iMissyRae 2.0: Religion- Annoying, but good?

Religion-- not exactly my cup of tea on a Sunday morning. Though I was raised upon the notion that church is good and beneficial for you, I honestly think that people only attend when they want something, not because they actually want to. 

This is exactly how my mom acts.

"Missy, we need to go church this Sunday; the blessings aren't coming to us this week.." As if blessings come to you anyway-- it's not like their little pets that jump at your feet when you say their name. But anyway..

This is the routine statement that she releases on me when I complain about attending Sunday service and of course it works. So I, being the lazy and whiny teen I am, throw out a stream of complaints meant to irritate and insult to the point where my mother agrees to set the keys on the table and not go, but by this time, my excuses do not work.

You guys are probably wondering why I get so irritated with going to church so I will give you a summary of how I feel when the word religion comes to mind.

I imagine a brain-washed congregation listening intently to a power-crazed preacher. As he condemns society for its flaws, he picks up his special book, and practically slaps it in his audience's face proclaiming that one shall find salvation if they act perfect in public, while hiding their true personalities behind scriptures and communion.

As exaggerated as it may sound, it's how I see it.. Up until yesterday.

Though the service was honestly the same in terms of singing and praying, the message wasn't and that's how it caught my eye. My pastor had a certain light about him; his eyes were filled with passion (not power) as he preached a message about forgiveness and being able to mend relationships with those who have offended or hurt you in the past. He continued on to say that true maturity comes with not only being able to move forward, but also allowing yourself to revert back to these situations without feeling resentment...

Though I like to think of myself as unbreakable, I'm truly not, and this message hit home for me. Like any other person, I've had my fair share of pain and anguish, and lately I've honestly been feeling down in the dumps. For days, I've been looking for some type of sign as to if there is a "God" and technically, this sermon gave me my answer.

Although church isn't exactly on my priority list, I realized that maybe there is some type of universal power beyond reality that lies out there. Maybe there is someone who assists those in need of help. Maybe there is some type of celestial shoulder that people can cry on. 

In summary, I certainly don't favor religion, but who's to say that it doesn't matter. I used to think it was a waste of a Sunday morning, but now, I'm pretty sure it isn't.