“Repentance is not so much remorse for what we have done as the fear of the consequences.”
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Some people go religiously to church every Sunday while some others devoutly attend gym services.
Even though these two groups are quite different, they basically share the same philosophy.
They worship to atone for their sins… and show off at the same time.
The churchgoers go to the church to show the community what good Christians they are.
“Some go to church to see and be seen, Some go there to say they have been, Some go there to sleep and nod, But few go there to worship God.”
The jocks (and the jockettes) go to the gym to respectively flaunt their six-pack abs and their steel buns.
Some incidentally come to keep fit.
Both groups are suffering from what I believe to be the “I am better than you are” syndrome.
People go to church to repent and be exonerated.
People go to the gym to make allowances for their excesses.
Both organizations by the way are big moneymaking machines, for people will always pay good money for an act of public expiation.
I now regularly go the Larkspur Rustic Bakery (good products/unequal service) for breakfast.
While sitting at the terrace and munching on a ham and cheese croissant I can observe the people going into or coming out of the 24 Fitness health club located a few paces away.
The girls wear (sometimes flattering) tight outfits and the guys baggy shorts and sweatshirts.
In this masochistic temple, sweat (the nectar of the Gods) is the ultimate reward.
Your sins and fat cells fall off after a good ritual.
After a gym session, the participants reward themselves with coffee and pastry.
After church, people feel free to grow and multiply.
I personally don’t go to (any) church because as George Carlin said:
“I would never want to be a member of a group whose symbol was a guy nailed to two pieces of wood.”
To sum it up, I am not a joiner. Being fairly independent-minded I am always reluctant to join any organization for fear of being tied down by rules carved in stone.
Alain