return to childhood religion

I agree marjoriew, The abuse of children in the name of God is appalling, leaving them physically and emotionally scarred for life. Those people will pay for their deeds eventually in this life or the next.
But please don't "throw the baby out with the bath water"....God is amazing and loves us with a deep love. I believe he helps us to find healing and will help us transform our lives if we turn in "quietness and confidence" to him, and give ourselves time to be with him. This is not a religious dogmatic way, but a gentle relational day by day sharing with our creator.

Gosh marjoriew thought my mother being a bit opus Dei too much. You've had the full almighty care package. How you coped I can't even imagine.
Even thinking about it and the cruelty you must have suffered is hard to get my head round. How were these (against swearing on gransnet but its needed) bastards allowed to get away with it? Mind you, I remember even if we complained that a priest was over familiar, we'd get shot down in flames and accused of committing a sin by thinking such thoughts
I do hope that now life is much kinder to you. Thank you

I was brought up in the RC church and spent the first 15 years of my life under the 'care' of these people.
No one asked me if I wanted to be a Catholic, it was foisted on me by a mother, who, even on her deathbed would not accept that having 16 children and not being able to care for them so that they were all in care except for one, and which led to a life of misery and across-the-board abuse was OK because at least I had a roof over my head from 'the good nuns'.
Maybe I'm a bit thick here but I don't see how kicking the crap out of kids on a daily basis and having priests put their hands and other bits of their anatomy on a child equates with a faith in God, frightening kids with hell fire and starving them to the point where they have to eat grass.
You don't have to belong to any religion to be a good person.

Love it!

Yes, the hell fire threat was very bad for many children. In America some fundamentalists run 'Hell Houses' where they put on stage performances for children, which graphically depict the torment and agony of the fires of hell.

This is child abuse, pure and simple. Always was. still is.

PS Lionlilac - one of my friends reckons she was taught by Attila the Nun.

We were brought up as zealous Roman Catholics. Everyday my mother would make us say the rosary kneeling down on a hard floor. My Uncle was also an Arch Bishop. One of the nuns that taught us was anything but merciful and I was terrified with a fire phobia that I would end up in Hell.
I now call myself a humanitarian but still find it difficult to forgive those who were quite sadistic in the name of their religion.

Although not a religous person, I think the Bible gives us all a good grounding in what is right and wrong - something I feel is missing these days.
I say not religous, but I do believe in something, call it God, a higher being or whatever. My reason for this is I wonder what our purpose on Earth is if we do not have someone or something to answer to.
There are many good religions in the World and people take from them what they find easiest to handle.
There is nothing wrong in believing and nothing wrong in returning to Church - each to their own!
Good luck and God bless

quick p.s. I didn't mean my personal battery! The one on my laptop...as I'm not attached to a plug at the present time. lol.

Hi Joan,
Nice to meet you . I belong to a few 'Christian' websites and finding someone who agrees with me 100% just isn't going to happen. Even my husband thinks I'm loopy at times because of my 'late conversion' to the faith.
However, you make some very valid points - we have so much knowledge nowadays (too much I think sometimes!) we just don't know what to do with it and many people think God is dead, or we don't need 'a god' any more.
I couldn't disagree more, I think we need God even more because of all the knowledge and stuff we now have. I'm not of the Catholic persuasion but I admire the present Pope for trying to make amends in many difficult areas, I do disagree with some of the teachings of the 'Roman' faith tho'.
Mind I disagree with some, like you say just about morals and everyday stuff!
That is why I like to go to the source ....so to speak.....;)....the bible and check it out for myself. The 'bit's I can't cope with or handle because of my mindset or what life has thrown at me over the years, I leave and I pray. Hope that doesn't sound too holy because I'm not although I am a local preacher in the Methodist church
My battery is fast running out but I would just like to say for now that you are not a lost cause, nobody is, God is good and God is great, so church doctrine and politics aside, I wish you well, hope, peace and joy! God bless you.

Yes, it would be best to give it a go - as I tried once.

I guess I'm rather put off by the Pope, with his stance against contraception and priests marrying. I'm put off by TV evangelists and their 'praise the Lord and pass the plastic' ministries. I'm put off by all the fundamentalists and their belief, against all the science and logic, in creationism.

Furthermore, I'm very annoyed that a local catholic bishop here in Queensland has been forced into early retirement for merely asking questions. He is a truly good person, a great believer in the spirit of Vatican 2, he's helped so many people and the locals love him, but that is not enough for those old men in theVatican. Here's the story.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/pope-accepts-bishops-forced-resignation/story-e6freonf-1226048921067

Add to all this, my belief in science and evolution, a belief in gender equality, and a serious difficulty in accepting the scientifically impossible, and I guess I'm a lost cause!

I beg to differ Joan! Christianity (I can only speak for that because I'm a Christian) is not made up stories and all prejudice! Church can also be challenging, well depending on the minister but Christianity is grounded in truth which has been handed down for some 2000.
Just because people may disagree but not as much as some folk are led to believe, doesn't mean there isn't a basic grounding and common foundation in all branches of the Christian church.
I was an unbeliever until I was 44 then attended a Pentecostal church, then an Evangelical free church, then a village Mission, and am now a member of the local Methodist tradition. On occasions I go to the Catholic church (a beautiful church) and have been to the Anglican but thats a bit 'high brow' for me .
So there are many misconceptions but I think many people do return to their faith/church after years. No matter what we try, life has something missing without faith, some people call it a 'God shaped hole' in the middle of our heart which only God can fill, so I would suggest frida gives it a go and all the best to her for doing so after so many years.

I tried it but it didn't take.

You leave religion, often, because you realise it is just made up stories, ancient prejudices (eg anti-gay stuff, St Paul's misanthropy etc), and impossible supernatural ideas. But church is a comforting thing, a social thing, and it seems enticing to go back.

For many of us though, logic prevails.

For others it provides comfort and a social network. Each to his/her own.