I don't get it. I really don't.

I don't think I'm naive or innocent or sheltered. I read/listen/hear news through many outlets every day, be it on my TV, my radio, my phone, my laptops, my desktop, satellite radio broadcasts, blog subscriptions, podcasts, etc., etc.... I can go on and on about all the avenues I get my news, but that's only a point here to illustrate that I'm not an uniformed human being. I read/listen/hear things all the time from everywhere.

On an intellectual level, I know what's going on in my world.

But on a humanity level, I don't get it.

I really don't.

And in the aftermath of the tragedy that's happened in Kenya this week, this post is going to be about religion. MY religion.

Reports are coming out that the monsters who attacked that university separated people by faith and, if they were Christian, killed them.  For no other reason but their faith.  Those people knew nothing else of those students' lives: it didn't matter to them that they were good people. People who help out their community, people who were supporting their families, people who would have made a difference in our world.  To those horrid folks who did this, nothing else mattered about them but what their faith was and they assumed they should die for that and that alone.

I was born to two Catholic parents. I went to Catholic school and even taught Catholicism after my Confirmation for a while.  I stopped being Catholic, but never stopped being a Christian.  And most of you reading this probably are not surprised by this.  I wear it on my sleeve that I am.

But in the wake of international events lately, I wonder if I would do that as easily if I weren't in a country and a community where I actually CAN.  I can sit down with fellow Christians, but also with other friends of other faiths.  Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Agnostic, Atheist....It would never ever occur to me that I had to eliminate those friends from not only my life but the face of the earth just because of what faith they believe  I can wear a cross necklace, take a PTO at work for a Christian holiday, say "Have a Great Easter Weekend!" without consequences. Gosh, I'm lucky to live here.







But back to Kenya. Or Littleton, Colorado. Or anywhere else where someone put a person on the line by asking their faith with a gun to their head and pretty much stating it would be a choice between life and death.

As much as I am out about my faith?  Would I lie in order to still be alive today?

Yes. I probably would.



Yes, I definitely would.

I would tell that person who had a gun to my head anything he wanted to hear. Just to live.

I don't want to be a martyr.

But even if I did that? I don't think for one second that it would make me be a bad Christian or a traitor to my faith.  I don't think my God would blame me for that -- for wanting to live? That's the biggest thing that's been bouncing around my brain in this past week after hearing about the horrific tragedy that happened there. Would it be OK in God's eyes to lie and deny him in that life-and-death moment just so I could go on living? Would he be OK with that, knowing that what I said was not actually in my heart?

I think He would. (He forgave Peter for denying him three times and still made him the first Pope; why wouldn't he let me once if he knew my heart?)

But the whole point about this rambling post is still what I said earlier.

I don't get how human beings do this to each other.  Care about what other people are doing! Care about folks who help each other, no matter their faith, creed, doctrine or orientation.  Care about  family and then let everyone else just do the same, even if it's different than yours. No matter their faith, beliefs or gods.  Right?

I, as an educated woman, truly don't understand why this concept is so difficult.