Religious Freedom of Expression

I don't know if anyone has been following the news up here in the northeast - there is a lawsuit being filed by a Catholic priest and his supervisor against Naugatuck Valley Community college. This priest alleges that he is being discriminated against for his beliefs. His superior - not a priest - supports his claim. In fact, the supervisor alleges that HE had been harrassed in order to obtain his co-operation in the colleges attempt to alleviate the priest of his teaching post.
If you do not believe in the Constitution of the United States of America - in particular - Amendments 1 through 10 which are more commonly referred to as the Bill of Rights, I suggest you stop reading right here. Specifically, I am referring to the First Amendment to the Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791, which states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
Now I am neither a lawyer nor a policy maker. I have no sheepskin behind me stating that I am and educated woman. I am nothing more than a Jane Doe working class grunt.
What that amendment says to me is that there is not now, nor will there ever be a federal, state or local law or ordinance which prohibits any religion I or anyone else chooses to practice. This is, from what I can see - inclusive of every known religion from Buddhism to Hinduism, from Wicca to Judaism, from Catholicism to Taoism and many others whose names I do not know. I do not see where this is limited to specific faiths or specific times or specific forums. In fact, I can look at this and interpret it as a guarantee of the ability to practice the faith one chooses. Or practice no faith at all.
There are no limits placed on where one may worship nor in what form my worship may take. I happen to be Roman Catholic. But were I of the Hebrew faith, Muslim faith, or Jehovah Witness, or any other faith - the right to practice my faith as I see fit is guaranteed to me. As it is guaranteed to a priest, a brother, a sister, a minister, a rabbi, a mullah, an imam, or a priestess.
In fact, freedom of religion is why many of our ancestors came to this country. Certainly the Pilgrims and the Amish and the Mormons did. As did many Scots and Irish.

Remember when we were in kindergarten and our report cards had a category on them for socialization skills? One of those was "Plays Well With Others". If that is so important as to be skill we look for and try to develop in kindergarten, why is it we do not carry that through to our adult life? Live and let live is a phrase that comes to mind - it is one principal we as a people do NOT practice. We simply pay lip service to this philosphy. It seems that having no religion at all is infinitely more socially acceptable.
Yet it is in the tenets and teachings of most religions that we find basic good values like respect and love for others. It is in respecting each other for our individual values and mores that we find true diversity. It is diversity - and acceptance of views different than our own that makes this country the great country that it is.
The priest I mentioned earlier - his vestments, his teachings, and his desire to be addressed by his correct title - Father - are the things which he and his superior believe are causing him trouble.
This priest teaches business courses and he teaches them with a Christian flavor. Big business. The same big business that I mentioned in an earlier post which has the law in its pocket and its favor. The same big business that has spawned such momentous occasions as "The Collapse of Enron" ? That big business? It seems to me that Big Business could perhaps use a wee bit of morality.
A collar - a sign of priesthood. Perhaps, as a man, this teacher-priest should not be given more than any other teacher. I do not believe he is asking for any more than any other teacher. In fact - keeping his vows in mind, I doubt he is even asking for AS MUCH AS any other teacher.
If I go to college and graduate with a PhD, I am entitled to be called Doctor. If I become a lawyer, I am entitled to have the title Esquire attached to my name. This priest went to college. Its called a Seminary. You study theology - the study of religion. Along with the usual plethora of studies like mathematics, languages, and the English language in particular. When you graduate AND TAKE HOLY ORDERS, you are granted the title Father. This is a title of respect. Not just respect for the man who has dedicated his life to his religion of choice - but respect for the knowledge which he has accrued through diligent years of study. Respect because the man is capable of running a large organization with very small amounts of money. Respect because the man is dedicated to the community in which he lives. Respect for the knowledge he has of mankind and his chosen religion - philosophically, technically and historically. If we can respect a PhD for his accomplishments by calling him "Doctor" - why can we not show respect for a priest by calling him "Father"?

