In Reply to: not really posted by lydia on October 06, 2006 at 20:59:13:
I grew up with a binge Catholic father and my mother was, I think, from an Episcopalian background but she was more into spiritism as a sort of medium.
She read cards for people and told them their futures, offered advice and hung around with other known psychics from the area.
I grew up searching but figured that it only made sense that there was no God. One of the things that seemed to make that a sure conclusion for me was how so many people were so certain of their beliefs to exclusion of others, even amongst Christians.
As a child I was in a choir and felt VERY guilty for a good while because we went on field trips at times and once it was to a Lutheran church to sing as a guest choir. I was sure I had committed a mortal sin, going to that church because good Catholics weren't supposed to associate with the heathen. To top it off, I didn't tell my parents about this trip because I would have been held back from it and I really loved field trips and getting out of some classes for choir activities.
I don't feel angry at any God at this stage in my life though I certainly did for a long time after getting out of the family. In fact, probably for a year or so BEFORE getting out.
Now, the only time I come close to considering there might be more to life in the form of any sort of intelligent greater power it is only when things are going good. I could never ever consider it when things are negative or as a result of illness or pain.
I wonder sometimes if reincarnation is a possiblity. Sort of like in the film "What Dreams May Come". I thought that film was pretty interesting for the most part.