Religious Upbringing

[Bayou Bum]

I go to a Lutheran church because of the teachings of grace, love and forgiveness of God. I know God, and not just that he exists. What I don't understand, is how can others not see? I see him, hear him and speak to him. And although he loves fencing (epee the best), he refuses to help me on the strip (something about first will be last and last will be first). That is why I am always last.

God loves everyone, I'm just his favorite

The Bum

[CarrotSocks]

I need a bumper sticker that says "Real Muslims fence Epee."

This is now my mission in life...to find you that bumper sticker!


Roman Catholic, btw. I actually go to the Tridentine Mass in Latin...the whole nine yards.

[electricepeeist]

Reconstructionist Jew...my synagogue is very, very lax, but it's cool because it accepts all levels of dedication to tradition or doctrine. I'm very much a Jew, but the specifics of what I believe tend to vary.

On the bumper sticker - if you go to cafepress.com you can make whatever you want, I think.

[oso97]

Tough subject matter. Especially this late at night.

Well, I was definitely raised Catholic. Both my parents are from strongly Catholic families and my father even attended the seminary for a time. I’ve an aunt who is a nun, and a cousin who is a priest. But, the Catholicism I was raised in is definitely the liberal brand. The kind that stresses personal responsibility, intellectual rigor, an appreciation for the mystical and unknowable, the importance of community and translating faith into concrete actions. Not the easy stuff like proselytizing and evangelism, but the kind of stuff that requires true sacrifice, like missionary work and volunteering out of a sense of truly wanting to help one's fellow humans. It was also very ecumenical and open-minded. I was encouraged not only to ask questions, but to examine the answers.

We went to Mass every week, and my parents are still part of a twice-monthly prayer group that has been meeting for the past 20-some odd years. The other families in that prayer group are just as close to me as my own extended family in many senses. I was confirmed when I was in high school, and didn’t ever see myself as being anything other a practicing Catholic for the rest of my life. As a young person, I never experienced intolerance or encountered a “because I said so” component of my faith. I guess I was lucky.

As I grew older, I grew more aware of the hypocrisy practiced by many people of faith. The overwhelming concern shown by many for an unborn (or even pre-implanted!) embryo sadly does not translate into concern for the child or adult that embryo grows up to be. The hard-line dogmatic belief many say they posses is not accompanied by a wiliness to examine the foundations of that faith, nor do they seem to display an educated awareness of the responsibilities of that faith. The simplistic view of being created directly by God does not translate into a sense of membership of the rest of creation, focusing more on exploiting it. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say I was troubled. Then there is the bigotry against people also created in God’s image – women and homosexuals. And the Catholic churches I’ve found in the area I live now lack any appreciable sense of community that was so much a part of the way my faith became an active, tangible thing for me as a young person. Couple that with teachings on morality that are dogmatic and increasingly irrelevant, instead of adapting to cover modern situations.

Since then I’ve sampled a number of religions, but can’t find one that I can live with. I retain my faith in the monotheistic God of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, but believe that to place the kind of subtle limitations on God (for example, the use of the masculine pronoun) that many faiths do ultimately circumscribes and cheapens both the believer and the faith. I believe that God is not just the creator of the universe, God IS the Universe, manifested though Creation and witnessed to by Love.

Find me a church that believes this, practices and accepts the responsibility of that belief and is a vibrant and alive community and I’ll join. Until then, I’ll go along doing what I’ve always done, quietly serving and witnessing God manifest in all Creation.

[armataforte]

This is definitely an interesting thread...I do have to say, that the more fencers I meet, the more I find the majority to be either in search or wanting proof... I am Greek Orthodox by default. I say that because I was born and baptised in the particular faith due to the cultural implications that it has. I go to church Christmas and Easter and that's mainly to please my grandparents by "doing the right thing." Personally, however, I can't say that I'm very connected to that any more because I've seen so many uber-religious people (including clergy) who are facetious, arrogant beyond belief, selfish etc etc etc. The list could go on.

