I guess I belong here too. I was raised Church of England (Anglican/Protestant/whatever), baptized and confirmed. I also married in the church when I was 22 out of respect for tradition and my dad's renewed faith (when we were kids my parents went through the church motions from time to time, but not often, and it wasn't until I was a teen that dad got more active in the church and mum stopped going altogether - my parents are still happily married despite this!).
I have never felt comfortable with the church's teachings. The whole Christian doctrine seems "off" somehow. The whole idea I have of God and his actions doesn't realy impress me somehow. Many people get comfort from the whole God idea, but I don't. I think a higher power could very well exist, but I don't think it is really very much like the Christian God I grew up with. And I don't believe in the Heaven andhell concept - i think if there is an afterlife (meaning our souls have a life outside of our bodies, which I have no problem with as a concept), it is very different from what we imagine.
The other day I had a long conversation with mum and dad about religion, and I was amazed at two things: 1) my mum and I think very similarly about religion, even though she's never really discussed her feelings with me this way before (i.e. I didn't just pick up her ideas from listening to her, I came by them on my own) and 2) we were able to discuss this so respectfully, even though dad has a very strong Christian faith. It was pretty clear to me why they have been married for 40 years - they argue kindly and fairly, and totally respect each others' opinions. I wish we could all do the same!
I've always wondered how people can have so much faith in things that are so unproven - my cold, logical, analytical mind won't allow me to do that. Dad says he came by his via Bible reading and becomng more active in a like-minded community. In his mind the rituals keep them together as a community, but it's his personal relationship with God, gained through Bible study and getting to "know" him, that carries his faith along. I can see that - the only problem I have is that I'm not sure the Bible accurately describes who "God" is, and if I can't place faith in the Bible (there are just too many issues I have with it and its history/provenance) then I can't use it to get to know "God". I have to imagine God, if He exists, on my own.
DH has been to many churches looking for answers and found none. None of the organized religions out there that he tried rang true for him. So he just abandones the search, and now doesn't think too much about religion.
Dad wants my kids to be introduced to God and the church, with is OK with us. Barbados is still a Christian country, and schools are still Christian based, so there would be no way to stop it anyway short of homeschooling. So we've decided to allow dad to talk to them about his faith, and let them decide for themselves what they believe in. Dad is a wonderful man who'd never "brainwash" the kids negatively - in fact he's extremely non judgemental anyway. So I see no harm. Our immediate family is small, and so far none of our more extended family knows anything about our religious beliefs, so we haven't had any grief about how we're raising our kids.
ELCA Lutherans also welcome anyone to take communion.
