Religious Indoctrination: Your earliest experiences.

[LiberalHearted]

My mother did bring me to a catholic church, sometimes. I was enrolled in a catholic grammar school.

My grades were poor until I caught on, don't ask questions about the religious instructions. Then found out I could cut school, read the assignments, or just the entire texts; come away with 100 on the tests. Then just say god bless you for listening to me.

Yet still I was curious, my Great Grandmother was always mumbling the rosary. I read parts of the bible I wasn't supposed to, and yes in school with good grades - poor attendance and high IQ, I was an average student.

Still curious, I stayed over my Great Aunt's apartment most weekends; she and my Uncle were atheists. We would also travel upstate to one other relative couple devoted xtians. My Aunt would kick butt when it came to debating religion and atheist views. So half that couple thought it was a good idea to teach 11 year old me algebra. (don't know why - unless little kids should be seen and not heard - grateful anyway)

Still curious I visited (lived) in my local library and read what I could on religions etc. Now 'agnostic' pretending to be pious. I really did want to believe, just couldn't do it. I hung out with priests, bishops and changed to easter orthodox christian, still just went through the motions.

Back to agnostic - read up on philosophies. Buddhism gave me the confidence to through away the fear I was taught in school and finally said I am an atheist.

Eventually others with that same instilled indoctrinated fear were also able to admit they too were atheists.