I was raised Catholic, but not very seriously. Oh, I did all of the usual Catholic stuff; heck, I was even an altar boy for a couple of years. But as I got older, I began to ask more and more questions, and many, if not most of these questions could not be answered by anyone to my satisfaction. In most cases I was given very simplistic, almost child-like answers to very deep, complex questions - answers like "you just have to have faith, because the bible says so, and the bible is God's word." I have never been able to accept simplistic answers like that. I had so many far-reaching and deep, deep questions about a collection of writings put together over a two or three thousand year period by human beings that saw this world very differently and much more simply than we do today. I've been somewhat interested in the history of different religions around the world over many thousands of years and just simply find it difficult to believe that one segment of the human population has somehow been chosen as the enlightened ones. And by that, I mean ALL of the religions that somehow feel they alone have the corner on God, Allah, or whatever some group may want to call him.
I've somehow come to the conclusion and hope that there very well may be some higher power out there that runs this whole universe, but that I will simply have to wait until I pass on to possibly find out more. However, while I am in this world, I will lead the best possible life I can, meaning I will treat all others (and I include ALL animals in this group) as I would want them to treat me. Be good in my heart, in other words.
At this point in my life (my early 40's), I just don't see my basic attitude about organized religion changing and I don't see myself ever becoming "born again".
Interestingly enough, I do occasionally pray to whoever might be listening. Hey, I figure I might be wrong and I have nothing to lose by talking to God, I suppose.
