Religion Skips A Generation in My Family

In my family religion has skipped a generation. My generation being the skipped. As a child I remember my father having pretty strong feelings that organized religion was the root of all evil, or at least most social strife. I don’t remember ever being in a “place of worship” with my family outside of weddings and Bar Mitzvahs and that sort of thing. I was baptized, but that was just about it for my religious training.

I guess I’m a Christian, but only because I was raised buying Christmas trees in December and Dying Eggs in the spring. Of course by that logic I suppose I could call myself Irish too, since I boil a corned beef and wear green every St Patty’s.

Once in high school I remember talking to a class mate and he was saying that Jesus, who I did know about, was a Jew. I had no idea? I may have even said “No he wasn’t” I’m sure this kid thought I was some kind of idiot. Which of course on that subject I was and mostly still am. Though now after many years of literature classes, rock music, and movies on the subject I have gleaned a basic knowledge of some of the biblical goings on.

My daughter, however, has not been baptized, but she is going to church, if sporadically, with my mother. Ah yes, in my mothers retirement she has returned to the Episcopal (Spell checked) church. In her defense in the 70’s and 80’s she was a single mother working full time, and doing a stellar job in both capacities, so come Sunday she was tired and needed to rest. But now that she is living the life of Riley, she spends all kinds of time at her church and sometimes takes my daughter.

Now the Episcopal church is very liberal, so I feel ok about my daughter spending time there. If it was a judgmental place of fire and brimstone she would not be going. Hopefully, she will pick up some basic facts about the old testament that will keep her from making moronic statements. But not so much that she thinks I’m a sinner!

For myself, I’ll stay skipped. I was indoctrinated that religion is unnecessary, at best. I guess I bought it hook, line and sinker. I’m not dead set against the possibility of a high power, though. I just don’t feel the need to pin point "It" too specifically.

This is an original post for LA Mom’s Blog

Elise Crane Derby blogs at Elise’s Ramblings assuming she isn’t struck by lightening after this post