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rurallib

(63,201 posts)
58. Like many I was raised Catholic and went to parochial school
Wed Apr 18, 2018, 08:07 PM
Apr 2018

taught by nuns mostly. Had many fears instilled in me.
Many things happened from 7th - 12th grade that chipped, chipped, chipped away at the lies they told me.
- Molested by priest at 13 and spent 2 years hiding while he pursued me - parents took his side.
- ate meat on a Friday at my part time job - didn't die and go to hell.
- missed a Sunday mass and didn't die and go to hell
- dated many non-Catholic girls - didn't die and go to hell.
- married one of them - pretty much gone from the church by then.

After HS was pretty much non-religious. When I would think about religion it was mostly negative but not fully atheist.

But when the tool of the devil - the internet - came around and I had some time I started looking for answers to questions I had had for decades. After @ a year I was well over to the atheist side.

As someone upthread had done I also started watched atheist you tubes landing mostly on Atheist Experience. They really helped clear up many, many questions.

Yes. I was an alter boy at the time. padfun Apr 2018 #1
At about 16 years vlyons Apr 2018 #2
I read some books on Buddhism. angstlessk Apr 2018 #14
600k-plus Rohingya refugees beg to differ. malchickiwick Apr 2018 #51
I don't remember the date but I remember how I began questioning The Genealogist Apr 2018 #3
What kind of deity would be so cruel? Cartoonist Apr 2018 #6
I've certainly encountered some cruel theists The Genealogist Apr 2018 #7
Yes, and atheists are immoral!!! angstlessk Apr 2018 #15
Why shouldn't a deity be cruel? Mariana Apr 2018 #46
Same here. Comatose Sphagetti Apr 2018 #41
I don't think I ever believed. I tried to believe but could not MaryMagdaline Apr 2018 #4
Now there is an answer for the ages angstlessk Apr 2018 #8
It used to be convincing enough, I guess. :) MaryMagdaline Apr 2018 #27
At that age, I endured a weird sermon with a mention of Jesus following you everywhere and watching. Snarkoleptic Apr 2018 #5
Jesus as a balloon! angstlessk Apr 2018 #9
It was in college (I'm a late bloomer). 3Hotdogs Apr 2018 #10
THAT IS christianity! angstlessk Apr 2018 #16
Not JUST Christianity -- RandomAccess Apr 2018 #36
Raised in the Catholic Church...cannot remember EVER "believing" any of it... Moostache Apr 2018 #11
Indeed, why the first born sons to sacrifice? angstlessk Apr 2018 #17
Early, 12? years old, likely @ services in synagogue, elleng Apr 2018 #12
I started feeling skeptical Faux pas Apr 2018 #13
I remember not wanting to go to heaven angstlessk Apr 2018 #19
Who would want to go to heaven if it was filled with a bunch of smarmy bastards? 3Hotdogs Apr 2018 #31
I was a devout Catholic all the way through my teens. GreenEyedLefty Apr 2018 #18
I agree with being a closet atheist.. angstlessk Apr 2018 #21
Same here. Only a few family members and close friends know that Arkansas Granny Apr 2018 #29
Belief in supernatural beings just does not compute for me. unblock Apr 2018 #20
You musta been lucky outta the gate! angstlessk Apr 2018 #22
Raised by the ungodly. Voltaire2 Apr 2018 #23
When I asked a nun ... GeorgeGist Apr 2018 #24
Did you get the ruler or just told not to come around again? n/t The Genealogist Apr 2018 #33
7 or 8, i can't remember Butterflylady Apr 2018 #25
First CCD class, age 7 JenniferJuniper Apr 2018 #26
They can't answer those questions Cartoonist Apr 2018 #30
i was young CelticWinter Apr 2018 #28
When I found out Santa wasn't real, they all fell like dominoes after that. CrispyQ Apr 2018 #32
Same thing here. Mr.Bill Apr 2018 #37
I never did believe iwillalwayswonderwhy Apr 2018 #34
Church was where I learned to sing harmony. CrispyQ Apr 2018 #38
yes, so called heaven05 Apr 2018 #35
I was very young too, maybe around 6-7 when I refused to recite procon Apr 2018 #39
I was 12 and asked to "confirm" my belief Thunderbeast Apr 2018 #40
Guilt was and is all Catholicism teaches angstlessk Apr 2018 #50
It wasnt til recently that I realized that Jesus wasnt a Christian LakeArenal Apr 2018 #42
Age 4 Runningdawg Apr 2018 #43
Pets are the arbitrators of god angstlessk Apr 2018 #44
When I was about 55 years old. Delmette2.0 Apr 2018 #45
I have been crawling through the Atheist Experience videos for about 2 years rurallib Apr 2018 #47
I always was. Susan Calvin Apr 2018 #48
This message was self-deleted by its author Freelancer Apr 2018 #49
Nice to see someone mention Castaneda Runningdawg Apr 2018 #52
This message was self-deleted by its author Freelancer Apr 2018 #53
the trigility angstlessk Apr 2018 #56
Can't really say there was a specific point. trotsky Apr 2018 #54
That Which Is frogmarch Apr 2018 #55
Before I was 13. sakabatou Apr 2018 #57
Like many I was raised Catholic and went to parochial school rurallib Apr 2018 #58
Never did believe that crap, yortsed snacilbuper Apr 2018 #59
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