I was raised Catholic, Mom was conservative Dad was VERY conservative. 12 years Catholic schools, never missed Mass, including Holy Days, even when out of town.
I thought all this stuff was nonsense when I was five (nonsense isn't the right word, either at five or thirty, but clearly something recognizable as incongruous, contradictory, whatever.)
I skipped Mass every chance I could get away with and after high school I only went on Christmas, Easter and Mothers Day (and I suppose birthdays that fell on Sundays,) with my parents.
My position is still today, all religions are more harmful than helpful.
BUT
September 11, 2001, I'm thirty-something, married with one kid in hand and another on the way (and another on the way after that) and I really wanted to get a handle on Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. So I got some books. And my negative sentiment was unchanged, and actually reinforced.
But I think I can say this about Christianity: Because of Jesus (and IMO it is irrelevant if Jesus actually ever existed - even if it's only stories contrived by the Apostles) Because of Jesus (some) people no longer wastefully destroyed food, cows, chickens, goats, bunnies in sacrifices; and because of Jesus (some) people no longer believed that God had an identified physical address at some building.
reply
share
snepts (11123)
4 years ago
My feelings toward religion are complicated ... as they should be. (And I thank you for your very reasonable post / reply.)
I grew up with a certain amount of religiosity that I took seriously, but also felt like utter fiction.
Great concept but doesn't work under scrutiny. There may be no atheists in foxholes, but there shouldn't be evangelicals in charge in times of crisis.
Best of luck to you and yours. Perhaps we will chat some more.
reply
share