On going to church. An analysis

I like to see religion more as spirituality. I am curious to learn about other customs, and not repeat patterns that I could not give a damn about. 

Church was mandatory on sundays. I hated the uncomfortable shoes and clothes that I had to wear. The reason we went was because my father loves the idea of the perfect happy family. Well, my folks got a divorce so at least we weren't going to church anymore. 

A year later, at 17, while grabbing a beer with my father, I told him I did not see the point of going into a smelly hot room with no air, overcrowded with old strangers that bathe every week or so, ready to judge and gossip at every fellow that walked in the room. Secondly, I knew the programme for every sunday, because it is the same every year. The priest could do some variety on the subject, or does he think we children are so short minded? People understand what they are willing and what they are ready to, so why bother repeating?

If I went to church, I chose my own clothes that felt comfortable, so he didn't take me anymore. Another important criteria was to trust the priest, to see wether I liked him as a person.

I did go once every few weeks in my college years, when there were no people, just to feel the silence  and the coolness of it (on a summer's day that is).

I had plenty of arab collegues and was intrigued of their midnight bong smoking, dietary religious requirements and wiew of their back home customs. many of them were half romanian and knew rhe language well. Because I was the curious and non judgemental one, I quickly blended in. 

Back to churches. It was a funny thing that the campus's church was full during the exam session, because the students thought that praying a lot will get them to miraculously pass the exams 😄. The other ones came only to study, because it was one of the quietest places around.

Nowadays, I put subtitles with similies over what people are saying regarding religion and life truths. Translating into my own words, helps me understand that we are meaning and saying more or less the same thing, but with different words, coming from the same source.

I am not attending church anymore, because life teaches me every step of the way. I always ask what do I have in common with this person? What can I learn from him? This helps with creating harmony around me, that sadly I hadn't found inside the cold walls of any church.

Nowadays I go for a walk in the woods in the weekends. I remember a picture with nature and the quote "I am going to tell my kids this is church". Sounds like a plan to me.