A Prayer and a Song: Compline and ‘An Evening Hymn'
The readings and songs of each Hour are a meditative dialogue between humanity and God. This routine is primarily maintained by religious orders. Secular Christians are invited to participate either on their own or by attending services at a church, abbey, or convent.
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a day ago
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Former Black Christians, Share Why You're An Atheist
Faith, especially Christianity, is an important part of the lives of many Black people. But many believers who were either raised in it or found faith on their own, come to a point when they stop believing in God altogether, which is totally fine. Maybe a family member died young because of disease, and you just couldn't restore your faith in a God who would let that happen. Perhaps your family forced faith onto you since birth and as you got older the idea of God just made increasingly less sense to you. Or perhaps you're queer and the church you grew up in wasn't accepting of that, and their teachings turned you off to Christianity completely. This may seem like a sensitive topic, but having an open and serious conversation can be very enlightening. If you're Black and atheist, what's the reason you stopped believing in God? Tell us in the comments or use the anonymous form below.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Dear Abby: My son-in-law is awful to me
DEAR ABBY: My daughter has been married to her high school sweetheart for 15 years. Their marriage has been rocky from the start due to her husband's 'God' complex. He's a spoiled brat and a compulsive liar. He has not only caused mayhem in his own family but has nearly destroyed ours. He was extremely disrespectful to his late parents, and shortly after their deaths his bullying began being directed at us. Unfortunately, I have been the primary target. As a career businesswoman, I've always been able to respectfully stand my ground. Because he cannot control me like he does everyone else, he degrades, ridicules and belittles me, hurling nasty language and offensive behavior at me at every opportunity. I have tried everything humanly possible to get along with him. I've been a kind, loving mother-in-law and grandmother to his children. My daughter can't protect me, nor can my husband. I'm at the point of being willing to sacrifice my relationship with my daughter and grandchildren to get away from this monster. Counseling has given me tools to protect myself emotionally, but in the real-time situation they are not helpful. Any thoughts, Abby? — BROKEN-HEARTED IN NEW ENGLAND DEAR BROKEN-HEARTED: Your son-in-law is an elder abuser and probably a misogynist. The example he sets for your grandchildren is abominable, and they shouldn't grow up thinking it is normal behavior. Perhaps it's time you model the behavior your daughter should follow and separate yourself entirely from her husband. See her one-on-one, if at all. If you would like a relationship with your grandchildren, leave it up to her to make sure it happens. In the meantime, if you have a will, talk to a lawyer about changing it to ensure her husband cannot gain control of your assets. DEAR ABBY: My daughter-in-law is scheduled for surgery in a few weeks. She will need to take a leave of absence from her teaching job. When she put in her request to the principal, he wanted to know what kind of surgery she was having. At first, she told him it was personal and she would prefer not to say, but he continued to harass her until she told him. She was embarrassed because it's a female-related procedure. I told her what he did was unprofessional and it's possibly illegal (HIPAA) for him to ask such a question. In her contract, she's allowed to take an LOA for personal reasons. How do you think she should have handled this situation? — LEAVE OF ABSENCE IN THE EAST DEAR LOA: I think your daughter-in-law handled the grilling as best she could. But understand that the principal had no right to pry into her medical needs. What he did was ethically and morally wrong. If he wanted a note from her doctor explaining her need for time off for surgery, he could have requested it. The details of the procedure were none of his business. If she is suffering emotional distress because of his harassment, she should consult a lawyer. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Woman Wants to Skip Mother-in-Law's Birthday After Feeling 'Emotionally Depleted' Trying to Maintain Their Relationship
After enduring years of subtle jabs and backhanded compliments, one woman decides it may be time to skip her mother-in-law's birthday celebration A woman seeks advice from the Reddit community following a decision that has sparked tension in her family: she doesn't want to attend her mother-in-law's birthday dinner this year. While she admits it's just one evening, she's emotionally drained from years of uncomfortable encounters and thinly veiled criticism. 'My in-laws present themselves as easygoing, religious Christians,' she writes in her post, 'but in reality they can be quite judgmental and snobbish.' She adds that both she and her husband are aware of this dynamic, having dealt with numerous situations where they were made to feel like the problem, even when her in-laws were the ones bending the truth. Her mother-in-law, she says, has always made her feel uneasy. 'She often talks about her career peak from 30 years ago and seems to evaluate other women through that lens,' she shares, adding that the compliments she does receive feel less than sincere. What makes matters worse is how fixated her mother-in-law seems to be on her sister, someone she's only met once. 'We suspect it's because my sister happens to live and work in a city my mother-in-law used to visit for business,' the woman explains. 'It feels like some strange competitiveness or projection.' This strange dynamic has even been noticed by others, including the woman's own mother. 'My mom has noticed how fake-nice my mother-in-law acts when my sister is mentioned,' she writes, which has led her and her husband to start 'gatekeeping info about her to avoid the tension.' The emotional distance was clear from day one, even on the woman's wedding day. 'The only thing she said to me was 'Your dress is nice,' ' she recalls. 'No congratulations, no meaningful words — just that.' Now, with another birthday approaching, the woman is torn between keeping the peace and protecting her own mental well-being. 'I know it's just one dinner, but I always leave feeling emotionally depleted,' she writes. Her husband, she says, understands her feelings, but both are aware that skipping the event might stir up even more drama. Her mother-in-law 'treats her birthday like a major life event,' she explains, adding that while she respects that, she personally doesn't care much for birthdays. In previous years, she has gone out of her way to be thoughtful and generous. 'I've given her thoughtful gifts — a Kindle, a very luxurious hand cream,' she shares, but notes with disappointment that she's never seen her mother-in-law use them or even acknowledge them afterward. 'It's not about the gifts,' she realizes. 'She just wants people physically present for the performance of it.' She points to last year as an example, when her mother-in-law had three separate groups bring her cakes. The woman and her husband took her out to a nice dinner that evening, deliberately skipping dessert, believing it would align with her focus on healthy eating. 'She still seemed disappointed as if we were supposed to bring a fourth cake,' she writes. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The invitation this year was similarly off-putting. 'Just yesterday, while we were at her house, she suddenly said to me: 'Let's eat on 5th September, I think you'll be free,' ' she shares, noting how it wasn't even framed as a question or discussed like a typical invitation. That moment hit a nerve for her, as her mother-in-law rarely speaks to her directly about other family gatherings. 'But when it's her birthday, she always corners me like this,' she adds. It's not just about one dinner or one awkward exchange. 'I'm struggling to celebrate someone who never connects with me emotionally, never appreciates the gifts I give,' she writes, 'and seems happiest when she's comparing me or my family unfavorably to hers.' Now she's left wondering if she's in the wrong for not wanting to go. 'AITA for wanting to sit this one out?' she asks, openly looking for guidance. 'If yes, what should I do?' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
