Similar in our case. We had to go to church every Sunday, fish on Friday’s and something on every holiday. They were strict as parents but didn’t jam religion down our throats. I started deconverting ~12ish and they tried keeping me in the flock, but also allowed me to spread my wings. I was the only one of my sibs to break away from the church.

@Canndue ha you're still as Catholic as it gets bro, still calling it "the church," etc lol
no offense

@bbyrd009 what do you call it? But yes you are right, that is how they called it , but if memory serves me it was “THE church” meaning the one and only....

@Canndue well i would call it the RCC, Cult of Sol Invictus, but i mean Prots do the same thing, "church" as a place, or a building...def not the Scriptural definition wadr. Gotta love Catholic Charities though? They'll give rent $ to Wiccans even, no bias, etc

@bbyrd009 you say tomato I say tomato. Church has several meanings. Charities do some good, but accounting for the money is often “weak”, and there is often an ulterior motive. And yes I am also a cynic...

Isn’t the Old Testament part and parcel to the Torah and Koran ( I’m no religious expert)

Seems like they could come up with some original material....

Perhaps. There are biblical scholars all over the world and thousands of sects that use all or part of it with slightly differing interpretations. Each claiming a superior view. I suppose some of these are better than others.

iMHO. At the end of the day, a perfect pile of dung, is still just a pile of dung

@Canndue well i might suggest ignoring anyone who claims a superior view, since thats what the Bible says do, and i personally run screaming from most "Biblical scholars," but wadr you seem to have put yourself in with them, @ your last sentence there? Me, i don't know anything. Ever...lol
No son of man may die for another's sins is total dung iyo? hmm

@bbyrd009 it is funny, there are many on this site that shy away from using the word “know” like it is an affront to agnosticism. Nobody knows or doesn’t know everything. Someday I’ll understand, but not interested in philosophical psycho-babble

@Canndue well no offense but you seem interested enough to declare "pile of dung?" I mean it's fashionable now to dis mythology, but until pretty recently that was how we passed on wisdom? What if someday you don't understand, btw? That is something that believers say too

Interesting, You claim no knowledge, yet you are convinced you know what others think or do. Seems rather disingenuous. No offense,just an observation. If you choose a life of nothingness, no problem, that is your right. I choose otherwise, which is also my right.

@Canndue i know what others think or do? how so?

@bbyrd009 your words “ That is something that believers say too ”

or at the very least ignore their interpretations, lol

You are absolutely right. That is how I came to bail as well. (Not just that story) specifically calling out inconsistencies and getting weak answers.

I think everyone should read it, it would drive so many out of the binds of religion....

@Canndue Why bother to read it (I did BTW) if you know it comes from ancient storytellers? I always felt I'd wasted the time reading the damned thing when I finally investigated how it came together. It's origins make it pretty obvious it is a work of fiction (and not a very good one.).

aw, i do feel for you guys. mythology is hard to abide in this day and age huh; esp for those who have eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge. But you don't read the Bible, the Bible reads you i guess

@Canndue "The best cure for Christianity is reading the Bible" SClemens

@Normanbites certainly don’t need to. Historical analysis is better, just not sure the Bible thumper is open to objective analysis.

@Canndue Arguing with Christians about what the buy bull says is like that old saying about wrestling with pigs .... you gain nothing, you get all dirty and the pig likes it.

@Normanbites I totally agree with you. My point is if they actually read the thing, it is likely to steer them away of their own volition. If it strengthens their beliefs, so be it, it is their choice.