I've been raised as a Protestant Christian, but then I grew up.
::ducks::
No, really. I remember even from my earliest childhood how my subconscious always used to say "C'mon, you don't actually believe that, do you."
Up to my teen ages, I tried to ignore those gut feelings and pretend to myself that I was a Christian and that my doubts were a Bad Thing, simply because I *wanted* to be a Christian (it's comfortable, no question).
Then, during puberty, I learned to shed the Lebenslüge other people had imposed on my mind as a child, and build my own world view from my personal experience. It included nothing supernatural. The world was a harsher place now, with no afterlife and no-one to guide us through His masterplan, but I felt free and honest and *myself*.
For years upon years, I've had trouble expressing my beliefs in words, until somebody told me I was a Humanist. I looked up the definition and found it fascinatingly congruent with my beliefs, down to the details.
I don't want to bring people away from their religious beliefs -- I envy them for the comfort and guidance it brings --, but if deep down you know you're just pretending... well, don't. You'll feel better as an honest Humanist than as a wannabe believer.
-- Catharsis |
