Dear Malady and Gary,
Thank you so much for welcoming me into your journey. I have read your posts from the beginning and begged Malady to let me participate. Are you almost finished with Mere Christianity? Maybe I should start with your next book.
Unlike the two of you, I had a fairly strict religious upbringing. I was raised Catholic: we went to mass every weekend, and I attended Catholic school from 3rd through 12th grade. My parents chose my schools, however, due to their academic reputations.
My mother came from a Catholic family, but my father's family was Southern Baptist. I spent plenty of time visiting Baptist churches as a kid, especially when I would visit a cousin in South Carolina. Although I had lots of questions about the Catholic faith as I got older, I immediately questioned the beliefs of fundamentalists, especially because my cousin was nothing like the person she professed to be on Sundays.
Once I went to college, I did not attend church. In fact, I did not attend church at all until this past year. (I am 41, so I spent 22 years as a nonbeliever.) My husband and I spent a few years discussing faith and thinking about attending church, but we didn't join a church until we moved to Texas. I often longed for faith; I would talk about how comforting it would be to believe.
I immediately felt at home in our Lutheran Church, which friends of my mother recommended. If anyone had told me that I would enjoy going to church and even become an active volunteer, I would never have believed them.
But I still classify myself as a reluctant Christian. I am a liberal and have far more in common with people who are not religious. And as Malady said once, as liberals we worry about making other people feel uncomfortable. I take this worry too far--I've even been uncomfortable telling gay people that I am married, because I don't want them to accuse me of homophobia!
I am thrilled to be a part of your journey. Thank you for inviting me.
Purl
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Purl, it's great to have you on board! Thank you for that wonderful introduction. Even though we've had different experiences, it seems to me that all three of us have a lot in common in this part of our lives.
We're just starting Book Three of Mere Christianity, so I'm thinking you should just hop in. I haven't found it to be the kind of book you have to read from start to finish.
What do you think, Malady?
Hooray Purl! We are so excited to have you! It's always great to get other ideas and opinions. Your post was wonderful. Thank you for sharing. Your comment about "homophobia" was so sweet and made me laugh! We are definitely kindred spirits!
We are pretty slow in reading the book so feel free to catch up or just start with Book Three.
We're so glad you are here!
Thanks so much! I feel silly confessing about my fear of offending people.
OK, I'll pick up the book and dive in. I'm so glad you're reading books slowly. I haven't read any CS Lewis since reading the Wardrobe series when I was a kid, which I loved.
Post a Comment