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Throwback Thursday #30 – Religious Influences

Maggie


Welcome back to Throwback Thursday. This week Lauren is at the helm and she is asking about religious influences in our early lives. Head over to her blog to get the details, and then join in!

This week’s prompt is: The Impact of Religion

My post follows.

When I read Lauren’s post this morning, I became curious. I searched my posts and found that I have mentioned some aspect of church in at least 40 different posts. I think being raised in a church shaped a great portion of my life.

I was raised Protestant and attended churches of three separate denominations throughout the years. I was raised in a church that focused on leading a good and simple life and followed the New Testament as their guide. It was not a hell and damnation type of church. Being raised in a small close knit community with only two churches, there is a feeling of being part of a bigger family.

My father was a lay minister for a few years when I was young. He was always a man of faith as much as my mother was a woman of faith. In my youth, I did not know of life in a community where people did not attend church.

On Sunday morning, we had Sunday School, followed by preaching. The first being a study of the Bible and the second being the delivery of a sermon by the minister (or preacher). There were also church services on Sunday evening, but I rarely attended those. Wednesday evening was either prayer service or Bible study. None of this was required as you would see in a cult. My religious experience was always one of free will.

I found great comfort in the church and the people there. I still find comfort in the hymns we sang in church. I remember both my mother’s and my father’s favorite hymns. They make me happy when I hear them.

Through the years, I found it difficult to find a church that had that small town family feel to it. In many cases I found judgement where there had once been acceptance and forgiveness. I find that different denominations have different doctrines and the vision of God seems to morph from church to church. Is God a Jealous God, or a Loving God, or a Judgmental God, or a Forgiving God? It can become very confusing.

At this point in my life, I have a more personal relationship to my God and to my own spirituality. I love and accept people for who they are. Honestly, every one of us had different upbringing, yet most believe in a single higher power. I often wonder what I would believe had I been born elsewhere under different circumstances.

I think my life is better when I am open to listening and understanding and respecting the culture and religion of others. It does not change what I feel, but it does make me a better human being I think.

I also think my God has a sense of humor. He must to keep up with this human race, don’t you think?

12 thoughts on “Throwback Thursday #30 – Religious Influences”

  1. I agree Maggie that G-d must have a sense of humor. Accepting that everyone has their own path gives me comfort. I have no desire ti change anyone’s mind and I hope others respect my beliefs. It is comforting to feel the connections to our family through shared experiences.

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  2. I was brought up in a family that only ever attended a church for Weddings, Christenings, and Funerals. If nobody was married, born, or died, we never went inside one. Religious Education was compulsory at school until I was 15 years old, and I admit to having fun baiting the teacher with arguments like if Adam and Eve were the only humans, who did Cain marry?
    I got married in a church (the first time) because my wife’s father was a quietly religious man who appreciated us doing that. But we told the lady vicar that we were atheists, and she adjusted the vows accordingly.
    Living a life absent of any religious belief doesn’t seem to have affected me unduly, as I have always shown respect for the beliefs of others.
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  3. When I was little, my brothers and I went to the local Unitarian Church with my mother (my dad usually stayed at home). I think she finally gave up on us because we always wanted to stay home with my father. Although I don’t really believe in a god or practice any religion, I have been looking into the Unitarian Universalist Church (the Unitarian and Universalist churches combined at some point) because I like their teachings. Who knows, I may start attending church again.

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    1. I have a friend who is a member of a Unitarian church. She has often talked about how much she appreciates their creed and doctrine. We all have our individual journeys concerning our belief system.

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  4. Oh! As to your question I think God must have a sense of humour…..and must be trying hard to keep it going right now! I film that I think explained the life, religion and church well was Dogma….though a little irreverent. Alan is Morrisette played God. Here are Her words as God.

    Thank you again for a lovely post 💜

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    1. I have never seen the film nor heard the song, but I will investigate. It must be hard to watch how we humans flail around when the way should be so easy.

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      1. It’s a great film a little violent in parts but it’s part of the story and there is some bad language. The story though is good and if you can see through the obvious the story is good 💜💜

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