What are your religious beliefs? - New England Patriots Forums

***gomezcat*** · 08-20-2007, 01:48 PM

It's time to get something going in here. I was born, and partly raised a Catholic. I went to Mass until I was 10. Then, in my teenage years, I flirted with Evangelical Christianity. That was before my Heavy Metal phase- I've yet to grow out of that.

Currently, I'm an agnostic. Something or someone created the universe and I don't know what it was. As such, I just can't be an atheist.

So, what's the story for everyone else?

Seymour93 · 08-20-2007, 02:11 PM

Born Catholic. Went to the local Catholic church until I was around 8 or so. My dad refused to go to church except for Christmas, so my mom got tired of bringing me and my litter sister because we were pretty hard to handle. Mom started going to the Presbyterian church with my sister because she knew more people who went there such as my paternal grandmother. I go there just for Christmas now. I consider myself agnostic. If I'm to do religion again it will be with the Catholic church as I have more respect for them.

Real World · 08-20-2007, 05:14 PM

I'm a catholic and not overly religious in the sense that I don't really go to church. I believe in God. While a believer, I am completely aware that one may, or may not exist (afterall Shaq was traded). I don't think anyone who doesn't believe is evil in any way, or that my God is holier than someone else's. That crap is junk. I think respect is key. When you begin to take your beliefs and impose them onto others, you lose me.

Lifer · 08-20-2007, 06:55 PM

lessee, I was born to a Jewish family that went from being very involved in the Temple ( my father was the first President of the new Reform Synagogue that was built in South Windsor, Connecticut in the early 1960's) to a family that pretty much dropped out of things in the 70's, although we believed in God, it was pretty much a Hes-out-to-get-us relationship.
I didnt really have a spiritual life into my early adulthood until 1985 at the age of 23 when I hit a bottom with trying to do it all myself and I reached out to God. I had a very strong belief in God for many years that I was sure didnt include Jesus Christ until I was born again in 2005. That has changed everything for me. That relationship is a part of me everyday and it is a pleasure to share it. Its also a pleasure to hear other peoples journeys and I always look forward to doing so.

ironwasp · 08-21-2007, 03:27 AM

There's a theme developing here. I too was raised a Catholic, and practiced until my mid-teens. I didn't so much fall out with religion as found it interfered with other things (sports, chasing girls etc) and just fell away.

When I got married in 1999 though it was to a practicing Catholic and so I got involved a little again and married in church. But now I cannot reconcile myself to the Church's irresponsible and hypocritical social policy, nor really its fire and brimstone black-and-white certainty of the way the world works. So I've fallen away again (and will therefore obviously go to hell).

We practice in the Anglican church in our village occasionally, but that is really more of a community thing than a religious thing to me.

So I still believe in a god of sorts, I'm just not sure who or where he is or what he would make of those who profess to organise the rest of us on his behalf.

***reflexblue*** · 08-21-2007, 03:58 AM

There's a theme developing here. I too was raised a Catholic, and practiced until my late teens,then sort of fell away. In collage I read about the "childrens crusade" and realy disliked the Catholic church. But many years later I got into reading the bible,so much so that one fell apart on me. Have come to believe all the major "profets" Jesus, Budda,Mohammid, Zoroaster etc. are all voices of one diety,or entity. I believe in the anthropic principle of the universe, that is it couldn't happen randomly,the odds calculated by one theoretical physicist are 1 in15,000000000000000 that the universe would form the way it has, being able to support life. Thoses are stagering odds if true. I just ordered a couple of books dealing with the subject.One by a philosopher,and one by a T.physacist. As for me know I'm more into the mixing of Christianity,and Buddismmorals and spirituality are pretty much the same in all religeons. As long as people don't go and reinterprit them. Also I wouldn't want to belong to any organized religeon that would have me for a member.

***DarrylS*** · 08-21-2007, 04:09 AM

Holy crap, talk about a consistent theme. Born and raised Catholic, attended catholic schools.. good catholic boy.. got married in the church, then divorced 17 years later. Stopped being involved with the church during that marriage, that was my fault.

After divorce, essentially banned from catholic church... find this hypocritical, as do not believe that Jesus would want me in a mundane, dead relationship.. instead would want me where I am not, in an alive one.

Couple of years ago had to go in for some major Kidney surgery, before I went in went to a franciscan chapel for confession.. anyways talked to the priest, told him my sitz. he started telling me about annulment.. almost crapped my pants. In other words, give the church about 5K go through a bunch of hoops, then you will ok in the eyes of the Catholic Church.. don't believe that that is the answer.

Now do not go to church, except for special occasions, but do stop by an open church light a candle and say a few prayers. Most days I stop for prayer, live a good moral life, dedicated to family.. it is what it is, I am a man who still believes in the basic concepts of the catholic church, but have issues with many of its laws and stands on issues. Most of the laws were made by grey haired men, who never have experienced a good relationship with a woman or ever experienced the intimacy of family life and all of its ups and downs.

ironwasp · 08-21-2007, 06:03 AM

I don't suppose it should be a huge surprise that there is a plethora of Catholics in the NE area, given the history and demography of Boston. But perhaps the rest of us Catholics are attracted for reasons of assimilation...

***DarrylS*** · 08-21-2007, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironwasp

I don't suppose it should be a huge surprise that there is a plethora of Catholics in the NE area, given the history and demography of Boston. But perhaps the rest of us Catholics are attracted for reasons of assimilation...

Not sure if anything makes sense, but this makes as much sense as anything.. grew up hardly knowing any protestant kids, a few Jewish kids.. when I went to BU for graduate school in '82, inundated with gay jewish kids.. found that interesting, and any homophobia I had went away quickly.

ironwasp · 08-21-2007, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJAJ15

Not sure if anything makes sense, but this makes as much sense as anything.. grew up hardly knowing any protestant kids, a few Jewish kids.. when I went to BU for graduate school in '82, inundated with gay jewish kids.. found that interesting, and any homophobia I had went away quickly.

I had a similar experience going to college. I'd been at an independent school in the south west of England, where there were pretty much no blacks, no Asians, no Jews, no anything much other than middle class white kids. (That included the town, which was as undiverse as any I've been to in the UK). I was an oddity being a Catholic as everyone else was Anglican.

Then I went to colleage in the east (rough) end of London, and it was like being plonked down in the United Nations general assembly. It helped me revise a lot of my world view that was entirely the product of a (relatively) privileged, insulated and ignorant upbringing.

(btw Where is Block Island Sound? My cousin lives in Newport; is it near there?)