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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"You can't reject the religion of your parents"
Facebook argument. Obama = Once a Muslim, ALWAYS a Muslim. This infuriated me not just as an Obama supporter, but as a FORMER Catholic/Christian. This is what I argued. Does this only apply to Muslims? How about Christians? No Christian can reject THEIR, and ALL, religion? Did I miss something? When did they find the CHROMOSOME for RELIGION?
I was an infant when I was baptized and not an adult. I had no choice in the matter to be a Catholic. Tough luck. You will ALWAYS be a Catholic. I don't think so. I am adult and can REJECT ANY RELIGION I so choose to. Show me the gene for Christianity, Islam, etc., etc.
Damn, I so HATE RELIGION. These people just prove to me that I made the RIGHT decision to reject all organized religion. The Islamic world arethe only people who have big problems with religion?. The good, old "free" USA does also. Watch out. We will be throwing "unbelievers" in jail too soon. It won't only be "them Muslims" either.
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Blue Belle
(5,912 posts)I gave up Catholicism for lent 26 years ago and never stopped. Been agnostic ever since.
left on green only
(1,484 posts)You should try selling it to Bill Mahr, or Jon Stewart.........oh wait.
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)I had an discussion with a Palinite a few years ago which gave me an insight into the Fox News crowd.
She was convinced Obama was a socialist. I asked her to point out any of his policies that were actually socialist, she couldn't but she thought deep down he was a secret socialist, it didn't matter that he never acted like a real socialist.
I also pointed out to her that the Alaska Permanent Fund that Palin presided over was more socialist than any of Obama's policies. Of course she'd never heard of it.
ETA: Conversely I pointed out that Palin's family didn't live up to their "family values" principles, but my Foxfan friend said it didn't matter what Palin did because deep down she was a real conservative.
kirby
(4,534 posts)With all their after death baptisms of people. (retroactive baptism)
RepublicansRZombies
(982 posts)I need to stay in way more often.
I was raised Catholic, left the church in my teens and now and more 'Christian' than ever. I never read the Bible until I left the Catholic church.
My folks, and many of the people who pretend to be 'Christian' go to the catholic church on Sunday to absolve themselves of the way they treat people and the way they make their money in every day life.
Jesus spoke of the same hypocrites in his day, the ones who prayed in public but were anything but following the teachings in their own lives.
The Bible says very clearly God is LOVE
They are FULL OF HATE....I just don't get that....
Manifestor_of_Light
(21,046 posts)I got in an argument with a jerkwad in line at the drugstore. They spout
crap that has nothing to do with facts. He said there were no atheists in ICU hospital units. Hubby asked him if he went to the hospital every day and polled them. he said no. So hubby said "You don't know that".
He said there were no atheists in foxholes and I told him about Pat Tillman. Got worse.
:banghead 
Siwsan
(27,834 posts)Similar thing - baptised R.Catholic as an infant and put through the 'comfirmation' process, not by my own choosing.
I don't mind the baptism - I do consider myself to be a very ecumenical Christian who is the cliche 'not religious, but very spiritual. I've know some priests who actually took their vows seriously and worked hard to help people. Admittedly, a few of them switched to the Anglican rite, but remained priests.
The whole confirmation thing? It's nothing more than an attempt to imbed a psychological hook.
I certainly don't hate religion. It works for some and I know a lot of wonderful people who are religious. People who take the teachings and example of Jesus to heart, and practice it, to the best of their ability. I just utterly reject people who use their religion to act overly rightious and to intimidate people who don't bow to their particular belief system. I still remember, when I was a child in catholic school, that my protestant friends were going to hell, if they didn't get baptised into the RC church. That was about the point I woke up.
Caretha
(2,737 posts)much to my dear Episcopal/Catholic parents chagrin. I was baptized as an infant as all the rest of my siblings were, but when it came time for confirmation, I was the most stubborn 13 year old they'd ever seen. My Sunday's were fraught with 5 of us girls looking frantically for a lace doily to stick on our heads (had to be the right color you know, white for spring/summer - black for fall/winter) and a father pissed that no one could get ready in time for him to go schmooze the priests and nuns before church.
The parents decided that the youngest 3 (myself being the oldest of the 3) sisters should all be confirmed at the same time, since we were close in age and it would be convenient. At 13 I personally saw no point in this process that would take me from my favorite pastime of reading on Saturday's and instead have to attend confirmation classes for a purpose I could not fathom. I figured since there were 2 others besides that could go, that should be good enough for my parents, and so I refused to go. period.
