Gee, I thought all the pagan babies went to hell unless missionaries found them and baptized them. No? I have spent most of my life in limbo. Hmmm, maybe there's some connection there!!!!
Well, as far as strange religious ceremonies go, I think it is a little weird to symbolically drink the blood and eat the body of Jesus every Sunday. Do I have that right? It seems quite pagan to me.
And what does holy water really represent? I have very little familiarity with Christian symbolism.
I do know that there is so much fear drummed into Catholics about pagans--maybe this is a function of parochial school as much as church--that some of them are genuinely afraid. Unfortunately, I think they are just misinformed, but I was surprised to discover that even in my own house, my Irish (pretty lapsed) Catholic husband blurted out that he thought I woke up and did strange rituals over his body in the middle of the night. Not only am I NOT a practicing witch, I wouldn't have any clue what do chant if I wanted to, which I don't, and I am totally useless for anything in the middle of the night.
Yeah, it sounds like I have all my bases covered, but that is because spirituality in general appeals to me in its objects, which are often full of strength, passion and artistry, more than any particular belief system. One of the things I have is a penal cross, a tiny Irish cross that Catholics made very small so they could hide in the hedges to hold their services when Catholicism was illegal under British rule. They could quickly slip the crosses up their sleeves to avoid detection and punishment. Oh, sorry, don't get me started on the Irish troubles!!!!! |
