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I grew up in a non-rigid Catholic family. Mom was Lutheran and converted in the 50's to shut up her inlaws..... we went to Catholic schools until my mother was pissed off at the judgemental lay teachers who came down hard on my younger sister who had epilepsy. So much for a loving, accepting environment.
I stopped going to church at age 17. Still was "spiritual". I do not know nor do I dwell on whether or not there is a God. I believe in things right in front of my face. That's a lot.
I am living in a VERY rigid community (mormon) and we're about to leave for another state. And I was thinking about this community....they are so very tribal. And exclusive. I never cared about being on the outside looking in - but it does bother others.
I see the same rigidity in Mormonism as I did in Catholicism. Pretty Sad. People eventually do or don't figure it out that they can think for themselves. It's all about control - and who has it. Them or you.
When I was very young, I was taught to fear God. In my teens and twenties, I was very agnostic.
There was this God that didn't seem to answer my prayers, or do much of anything. I guess this is the age range where we become the most rebellious anyway, but I didn't understand a God that allowed such evil to flourish - even in my own home.
In my late 20s, while fighting anesthesia for emergency surgery was when I reclaimed God, by allowing myself to be overtaken while praying, "God, I am in your hands." Interestingly enough, I lived.
I am now, after a lifetime of emergencies, deaths, begging for mercy for someone I loved that was suffering, and seeing what awaits me on the other side, I am a true believer again. I do not fear death and I do not fear hell. I also do not fear God anymore.
No, Less religious. I have seen the light that most all religions are gimmicky and try to suck you in with their unproven stories on Jesus and god. Tax the church....
I really do hope there is a heaven and hell. Truly evil people who are not caught and punished here on Earth need a very bad place where they eventually are punished for an eternity.
I really do hope there is a heaven and hell. Truly evil people who are not caught and punished here on Earth need a very bad place where they eventually are punished for an eternity.
Bad news: this attitude gets you to hell. So I guess you'd better start hoping there isnt one.
Less religious. I think of it as growing in wisdom, or evolving if you will. It's not necessarily something I set out to do, but more a natural path that happened as I became more introspective.
When you start looking at religion, (especially the current white evangelical version that's infected our country), you realize that it is mostly made up of man-made traditions and laws. Something that Jesus condemned the Pharisees for. Different religions, denominations, and even local church bodies all have their own versions of what the truth is.
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