The Neighborhood / Ch. 3 /Pt. 5 / Indoctrination

Paula

This was the part that I really never could understand. As, my religious training went further, I realized that the whole thing was already planned! He would hang on a cross and die for my sins. "Jesus, the nails are big. Cruel men hammered them through Your Hands and Feet." So, it seemed that I had already sinned, before I was born! Or was it the other way around? Anyway, that part was very confusing to me. Jesus was hurt a lot and then hung from a cross, because of my sins, but yet, He died so I could live up in heaven with Him and the angels. And, I never knew anything about it. Oh, it was all too horrible!O.K. I could maybe grasp that notion at six years of age. But, there was more! A lovely woman named Eve, lived in a beautiful garden . . . however, she became bad because she listened to a snake, who was really the DEVIL and ate an apple. God said that the apple was not to be eaten. All the other fruit was O.K. Then, she gave some apple to Adam, the only other person alive in the garden. He took a bite and became bad also. They were sent away from this beautiful garden and were going to get a bunch of punishments. I, personally, didn't think what they did was that bad. But, I figured it was lucky for me that I didn't like apples that much and that I only liked lizards, not snakes.

Well, Jesus died for the people in the garden too . . . oh yeah. And, what they did, was the reason I was already bad. And, I asked about Mr. Garcia and found out that he was really, really bad! Then why did he have statues in his room of Jesus, who was good?

What if I didn't want to live up in the clouds with angels? I didn’t even know an angel. Although, it was much better than living down in scary hell with the, DEVIL! Wasn't there another choice? And, why do I have to pray to this man, Jesus, to forgive me my sins (sin, a new and serious word) when I didn't do anything wrong? Well true, I should not have spied on Mr. Garcia in his bathroom and I should not have climbed up that chest of drawers to grab the Jesus statue.

Questions such as these, seemed to put those horrid scowls on the faces of nuns. Programming began with vigor and I had a lot to learn. I didn't like any of it, but, it was of no use to protest. I tried to explain it all to my mother. I told her that I didn't like my school and I didn't want to go there. But, she would have none of it.

"You have to go to school and you listen to your teacher. Is that clear?" my mother said.

"Yes, Mom." I answered despondently. The forces were larger than I, especially the DEVILS’!

My life was quite good until he came along and Jesus too, for that matter.

	Günter LUDWIG Günter Ludwig Einfach nur Zeichner	"Ja, Mama." , Antwortete ich traurig. Die Kräfte, die größer waren als ich, vor allem der Teufel! Posted by Günter LUDWIG on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 4:52 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	Paula Paula Servetti	Yes, it felt like this. Thank-you Gunter. (I cannot read the words) but this work speaks... Excellent. Posted by Paula on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 4:13 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	scott Kenneth s cornwall	It's always the woman's fault...haven't you learned anything yet? (just kidding...) I just read another friends comment....about John Stienbeck, who said that women are very strong especially if they have love in thier heart. But my impression of Stienbeck was that he thought most women were evil. Where did he get THAT idea from? Or she, for that matter. Is there some law somewhere that says a woman has to love everyone? The only problem with Eve in the garden that I can see is the one Mark Twain pointed out in "Letters from the Earth"....women have to have a name for everything. When asked what would man be without woman, Twain replied "Scarce, my friend, mighty scarce". So I guess it is. The woman's fault, I mean. (just kidding...again...) Posted by scott on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 9:15 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	Paula Paula Servetti	Mea Culpa, Mea culpa, mea Maxima Culpa! Ha! Posted by Paula on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 4:28 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	Troy Troy Farr	Dear Paula: I was horrified and fascinated with your Catholic indoctrination into complete confusion. What horrible things to force into the consciousnesses of the innocent! I went back and read the whole story from the very beginning, and will go back and read it all with more attention, including the comments. Hurray for you for such interesting, well-written stuff. Keep it up! Love, Troy Posted by Troy on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 11:55 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	Paula Paula Servetti	Troy! Oh, I am happy to see that you read this and enjoyed it! Thank-you so very much! Love, Paula Posted by Paula on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 4:19 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	scott Kenneth s cornwall	I was just talking with mom this morning about original sin, starting the conversation by mentioning Willie's song "The Most Unoriginal Sin". She agrees that we would be better off without that concept...and she reminded me of another story, about her cousin Lilly. Lilly is Jeff Buckley's aunt, Jeff's grandma is mom's aunt. I grew up close to Lilly and her family but never knew Tim Buckley was related to my family by marraige until after Jeff's death. At any rate, the story mom told is how the Catholic church treated Lilly after a miscarraige, during the 1950's. Lilly wanted to bury her child in a public cemetary and the priest would not perform the ceremony in that cemetary. I guess it was too pagan for him. Lilly didn't stay a catholic very long. Lilly's daughter Patty knew Jeff quite well, and told me all about that connection when I saw her for the first time in about 30 years in 1997. Like the baby would go to hell if not buried in a Catholic cemetary...really. Posted by scott on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 9:33 AM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	Paula Paula Servetti	This is part of the outrage and hypocrisy of it all. indeed. Thanks Scott. Posted by Paula on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 4:26 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	MusicDiva Music Lover	Isn't it about time we got rid of organized religion? It's been the scourge of civilization and the source of wars since time immemorial. Not to mention what it's done to scare and indoctrinate us all. I don't know German, but I do recognize the last two words in Gunter Ludwig's comment... 'der Teufel' means 'the Devil!' Kudos, Kudos, Kudos! Posted by MusicDiva on Sunday, November 29, 2009 - 9:45 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

Paula Paula Servetti

Wouldn't ever happen. There has been organized religion and worship, since the recorded beginning of man; as sure as a place at court is a constant bribe. Posted by Paula on Sunday, November 29, 2009 - 11:02 PM [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]