NY Times Metropolitan Section (25 April 2020)When I was 14, I asked my father why we didn't go to church. His sister was a nun and his parents were very religious. So much so, I remember whenever my grandparents visited the three of them would go to Mass leaving me, my sisters and mother at home. I wasn't complaining but we were living in the deep south at the time where everybody went to church and I was feeling like a sinner.
My father took me outside and pointed at the night sky. He told me it was hard for him to believe there was not a God when he looked at the stars (I was confused). I remember he put his hand on my shoulder (even more confused) and still looking at the sky told me if I ever wanted to go to church he would take me.
And then he said, "I'm not sure people need church as much as they need the Golden Rule." "What's that?" I asked. He looked down at me, "That's where you treat other people the way you want to be treated." Not long after this conversation I found myself running around my neighborhood late at night with some friends. A car was parked on the street and the driver's window was down. It was trash night and a garbage can temptingly sat next to the car.
Someone said, "Let's dump that trash can in this idiot's car." It sounded like a great idea. But then the Golden Rule hit me. I objected. Someone said, "Why not?" "Because," I said, "I wouldn't want someone to dump a can of trash in my car."
I'm not sure you need all of Mr Meyer's acronyms up there but they can't hurt.
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