Post-Rapture Introductions

[pixydust]

Welcome! I'm a new delurker, too. There are many, many people here with a similar background to yours (me included).

Dusti

[easternabeille]

Welcome to FJ!

[mirele]

Congratulations on your escape! I have a friend who I met here who left and has some struggles, but is doing well.

Effie, what would have happened if the church said no? Were they going to shackle you to a pew? :) Really though, it's pathetic hat a church thinks members should have to ask for permission to leave.

In some European countries, you have to submit paperwork to be removed from the church rolls so that you're not subject to church tax. *boggles mind*

It used to be that in order to get your name removed from the membership rolls of the Mormon church, you had to be excommunicated, meaning a court had to be convened. Back around 1987, a guy here in AZ decided he just wanted to resign, none of this finding a church "crime" that would get him exed. He sued in court...the church came up with a resignation procedure. For a lot of people, resigning is cathartic. I resigned in 2008, even though I'd said for years I would not, because I was not going to have my name associated with an outfit that organized an effort and shook down the membership for the money to overturn gay marriage in California.

[lilwriter85]

Welcome to FJ

[FlorenceHamilton]

Welcome. I saw your post and had to go look up the Shepherding Movement. It is interesting how all of these movements tie together. There seems to have been an undercurrent of a political agenda for a very long time. Our current economic hardships makes people very vulnerable. Scary stuff.

[Effie]

I assumed by "asked to leave" she meant more along the lines of "asked to be taken off the membership rolls (and maybe mailing lists)".

Yes, that's what I meant. The Lutheran church is quite big in Sweden. If you were born in the 80s you were automatically a member - if one of your parents was baptized. I was baptized though.

Effie, what would have happened if the church said no? Were they going to shackle you to a pew? :) Really though, it's pathetic hat a church thinks members should have to ask for permission to leave.

Elle, if I didn't have my parent's signature, then the church would have said no. Basically, they leave the decision up to the parent. If the parent agrees, then the child/youth is free. Otherwise I would have had to wait until I turned 18.

In some European countries, you have to submit paperwork to be removed from the church rolls so that you're not subject to church tax. *boggles mind*

Mirele, yes I belong to one of those European countries. :) I have never paid church taxes, but I think the church taxes are quite insignificant of the 30-33%. Around 1 %.

[Frumpalicious]

Welcome to FJ! No real big story with me, just trying to be left alone as an atheist in the South.

Oh man, that's got to be tough. People here in the South tend to get more...in your business about your religion. At least that's what my experiences are.

[Frumpalicious]

Welcome Frumpalicious! I have no interesting story here.

I was a member of the Lutheran church until the age of 16. This was not an active choice (it was a decision my parents made for me). I have never really believed in God. I would ask my friends if they believed in God or Santa Claus. They both seemed as believable to the child-version of me. When I got older I heard and read about how women were considered inferior and how abortion was illegal in Christian parts of the world. I didn't like what I heard. At that time, my oldest little sister decided to go through the rite on confirmation at age 15. I was so mad at her and told her I would not attend. Eventually I decided to attend. Right after my little sister's confirmation I made an active choice about my beliefs. I wrote a letter to the Lutheran church asking to leave. My parent had to sign the letter since I was a minor (16) and my parent did.

My little sister is no longer Christian, even though I later tried to support her (mostly out of guilt). I realized that a person should only make a religious decision for herself, and not try to influence anyone else. It should be a personal decision to make. What you believe is really up to you, and no one else should have a saying in it.

Thanks! Your story is plenty interesting, Effie. I just don't know how girls will sit in pews and nod while being told that they're inferior or somehow less of a person because they have a vagina. It just baffles me. You had to ask for permission to get out of the church? I don't want to sound rude or anything, but why would you have to ask permission? It's not like they can force you to come in, right?

[JumpingtheSnark]

Hello all. I am a lurker, who was raptured with the board and thought now might be the time to out myself.

I was brought up Catholic. I was a teenaged Eucharistic Minister, went to a Catholic College, had an abusive priest as a teacher in my high school but remained blissfully unaware, and the whole shebang. I even used to host a talk show for teens on the Catholic Channel. :shock:

I am now married to a man who comes from an entirely different "Big Four" faith tradition, though we are both atheists.

We have two little defrauders in training and believe the geek shall inherit the earth and worship at the altar of science.

Covered it? Think so. Aloha :)

[thoughtful]

Welcome!

I love your user name.

[JumpingtheSnark]

Thank you so much!

[emmiedahl]

Welcome.

When I saw the title of the post, I was like "Oh shit, what kind of meshugenner is trolling now?" Hahaha good one, made me look. I like your name also.

[Guest Anonymous]

Welcome!

I love your user name.

+1

[Austin]

Welcome to FJ!

[Deleted12]

Welcome to FJ.

When I saw your user name I was like "The board may never be the same." :D

[Beeks]

LOL, love your name. Welcome!

[Witsec7]

Congrats on delurking!!

[genericJname]

Hi and welcome! :)

[Bella99]

Bienvenidos! Great user name!

[marmalade]

Welcome aboard!

You must share your gateway fundie. It's a FJ rite of passage. :mrgreen:

[Guest Anonymous]

Welcome, and your username rocks.

[Lillybee]

Hi and welcome.

[Effie]

Welcome!

[FlorenceHamilton]

Here there, Fonzie! May I call you that?

[browngrl]

welcome! :)