intent to cause a hardship.
Personally I know many people who were raised Catholic, and couldn't wait to be on their own, to avoided having to go to their Church. Sadly thou, they reject having a relationship with the Lord, citing, what they learned in Catholic School and Church they want nothing to do with God.
Why if I was a few years older I probably would have punched them out.
Ah, a few years older you would have understood and simply rejected their ways, as you reveal your rejection now of their ways.
And to the OP, no I am blessed to not have been a Catholic.
God Bless,
Taken
