Through a friend of a friend, I had the honor of interviewing “Kathryn.” Kathryn was raised Southern Baptist and anytime the church was open she was there. She also did some evangelism. To this date, Kathryn regrets some of thing she use to tell people, even that they would go to hell if they didn’t… Kathyyn is an artist. Her husband is an artist and they live in a small three room apartment behind her frail mother’s house. Kathryn and her husband Bill use to live in Chicago, they have lived in L.A. and now they are home in small town, USA. No regrets however. Kathyrn is a very loving person and is honored to take care of her mother. Each morning,Kathryn walks with her girlfriend Mary, a retired librarian. Her husband Bill looks after her mother when they are away walking. An average week is walking, going to the post office and afternoon naps. Kathyn says she likes to collect peeople. She loves helping people. All her life, Kathryn has been an artist albeit a few waitressing jobs through the years. She use to also run a small t-shirt business.
When asked about her memorable experiences with religion, she said she feels closest to God in nature. Another recollection of God, was the time her father passed. The other family members were busy doing life and she remembered sitting with her father helping him wait to be called home. For about a week, he would raise his arms ready to be received. She felt that she was giving birth to a soul. She sat with her husband once in the hospital and felt God’s presence then.
When asked what made her stop attending, she said it was their hypocrisy. In the early 80s, she had a black boyfriend who wasn’t accepted. She had a Jewish roommate in college. She just couldn’t help thinking that God loves us all, but the white southern evangelical church seemed to think they had a monopoly on who is loveable.
Kathryn likes the UCC. She likes their slogan, “God is still speaking.”
Kathryn talked about the successes of those she went to high school with. One of her classmates actually designed and came up with the red cap in the miniseries “Handmaiden’s Tale.”
Kathryn said about Christianity; she said she feels like it’s a game, and I don’t like games. If I don’t play the game right, then I will be punished. ~February 27, 2021