thread: 2007-01-04 : Self-identification vs. Membership
On 2007-01-07, Richard Vowles wrote:
My father discovered the LDS church just before I was eight years old. The rule became, you live at home, you attend church. Since I wanted a University qualification, it seemed a reasonable trade off - so I had some 15 years of it. Although I actually tried to be interested in religion (I went to one of the LDS Church schools at aged 15) I just couldn't do it. It fascinates me from a humanistic and historical point of view, but I just don't have the God gene. My wife does and I respect that - we can discuss and I don't need to use the shower. She isn't an active church goer (of any church) but my father's discussions on LDS church have scared the bejesus out of her (and she also has brain cancer, so I'm there with you on the "please Universe" business as well).
What interests me is this attitude of suspect corruption - I can't say I have *ever* come across that except for my brother who worked for the head office and whoah, did he see some serious ostentation (a.k.a hideous waste of tithing). Again, my father managed to explain that away in the most surreal fashion. I was recently amused when my sister, who works for the Civil Defence here, says they consider LDS "unreliable".
Me - I've settled on calling myself an ignostic (no, that isn't a spelling mistake, look it up in Wikipedia). I cannot deny "God", but when the world comes up with a definition of what "God" is, then maybe I can decide whether I believe in him or not.
