Positive Influence or Disgraceful?

[Haruko]

My mother didn't do a very thorough enough job trying to brainwash me, apparently, as I am now a heretic, infidel, evil Anti-Christ, skeptic -- whatever you want to refer to me as. First of all, she wasn't consistent in bringing me to church. We simply didn't go every Sunday. As far as I can remember, we went often. But it's possible that further back to a time that I can't recall, our church attendence wasn't as regular, as was the case more recently. Today, I don't attend church at all. My mother has finally given up trying to force me. I believe that, several years ago, I was a devout Catholic just like here devoted to my faith and never questioning it. But, if memory serves me right, this dogmatic, unhindering faith quickly recided. I began questioning my faith more often. I don't know when it happened, but I soon just stopped believing in God as depicted in Catholicism and along with it stopped praying. I don't know if my lack of church attendance had any positive influence, in my perspective, but I don't see how it could have had a negative one. Secondly, my mom never continually preached to me about God, Jesus Christ, how he loves us all, etc. She left out religion for the most part, if memory serves me right, leaving me without pressure in developing my own belief. Thirdly, and most recently, I began reading tons of material from the perspective of atheists, humanists, and deists.

I remember my sister asking a question about how life began. I don't know how I responded. I think I gave her an atheistic view point, talking casually and not being forceful and not belittling whatever her beliefs were at the time. I remember more recently my brother asking me who created God, and, if memory serves me right, I told him that I believe that I believe no one did as he doesn't exist. I told him it's my belief and didn't make it out to be absolute fact. Maybe I'm a little too sensitive when it comes to my speech. Anyways, my mom proceeded to scold me, saying that I'm poisoning his mind and implying that I'm forcing my beliefs down his throat. This angered me because, first of all, she's been forcing her beliefs down his throat since he was born and, second of all, he asked me for my perspective. He never would have gotten it had he not requested it. That is not forcing one's opinion down one's throat. I remember debating my position to her out of my feeling of necessity in doing so in order to get her to stop jumping on my back, I guess. I don't really know. Anyways, I don't really want to get into what was said, but I do remember that at the end, she was at loss as to even attempting to refute my view point, maybe even impressed. I don't know. But it didn't mean much to me. I felt sorry for her because she's a fundie. At least that's the impression she's had on me. I can't say with confidence but I do believe that she's implied more than once that she believes the Bible stories are absolute truth.

I remember when she told me to pray for her when she was feeling down, even though she knew I was a non-believer. She made clear that she thought stupid things like that God would not help her because her son would not pray for her and that she has failed as a parent because she didn't get her son to believe in Catholocism. I remember more recently I had a talk with my sister. I've encouraged her to be skeptical and to read up on all religions (I'm including atheism under the umbrella) and making her own choice. I believe it important for her to grow up to be one critical of claims, a thinking person not easily manipulated like all the unfortunate fools in this country I live in: U.S. I don't care much the belief she adopts so long as she reaches it after having researched it thoroughly and after having read the other view points, and even then not being dogmatic. I must admit, though, that I'd be disturbed if she chose to be a Satanist, or something. o.O By the way, she very recently concluded to me that she believes that God left after creating the universe, therefore implying belief in the Deistic God... at least for now. She's still young and has much knowledge to gain as time passes.

I hope this wasn't too boring, or if you just skimmed through or simply scrolled down here... hi. =d

I hope I'm doing the right thing. I don't want to force any belief onto anyone. I just want my sister and brother to know that they shouldn't be afraid to question the religion they've been born into and should question, and never stop doing it.

[Haruko]

By the way, I don't know if it was because of me that she reached this conclusion I've recently discovered. Maybe I did. I don't know.

I noticed numerous grammatical mistakes in my previous post, including bad spacing and sloppy splitting for paragraphing. Ugh. I rushed this post. I don't think I would have much improved it had I not, anyways. =/

[Zero]

I don't understand how such an influence can be bad. If you learn early on to accept many things without question, you're not likely to end up very smart, or very effective. You've done a good thing by teaching them to question things. By this, they'll learn more of the world then they would have accepting things blindly. Good work.

[Darth Wong]

The most valuable thing anyone can do when faced with someone who's being indoctrinated in any given viewpoint is to expose him to the other viewpoint. If the supporters of the first viewpoint think the only way to sell it is to keep him insulated from opposing viewpoints rather than being able to make a solid argument for it, then that says all you need to know about its fundamental weakness.

Atheists don't freak out every time someone thanks God or says grace in the presence of their children (unless, of course, it's a teacher and he's leading the class in this activity); where do Catholics get off freaking out if someone mentions that they think God is a fairy tale in the presence of their children?

[Nephtys]

Such an influence of a questioning nature is not bad at all. People need to form their own opinions. If you honestly look at your options and somehow come to the conclusion that XYZ is true... power to you. Good. We need more of you.

Our fundie friends are angry of course, because they are 'being persecuted', Wong. Just like the German people were 'persecuted' by wealthy jews. *shakehead*

[wolveraptor]

Do Satanist actually encourage their followers to be evil? I can't imagine the following to be that large if so.

[Zero]

No, actually. If you read about Satanist philosophy, the only thing there that's too nutty is the use of magic. I find it ironic that the cardinal sin in the religion is stupidity, and they still use 'magick.' Lol.

[wilfulton]

Personally, I'm not religious, but I have family that are. For the most part, we simply go about believing whatever we want, and don't bother the rest of the family about theirs. In a way, I think that's the best way to do it, since nobody really truly has all the answers. Spiritual *well-being* is a must for some people, and some find this answer through God. Some through nature, some through the material world in which we live.

I've always felt religion to be a personal matter. One shouldn't be forced into it, and one most certainly shouldn't force it on another. Needless to say, we don't live in a perfect world, and some always feel that their view is more right than the next person's. Some even go so far as to kill over a mere difference of opinion, and some start wars over it.

I guess that could be used to explain the bible's basic point that men are by nature sinful.