Catholic by culture; atheist by belief

[Mike Dogg]

Some background: I was raised in a Catholic family where my main religious involvement was attending Catholic schools and Mass every week. I hated going to church as a kid and did everything I could to avoid it, eventually staging an uprising against my parents in my early teens so that they wouldn't make me go anymore. After that I became pretty areligious for a few years. However, one of the teachers at my high school would spend the entire class discussing religion with us and, to cut a long story short, his incredible ability to present his (flawed) arguments and creationist propaganda was enough to convince me to pursue a more extreme version of Christianity, one that rejected false denominations like Catholicism and embraced a more literalist view of The Bible. I continued to look for more solid arguments for Christianity on the Internet for about a year, hoping to find sustenance for my unstable religious beliefs, but without someone to present them verbally, they seemed kind of weak and I ended up favoring atheism instead based on its superior arguments.

So, like almost everyone here it seems, I'm an atheist. And like almost everyone here, I've experienced some problems/had occasions when professing to be an atheist has/could have caused a measure of . . . awkwardness. The fact is that religion is never going to disappear from my family. My parents are awesome people despite their beliefs. They're pretty liberal, although the fact is that they *won't ever* compromise on their faith. So that means that at Christmas and Easter, a necessary part of our family celebrations involves going to church. It also means that aspects of life like births, deaths and marriages will invariably involve the invocation of Catholicism and Catholic rituals.

Now, since the celebration of such things involves a religious aspect which conflicts with my personal world view, what should I do? Let's say it's Christmas Eve when my family traditionally goes to church. There's choice A of saying, "I don't really want to go to church with you because your bullshit religion conflicts with my beliefs" or choice B of saying, "sure, I'll go to church with you" (even though I think it's a waste of time). My new position is that I say I'm a Catholic by culture because my upbringing was Catholic and therefore so what if I waste a few hours a year participating in Catholic activities? It's a small sacrifice for the outcome of family unity. I know atheists who won't attend any funeral, wedding or religion-related ceremony because they're so zealous in their anti-religiosity . . . or they'll walk out of a room during a prayer.

I just don't see the point in that. Protesting against religion when it affects your civil liberties or government funding makes sense, but not so much in a personal, private setting.

So, what do you think, totse? How do you deal with living in a religious society when it conflicts with your true personal beliefs.

[This message has been edited by Mike Dogg (edited 10-03-2006).]

[MilkAndInnards]

quote:Originally posted by Mike Dogg:

How do you deal with living in a religious society when it conflicts with your true personal beliefs.

I stand alone in defiance. Simple

[Twisted_Ferret]

Personally, I myself would probably go with them etc. One, I hate conflict and so try to blend in in general; two, I have a deep and abiding fondness for Catholicism. I don't know why - I don't believe it at all - but all the rituals etc. are somehow fufilling.

On the other hand, I'm also lazy and don't like to lie. So actually I guess I wouldn't go? Do whatever makes you feel best.

[Issue313]

Better atheist than protestant.

[The_Big_Beef]

I agree with the ferret. id go just to avoid conflict, i mean just because you go doesnt mean youve suddenly gone back on your beliefs or anything, youre just trying to keep peace within your family. but thats your decision.

[ShouldTrip]

quote:Originally posted by Twisted_Ferret:

Personally, I myself would probably go with them etc. One, I hate conflict and so try to blend in in general; two, I have a deep and abiding fondness for Catholicism. I don't know why - I don't believe it at all - but all the rituals etc. are somehow fufilling.

On the other hand, I'm also lazy and don't like to lie. So actually I guess I wouldn't go? Do whatever makes you feel best.

Eh, didn't read the OP, but I find myself oddly, almost always agreeing with ferret.

Like...always..

"wow this guy makes a good point.. wow.. it's ferret again"

So yeah, what he said. /assume

[Niceguy]

In the end your asking if you should waste a few hours a few days a year to keep your family happy, so i say just go.

On the other hand if going to the services pisses you off so much it actucally hurts not to punch the minister/priest...i would say you should't go.

[MRman]

well as everyone has said... go with your family. I mean no-one in my family has ever been religious, my dad is atheist pretty much, but he doesnt put a lable on it like that... he just reckons religion is a stupid waste of time... but thats beside the point. I am a buddhist and i celebrate christmas and easter purely for the presents and chocolate and such... it sounds bad but i dont mind... go to church, because if you dont your family wont want you to be in their christmas celebrations and therefore NO PRESENTS. so go to the church



sorry if none of that made sense... im extremely tired right now, so much so that im slurring my speach, off to beddybyes for me now

[Twisted_Ferret]

quote:Originally posted by ShouldTrip:

Eh, didn't read the OP, but I find myself oddly, almost always agreeing with ferret.

Like...always..

"wow this guy makes a good point.. wow.. it's ferret again"

So yeah, what he said. /assume

Great minds think alike! Have you AIM or MSN?

[This message has been edited by Twisted_Ferret (edited 10-04-2006).]

[ShouldTrip]

quote:Originally posted by Twisted_Ferret:

Great minds think alike! Have you AIM or MSN?

Sure Enegylop is the one people can contact me on to be added to my main sn. <Aim