A beginning of sorts

I am not qualified to write about this. I’m not a great religious thinker. I have not spent years in scholarly pursuit of the TRUTH about Life. I have not studied with great masters. I have not done anything that would have me be someone that people would turn to for spiritual direction or enlightenment.

I am at best a casual Catholic.

So why am I writing this? Why do I presume that anyone would want to read it? Who am I to announce to the world my point of view about spirituality? I am nobody. Perhaps, I am also you.

Despite being a lay-person, I think about religion, spiritually and God almost daily. Not in the same way that many of my friends and family do. I don’t read scripture, I rarely pray. Mostly I think on the role of religion in life and the role of God in the world. I question and examine my way of thinking constantly. I also silently debate the opinions of others. I don’t want people laying their opinions on me and I refuse to do the same to others. The intent of this exercise is to allow my opinion to be heard (or read as the case may be) not to declare that I know the truth about something. Certainty breeds laziness.

I’m beginning to think that I’m the reincarnation of Doubting Thomas.

I’ve found myself in recent years having more conversations about faith, religion and spirituality than I have had before in the 30-odd years before. Perhaps it is a sign of my age as I approach that first sign post indicating “middle age”. Perhaps it is a sign of the world that I am living in as religion gets increasing attention in media and politics. Perhaps it is simply time to say what I have to say.

So, I take my thoughts and questions and musings and fling them out in to the world like so many have before me. I don’t know how it will go, but I do promise to stay somewhat on topic. Perhaps I’ll find fellow doubters out in this vast virtual community.