thread: 2007-02-13 : Exorcism
On 2007-02-22, xenopulse wrote:
In Northern Germany, we're all Protestants, but rarely ever go to church. People who take the bible literally are considered cultists.
I was baptized as a baby, then confirmed as Evangelical Lutheran at age 14. It was by choice, but to be honest, it was just something everyone did, plus the money gifts were nice. I did believe some of the things, but none of us really took it that seriously. That said, refer back to my experience with clapping in church to see that I did have some reverence for the place.
At my confirmation, the pastor gave me a necklace with a cross. When I came home, I thought it looked kind of neat and wanted to wear it. My mother, who had supported me getting confirmed, had a little freaking-out moment because she thought I might actually turn religious.
Moral of the story is: where I come from, religion is 90% cultural tradition and understanding your people's history, and only 10% current faith, if that. We go through the motions, but that's because they still provide a bonding and learning experience, not because we believe in the literal text of the bible.
I'd make a case that as a culture, being responsible for the most callous attempt at genocide in the history of mankind, with the church standing by watching, has done something to Germany's faith that won't ever be restored. You can talk all you want about necessary evil and all that shit, but when your grandparents' generation murdered millions of innocent children the arguments all fall flat.
