Okay so I think i'm going to go away from just talking about my family and start talking about how I come from a pretty strict life yet try to live an open-minded life in different categories. For the first category I choose a big one RELIGION. I come from a very religious background of the Roman Catholic faith. I myself don't follow the religion I choose to be a non-denomination christian.
My family is very strong in there beliefs though my parents not so much they use to be but have become more open-minded to other things. The only time my parents had a problem was a couple of years before they became more open-minded and I was in a state of confusion when talking about what I believe in at the time I didn't know if I believed in god so I didn't want to go to church and when I told my parents they flipped out which took me by surprise and really changed my perspective on them. Even though they are more open-minded today I don't know if they would be happy if I told them something like that again but I'm sure at least being a non-denomination christian is just fine with them.
Now my other family in Honduras, Puerto Rico, and some other parts of the United States wouldn't really feel the same way. They for the most part are die hard faithfuls to there religion which I respect the only problem I have is when they try to force me to believe what they believe and try to tell me whats I can and can't believe in. I feel like that's what drove me away from roman catholicism having to follow certain traditional practices (which in my opinion some of the beliefs are close-minded and ignorant) while trying to have a more liberal out look in life. In my experience and seeing how my family and some of the churches I have been to judge people because they don't believe the same thing or choose to be different. Which in my mind I think is super wrong since I like to accept everyone no matter what they believe.
This is a great topic in that religion is such a big issue in our society. Look at the current race for the 2012 U.S. Presidency. Religion is everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would like to see in some of your posts is a connection to statistics/data/details (in addition to hyperlinking) that show, for example, how many people who used to be Roman Catholic are now inactive, some other religion, or agnostic/atheistic. Put your "conversion" in perspective.
What do you think was the defining moment in your not believing anymore?
Nice! I have always wondered what ran through the rinds of roman catholics, but been too afraid to ask in fear of an argumentative outbreak. I myself am liberal as well, but still have my conservative convitions. Similiar to your story about your parents becoming angry with you because of your beliefs, I'm pretty sure mine would react quite the same way; especially if I brought up certain sore subjects involving religion and today's society.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself a non-denomiational christian as well. Growing up my family went to over 40 different churches so I cannot say that I grew up specifically in one denomination, so thats probably one reason I call myself this. I have been from extremely plain churches with lots of rules and rituals to churches where it seemed to be all show. Seeing these things make me want to be in the middle somewhere and that is a personnel relationship with the God of the Bible.
ReplyDeleteLike your post says that more traditional Religious views can have VERY strong beliefs which makes it hard to get along with. In modern society, religious views that think this way tend to be exclusive and changing their mind about a certain topic is highly impossible. I do however appreciate dedication to what they believe. "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything". One my favorite quotes.