Interfaith Group

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)

67. My father's parents were Catholics, but his father...

Fri Jan 2, 2015, 05:39 AM

Jan 2015

was lapsed and his mother left the church after he died and a priest told her precisely how many years he would spend in purgatory for not going to church. That's if he ever got out of purgatory.

Well, that was it for the Catholic church in this branch of the family.

My mother was raised as a fairly liberal Lutheran, and we went looking for a Lutheran church when I came of a certain age and had two brothers following fast.

The one we found, however, wasn't conservative enough for my father, so off we went to find a Missouri Synod church that was was rightward enough for him. Found one with a school they sent me to, and then off to a Lutheran high school.

I can't complain much about the secular education I got, some of which was superb, but the religious stuff really turned me off. The more they tried to pound scripture into my head, the more I realized it was all probably a crock. And some people love pomp and ceremony, but I'm not one of them. I can appreciate it as art, but no more spiritual than an opera.

So, years later, after laughing my way through a bunch of New Agey silliness and experimenting with some Asian things, I found my way to a Quaker meeting where any spiritual needs I had were taken care of quite well. I moved to an area devoid of Quakers and did what any good Quaker does under such circumstances-- I started attending a UU church. I am now on the board, which seems to be far more of a political than spiritual experience.

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Who the hell are you and why are you here? [View all] rug Dec 2014 OP

I was raised a Roman Catholic by non-religious parents. hrmjustin Dec 2014 #1

Did your granfather remain Episcopalian? rug Dec 2014 #3

No. He became RC to marry my grandmother but his family did remain Episcopalian. hrmjustin Dec 2014 #6

My father's family are all Anglicans, my mother's family are all Jews Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #12

We would be happy to have you! hrmjustin Dec 2014 #33

Although I was born and raised as an American Baptist, my family's religious history is complex. ColesCountyDem Dec 2014 #2

Were your Mom's parents able to have a religious wedding here? rug Dec 2014 #4

They were. ColesCountyDem Dec 2014 #5

Yeah, that's been a long-standing requirement. rug Dec 2014 #7

Indeed. n/t ColesCountyDem Dec 2014 #8

Why I am here. TM99 Dec 2014 #9

Thanks, that's quite a lush path. rug Dec 2014 #10

Thanks Rug. TM99 Dec 2014 #11

The Episcopal Church considers itself part of the Anglican Communion Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #14

And, ironically, the new breakaway conservative Anglican church is not. rug Dec 2014 #15

I am a preacher's kid. cbayer Dec 2014 #13

Did you ever have religious beliefs or did they simply not take? rug Dec 2014 #16

They never took. cbayer Dec 2014 #17

No, not really. rug Dec 2014 #18

While I realize that justice and equality are not dependent on belief nor cbayer Dec 2014 #19

No, that's not what I mean. rug Dec 2014 #20

I'm not sure what I mean, to be honest. cbayer Dec 2014 #21

I tend to think that the anthropomorphism of the eternal annabanana Dec 2014 #38

I agree. I think the anthropomorphism creates a whole slew of problem. cbayer Dec 2014 #39

Pretty complex and ever changing... NRaleighLiberal Dec 2014 #22

How much do you think the denomination matters? rug Dec 2014 #23

oh my, what a complex question. It shouldn't - but lots of people seem to use it as points of pride NRaleighLiberal Dec 2014 #24

I look for the commonality more than the differences. rug Dec 2014 #25

we really have and feel so fortunate. Commonality is a great approach and should be NRaleighLiberal Dec 2014 #26

I am a "cradle Catholic" who had sixteen years of Catholic education. No Vested Interest Dec 2014 #27

I would have had sixteen but I dropped out in my last year. rug Dec 2014 #28

You may have a point re problems from cultures, but No Vested Interest Dec 2014 #29

I was thinking more of the cultures within the Church. rug Dec 2014 #30

Certainly there has been that aspect in the US church hierarchy in recent No Vested Interest Dec 2014 #31

Enthusiast of 19thc US religious history, especially non-Christian and "alternative" groups carolinayellowdog Dec 2014 #32

How do you think the Unitarianism and Universalism of the 19th century developed into UU today? rug Dec 2014 #34

the Free Religious Association, founded 1867, was pivotal carolinayellowdog Dec 2014 #35

Thanks! I always wondered about that. rug Dec 2014 #36

I was born a Catholic and went to Catholic school through middle school. goldent Dec 2014 #37

I had stopped going for years but i didn't change my beliefs. rug Dec 2014 #42

I am Mormon - i post here on occasion because I decided to no longer post in the Religion Room el_bryanto Dec 2014 #40

That's a pretty accurate description. rug Dec 2014 #41

It's rather nasty in there right now. okasha Dec 2014 #43

I think everyone is getting out their anger before the new year. lol. hrmjustin Dec 2014 #44

The rest of us shouldn't have to be treated to the effects okasha Dec 2014 #46

I have decided to just not respond to the baiting and it works. hrmjustin Dec 2014 #47

On the topic, though: okasha Dec 2014 #45

Was your grandfather, who was an adeweh, your mother's Dad or your father's? rug Dec 2014 #48

He was my mom's father. okasha Dec 2014 #51

That's an interesting match, Southern Baptist daughter and Native American adweh grandfather. rug Dec 2014 #53

They didn't. okasha Dec 2014 #55

Sounds like z great family history. hrmjustin Dec 2014 #49

There's a novel or two there okasha Dec 2014 #56

kicking. hrmjustin Dec 2014 #50

kicking again. hrmjustin Jan 2015 #75

I am an old (64) Catholic man TexasProgresive Dec 2014 #52

I'm glad you found it. rug Dec 2014 #54

Glad you found this group, sorry for the hornet's nest elsewhere carolinayellowdog Jan 2015 #61

Great assessment of DU! kentauros Jan 2015 #66

I think your thread is great. cbayer Jan 2015 #62

The rec pattern "over there" indicates a small number of bullies vs. a silent majority carolinayellowdog Jan 2015 #64

Though it is not easy and I am not always successful, I try to stay above that fray. cbayer Jan 2015 #65

I've often thought about this exact example el_bryanto Jan 2015 #72

I am one of the hosts. hrmjustin Jan 2015 #63

I'm probably one of the least-likely people to be a member of this group. kentauros Dec 2014 #57

I think you're a perfect fit.. rug Dec 2014 #58

And this reminds me of kentauros Jan 2015 #59

Lol! rug Jan 2015 #60

My father's parents were Catholics, but his father... TreasonousBastard Jan 2015 #67

That's a common story, leaving the Catholic Church over an experience with a priest. rug Jan 2015 #69

It might be mentioned that the problem my grandmother had... TreasonousBastard Jan 2015 #71

Heavens to Betsy! MADem Jan 2015 #68

I'm the opposite. The only thing I talk about on the internet is religion, politics and sex. rug Jan 2015 #70

Ha ha ha--I'll bet you're a blast at a dinner party! nt MADem Jan 2015 #73

Three of my favorite subjects. hrmjustin Jan 2015 #74

+10 okasha Jan 2015 #76