Box-Me-Up

so Svenja, my ship sister came up to me at the lunch line and said, "I went to a church this morning that really fits you. I think you'll like it very much."

" Ah, why? "

 It's the most charismatic church I've ever been to."

:) heh.

wow. I guess I'm more 'charismatic' than I thought. 

On the contrary, in the church I went to this morning - I sang a lot of old hymns I've never sung before. Almost everyone wore a coat, and some wore hats. Most had white hair - but they were such darling people! Firm handshakes, warm smiles, and the ladies really just smother you with hugs and kisses. "Go to India, child. You must go to India" - said the lady who'd spent 37 years of her life there as a missionary. 

I grew up in a charismatic assemblies of God church and in some ( a lot ) of ways, I will always remain one. But I've also learnt so much from the times I've spent in that close-knit Lutheran community in Bangsar. And my months ( years ? ) of searching during the uni-days saw me visiting every denomination - leading me to the conclusion - that we all have different ways of doing things anyway, and it's all about the love, y'know. Everything else is just an expression of that love. And that always reminds me of something Bono said :  "To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is even greater."

Being here in Ireland, seeing how the roads and people and walls and buildings and churches segregate and divide themselves -  makes his songs and words mean so much more now. 'It's all in the past now. It's all in the past.'. Yes it is - but that past is still too recent for comfort, and you could still almost feel ( or at least see ) its lingering shadow. 

Religion. Beliefs. Faith. Hope. 

All used interchangeably sometimes. But they definitely do not mean the same. 

I do not like religion.