Somehow, probably because of how much my father donated to the church, the priest agreed that I could be confirmed without attending the classes. So the youngest 2 had to go to classes, and I got my way and went to the library. There was one caveat that the priest required before he would confirm me....he wanted to have a talk with me before I was confirmed (I assumed to see if I was "religious" enough) to be deserving of this honor I did not care for, so he & I had that little convo prior to the big ceremony. He asked me if I had any questions. I was like....well not really, but then I remembered that I'd always wondered how a 1000 angels could dance on the head of a pin...I don't remember what he said, but I do remember thinking this guy has no clue. That was it, and he couldn't wait to turn me over to my father and said, she passed.
Thinking about it makes me laugh my ass off.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Fundie heads aspinnin'..........
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)...or some other religion of the time and region. Throw that back in their faces.
Warpy
(114,615 posts)Because of the cultural and political identification that goes along with it, you're stuck with it even if you're an atheist like me who never enters a church even to gawp at the art.
Otherwise, yeah, it's very easy to look at the religious nuttiness of your parents and stomp away in utter disgust at it. The only contact I keep with it is to use it as a yardstick to measure other religious nuttiness against. Nobody else has come close, although several have certainly tried.
Dara O'Briain on the subject:
Renew Deal
(85,148 posts)
eShirl
(20,255 posts)we should all be worshipping mud and sticks
Iggo
(49,927 posts)Millions and millions of atheists would beg to differ.
MariaM83
(233 posts)Speck Tater
(10,618 posts)
NuttyFluffers
(6,811 posts)apostasy is 'heavily frowned upon' in Islam -- in many countries it legitimately marks you for death.
however i don't remember if Obama was ever a muslim in his life because i don't know his childhood.
here, people barely know what that means, let alone goes ape shit over it.
progressoid
(53,179 posts)
Nikia
(11,411 posts)within Christianity, Christian to Jewish, Jewish to Christian, Christian to Muslim, Christian to Buddhist, Christian to Wiccan. There were a number of students who became atheist or non religious, but a few that were raised atheist who took up a religion. Some of them still had respect for their parent's religion. Others were strongly against it.
From that experience, I'd say definitely not.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)and have been an atheist since the early 1980s. I was an agnostic for the better part of ten years before that. Carl Sagan's Cosmos made me an atheist. Thanks, Dr. Sagan! 
kas125
(2,483 posts)Blue_Tires
(57,596 posts)Me = Buddhist
MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)For corn's sake!
DCBob
(24,689 posts)That why I am not so critical of of those who have religion beliefs that seem absurd.
gollygee
(22,336 posts)I thought they did missionary work trying to spread the word of Christ or something? Why bother if people can't become Christians?
karynnj
(60,967 posts)(or many other religions, but I bet this is coming from a RW Christian.
Christianity is a religion that believes in proselytize and considers it their adherents' responsibility to do so.
discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,764 posts)"Often, the most barbaric atrocities occur when both sides proclaim themselves Freedom Fighters."
malokvale77
(4,879 posts)I have a sign by my front door that reads: If you're here to proselytize, prepare to be offended. I haven't been bothered since I first put it up.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Every second that pases, we can change our minds. Every day the world changes. To stifle someone this way is wrong.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)Don't kid yourself. Al these argruements come down to the color of his skin.
elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)
A HERETIC I AM
(24,876 posts)elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)So have almost every one of my friends.
I hope you and your friends are young - that will give me hope for the future. I'm a 54 year-old Catholic who doesn't practice. My daughter is an atheist and I have no problem with that at all.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)I have 1 daughter who is Wiccan, 2 athiest sons, one of which chose a girl who is Wiccan. My friends and their children are all mainly either Pagan or Athiest... we have one friend...my best friend, who we call our token Christian
My family however, remains Catholic, although only the elderly one go regularly to Mass. I think for many of them it is habit and the church community. My mom does alot of work with the food pantry and the St Vincent De Paul.
Kath1
(4,309 posts)Sounds like a very nice group. Peace to you and your loved ones!
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)villager
(26,001 posts)
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)Zoroastism was the first monotheistic religion in the middle east
villager
(26,001 posts)...Abraham's the guy. Starting with his throwing off his parents' religion.
treestar
(82,383 posts)abandoned his son. So it must really be genetic, since the President was never raised by a Muslim.
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Due to being "adopted" by Soetero and living in Indonesia.
discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,764 posts)Me, too.
So did I.
A church that I used to belong to had a story going around that's roughly equivalent to this:
A man was having serious trouble with an addiction. His troubles spread throughout his life, to his marriage, his family, finances and his friends. The last straw came when his habit got him fired after having been cutoff by his bank and disowned by his family. Out of money and unable to get either food, a drug fix or even a place to sleep, he went to an evening service at his former church. His clothes were dirty; he smelled bad; his family had told the others at church about him. He wasn't welcome and was quietly asked to leave.
