Although in my case, Mrs. Finnegan is calling for lunch.

First she'll bring in tea and cake?

On the balance I think its better that they know.

Yeah. I still think it's problematic that they are going about it as though Jewish people are also lost to history... BUT better a problematic but sincere interest in learning than the anti-Semitism that's on the rise in Europe?

I don't know. I need a nap. I think it's nappy times.

I would love a nap. I had lunch and I am still getting grumpier as the day progresses. I am trying to avoid my default reaction which is "eat something".

First she'll bring in tea and cake?

If only. But then I suppose I'd have to come up with pipes, tobacco, and whiskey punch.

Oh, hey, I made a pot of tea and forgot to drink it. Better get on that.

Awesome. And see, this is how naive I am, I thought the Church had quit selling indulgences hundreds of years ago.

So had I, so I was agog at Dad's story.

Mind you, he almost got expelled from his Catholic high school for running the satirical underground newspaper that mocked the staff. Dad's relationship with the Church was always a rocky one.

One of the participants, who was raised Catholic, but is not at all religious now and basically an atheist, was saying when he's trying to go to sleep, he'll still recite the Our Father and other prayers in his head, because the ritual is still soothing.

I still sing a couple hymns, because they remind me of my mom.

I am still getting grumpier as the day progresses.

I just had a little rage meltdown at the psychiatrist. He handed me a script for Valium without even asking if I wanted a refill. Ha ha funny man, yeah gimme.

Yes but...in my experience people who came up Protestant tend to actually have a much stronger grounding in actual scripture than many who were raised Catholic. There an argument to be made that for a fair chunk of modern Catholicism it can become all about the ritual and little about the underpinnings. And going through the motions of ritual doesn't actually mean anyting about how good a person or their behavior is.

This was my experience. I tell people I was raised Catholic (including CCD every year & 4 Sacraments), but that I didn't hear the actual gospel message and become a Christian until I was exploring on my own in college.

FTR, it was a guy (yes, a cute one) in an English class, who got me trying Xianity again when I was exploring religions. And one of the reasons he was able to draw me in was that when I said the church is full of hypocrites, he agreed with me. Wouldn't have gone next or near the place if he'd denied it.

And, though you're basically right that all a person who's been an a-hole has to do is say he's sorry to be forgiven, I was taught that part of repentance has to include the sincere intention to change, not just lip service (and G-d can see your heart to know whether you're sincere). Of all the "trappings" of Catholicism, that line in the Act of Contrition (...I firmly intend, with the help of Your Son, to make up for my sins and to love as I should." YtranslationMV), is the one I've retained as most valuable. (And, though I'm sure you already know this, many Xians despair at what's done in God's/Jesus' name, just as many Muslims despair at the acts done in Allah's name).

tl:dr?

Jilli, I've never met your dad, but I now love him. So Martin Luther!

And, though you're basically right that all a person who's been an a-hole has to do is say he's sorry to be forgiven, I was taught that part of repentance has to include the sincere intention to change, not just lip service (and G-d can see your heart to know whether you're sincere).

Yeah, that. People talk a lot of shit in the name of Jesus, and it doesn't make them right, or good Christians. As the Easter conversation wound around, at some point I said that half the reason I identify as Christian is to use when promoting my liberal views. "Christians do too believe that! I'm a Christian, and my church blah blah blah." Not that I barely go to church.

I am trying to avoid my default reaction which is "eat something".

Feh. The emergency Cadbury Mini Eggs I ran out for made the meeting I just had much more pleasant!

Beat the UPS guy to my house by 2 minutes! He was early!

So I now have a new computer. We'll see when I have the one to set it up....