Happy Birthday

I realized this morning that I have been blogging on my other site for over a year. June 26th was my first post there. Initially, I started that as an outlet for my creative writing. I took beach walks and wrote descriptive narratives. I was pleasantly surprised when people actually began to read them.
I also realized that I am hitting my 30th year employed by the same company. Pretty good for someone who was only looking for temporary employment. Yep - that was it. I had been accepted to a local Licenced Practical Nursing program. I was only working to kill time. But that paycheck - 128.50 a week - and 1976 that was BIG BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! - I couldn't stop. Time passed, I moved out on my own - and realized that I'd made the first REALLY BIG STUPID MISTAKE OF MY ADULT LIFE in not going through the LPN program. I've always been very comfortable and happy in a hospital environment. The corporate world was never where I should have spent my adult life - but - as I said, that was my first REALLY BIG stupid mistake. Being the single parent and complete support of two children - it is MUCH too late to go back. Or too early. Perhaps when they are grown and have fled the nest.
Although - my youngest insists that he will never leave me. And insists that we must stay where we are now.
But no - reality is that I will remain employed by this company as long as they allow me to. When they decide they have had enough of me - then I will leave. Not before. I'm not brave enough to take a risk. Nor - if the truth be told, do I wish to give up all the perks that 30 years has given me. Five weeks of vacation and 7 personal days for one thing. For another - the salary I make - I have no college degree. I could not go ANYWHERE else and make even CLOSE to what I make here.
The philosophy of big business HR - if you don't have a piece of sheepskin - you can't possibly know anything. Silly people. My years of experience have taught me more than any twenty college professors ever could. But some statistician somewhere (with 2 or 3 pieces of sheepskin, no doubt) said that this is so therefore it must be.
Another lovely fallacy that works against me - I have been employed by the same company for 30 years. Thats ALL BAD! I must, therefore, not be CAPABLE of working anywhere else. My experience is limited. The ability to be continuously employed by the same corporation and, in fact, hold several different jobs - all working slowly but surely up the corporate ladder is not good enough. My experience is not diverse enough despite the fact that the industry I am in has evolved significantly over the past 30 years.
And while I'm on a rant - let us discuss this "employment at will". A significant protection of the employers rights. This law of "at will employment" exists in over 40 of our 50 states. So, that leaves, in my humble opinion, less than 10 states that have some intelligence regarding their employment laws. For the rest, employees - please do not think that your years of service mean a thing. And do not be comfortable about your retirement package or benefits. If your corporation decides to cut your retirment benefits - not only can they do that (and you have NO recourse!) but they can file suit against you before they actually cut your benefits to ensure that you cannot claim them. Now you have a lawsuit to worry about IN ADDITION to your lost healthcare. And these corporations are perfectly within their legal rights to do so. For current employees - do not think the corporation cannot live without you. They can and will. They can let you go because they do not like the color of your hair or the fact that you don't manicure your toenails. And yes - they can fire you to make room for their friends. Its all legal.
We've come a long way - backwards.
We are, in my opinion, regressing to the days of the mining and mill towns - where one owed ones soul to the company store.
Sad.
Hmm..... started off this post on one foot and ended it on another.
Interesting where my brain takes me in the course of one rant.
Now - with all that said - you might think that I have forgotten what today is - or that perhaps I am not grateful to be living here in America.
Not true!
There is not, in my opinion, a better place TO live! You see, I just expressed my opinion. I said what I felt like saying. I expressed how the world looks to me. I can do that here. And anyone reading that is free to agree or disagree with me. Because we can.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

I have spent a great deal of time lately thinking about the past and looking deeply at some of my actions. Trying to analyze some of my past.
I remember saying to my x-husband at one point that one of the reasons we stayed together was that I was never bored with him.
He had a lot of faults - many of which were difficult at best to live with - but I wonder if those are really the reasons I divorced him. Or was it - as he suspected - that I was bored. That he no longer surprised me either positively or negatively.
So that brings me to my current train of thought. As badly as I want a relationship - am I really meant to be in one? Can I? Is "happily ever after" really a possibility for me? Or will I continue to roll through life in short term relationships that do not go anywhere. Or perhaps in no relationship at all.
In thinking about the past many relationships - the ones that broke up with me were the ones that kept my interest. Good, bad or indifferent - I couldn't predict their next move. The ones that I broke up with were the ones I could predict their next move. The ones I would consider getting back together with today - and there is only one - I don't understand him despite having been around him for 20 years - and in all that time, he hasn't bored me yet.
And now I no longer have the biological clock ticking thing to contend with so to get involved with something and make it permanent in any fashion - well, there just is no driving need to do that and no reason to HAVE a driving need. I'm almost 50 and I have all the children I'm ever going to have. So the point in "wedded bliss" now would be what? I personally do not see one.
If I decide that I'm not a relationship type person - where do I go from here? Most "normal" people are looking for permanence. And anything less right now - from my children's perspective would be devastating. Would a long distance romance work? Maybe. Would keep me from boredom much longer. Except that the other side of me wants the 24X7 thing when its someone I really care for. I'm kind of an "all or nothing" type.
I miss cuddling up with that special someone to watch a movie - or to sleep at night.
I certainly miss the sex - I'm not the kind of person who can have sex with anyone just for physical relief - I need to have an emotional connection.
I miss having someone to do things with - sometimes. But not all the time. I have friends that I can do most anything I like to do with. Of course - its catch as catch can because all of my friends are either in relationships or married. So are both my siblings.
I think perhaps next time I shall make a two-sided list. One side is for "forever" and the other is for "not forever". And I shall compare the two in my eyes - look at the pro's and cons of each as it relates specifically to me. See what I come up with.
What do you think? Am I a relationship person? Or a short-term fling person? Or neither? Or both?

Greetings

This blog shall serve as my online journal of my journey through life.
I am a mother.
I am also a woman.
A person.
A seeker.
A dreamer.
An artist.
All these people I will address here.
I have known happiness and heartbreak.
Unbridled joy and deep, soul-searing sorrow.
This blog will serve as my outlet for this gamut of emotions I have experienced and will continue to experience throughout my life.
Welcome to my soujourn.