One more day and it's the birth of Jesus. I would like to say I have the "Christmas spirit" but I don't really. Having two aunts who were Catholic nuns, grandparents and mother who were devout Catholics, I should be too. .Being raised Catholic, with the church right next to the house of my grandparents, I should be sure of what religion I belong in.
My mother made sure my brother and I were in church every Sunday, confessions were often enough, and nuns or priests were in the house frequently for dinner in my very early youth.
By age 14 or 15, I stopped going to church. Living in a white "ghetto" at that time, the church was now about a 10 block walk and my mother didn't attend very often.
I joined the Navy at age 17, and can remember only once going to a psuedo-church below the deck of an aircraft carrier for Christmas. Even then, it was more that I wanted to see that part of the ship than for religious reasons.
After 4 years in the Navy, I took advantage of the military benefits and attended the school of Music at DePaul University in Chicago.
One of the elective classes I chose was Eastern Religion. We studied Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Confusionism, and Hinduism. Buddhism was the one that fascinated me the most. I learned about Zen Buddhism when I read, On The Road, by Jack Kerouac.
Now, at my age, I still have many questions about organized religions. No answers.
IF there is a God, why does he allow evil in this world he created? Why are children abused, beaten killed, neglected, or die at birth? Why are some humans allowed to be priests or nuns who abuse children?
When I look at this picture above, can anyone say "Merry Christmas" to this poor Ukrainian child?
