Ahava
Travel
about religion
This might (certainly) turn out to be a contraversial post. But it's a topic i've been thinking about the last few days, since the pope died last saturday.
I must precise first, that i'm not catholic. I've been baptized protestant, but have never practiced, did not grow up in a religious environment.
What i'm wondering about is this huge crowd of people going to Rome to assist at the pope's funeral. On one side i think it's a wonderful thing to do. On the other side i wonder how many people think of themselves to be practicing and believing in the catholic religion. Suddenly. Are they really practicing their religion in their everyday lives ? At least it seems like that to me. Because it's quite known, that at least in Europe, the churches remain very often more or less empty during celebrations ( mass ?). Mostly you see only elderly people but not many young people on sunday mornings.
I believe that the pope was close to the young people, just remember how many went to see him last year on his visit to Switzerland or at the annual youth meetings. The media has shown quite a lot of them, naming them "generation Johannes Paul II". And tracing time back, i also belong to this generation, as i was only 8 years old when he became pope and i have no memories of a pope before the early eighties.
I'm afraid that he might be too idolized by this generation, he, who know very well how to use the media. And the next question i'm asking myself, is: And what happens to the faith of the people when the next pope might not meet the expectations of these people, might follow a very conservative, less open-minded line or does not withstand the comparison to Johannes Paul II ? This could be an auto-goal, a reverse to the catholic church.
It is clear that i'm talking about the european catholics. What i mention above is, i guess, not applicable to the catholics in third world countries, south america and asia. And on these catholics i have no information, but i guess, it's much different to Europe. These societies have different values, values the european / Western societies might have lost.
Also, it is absolutely not in my intentions to offend sombody by my reflexions. I just wonder.
Because i never seem to meet faithfull, practicing catholics ( also protestants ) in my daily life. And if there are so many as it seems by watching the TV, why are there still old people left alone in their homes, dying from thurst during summer like it happened in France two years ago. Weren't there any volontary groups, organized by the church and composed of really faithfull people in order to help their next ? I mean, this would be action in the sense of the church / bible; more than travelling to huge meetings in order to sing and pray together, for those who can physically travel. As i can remember, but i must admit that my religious education was very basic, respecting each other and helping the ones who are in need, that's what christian religion is all about ?!
I could go on with my reflexions, but i'll stop here, as this is what has been in my mind mainly these days. And it would become too expanding: Even if i'm not a practicing person, and very believing into the religion i've been "put" into, i've been searching for the last few years for my kind of faith. And getting closer to what i've been looking for.
So, all for today.
Please feel free to leave a comment about what you think. But remember: i do not mean to offend anybody, these are my proper thoughts about the topic; and on your side, do not offend if you don't share my point of view, okay ?!
