Even though I was born into a catholic family, went to catholic school for 9 years, and was forced to go to mass every Sunday until my late teens, I've always been an atheist. Thinking back, I've come to realize that I've never believed in any god/gods, even as a kid with 3 sisters who went to catholic schools for all 12 years. I finished high school in a public school.
When my wife and I got married in 1982, we had the ceremony in the local Catholic Church, mainly because both sets of parents wanted us to. Neither one of us was religious, so we did it for them. But something changed after our son was born, my wife decided she wanted to start going to church. So she went to 2 or 3 different ones before she found the one she liked, and then announced that she was "born again" and was going to raise our son in the christian church.
My reaction was "fine, go ahead", but don't try to include me in any of it, I'm an atheist. Of course that didn't happen, I got the "you're going to hell if you don't repent" speech multiple times. About 5 years later, our daughter was born, and every Sunday, the 3 of them went to church. In 1994, we moved our family from Southern California up the coast to Washington state. My wife and kids found a local church here in MT. Vernon, and we continued to argue and fight over the subject of religion.
Eventually, both of our kids grew up, met their future spouses at their church, got married and had families of their own. Of course, both of their spouses were christians, and now we have 4 grandkids who are being raised that way. They range between 15 to 4 years old. After decades of arguments and disagreements, my wife and I have "agreed to disagree" on the subject about 10 years ago.
Our older granddaughters(15 and 11) both know and understand that I'm an atheist, and have accepted it. Our daughters kids are now 7 and 4 years old, and keep asking me why I don't go to church with them. My wife would usually interject and tell them that I "don't know" Jesus, whatever the fuck that's supposed mean. We were watching them a few days ago, and our grandson asked me the question again, and before my wife could say anything, I simply told him it's because I don't believe any of it.
My wife and I have been married for almost 41 years, and couldn't be more opposite if we tried, yet somehow we've been able to make our marriage work. I'm an old, retired metal head who loves and listens to black/death metal for hours every day, and she's been working for the same company for over 25 years, goes to church every Sunday, and volunteers every Wednesday night for their youth groups.
Every time we have a family get together, I'm completely outnumbered, but I'm still the family atheist.
When my wife and I got married in 1982, we had the ceremony in the local Catholic Church, mainly because both sets of parents wanted us to. Neither one of us was religious, so we did it for them. But something changed after our son was born, my wife decided she wanted to start going to church. So she went to 2 or 3 different ones before she found the one she liked, and then announced that she was "born again" and was going to raise our son in the christian church.
My reaction was "fine, go ahead", but don't try to include me in any of it, I'm an atheist. Of course that didn't happen, I got the "you're going to hell if you don't repent" speech multiple times. About 5 years later, our daughter was born, and every Sunday, the 3 of them went to church. In 1994, we moved our family from Southern California up the coast to Washington state. My wife and kids found a local church here in MT. Vernon, and we continued to argue and fight over the subject of religion.
Eventually, both of our kids grew up, met their future spouses at their church, got married and had families of their own. Of course, both of their spouses were christians, and now we have 4 grandkids who are being raised that way. They range between 15 to 4 years old. After decades of arguments and disagreements, my wife and I have "agreed to disagree" on the subject about 10 years ago.
Our older granddaughters(15 and 11) both know and understand that I'm an atheist, and have accepted it. Our daughters kids are now 7 and 4 years old, and keep asking me why I don't go to church with them. My wife would usually interject and tell them that I "don't know" Jesus, whatever the fuck that's supposed mean. We were watching them a few days ago, and our grandson asked me the question again, and before my wife could say anything, I simply told him it's because I don't believe any of it.
My wife and I have been married for almost 41 years, and couldn't be more opposite if we tried, yet somehow we've been able to make our marriage work. I'm an old, retired metal head who loves and listens to black/death metal for hours every day, and she's been working for the same company for over 25 years, goes to church every Sunday, and volunteers every Wednesday night for their youth groups.
Every time we have a family get together, I'm completely outnumbered, but I'm still the family atheist.
![[Image: 6QOh5df.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/6QOh5df.jpg)
My two sons, my cancer survivor brother who is completely disabled from COPD after laryngeal cancer (chemo, surgery and radiation) and I never even had a sniffle. I should have taken a swab a few times to verify whether I am one of those people who exhibit no symptoms. That's a double-edged thing- I didn't suffer- yay! OR, I'm a carrier and could have unwittingly infected people, no matter that I mask and wash? Boooo.
