Son of Irish Citizen David Francis Xavier and "nisei-" Irish Mary Catherine, I was raised in the Catholic Church. My father had seen the light early in his life, however, so he split away to exercise his own mental freedom (caution: falling Catholics!). My religious schooling never took root. (Gotta say, though, some of the Jesuits I met were enlightened. But not free.)

Everything in the Earth's northern hemisphere is regenerating life right now: as I write, it is Easter. Of many gripes I have with The Church is how they totally, completely, miss the point with this one, as they do with just about everything. They make believe the physical body resurrects, while in truth what resurrects is life, conscious of being. C'mon, at least the Church could say it celebrates the possibility for a "corps," a body of individuals, to re-emerge enlivened by a common "spirit."

These people are paid to think about these things. Why can't they get it right? Criminal neglect, I say! Ha!

And that's another one of my gripes. The "W" Administration sees fit to tax its citizens and pay the Church (Catholic and otherwise). Tithed by my government! Feeding money to an organization hungry for the cash to pay off its civil and criminal settlements for fiddlin' pest-priests. I reserve the right to make my own decision whether to support any church, or no church. This must be a personal decision!

Hrmph.