1. How important is religion in your life?
It may sound strange but religion takes up a lot of my brain space. I consider myself to be a practicing Catholic, as much as anyone in this time of no large public gatherings. I work in a Catholic school which means I participate regularly in prayer, liturgy and other Catholic spiritual rituals and I have studied theology and taught religion as part of my work.
Do I believe in God? Yes
Do I think that Christianity or any other organised religion has all the answers? No.
PS Pope Francis is the best thing to happen to Christianity and Catholics in a very long time.
2. How often do you use pornography?
I am not a huge fan of pornography. Not because of all the political stuff but mainly because I just don’t find it arousing. I watch a little every now and then but not what people would consider mainstream porn. My house is very busy and privacy is really not a thing here. So watching porn is quite difficult.
3. Do you feel your religion restricts sexual behavior?
Does my religion restrict my sexual behaviour? No. Does it restrict me from being open about my lifestyle? Yes. But in all honesty even if I didn’t work where I do, I probably would be just as restricted because of the ideas and sensitivities of people who are not religious at all. Whether we like it or not Christian ideas and moral standards form the basis of Western culture. The whole nuclear white picket fence ideal is more prevalent that we care to admit and it comes directly from the pulpit of the Christian church in its many, many forms.
4. Is your participation in sex, of any kind, tempered because of your own religious beliefs?
No. And if that means I am going to hell then so be it. God and I can have it out when I die and I will take his judgement as it is given. If you read the teachings of Jesus in the Bible (and I have read more of it than the average Joe) there is a lot in there about kindness, loving your neighbour, looking after people who are disadvantaged and caring for the Earth. So who I have sex with pales into insignificance when we look around and take stock of other wrongs in the world.
5. Can you be kinky and practice religion?
Of course. Just don’t wear your best kink outfit to Mass on Sunday!!!
In all seriousness, being kind, loving your neighbour (in a non-carnal way), looking after people who are disadvantaged and caring for the Earth does not get in the way of being kinky. Nor does being kinky get in the way of them. Participating in religious rituals is a part of my life, being kinky is part of my life. I just don’t do them at the same time.
I would also like to be very very clear here. My FAITH is not the same thing as my RELIGION. Religion is a man made idea that creates rules and teachings to give humans guidance in their faith. My belief is that religion and in particular dogma is just that, guidance. There is no one right way for a human to worship their deity (ies). Whilst I align myself with the Catholic Church that is more an accident of my birth than a deliberate choice. As I grew up I did make choices about aligning with the Church but it was more a case of living with the devil I knew and intrinsically understood.
Bonus: Are you aspiring to anything?
So many things…
Being retired and not having to go to work. Although I probably would be bored after about a year. And there are many things about my work that I like
Slowly building up my writing and this blog is another. I don’t have any fantasy about ever making a living or even getting paid for what I write but recognition from other writers and bloggers is my goal at the moment.
This post is part of this week’s TMI Tuesday. Make sure you head on over and check out some other confessionals.
Corrupting Mrs Jones 