The Washington Post recently reported that 44 percent of Americans have switched or dropped their religious affiliations.
Methodist is my background but I am equally comfortable in the Catholic church, an Episcopalian church or a Lutheran church. The Baptists freak me out a bit but I understand we're all worshiping the same God.
I need to correct an earlier post. The Belle got annoyed with the Catholic church and joined an Episcopalian church. (I said Presbyterian; I was wrong.)
In high school, I ran around with kids from the neighborhood. Some were Catholic and sometimes I went to church with them. In college, most of my friends were Catholic. So, I used to go to confession and mass on Saturday night. (That way your soul was pure and you could still go to the party.) The priest understood that I was not a member but he still took my confessions and gave me the instructions to do better.
Eventually I married a FARC. (Fallen Away Roman Catholic.) My friend and mother of my goddaughters converted to Catholicism and I do my best to attend any service for them.
There is something about unloading your guilt and sins that is purifying and provides a deep breath of relief. I try to do this with Big Daddy but he refuses to put a screen between us and tell me how to handle it. I don't understand why he won't just play along.
The Belle and I used to discuss this. Her father was a Baptist minister and she converted to Catholicism to marry her love. Her boys went through parochial schools and once they were grown, she made a change. She became Episcopalian.
I will be a Methodist for the rest of my life but I do miss confession.
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2 comments:
Faith is good to have. It has brought me through so much. I have been Blessed to sample many churches, Growing up in the Methodist Church. Then I was a Presbyterian throughout high school where I taught Sunday School, got accepted & almost went to Oklahoma Baptist University (but got nervous about how STRICT it was, and ended up at another University).I sampled others on the way. Family & friends took me to Baptist, Espiscopalian, Pentacost, and lets not forget Julie's Morman stage - I went there alot too (but more to try & understand).Finally finding my way home converting to Catholic when I wed. To me, it was a easy enough switch, I would rather go together as a family to his church then separate churches, a die hard catholic rarely leaves. I taught PreSchool in a Methodist Church, and CCD classes & Confirmation classes at the Catholic church. I love our big Catholic church, but feel it, as well as most Catholic churches are missing out when it comes giving to our Youth. My girls enjoyed going to friends youth groups within the Methodist churches. I always encouraged going to other churches. I agree we all meet up in the long run. The important thing is to find where you feel most comfortable in praising God. Finding the one that makes you feel loved. The church gives me direction. Comfort. I am not great with some of the tradions of the Catholic church. Lord knows, the Priest know I will ask why when I don't understand. I am not great going to confession, I feel so boring. I understand why my husband made stuff up for their weekly confessions in grade school. I have been a good catholic girl that went nearly every week. But I lack that dedication lately. Maybe I needed you to write this in your blog to give me the kick in the butt to get it over to church. I still say I would attend your Church of the Lord if & when you ever go that direction. It could happen! You are insightful & great to listen to :)
I'm a Methodist.
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