Fine Line Between Love & Hate

By now, I'm used to all the Catholic bashing.

Plenty of TV shows do it.  Even Downton Abbey is in on it,  (season three - not a spoiler ) although, at least at Downton, it's historically accurate.

Lord knows the political campaign (which can't end soon enough) spews hate not only at Christianity but at Catholicism specifically - ever heard of the "War on Women"?
Yeah, we hate abortion and don't want to pay for your birth control - we hate women.  Oh wait. I AM a woman!

It stands to reason any time I turn on the TV, I must be prepared for the possibility that my faith may be bashed.  SNL, any show with topical joke-writers. Meh. I take it with a grain of salt.

I went to catch up on episodes of a show that I theoretically shouldn't even be watching, (according to Church beliefs) But I consider myself an enlightened Catholic. 'Tis better to challenge my beliefs, be exposed to popular culture, maintain my beliefs and know enough to make a solid defense.

This show is called The New Normal - the premise is about a young woman who decides to become a surrogate for a gay couple. I've noticed in just a few episodes, that they seem to bash everyone equally.
But when I saw the beginning of this scene - one of the gay men going to confession with a Catholic priest, I cringed. Oh sweet Lord, what are they going to bash? Well, they do hit the standards first, but then...


or watch here

Color me pleasantly surprised. I think this is actually quite well-done. It's a better representation of how most Catholics (at least Catholics like me) approach the divide.  Contrary to popular belief, we don't hate homosexuals. In reality, we love them SO HARD!

I have some gay friends. One couple, made up of a dear friend of mine.  The last time I visited them, the conversation turned to the topic of the Church "hating" them. (guess who grew up Catholic?) 
I said, "No. The Church does not hate you." If so, the Church hates me too, because as a single woman, I'm not supposed to have sex either.  The difference is, I obey and you don't.

No, the Church does not hate me. The Church, like God wants the very best for me. The best for me is not sleeping with men who have no interest in marriage and family. It's not easy. My  physical desires, urges, wants and yes, needs... are all denied. Have been for years.

All because God wants the best for me. What people seem to hate about Catholics, is that we really want you to see things our way. (this is taken as 'pushing our beliefs down your throat." ) They see the Church as wanting to stifle all their fun too. To me, it's not that we want to limit everyone else's freedoms.  But if it isn't good enough for me, well I want better for you too.

And I really like what the priest says in that clip. Fight for it! Don't give up because it's hard. Go out there and grab God's best.

Okay... watched it again and loved it even more!  Also, that priest is hot... in a Dr. House sort of way! 

Over-Qualified

When my church has a social function, I still hold out hope that I might meet a single Catholic man if I attend. We had one this weekend. There were so many attractive men, I made a point of checking out their left hand ring fingers. Yeah, they each had a ring. Every last one of them.

Which supports my theory that men don't go to church until they're engaged. (Catholic ones in particular) My only hope is to convert one myself - but that seems doubly challenging, as I can't get men to hang on when I don't sleep with them on the third date - much less get 'em to go to Mass with me!!

So I was talking with a lovely woman who is married with kids attending our Catholic school.  We got to talking about some of the challenges our parish faces, in getting more people involved in activities. She seemed stunned when I said that I wish the school would put more information out on activities --- that I would love to attend school plays - or help coach a speech team -- but because I'm single with no kids, I never hear about them.

Just another way the Church has no idea what to do with single people.

This opened the conversation to other needs for community. I suggested real community fellowship, in which the single adults and families team up - study the bible together, visit each other's homes - instead of separating us like a group of lepers. "Because," I said half joking, "you married people need to stop acting like you don't have brothers-in-law and cousins that you could introduce me to!"

She laughed and said yes, she did had a brother, but she would never wish him upon me.
I hear that a lot. So many good, church going families only know of men who aren't suitable for a nice church-going woman.

Know what it reminds me of?
When I was unemployed and searching for jobs... I would hear back that they weren't going to bring me in for an interview because I was over-qualified for the position (the pay grade really).

You know what this country needs? Better jobs and better men, apparantly.