Going YOUR Own Way

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   gmwilliamsposted 12 years ago

   Many adults oftentimes have the religion of their parents and grandparents.   However, there are those of us who questioned the religion of our childhoods and decided that religion was not for us.    We believed that the religion in question was too restrictive, atavistic, and was out of step with modern society and culture.     So against the parental/familial grain, we left that religion, either choosing another religious/spiritual principle or no religious belief at all.       Were YOU one of those who went againt the religious construct of your respective familiy of origin?   If so, what was the initial reaction of YOUR family of origin?

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      Disappearingheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My parents weren't great believers and did not attend church. In my teens I started going to church with a school friend, and soon became a Christian. I described myself as a Christian for the next 25 years.
      
      At a long overdue point in life I began to question all that I was spoon fed for all those years, and discovered that a large proportion of it did not add up, make any sense, or was not not based on a critical objective interpretation of the bible. I quickly walked away from church with no regrets other than I stayed too long.
      
      Now although I believe in a creator and an afterlife (with no scientific evidence of course, that's a given), I think that as a whole the organised    religious systems currently out there have largely been barking up the wrong tree. For example, to interpret Genesis as literal whether you are Jewish, Christian, or even Muslim, is nonsensical, and to attempt to understand any religious writing in a 21st century frame of mind without trying to understand the culture for whom they were written, is also nonsense.
      
      But to answer the question, I don't think my parents particularly care one way or the other.

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      A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Seems by your description of how a believer may deal with religion by deciding against their parents religion and going at another one shows religion to be little more than some bling accessory to be worn on a whim. In other words, it's not about what God wants, it's about what people want.

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         Sarra Garrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         There wasn't supposed to be organized religion in the first place. The whole message from Jesus was to be good to each other and do the right things.  He never preached in a church he was always out in the open and he tore down temples and never built one.
         
         We went to church as children but I don't go to church after I left home.  To me, churches are full of too many hipocrates who think they are better than everyone else.

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            Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I think you're right, Sarra.  Jesus never intended 'religion' to be organized.  That said, the Church doesn't hold the monopoly on hypocrisy.  That's a human failing, happening among the religious and non-religious alike.  My mom used to ask a good friend of hers to church every Sunday, and he always said no, claiming that the Church was full of hypocrites.  One weekend, she responded to him by saying that was absolutely true, but that there was always room for one more. 
            
            I think the problem is that few folks go to church to find God.  If they did, they'd not put a lot of thought into the behavior of the people around them. 
            
            We should be there to feed our souls so that we can leave and feed our friends.  That's my opinion, for what it's worth.

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               Sarra Garrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Your opinion is worth a great deal!

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                  Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Thank you.

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               2. 84

                  gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  All beautiful responses, keep the discussion going.

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               Disappearingheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Needs 'like' button.

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                  Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Thanks.  I mean every word from the bottom of my heart.
                  
                  

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                  Rad Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Yea, I like Mo as well... Oh you mean her post. I liked that too.

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                     Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                       Like you back, brother.

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            A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I totally agree with you, Sarra.

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               Sarra Garrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Wow, thank you TM, you and I actually agree on something.  You just made my day

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      Chris Nealposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely. When I became a Christian, my non-religious family said they were accepting, but you could tell that it makes most of  them uncomfortable.

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         Rad Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         It makes me uncomfortable! LOL Just kidding. Whatever works for you.

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            Chris Nealposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            That's where a lot of them are now, but they had to get used to my saying "Praise God" whenever I was grateful for somthing. It's a process.

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               Rad Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I keep my views to myself largely as most Catholics simply don't understand Atheism. I've meet many who become very upset at the mere mention of someone leaving the religion they were raised in.

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                  Chris Nealposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Understood.

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   Uninvited Writerposted 12 years ago

   My parents didn't go to church that often either. They did send my sisters and I every Sunday. My mother was brought up Catholic and my father Protestant. She often told me she was angry the Catholic church would not allow them to marry in the church, while my aunt who also married a non-Catholic was allowed to marry in the Catholic Church just because he happened to have money and was an important person in town.
   
   They sent us to a Protestant church. for me, I was never particularly religious, I love to go to church mainly for the singing

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   HattieMattieMaeposted 12 years ago

   Hey Trouble Man good to see you old boy! Perhaps it's what God wants and the people want at the same time. Maybe perhaps we need to live in unity and peace accepting our differences. Understanding the chaos is needed to build character in all of us. Without you my friend, people like me wouldn't be a strong in our believes, job, and purpose...while you wouldn't be as strong in yours without us. We challenge each other...and of course no matter what side of the fence we're on we live in the same world with the same survival needs. So instead of being your enemy...I embrace the idea that you challenge me to pull out my best character and walk the walk and talk the talk. I thank you for that bruther! _Peace

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      A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I would tend to disagree that I'm stronger as a result of religions, quite the opposite, I'm afraid. With the tribal religious mindset still ruling much of our planet, believers will not completely be able to experience unity and peace or will ever accept others religious differences. That simply can't happen, by design of the religion itself.
      
