I agree. My church going days ended when I over heard my college/church friends make a comment after my wedding, "What a wedding." It was said very snarky. I felt bad that they didn't like it. David is not religious, neither are his parents/family. My parents are boderline athiest, though my mom is more agnostic that anything else. We did have an ordained minister preforming the wedding, my sister's father-in-law. It was very casual, held in our backyard. Their one comment was enough to show how closed minded they were.

My sister belongs to a huge church in Tehachapi. Between Sunday service and her girls being in Awanas they go at least 3 times a week. All of the kids in the church are either enrolled in the church's private school or are home schooled. These girls worry me because they are so sheltered. When they are finally allowed into the real world they will have no life skills to cope with what comes at them.

My sister has her entire church praying for me with my home situation. She is begging me and Nickolas to go to church with her. I just can't justify going. Maybe that will change after we go up there for Hannah's baptism in October, but I doubt it.

My whole issue revolves around how they treat people they deem as unworthy.

I'm very happy for you, Traci. Only you know what's best for you and your kids.

Those of us from restrictive backgrounds can appreciate a more free adulthood. :) I'll go back to synagogue someday, but my POV on all that has changed a lot since I was a kid.

Congratulations on making a decisions about what's best for you and your family. Happy Halloween! Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas! Happy Birthday!

Welcome!
I made that same decision when I was about 15 or 16 or so.
It freed me. My mind opened like a parachute.
Don't let people tell you that just because you're not in a religion that you're not a good person. 'Cuz we know you are.
:)

Congrats on the newfound freedom! I applaud your choice to use your own brain and make your own choices that are best for YOU. I hope it brings you much happiness.

Congratulations, Traci, on finding comfort with your faith - now get out there and celebrate it! :)

Congratulations, and very brave! Do you want to spill on what group, so we can close the door extra hard when they come knocking?

What if I know deep down inside that I'm a bad person? ;) :evil:

The one home-schooled baby sitter that we had was a minister's daughter who was 13 going on 45. However, if "life skills" means making dangerous mistakes so that you learn not to make them again, I'm not sure that's a terrific life skill for children to pick up, though it is inevitable to some extent. If "coping" means having the vocabulary to say no to dangerous behavior, that vocabulary will almost certainly come from some strong presence in the child's life be it family or religion that teaches (bludgeons?) the child with who he or she is and why some things just are not done.

Be careful who prays for you. Every sick person that the priest at my wife's church prayed for was gone just like that. Oddly, when he got lung cancer, he lived much longer than was expected.

The lack of holiday/birthday celebrating kind of narrowed the field for me, but I could be wrong as to the one I guessed.