Today, I went to church with my husband. His mother begged him all week to go to church with her, as she was getting baptized today. I haven’t been to church regularly since I got married and moved out, and I sure as hell didn’t want to go to one I didn’t believe in. However. I was goaded into going by my husband, who was afraid of the churchpeople. I think he thought they would hog-tie him with duct tape and force him to take communion, or something. He has no idea how to behave with decent people. He gets very uncomfortable in situations where he’s expected to mind his manners. I don’t get it, I guess, cause I was raised to mind my manners at all times, until you get to know people and can relax a bit. Anyway. The sermon was about how homosexuality was wrong, and women who get abortions are bad people, etc. I took issue with how the minister presented the abortion bit. He went on about how 45 million babies have been aborted in this country since 1973, or something like that. I really felt that he needed to clarify his thought processes. I’m sorry, but if Roe v. Wade had never happened, I could potentially be dead right now, from birth complications because I couldn’t have terminated my pregnancy. Was he saying I was supposed to be ready to make that sacrifice, or that he just meant people who abort to cover their irresponsibility? *groans loudly* I get sooooo tired of people talking before they consider all the possibilities. I would never, ever, ever, ever abort a pregnancy just because it occured at an inopportune moment. But what about situations like mine? It just sort of stuck in my craw, so to speak. But, (I think you all would have been proud of me!) in a completely un-Nina-like stroke of tact, I refrained from saying anything to him as we filed out. See?? Wasn’t I good? I just decided not to ever darken the doors again. So there.
On a different note, the MIL is now a convert, so all we heard about at lunch was how she heard from the Lord that she needed to get back to church, how the minister was sooo real, and how there’s so many people of all ages to relate to there, and thank you so much for coming to support her today for her re-dedication. Blah, Blah, Blah. I grew up in church, and it wasn’t nearly as complicated as she was making it out to be. However, in my opinion, there’s only one thing worse than a born again christian, and that’s a converted one. Usually, you can spot these people from a mile away, because they’re the ones wearing the WWJD bracelets, giving half their check each week to church, saying “Praise the Lord!” all the time, for everything, and suddenly re-arranging their whole schedule around church services. And being extremely vocal about all these activities, presumably so everyone around them knows about it and will put in a good word for them with the Big Man? In other words, over-dedicated. I guess this is being blase about church and the relationship with God I’m supposed to have, but I grew up with it. I know the rules, even if I’m not perfect and clearly not the best player on the team. I’m perfectly comfortable talking about church to people, but only in a non-judgmental setting where no one is criticizing or brow beating. I’m an adult, not a child who’s behaved badly. (Well, at least not to my MIL. God likely feels differently.) I suppose this is only going to get worse before it gets better. My dad once tried to scold me into regular attendance. I told him that I’d paid attention growing up, really I had. In fact last Saturday, when the Jehovah’s Witness lady came to the door, I answered it and was able to converse with her. I even asked her a question she had no answer for. I asked her, “Aren’t y’all the people who believe there’s only going to be 144000 people in heaven?” “Yes. And the rest of God’s children are going to reside in Heaven on…” “Wait, wait, wait” I interrupted. “if you all believe there’s only going to be 144000 people in heaven, then why in world are you bothering me at 7:30 on Saturday morning?” True story, I swear. The sweet, little lady had no answer for that, and promptly left. Now, I hope I haven’t offended anyone, but you have to admit, she was begging the question, just a bit. I just asked the obvious.