My darling husband asked me the other day “If you could start a religion, what would it be like?”
Oh, interesting thought experiment. I let the ideas rattle around in my brain for a few minutes, dismissing thoughts of lofting stone chapels with velvet draperies and deep pipe organ tones, then started churning out my ideas.
Reverence for nature
Respect for inexplicable phenomena
Veneration of creative practices
Celebrations for no real reason
Love of highs, lows, and balance
Adoration of sexual arts
Points off for consumerism
Double points off for car owners
As I wound up the litany of observances, he turned to me, smiled, and said, “Mine would be the Cult of the Cherry Ripe.” Heh.
So I put the question to you: what would your religion be like?
Posted by kuri at October 22, 2004 07:43 AMI think mine would be something like religion or cult of cynicism. Do nothing but laugh at other people’s religion.
Posted by: lisa on October 22, 2004 09:09 AMA religion that everyone practiced, but no one spoke of.
Posted by: M Sinclair Stevens on October 22, 2004 11:17 AMMy religion would involve Peace, Love and Dancing…
Posted by: T on October 22, 2004 01:52 PMjust for OWNING a car? In some places that is pretty much a necessity, and for me if I just cut down on driving a little bit I wouldn’t be making THAT much of an environmental impact. FAR less than that gomichild chick does just by walking down the street when she hasn’t showered yet ;)
Posted by: UltraBob on October 22, 2004 02:45 PMgood question..
I think it would have to celebrate friends, present and past
It would encourage pilgrimage back to your own special places, where moments in time are burned in your mind. Some people have beaches, or scenic vistas; others have neighborhood corners, or stretches of road, homes or apts where they used to live, some even have just a light post they wrote their name on as a child.
I think it would also have to be a religion that required laughing; laughing at yourself. I love laughing.
I’d also want it to encourage people once a week or month to just walk out in the street near where they live for an hour. Just start walking, to feel the “place” where they are, the smell, the light, the people, the sounds. Sometimes, I just like to go outside and walk around in the wet grass in the morning, before everyone gets up, just feel things begin to roll with the sun’s rising.
Posted by: donald on October 22, 2004 08:09 PMI guess all Americans go to hell in your religion. Or perhaps they are already there?
I wish people would listen more and talk less.
Next month, I teach RE. I think one session will be outside, and no one will speak for 40 minutes. That’s ideal. Of course, these are middle schoolers. That’s not reality.
Maybe I’ll just join the Cult of the York Peppermint Patty.
Posted by: Jenny on October 24, 2004 12:22 AM