I went to a Catholic high school and this was the first time I was really exposed to organized religion. I was baptized Romanian Orthodox, and my family would go to church for Easter, but I never really got it. And after nine years of public school, being immersed into Catholicism the way Carmel Catholic High School wanted was a real culture shock.

I still hold firmly that I’ve never had a truly bad religion class. I’m really interested in learning more about religion, and in high school and college, my professors and teachers always allowed me to question what they taught and to express the issues I found with the material. But Catholicism still never made sense to me.

My teachers taught that Catholicism was about love. At its core, the point is to love people and to be a good person. That makes sense to me. I firmly believe that all people should live their lives like that regardless of their spiritual beliefs.

But where Catholicism lost me was in all of their rules. My morality teacher told me that the Bible says gay people should not act on their feelings. When I asked her why she wears clothes of multiple fabrics or why women are no longer stoned for adultery, she answered that those are no longer relevant to modern life. When I asked why the same sex love rule couldn’t change because the other rules have changed, she gave me a non-answer. In my little 16 year old head I didn’t see a difference. Obviously, we won’t stone women because that isn’t loving them, so why condemn people for loving others?

My senior year of high school, I took World Religions. We covered Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In this class, I learned that all religions preach love as their core. When you read their texts and learn about their origins, they all have that in common.

My issue is when the organized body of the different religions start emphasizing the wrong parts. Yes, there are certain rules to each that people believe you must uphold. But, should it be okay to break some now and then if the core meaning is being upheld in your every day life? If one person lives to help and love other people, shouldn’t it be okay if they eat certain foods or participate in certain activities?

One of my teachers told me a story about being a deacon at his church. A new priest came to his church, and afterwards, one of the women in the congregation approached my teacher and told him that the priest raised the chalice too high or too low or some small detail that was so ridiculous I can’t even remember it. My teacher looked at her and asked if she even bothered to pay attention to the words the priest said or the spirit that was present inside the church, or if she chose to spend her worship time focusing on the small details. I remember his confusion and anger at the woman who seemed to have forgotten the meaning of religion, and I felt the same way. I’ve never known exactly what the priest is supposed to do, so I have always focused on what he said.

I think organized religion could be a powerful force for good in the world. Often times, we see that happening. I’m not trying to say that if you go to church, you’re automatically buying into an evil institution and I don’t believe that one bit. I think people in all religions need a reminder of why they are sitting in church or participating in rituals. I think some people in all religions have strayed from the core meaning of love. And today’s world could really use some more love.