When I went to England, I found that it didn't really matter what I was in terms of religion. It was rather refreshing! Coming to the US though has shown me a different picture. Perhaps it's the area I'm at, but it seems that one of the basic/first questions that I have to answer upon meeting someone is whether I'm Christian or not. When I say "technically I'm Greek Orthodox" I get a weird face, and then retort to saying "Christian." That seems to make some people more comfortable for some reason - especially the clients I see in my therapy office (despite the fact that I'm not a spiritual/religious counselor it is a common question). Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I said I'm Jewish or Muslim for fun - mind you, lying wouldn't be good for rapport, not that they'd know, but my supervisor would slap my hand...

I haven't lost faith in a "Higher Power" - it's comforting as a human being to know that there's something out there greater than myself - but I have lost faith in the church as an establishment built by man to control certain aspects of life. I feel that if I'm ok with myself and I don't hurt anyone with my beliefs/morals/values, then everything'll be fine.

[CvilleFencer]

When I went to England, I found that it didn't really matter what I was in terms of religion. It was rather refreshing! Coming to the US though has shown me a different picture. Perhaps it's the area I'm at, but it seems that one of the basic/first questions that I have to answer upon meeting someone is whether I'm Christian or not. When I say "technically I'm Greek Orthodox" I get a weird face, and then retort to saying "Christian."

I think it has a good deal to do with your area. Southern and Midwestern states, as well as any area that has a more rural, less cosmopolitan populace or an area were the populace chooses not to seek higher education or chooses to seek it in that same community or that suffers from a less developed economic infrastructure seem to be rather insular in their view of other religions. Unfortunately this seems to be a growing trend in the US.

I think you would find it much less an issue if you were in a larger city or a "blue" state. I have close friends I have known for years and I have no idea what flavor of religion they prefer. I also don't recall being asked who my current long distance spiritual provider is in quite some time, but my profession is not one that requires a deep level of personal comfort with my clients, unlike yours.

[armataforte]

I believe you are correct! I've actually had discussions about this with other international students in my program, as well as American students from KY or not, and professors and they all agree that it's the Midwestern 'attitude' or way of life. I do aspire to be in a larger city this time next year, so who knows. Oh, and I don't necessarily see it as an issue/problem; it is, rather, an aspect of the self that I hadn't considered prior to coming here as essential and/or worthwhile mentioning... live and learn I guess. Perhaps, I should simply tell them I'm a devout member of the First Church of Epee now that would raise some eyebrows and questions

[fencingmetalfan]

Conservative Judaism here... though I really don't believe in anything (except for rock and roll and the Foil)

[sabregrrrl]

It's been interesting reading all the posts about this. I myself was born and baptized Catholic (by my great uncle who's a priest). When I was about eight, my parents switched to a non-demoninational church. In high school they moved us to an Assembly of God church. Pretty much the whole gamut all the way to ultra-conservative. In college I too became disillusioned with the hypocrisy of church members and the need of the church to dictate how I should think, vote, and look at the world. Then I discovered Methodism and haven't looked back since.

In my mind, it's important to find a place to worship that provides a sense of community and a balance between spiritual and intellectual needs. Anything else isn't tied to the Divine, just human pettiness...

[Voldune]

Raised southern baptist by my mother, baptized as a roman catholic, and am a complete atheist. Although the religion I am most down with is Tibetan Buddhism. The least condeming religion I know. Currently living in the bible belt of the South and I actually had a girl tell me I was a bad person for not believing in god (even though she had a kid out of wedlock). Being from KY it is so much more laid back there. Most people don't care what you believe in there. I even had a girl ask me where I go to church for that...like atheist have organized meetings or something. Needless to say I laughed at her a lot. Have no serious beef with any religions...except Christianity (thats a joke), but just prefer buddhism.

[bmcfencer]

I'm a Unitarian Universalist... actually considering going into the ministry, because I really believe in our faith. My parents were supposed to raise us Catholic, but, ah, didn't. I grew up being called a Heathen and having people cry because they believed I was going to hell, but have had very few people disagree with UUism when I (attempted) to explain it to them. I agree that my church needs work, but that's part of the reason I want to be more involved in it. Plus, UU's tend to be really cool people. Like fencers, only less violent.

[geezer]

Since your question improperly ends in a preposition, (thank you, Inq), may we change it? (The preposition, not the question.)

I was reared a Southern Baptist, until I grew legs, and balls, and ran. I have since become an Oxygenairean, which is something like a Boobhist.

[Homeschool8768]

I am a pure Presbyterian! I love going to my chuch. I love the people there and they treat me as though I am family to them.