Comments on: Mass at 5 http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html My therapy sessions... Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:13:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11597 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:11:45 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11597 Thank you for your kind and encouraging words.

Do you know Jesse Bering? He has a column at Scientific American, and he just published a book called “The God Instinct”. Here is an excerpt and I think you’ll appreciate it.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=god-may-work-in-mysterious-waysbut-2011-01-27

I have the book sitting on my bookshelf from before Christmas… I really need to start reading it.

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11596 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:07:09 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11596 I actually have no problem with the kids growing up Christian. We talked about this before we got married, and we both agreed that seeing how there is no embedded moral upbringing within the American culture (as opposed to say Karma in a Chinese society), we wanted our kids to have a belief system, and Christianity became a convenient choice/substitute. I was all hoping for the “It takes a village” thing. An idealized perception of a Christian congregation. I was in this country for three years then. I did not realize how judgey, etc etc it is as a religion since in Buddhism (and the hodge podge that is in Taiwan), there is no concept that you HAVE to be a believer in order to be saved. You just need to be a good person. And being gay, for example, has nothing to do with whether one is a good person or not….

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11595 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:00:24 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11595 I sometimes wonder WHY? WHY does it have to be Catholic? You know why? Because my MIL is Catholic, and he’s doing this for his mother, and therefore any other church may as well be no church…

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11594 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:59:12 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11594 Thank you. This means a lot.

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11593 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:58:55 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11593 *Grin*

I think he’s doing this for his mother. It’s like this idea that just get the kids through to confirmation, then my work is done here. And because his mother is involved in this equation, I am staying out of this.

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11592 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:57:18 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11592 I think most grown-ups are able to take what they agree and ignore what they disagree. Perhaps I am feeling the disconnect and seeing the hypocrisy a bit too sharply being an outsider, an observer.

When I suggested going to Mass the next week, Mr. Monk was not so keen any more because, too be honest, Mass can be quite boring…

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11591 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:54:58 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11591 Thank you. I hope so. This was never an issue with my oldest because everything just sort of flew over his head, rolled off his back (He’s a smart kid but he’s just not introspective and observant and inquisitive like his younger brother)

Because my youngest asks a lot of questions, and because I do not wish to treat children like idiots, I tend to overexplain, and perhaps that’s where I should correct my approach.

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11590 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:52:40 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11590 Yeah perhaps it was not a good joke for me to tell that I’ll be coming back as whatever when they are in heaven with daddy…

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11589 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:51:29 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11589 No worries. I know where you are coming from.

]]> By: Absence Alternatives http://absenceofalternatives.com/2011/01/mass-at-5.html#comment-11588 Absence Alternatives Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:51:07 +0000 http://absenceofalternatives.com/?p=4595#comment-11588 Thank you so much. This means a lot to me.

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