      
      
      I thank you, too. Of course, I've never considered you or any other believer as my enemy at any time.

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         HattieMattieMaeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         hmm...well trouble i can understand your point of view...only by my own experience I know plenty that have away of trumping that belief. That are actually living their lives that way getting along regardless of our beliefs. It's not about religion, but taking the lessons from all religions and understanding how they play their part in creating the whole balancing each other out.

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   HattieMattieMaeposted 12 years ago

   I did leave Catholocism that my parents raised me with and family...only I think you never forget your foundation or the lessons you've learned from it. No religion has all the answers in my opinion. Just a piece of the puzzle. It's not really leaving. Only accepting it plays it's part in teaching you to have good character, moral, have values, and appreciate the uniqueness of each religion. Most of them have the say message. Love...peace...unity..forgiveness..even a atheist can appreciate those things....

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   HattieMattieMaeposted 12 years ago

   I do agree with you too Sara...Think the ones walking out in the world like me as a teacher help more than those that sit with others. I hate saying that, but I've seen how people can hurt us in organized reliigon.

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      HattieMattieMaeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Have to add to troubles remark too...I moved through different churches and level of growth as I learned. There is so much you can learn from each preacher and teacher...besides even one religion. There is to much to learn and grow as individual. If  you stay in one place you will stop growing.

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   samnashyposted 12 years ago

   May Grandparents were very religious and constantly preached the words of the good Lord.  As a youngster I used to be make provocative statements to annoy them.  However, it never stopped me visiting once a week for a good chat.  I guess we knew our under-lying love for eachother was far stronger than our beliefs.
   On the other hand my husband is anti-religious and can't stand our children coming home and talking about it.  I think some of this stems from fear and childhood.  I respect one's beliefs but am more interested in the individual and their personal values.

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   Renee Abbottposted 12 years ago

   My parents were conservative Jews, and I just didnt seem to connect to the religion. I also could not connect to Christianity. They were pleased that I didnt become christian, but had a hard time accepting the fact that I did not consider myself a Jew.
   
   I have learned from that experience, and have remain true to myself. My daughter has converted to Catholic and I have given her my blessing and embrace her spirituality. I learned from my family, and a lot of people in the U.S. on not what to do in this situation. I did not judge her, nor does she judge me. She has learned tolerance and compassion of others beliefs and lives it.
   
   My only hope for her, or any one is to stay true to themselves. It is sometimes a hard road to travel, for many do not wish you to stray, but it has worked well for me.

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   Rad Manposted 12 years ago

   I was raised as a Catholic and to this day am surrounded by them. My parent rarely talked openly about religion, but my Mom periodically mentioned God. We often went to church, but I wanted to go more often so I started to go to the early morning mass at my school. At about 12 I started to internalize and think and question. I think it was my Dad how told me to question everything. Once I started to question I started to see the man written laws of Catholicism. I noticed that one of the commandments were to only pray to one God and Catholics first divided God into three and then prayed to all the angels and saints. I started studying other religions at about 13 or 14 and noticed the fear of God in others Christian denominations that Catholicism didn't have and I didn't like. I then decided that the concept of any loving God made no sense because of all the horror and suffering in the world. I spoke to no one about it for about five years. I was in college when I met my first other Atheist and noticed somehow we came the exact same conclusion completely separate of each other.
   
   I did eventually tell my parents, my Dad didn't care at all, but my Mom was upset and didn't understand, she just kept say "but you have to believe" and then I'd say "why do I have to?" My mom and my dad were alway completely different. When I introduced my Dad to my very beautiful Jamaican girl friend he was impressed, I didn't tell my Mom she was my girl friend, but she caught us together and very promptly told me that if I have babies with that girl she will not except them as her grandkids. She was happy when I married an Italian in the Catholic church however. Here I sit still surrounded by Catholics.

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      Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Admit it, Rad.  Secretly, you love us Italian Catholics....lol  We're a helluva lot of fun!

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         Rad Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         No one has to twist my arm to admit that.

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            Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Good thing, because I can't reach that far north!

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   JustCraftyposted 12 years ago

   I believe if you do things that are good and not things that are bad you have your own ideas of religion and can go on your own way through life.

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