Commercialization

Saturday, just after noon:
There is a knock at my door. I don't have a lot of guests, so I turn the tv off and answer the door.
There was a nice looking man in a red shirt. He handed me a tiny little pamphlet and said he was here to invite me to church. He asked if I had one already. I said I may have. He repeated the name of his church and said the pamphlet would tell me how to get to heaven. He asked if I was looking to go to heaven. I said "I have religion, I'm not looking for a church". I nicely tried to give him his pamphlet back, but he wouldn't take it and he walked away.
I put the pamphlet in the trash.

This interaction made me think about the feelings I have for religion.

I am closer now, then ever before with my Father in heaven. We talk all the time. I think that bond, that connection is vital in knowing who I am, being happy with myself and my life.
I feel that organized religion distorts the presence of God in ones life. It's just like Santa Clause representing Christmas. A church is just the commercialization of religion.

I agree with Abraham Lincoln, who said...
"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion."

I have a close relationship with God, but I don't buy into the commercialization that is religion.

I am grateful for the man in the red shirt. He made me think, and helped me reconfirm my beliefs.
I don't need a pamphlet, I'm taking my trash out now.


***Case in point:
 http://www.14news.com/story/29762845/92-year-old-woman-kicked-out-of-church-for-not-tithing