Posted by shar on July 30, 2002, at 21:14:15
In reply to Thank you for all those that have responded!, posted by SandraDee on July 25, 2002, at 19:57:08
I don't know for sure, but I believe I was sprinkled. Probably as a baby.
I think in my family there were religious things that one did: baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage. As a protestant in the military, folks had the option of going to church 'in town' or if the base was large enough, going to church on base. So, if someone went on base, they took what they could get.
My parents were Methodist, but I was confirmed a Lutheran (in Martin Luther's church) in Germany, after attending classes on base. They used real wine in the communion, that was a shock!
The one protestant chaplain I recall most clearly was the one that made me decide that the church was not for me, and never would be. Nasty, nasty man. Thoroughly disliked children, and would humiliate them quite readily, in public. He let it be known far and wide that we were not forgiven for any of our faults, and that Jesus was perfect (tho as an adult, I can see he was not), and we were damned. No matter how hard we tried, it did not count for anything.
Since then. Well, I just haven't met many people representing churches who really mean it when they say "everyone is welcome." What they really mean is "everyone is welcome as long as after a certain period of time they adhere to our system of thoughts and beliefs."
However there is a church where I live that does accept a lot of diversity in the congregation. I've thought about going there.
But, the bottom line, is that they do expect you to believe and buy into the Jesus/God thing. Trinity. That there is a god. Guess that's what keeps me home.
There is a great lady on tv, Joyce Meyer, who is pretty traditional, and I enjoy her sermons because she is very down to earth. She talks about Jesus/God/Devil and all that, and she clearly believes...but she also believes that god will bless those who live in faith, that there is an up side, not just fear. She is cool. I see her a lot because of insomnia (she is on at like 4:30 a.m.). When I last saw her, she was sermonizing about the buffet approach to religion that exists today, where people get to pick and choose their beliefs. She was pretty good, funny, too.
Oh, well, there I go rambling again.
Shar
poster:shar
thread:727
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20020715/msgs/755.html