As he sat on the steps outside looking around and wondering what to do, a stranger stopped in front of him and asked if he needed help. The dejected man told about his situation and that the church was kind of his last stop before heading for a homeless shelter. Since the church wanted nothing to do with him, he said he planned to ask a cop how to find a shelter. The stranger at this point shook his hand and said, "Don't worry about being rejected by that church. I've been trying to get in there for years and they don't want me either. My name is Jesus Christ."
Ms. Toad
(38,637 posts)Would there be something wrong with that? (I'm still disappointed the it took Colin Powell, not Barack Obama, to make this response to the allegations leveled at him during his first campaign.)
Response #2: When was he a Muslim? (Because the assertion only makes sense if he was, at some time, a Muslim.)
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)My father was an atheist and my mother a christian. My mother was shocked when I told her I was an atheist. I did attend the Episcopal church, but in my later years woke up to the fact that there was no such thing as a higher being.
left on green only
(1,484 posts)Taking my Que from my brief study of Socrates during H.S., I began to question everything around me, including my lifelong faith in the Episcopal Church. I sought counseling from the leader of our church, and as the result became a very close friend of his for a great number of years afterwards.
As a young adult during college, he mentioned to me one day after mass that he had missed my presence at the communion rail. I told him that I had finally made my decision with respect to my faith, and that I did not want to feel like a hypocrite by receiving the sacrament. He asked me if I would just kneel at the rail at my next mass and not offer my hands to receive the host. When I did that, he laid his hands on my forehead and said a prayer in Latin that I could not understand. But after he did that, I arose and I left the church and I have not felt the burden of conflict since then. Nor have I been back to church.
left on green only
(1,484 posts)If I understand your OP correctly, your frustration is the result of your interaction with Facepalm. Certainly no one here on this forum has ever told you the things that you have reported.
I have had the occasion to observe your writing for some time here on DU, and I would say to you that it appears that the level of your intellect is way far above the ilk of Facepalm.
Besides that, all anyone who patronizes that quagmire is doing is making Zuckerface more wealthy than he already is. It's kinda like the tragedy of paying your valuable money for a ticket to attend the RNC in Florida (not that I am suggesting that you did that). You're bigger than that!
Zoeisright
(8,339 posts)Raised Lutheran, turned Methodist, finally atheist.
NotThisTime
(3,657 posts)
ancianita
(43,307 posts)He left his religion of birth and got baptised by his cousin, John. Jeez.
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)Last edited Thu Sep 13, 2012, 09:54 PM - Edit history (1)
Marking the seventh day following the birth of my children (aqeeqa) ... so I guess their Muslim .... but, wait, I was born baptized and raised Catholic .... so I guess they are Catholic .... oh wait .... I raised a bunch of agnostics/ atheists .... how can this be?
sakabatou
(46,146 posts)I reject being a Jew, religiously, as I'm an atheist. However, I do like the ethnic parts of it.
Raine
(31,177 posts)Last edited Fri Sep 14, 2012, 06:03 PM - Edit history (1)
case closed. 
mick063
(2,424 posts)It is of very great importance to many, many people and I don't wish to insult them by disputing what they deeply believe. It is their right to pursue happiness and if that includes religion, than their happiness translates to collective happiness.
People should absolutely believe in anything that can help them coexist in a peaceful and prosperous manner. Most religions have a common theme of goodwill and it is good that people seek the best of virtues.
But there is the dark side of religion and it has probably been in place from the very first days of worship. The side where men use religion as a means to attain power and impose their will on other men. As I do not wish to impose on people of such sacred beliefs, I only ask that they do not impose those beliefs on me.
Unfortunately, this is what happens when religion co-mingles with politics. It is when people impose their will on me that I begin to despise religion. But this isn't confined to just religion. This is a natural response toward people that would impose their will on me for any reason.
When people use religion to dictate my life, I will openly oppose that particular religion. The religions I find most appealing are those that do not do this.
I will respect people that display consistently good virtue as I cast personal judgment on each person as an individual. Their religion has very little to do with that judgment. In other words, I believe I can peacefully coexist with any person of good moral fiber regardless of their religous beliefs. For me, the bottom line is in how they interact with others. This reveals their character more than any religion could.
JHB
(38,213 posts)...someone in his family's history rejected the religion of his parents and converted to Christianity.
Gee, what does the word "convert" in the religious sense mean anyway, if not to "reject the religion of your parents". If nobody rejects their parent's religion, I suppose the "missionary position" is sitting down twiddling one's thumbs? What else would they do?
Several thousand years of experience with numerous religions say that only ignorant dumbasses make that argument.
eppur_se_muova
(41,939 posts)Who would even try to make that argument ?