We've danced

[quercus alba]

around a lot of religious discussions on here and are most every day someone will make a reference for prayers or giving thanks for one thing or another so I'm curious, plus it would give us a little insight on why we say or don't say some of the things we do.

What is your religious affiliation if any?

I'll start, born and raised in the Church of Christ

[Big Muddy]

Very conservative southern Baptist....but, I don't play with or worship rattlesnakes like the mountain folks. ;)

[DeputyDog]

Catholic

[HideHunter]

I had nearly perfect attendance in "Sunday School" (Methodist) until I was about 13. Believe me, no credit to me. My mom and I had a knock-down-drag-out battle every week. I wanted to be hunting or fishing. On the farm - we worked - and it was often my only "day-off". Finally, my dad intervened on my behalf. *No one* has made me go since.

[LJ3]

Raised and Christened Episcopalian. Developed my own personal connection starting around 18 years old till right aboooouuuuttttt, now! ok now! and now!

[Thumper]

Baptized as a Presbyterian by my Presbyterian minister grandfather. Most of my uncles (his sons) became Baptist ministers. My folks attended the Baptist church and my dad was a Deacon with his church. Me? I didn't buy into any of it and am still "searching" ... but I'm in no rush.

[Trav]

100% Lutheran here or as some call us Catholic lite, all the god half the guilt.

[LJ3]

^^ Same with Epicopalians! Except yours is was easier to say.

[Sunshine]

:)

[Thumper]

Was Baptized as a young child.
Spent many Sundays in Sunday school.

Only been back to church for weddings and funerals.

Have a strong belief in God above and try to walk the right road.

Always helping others, before myself, and truly believe something better is coming after death.

Ummmm, ya' danged blonde! Baptized as what?

And if you walk in the road ya' may get runded over ... ya' might wanna try the path! :D

[Bwana]

Another Catholic here.

[jb]

Protestant

[Thumper]

That reminds me. I need to call the VA for an appointment. I'm due to have my protestant checked. ;)

[Sunshine]

lol

[yellowk9]

Raised as Baptist and then Mom decided she wanted to go back to her roots (Assembly of God). I saw people shaking and speaking in tongues and couldn't get out of that place fast enough. I never bought into any of it and only went to make Mom happy. I think she only went because she felt like a bad parent if she didn't take us. Nobody in my immediate family is a regular church goer (I don't think my dad has ever been inside a church). I call myself agnostic and only go to church for weddings and funerals. Pretty much everybody I know and associate with is a hard core Bible thumper. I try not to bring the subject up, but Christians being Christians they have to try to sell everybody on their product. I've lost a few friends over the matter when I was honest about my beliefs. It kind of irritates me when my 2nd grader's classmates try to convert him. He has come home with a lot of hard questions lately. I've told him what I believe (or don't) and told him I'd support him no matter what he chooses to believe. There is a lot of peer pressure to fit in with the local Christians. I think fully 3/4 of them do it to fit in and don't believe what's coming out of the preacher's mouth any more than I do.

[Thumper]

Dang Mr. K9 ... you just don't know how well I can relate. ;)

[Captain]

Presbyterian

We will actually speak to you if we see you in a liquor store. Eddies bunch acts like they don't see you. :D

[DeputyDog]

That reminds me of a joke. A catholic died and went to heaven. St. Peter was showing him around and he saw Lutherans, Methodists, and various other denominations of Christians walking around together. Then they came upon a closed door. St. Peter told him he could go anywhere he wanted in heaven except he was not allowed to open that door. The man asked why not, and St. Peter told him that the Baptists are behind the door and no one else is allowed to enter so that the Baptist can still think they are the only ones there.

[Big Muddy]

Haha, Cap, you beez right about that....one of the worst tongue-lashings I ever got was from one of our church ladies, when she caught me coming out the door of our local liquor store, with a couple of whiskey boxes under my arms.

I listened to her rant for about 2 minutes, then just smiled at her, and explained that I was collecting boxes for my son to use for packing, for his family's move out of town.

She apologized, and went her way...hehehe, sure am glad she didn't wanna search my inside jacket pocket. ;)

[BaseballCoach (Rev A)]

Church of Christ for me too. Got an uncle who is a minister and my FIL was before he passed. I rarely go now but my boys go with their grandmother every Sunday. I personally find the C of C to be an arrogant bunch that don't act the way 'Christians' should toward their fellow man.

[quercus alba]

While we're telling jokes

Did you know that southern Baptist don't have sex standing up?



They're afraid someone might think they're dancing

[BarryBobPosthole]

Raised as a Southern Baptist preacher's kid. and Eddie don't know what a conservative baptist is. There were years we couldn't attend movies, we could never eat in the local Pizza Hut because they sold beer there. No games with dice were allowed in our house, not Monopoly, not Wahoo, not nothing that had a die or dice. No playing cards were allowed in the house, not for solitaire not for anything. I wasn't allowed to attend school dances because as has been well documented here, Babblists, er Baptists didn't dance in those days (they do practically everything now). I had to sneak out of the house to attend my senior prom. I think it's why I rebelled in such a large way when I did. I left home at 17 and stayed gone for two years before I even showed my face there again.
Nowadays, I guess I am a nothing from a religious denomination point of view. None of them give God the credit he's due in my opinion. Here he creates this universe and this perfect system of making it run and work and we think he worries whether or not we dance or what language we use. We say he's infinite but we can't even conceive of what that means. So I'm a nothing that believes there is a God. Beyond that, I can't tell you too much about him other than he's pretty goddamned important to be worrying about sweating the small stuff. I also think he has a tremendous sense of humor and never minds hearing the truth. In fact he already knows the truth before we even tell it to him. Time is of no consequence in his dimension. Oh, and he didn't write the Bible either. Some Muslims and some Jews in the Middle East decided who would do what about that particular subject.

Anyway, sorry for the cynicism but I'm kind of pissed at the Creator today. One of my best friends and family member that I grew up with died last Saturday and today was his funeral. I need Him to answer me when I ask him why extremely bad things happen to extremely good people. I already know the answer: its because he doesn't concern himself with shit like cancer. I mean he like created it.
Just call me bitter today.

BKB

[Thumper]

Well, I'll tell you the same crap I always get when I ask questions like that.

"God works in mysterious ways" or "He has a plan and it was time He called him/her to heaven" or "He/she is in a better place now." Take your pick, I've heard 'em all.

Seriously, sorry for your loss P-hole.

My "adopted" brother's real mom was solid gold ... the best person you'd ever want to know ... read her Bible every night and was just a 100% good person all around. She came down with a slow growing, incurable cancer when I was 14 and was "tortured" with a very slow and painful death ... died when my "brother" and I were 15. Her last request to my mom was that we take care of her son when she goes. He spent most of the time with us anyway as his mom handled her abusive, SOB, alcoholic husband. He had a medical problem and wasn't expected to live another 5 years but I think he FINALLY died at close to 80 years old. We took the son in (we've always called each other brother) and he lived with us from that point forward. His dad never even once checked to see where he was. When I'd ask, "Why her?" ... I'd get that stupid, "God has another plan for her" bullshit.