My parents think of themselves as moderate, but I would say they are very liberal/progressive.
We attended a Baptist Church that, I believe at that time, belonged to both the Southern Baptist and American Baptist conventions. It was very different with a number of factions and groups within that ran the gamut, from very conservative to very liberal.
There was some sorta falling out, and my parents switched to a Methodist Church for a few years. I think it was a social falling out. The Methodist Church was very liberal, even compared to a moderate Baptist Church. I was probably 11 or 12, but even then I knew my place in the Baptist Church--you shut up and do as you are told. Not so at the Methodist Church. I was free to ask questions, including difficult questions.
After a few more years, we went back to the original Baptist Church. That's the place where I "got saved", and it felt more like the socially expected thing to do.
For me, Church was always more of a social experience than a religious experience. If anything, the religion got in the way.
Wife nudging and I finally to "keep the peace" went to Church with her while not kicking, screaming, shouting, speaking up, and just generally "kept in my place" while there. Drifted back in deeper and deeper in Southern Baptism. Last two Churches were VERY fundamentalist.
While going along to get along, I think I let myself believe I believed what they believed. After a few years, and strategically raising issues with just the wife when I could--meaning NOT at the Church--she began to fold and concede she didn't buy into the fundamentalist hatred. It was then I set about more actively resisting--by not attended. Never told her she could not go. Even offered to drive her and take care of the kids while she went.
Haven't been back to a Church since 2007, and I don't plan to go.
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