Why must religion be such a touchy topic???? Well around here it has been the talk of the house with Sam and myself. Most of you who have known us for a while know that we have been searching for quite some time.
Sam was in and out of church ever since he was a kid until I met him. He has always told me that he did not take much out of it because it was just something that they did. That speaks a LOT to me as a mom. Just because you may want to take your child to something does not mean they will get anything out of it. So is it brain washing or not?
Now as for me...one of my grandmothers always went to church, the others, never. My parents were not into church. All I know is that my mother went for a while as a young woman and my father went as a child because that was the Sunday thing. I did not go much. I was the crazy child who became fascinated with different beliefs. At ten years old I remember picking up some of my first mythology books and loving every minute of it. I soon found myself reading about all kinds of religions and decided to not claim a single one.
In the more recent past, once we moved to Kentucky, we started going to church. Well not really to service but to small group (which was not small). Great group of people!!! We loved group and went every Sunday we could. Then our group started splitting apart. A new church was starting but we did not feel like we should go until our small group became an average of ten years older than us in class. We moved churches and got onto a launch team for a new and upcoming church. Sam and I finally decided it was time to get baptised. Everything was peaches and cream until recently. We have just started to step back and look at things. We are finding that we do not belong where we are. Part of it is our fault and part is not. We have volunteer for the children's area since the church went public (which was over a year ago). I think we did that so we would not have to talk to people in some kind of subconscious way. I am not the typical mom...odiously...a group of women walk toward me and I high tail it the other way, just as a group of men come my way and I have learned not to talk sports or cars because they do not find it interesting that a woman has any knowledge of this at all. Sam has had some similar issues of not being able to find any Great friends that want to do anything (other than just saying...hey lets go golfing and never call).
So we are on the search of what to do. Our time with the church is coming to an end!!!!
Now as for the children you may ask. For some kids church is great...Gavin does like church. He wants lessons and to read. He wants to know who is who and who did what. It is wonderful. We have never baptised him or Eliza...nor do we plan on it. I know some of you reading this are probably feeling a little disappointed but I will put it to you the best way I can. Picking a religion for our children is NOT our job. It is their job to make an informed decision when they decide to. If we were to baptise or dedicate our child it would make their lives chaos if they wanted to marry or become devote in some other religions. Our job as parents are to teach our children morals...good from bad, right from wrong. We should also be teaching them of the ways of the world. The other religions out there. What better way to understand people than by the religion they practice.
I have to admit. I have lots of friends that are Christian. That helps me know what to say and not to say. It also helps me in being able to pray with them. It lets me know that I can say Merry Christmas when the season approaches. I have friends that are Jewish. I am always happy to tell them Happy Hanukkah. I do not have any Muslim friends that I know of but I would be happy to oblige the same way. It is just nice. They may tell me Merry Christmas they may tell me what they believe. The real power is acceptance.
I have a friend who celebrates Christmas but believes in Science...because she just has to see and feel what she believes in. That to me gives me peace of mind that she believes in something...it just happens to be the something that she is practicing. We know people that like to mix religions. They call themselves Buddhist with some Christian beliefs or Pagan Christians. The Pagan Christians are Christian that have a love of mother earth. Mother earth is not a person...they believe God created all but they also believe that there should be thanks given back to the earth. It really truly is a fascinating religion to read into.
I tell you all this mostly because I have had it on my mind lately. We are going to figure out what to do. We have some friends that run a church, and while we may be the whitest people there, they may be super accepting and welcome us with arms open (and maybe make some more friends).
We need to find a place where we belong even if it is for a few weekends here and there. I do not believe that we should have to believe what our parents did but I do think religion is good for little minds. Anymore it is the best place to learn some morals.
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