"Not in it to win it" writer finally saying what all of us on DU know.

[Grammy23]

32. I grew up attending church -- faithfully.

I also happened to live in Jackson, Mississippi during the Civil Rights Era. I was a kid when Medgar Evers was killed and segregation was being challenged. My family (especially my father) was very liberal in their politics and were Democrats. So I kept my mouth shut about a lot of things to avoid outing myself as such.

Looking back, I think the seeds that led to the unraveling of my long held religious views (instilled since birth— mainly because of my mom) happened in a Presbyterian church I attended — Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, studying catechism and joining the church at about age 12 — one Sunday when demonstrations and marches were happening, a special meeting after the Sunday morning service took place. It seems that groups of AA and civil rights workers were showing up at various churches (all white) to attend services. They were not disruptive in any way, but were there to test the waters so to speak.

One of the deacons stood up to ask what should happen if any of the “Negroes” showed up at our church. It was agreed that they would not be seated and the doors would be locked if necessary. I sat there in the pew, wide eyed and afraid. I knew what they were saying was wrong and conflicted with anything taught in the Bible. But everyone there (except me) agreed to their plan.

So it was probably on that day that my faith started eroding under my feet. As time moved on and I read more and THOUGHT more it became clear to me that it no longer made sense. All the silly rules and beliefs were just too hard to accept any more. I finally figured out that while some of the things taught were good (Do unto others as you’d have done unto you) I didn’t need a church or religion to live by that rule. And LOTS of other religions teach some version of that rule. So maybe it is just a rule to live by as a human being — no matter what your faith (or lack of faith) happens to be.