Hello

Introduce Yourself
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Hi
New to this forum. A 48 year old cradle Catholic gradually turned atheist/skeptic over last 10 years. Help with much-loved but ultra religious parents always appreciated. Looking forward to engaging with like minded individuals. Alternative medicine a particular bugbear. Hello to you all

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Hi New to this forum. A 48 year old cradle Catholic gradually turned atheist/skeptic over last 10 years. Help with much-loved but ultra religious parents always appreciated. Looking forward to engaging with like minded individuals. Alternative medicine a particular bugbear. Hello to you all
Hello and welcome. I was also a cradle Catholic. I've been thinking that Catholicism is like a disease you never completely get over. There are always vestiges. Lois
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Thanks Lois. I tend to agree. Still feel the occasional bouts of guilt even after all this time. A particularly toxic religion. Have your family accepted your belief system or are they still trying to turn you away from ‘the dark side’?!

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Thanks Lois. I tend to agree. Still feel the occasional bouts of guilt even after all this time. A particularly toxic religion. Have your family accepted your belief system or are they still trying to turn you away from 'the dark side'?!
No, I'm way beyond that. My father was the Catholic (my mother was not, and she was a weak believer). He raised me and my brother to be Catholics for all the right reasons. He truly believed and wanted us to believe. I stopped going to church when I left home and he knew it, but never made an issue of it. I knew it hurt him (that's where the old Catholic guilt comes in). I never went so far as to tell him I had become an atheist. My leaving the church was enough of a shock to his system. He was a good and kind man who thought he was on the right track. I saw no reason to hurt him further. I raised my kids as atheists. In a way I followeed my father's lead by raising my kids according according my own true philosophy. Lois
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Welcome RFW. I for one am newly returned to this website. And I too was raised as a Catholic.
However, I’d have to say that my parents raised me in a non-traditional way. They were both Catholic and sent me and my sister to Catholic Grade School. But even as children, they presented it as “Here’s Catholicism. When you’re 18 you decide for yourself.” No pressure. No preaching.
I raised my kids the same way. My two oldest sons are now agnostics and I’m happy to say we are still a very close family. My wife was raised with the usual guilt that is the main tool of the Catholic Church, but she “puts up” with the radicalism of “her boys”.

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Many thanks to Lois and PaineMan for sharing your experiences. My children are happy questioners so hopefully my experiences wil not be perpetuated. Thank you to you both for your welcome to the forum.

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Welcome aboard, RFW. I hope you stick around and contribute to the discussions.