Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Curious about Non Christians on DU [View all]hunter
(38,730 posts)86. Last night, Star Wars, I overheard something fascinating, listening to some young comic book fans.
They were all clearly outcasts in their high school and were complaining about the way they'd been treated by various Christian cliques.
Conversation rolling, they were talking about a weird kid who wasn't in their group, and it went something like this:
Kid One: "No, he's not Christian. They don't like him."
Kid Two: "He's Catholic. That's some kind of Christian."
Kid One: "Okay. They still don't like him."
I so very much wanted to join their conversation, but I didn't interrupt them, worse outcome be labeled as a creepy old guy, which is how every teenager looks at anyone over 30. Why are you talking to me? Not a parent, not a teacher, not a boss, not a cop... danger, danger, stranger danger!
I remember myself that age, and yes, that "no talking to old geezers rule" did sometimes keep me out of trouble.
I saw the first Star Wars in Los Angeles, the first Saturday. I'd dropped out of high school, which was a Lord of the Flies place for me, where the very worst bullies claimed to be Christian and called me queerbait, and I was still doing okay as an engineering major in college, having escaped the Christian hell so many of them still live in. (I attended a high school reunion once, I've attended a few funerals, and still, as crazy as I am and always have been, the smartest thing I ever did as a kid was RUN, RUN, AWAY!)
The bridges I burnt behind me are all very well burnt, those hurt by the shrapnel of the grenades I threw back at them, still very deservedly hurt.
All my siblings have done that to various degrees, and my parents too.
My parents these days live in a rain forest. They drink and bathe in water that falls on their roof. They buy food from local farmers. They don't go to church.
Anyways, I'm a Catholic heretic. My mom's family is hodgepodge of Catholics, Pacifists, Pagans, and Jews, all fled to 18th and 19th century Wild West U.S.A., escaping troubles in Europe with Protestant Christian authorities, English and Lutheran. My dad's ancestors similar, but mostly with enough good sense to be civil and secular in this "New World."
Except for Christmas with Family. Then all holy hell would break loose.
Christmas in my childhood was a time of Holy Wars and Crusades, never spoken of to anyone outside of family. Blood and tears. People leaving wounded.
My mom as a teen was a Joan of Arc holy warrior sort. She dreamed of being a nun, a sister of extremist religious purity.
Mother Theresa was a mean bitch, but I'm pretty sure my mom could have ripped her a new one. Glad they never met.
As a child I did witness my mom fighting with a Catholic Bishop. Queen that he was, he slapped her. Bitch!
Instantly realizing my mom wasn't the sort of woman who would "fight like a girl," a woman who would might break his jaw and take his balls home as a trophy, he fled.
Before I was born my mom encountered Smoking, Drinking, Leering Priest, with the intellect of a bag of rocks. It was clear to my mom that the church didn't waste it's best and brightest on women, so she got a job in Hollywood, met my dad (both of them artistic souls) and they had plenty of children Catholic style, never hiding their own religious heresies and occasional blasphemy, not from their children or anyone else.
My wife and I were married in a Big Catholic Wedding, we raised our kids Catholic, and I have absolutely zero regrets about that.
Religion is something humans do. It's a traditional art. It's a language. It doesn't have to be rational.
If you know one such language it can help you understand the others.
People judging me by my actions would easily identify me as a "secular humanist," one who clearly values humanity over any dreary and hateful theology. There are more atheists in my heaven than the dreck of religious or ideological Fundamentalism.
If you can't love your neighbor because your imaginary White Rambo Jesus or other spittle spewing ideologue is demanding you HATE HATE HATE, well then, it sucks to be you.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
108 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Atheist. Normally celebrate Christmas with mixed religious family, but no plans this year.
LeftyMom
Dec 2015
#4
Atheists -- we do the tree (it's pagan, after all), presents, cookies, decorate gingerbread house.
Arugula Latte
Dec 2015
#8
This kinda crap has no place here or on conservative networks, socialist ones, liberal ones or any
NotHardly
Dec 2015
#12
Atheist, "Culturally Christian" (which is kind of unavoidable, I suppose)
Spider Jerusalem
Dec 2015
#15
non-religious. I just play along, try not to harsh anybody else's buzz. but personally it's a
KG
Dec 2015
#24
There's nothing religious related to my Christmas tree, lights, presents, or other decor
NightWatcher
Dec 2015
#47
Non-religious but Christmas is fun so we celebrate it with family, food, a tree.
Shrike47
Dec 2015
#52
My wife and I are atheists, but there are many secular Christmas traditions to enjoy.
Act_of_Reparation
Dec 2015
#68
Atheist who doesn't celebrate Christmas but not because of any religious overtones
justiceischeap
Dec 2015
#81