Oh No....It's The "R" Word

That's right, I am going to talk about that dirty R word....Religion.  Now before you just click off of this hear me out.  I am not going to try to convert you or unconvert you (whichever the case might be for you). BUT I do want to write about something that irks me.  So here it goes.  I am a Christian.  I have very strong faith and some rather traditional views on things.  This may surprise some people but that is the truth.  I don't normally discuss religion because I understand that everyone has their own opinion and often their view doesn't match mine.  I equate religion with politics in that way.  With that being said, I also think that everyone is free to believe or worship in their own way.  I am not a regular church goer.  I could lie and say that I am at church every weekend but I am not.  I am not even a CEO (Christmas Easter Only).  I go when I can and I usually enjoy it when I go. 

So here is the issue.  I started practicing/participating Lent in college.  If you had read my previous blog, then you know that I started as a result of conversations with Kelly.  Every year I give something up.  I do this because it helps me connect with my faith.  I personally don't feel like you have to be any particular religion to do this, you just have to have the desire.  What bothers me is how incredulous people become when they find out that I do Lent and I am not Catholic.  Ummmm, why is this so incredible to you and more importantly why is this so important to you?  I have been questioned about this endlessly and it seems like no matter what I say, people just form their own opinion about my motives.  I don't feel like I have to explain and justify my practices but people seem to feel like it is their business.  Why is this?  Why do people feel like they need to be involved in another person's faith or spirituality?  Faith and spirituality are something that is usually deeply personal to a person but for some reason people seem to think it is open season to question and judge.

Now I could understand better if I was using my faith, religion, or spirituality to judge others but I don't.  I actually don't usually discuss it with people.  It isn't because I am ashamed to be a Christian but because I just don't feel the need to wave it around like it makes me better.  I don't know.  Maybe nothing I am typing here makes sense but I just don't get it.  Why is it so hard to live and let live?  Why is it so hard to believe that not everything about a person is your business?  Maybe that sounds harsh but it is true.  So I don't know, I guess I will just continue to do what I do and try and ignore everything else.  It just amazes me how people will judge you for having faith or not having faith.  They will judge you for practicing or not practicing.  They will just judge you and in the end that is their problem and not yours.