My Divorce from Religion
By R.H. ~
I was raised in Homestead, Pa. by my Mother and Grandmother from the time I was six years old. My Grandmother and her parents were charter members of the Methodist Church there.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were forced to move and split up in 1946. My Grandmother went to a Jewish friend's home in Squirrel Hill, and my Mother and I went to St. Clair Shores Mi. to an Aunt's and Uncle's home. We joined the local Methodist Church there. By that time I was 14.
In the summer of our first year there – 1947 – they held evangelical meetings during the week. I went to one. Fortunately I arrived late and had to stand in the rear. I remember the name of the jackass who was the speaker. Henry Screws Jr. I didn't stay long. I thought he was crazy.
He didn't put the fear of God in me, but at the time it was the fear of religion. I sure as hell didn't want to be like him. I left before he was
finished and started to divorce myself from religion of any kind.
I became an atheist, and at 86 years old next month I have served my country in the military, remained married for 54 years to the same lovely woman, raised two great college-educated daughters (one with an MBA and the other in an MBA Program), worked over 60 years and paid taxes every one of those years. All this without any enabling religion, many which are nothing but covers for pedophilia and sexual assault criminals.
The Catholic Church has been exposed as a home for pedophilia priests. The Protestant Church has more than it's share of sexual predators and deviants. And Mormons should never have been able to become a religion as they preyed on young girls and in some parts of the country it
still happens.
The reasons for which I felt my decision to escape religion began in 1947 and it just keeps being validated.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were forced to move and split up in 1946. My Grandmother went to a Jewish friend's home in Squirrel Hill, and my Mother and I went to St. Clair Shores Mi. to an Aunt's and Uncle's home. We joined the local Methodist Church there. By that time I was 14.
In the summer of our first year there – 1947 – they held evangelical meetings during the week. I went to one. Fortunately I arrived late and had to stand in the rear. I remember the name of the jackass who was the speaker. Henry Screws Jr. I didn't stay long. I thought he was crazy.
He didn't put the fear of God in me, but at the time it was the fear of religion. I sure as hell didn't want to be like him. I left before he was
finished and started to divorce myself from religion of any kind.
I became an atheist, and at 86 years old next month I have served my country in the military, remained married for 54 years to the same lovely woman, raised two great college-educated daughters (one with an MBA and the other in an MBA Program), worked over 60 years and paid taxes every one of those years. All this without any enabling religion, many which are nothing but covers for pedophilia and sexual assault criminals.
The Catholic Church has been exposed as a home for pedophilia priests. The Protestant Church has more than it's share of sexual predators and deviants. And Mormons should never have been able to become a religion as they preyed on young girls and in some parts of the country it
still happens.
The reasons for which I felt my decision to escape religion began in 1947 and it just keeps being validated.