Faydwyn

The main reason I’m just now writing an introduction is that I never know what to write in such things. How do I sum up who I am in a couple of paragraphs? It’s just not possible. Therefore, I will only try to describe my experience with religion.

I grew up in a pretty secular family. We celebrated Christmas more as a cultural holiday like Thanksgiving, than as a religious one. My mom shared her beliefs with my sister and myself and then encouraged us to discover our own, rather than teach us what to believe. Another thing that was awesome was that I grew up in a house full of books of all sorts; and we also frequented the library. I got a decent dose of Christianity though. (How can you not growing up in the U.S.?). My grandmother was a Catholic nun up until her death and when she stayed with us, she took it upon herself to make my sister and me into her interpretation of what a Christian is. Can’t say she really succeeded as I’m an Agnostic (now there’s a surprise) and my sister’s version of Christianity is radically different from what my grandmother’s was. It actually got really annoying because every time I’d try to spend time with her she would bring up religion.

Ironically, it was she who first turned me off to Christianity. When I was really young, maybe 6 or 7, my cat, who was my best friend, was hit by a car and died. I don’t remember why she said it, but she told me that cats don’t go to heaven. Telling a 6 or 7 year old that your belief system doesn’t allow for her best friend to go to heaven doesn’t exactly encourage belief in it. Plus, looking back on it now, I think I started to suspect some the inconsistencies even before I could coherently describe them. So as I got older, I’d politely listen, but I never took it seriously. Besides, my mom was the one I looked to for guidance.

Perhaps because I was never heavily indoctrinated into a religion, I find that most have some wisdom in them. I just don’t take them literally. It’s like how there might be wisdom in a (non-religious) work of fiction, but it is still fiction. Ishmael is a great book and has a lot of wisdom in it, but did the guy actually have conversations like that with a gorilla? But just because the chances that it actually happened are incredibly small, doesn’t mean there is no wisdom in it.

Well, this is getting long, so I’ll stop now. Except to say this: It’s great to have a forum specifically for Agnostics because I’ve found that some Atheists are as bad as some of the theists. Thanks George!

Gringo

Welcome Faydwyn,

I just wanted to say welcome, even though you and I have already had one conversation.

I also like this forum because, as an agnostic, I find it far kinder than some other sites I have been to.

I look forward to your insight.

Gringo

P.s. Your grandmother (respects to her) was incorrect. Your cat IS up there (whereever that is). I know, because my dog is.

Faydwyn

May I ask how do you know?

Gringo

I was just trying to be nice to you. Unfortunately, I am afraid that not only is your cat and my dog NOT up there, neither is my beloved parents. Heaven is what I WANT to believe, not what I really believe.

Have a great Monday

Faydwyn

Ok. Yeah, heaven is a nice idea. It would be nice to be able to be with your loved ones. But alas…

On a lighter note…I think that streets paved with gold would be rather gaudy. And wouldn’t they be blinding? That idea always reminds me of a movie about a family of mice who immigrate to the U.S called “An American Tail.” One of the songs in it says that “There are no cat’s in America and the streets are paved with cheese…”

You too.

goldilockz

He didn't really talk to a gorilla, but the publishers would NOT publish it as a "philosophy" book, so he threw in the fictional gorilla so he could publish it as fiction. Hope that helps

I LOVE that book.

Gladius Scutum

Hello Faydwyn, I just signed up tonight so I'm new here too. I understand your situation very clearly. I hope you can find some answers, I'm looking for them as well.