Family and Religion

[^_^ 5,021]

It's a secret. You think they are REALLY going to tell you how to get to the top?

If it's a secret, why are you posting about it?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

If it's a secret, why are you posting about it?

Oh #######.

[Gemmie 142]

No, nor do I some of the time but it's not nearly so easy to be involved in the community aspects without being expected to conform to the aspects that have zero appeal or relevance as you make out; after all and quite properly, the central role of organized religion is religion, or at least that is my experience. Bear in mind that I haven't always been an 'outsider' and I know just how 'welcoming' religious people can be if one doesn't pretend to believe in god and I am well past the point of going along with some pretense at believing this stuff just to 'fit in'. I don't want to have to deal with any of the religious part of organized religion. Also, why is it so wrong to want to belong to a community organization that has no affiliation with belief?

This is how I feel, I've had enough of having to pretend that I believe in God for the sake of making other people around me feel comfortable, and getting comments such as 'you've had experiences in life that have de-railed your faith, but you'll see the light one day." Er, no I won't. I choose to no longer believe in God because of several reasons, and I know I'll never be able to go back to blindly following religion without question. And this is why I couldn't be part of an organized religious community.

I also agree that a four year old doesn't NEED to understand the concept of prayer and God. At that age, they're still trying to figure out other processes including the fact that other entities can even exist outside of themselves and have thoughts/feelings (it's called theory of mind) so I would never expect them to 'get' God. Also, I don't think it's a good idea to introduce 2-5 year olds to any God or religion and still expect them to make up their own minds. That's like saying you want them to believe in Santa so you teach them all about him from the age of two, raise them to believe he exists, only to say at eight years old "so what do you think, does he exist?" Of course at that point they're going to say yes.