First Impression of Religion

[Nakosis]

I remember as a kid the first image of Jesus I had was a man in clean robes with long, soft brown hair and beard, sitting down on a log, surrounded by children becking another child off by himself to come and join them.

Jesus seemed like a very friendly adult.

 

[Rival]

Jesus really creeped me out. I don't know why. I was also a Christian. That was when I was a pre-teen.

 

[Nakosis]

Jesus really creeped me out. I don't know why. I was also a Christian. That was when I was a pre-teen.

Maybe the thought of Jesus watching and judging your every move, like a stalker, you little sinner.

For me, this was like 5 or 6. Prior to my evil pre-teen era.

 

[David1967]

Growing up in an ultra fundamentalist denomination, my childhood view of Jesus was terrifying. He was portrayed as the friendly Son of God who also loved you so much that He would torture you forever if you didn't love Him back......Happy to say ,I do not see Him that way today.

 

[Sunstone]

I remember as a kid the first image of Jesus I had was a man in clean robes with long, soft brown hair and beard, sitting down on a log, surrounded by children becking another child off by himself to come and join them.

Jesus seemed like a very friendly adult.

Sounds like you'd seen a romanticized painting or two of Jesus.

I can't recall many very early notions I had of god, other than I saw him as a rather censorious and judgmental father-figure more than as a friendly adult.

That impression might have come from my Sunday School classes. My mother sent us to Sunday School for a few years, but not in order to convert us to any religion. Rather she thought of it as "exposing us to our cultural heritage". However, I vaguely recall some of the teachers portrayed God as pretty darn judgmental.

 

[Rival]

Maybe the thought of Jesus watching and judging your every move, like a stalker, you little sinner.

For me, this was like 5 or 6. Prior to my evil pre-teen era.

Well by pre-teen that's what I mean, lol. A little kid.

I just found him odd. He always struck me as a wannabe.

 

[Sunstone]

Growing up in an ultra fundamentalist denomination, my childhood view of Jesus was terrifying. He was portrayed as the friendly Son of God who also loved you so much that He would torture you forever if you didn't love Him back......Happy to say ,I do not see Him that way today.

I've always admired you for bouncing back from your early negative experiences, David. Just so you know. But don't think this means we're going to be taking long, warm showers together.

 

[Rival]

I've always admired you for bouncing back from your early negative experiences, David. Just so you know. But don't think this means we're going to be taking long, warm showers together.

I don't need you in my showers to...nevermind.

 

[Sunstone]

He always struck me as a wannabe.

A wannabe what, darling demon-spawned friend?

 

[David1967]

I've always admired you for bouncing back from your early negative experiences, David. Just so you know. But don't think this means we're going to be taking long, warm showers together.

Thanks for the kind words..but, the shower image I can do without..no offense, just saying.

 

[Rival]

A wannabe what, darling demon-spawned friend?

I dunno, I just thought he was a bit sh*t.

Like, G-d in the first part is all rah rah and firebombs cities. Jesus...turns water into wine.

 

[Sunstone]

I don't need you in my showers to...nevermind.

Too late! You should get in the habit of checking your bathroom window before showering. Just sayin'.

 

[Rival]

Too late! You should get in the habit of checking your bathroom window before showering. Just sayin'.

I'm surprised you could see anything through the crowd.

 

[Sunstone]

Jesus...turns water into wine.

Strange how you found that a turn-off! In my opinion that singular act was the most convincing argument for the existence of deity...EVER!

 

[Frater Sisyphus]

Yeah, Jesus, Noah, Moses, Joshua/wall of Jericho and Jonah where all Childhood Sunday school things that I was exposed to. I went to a private Christian school in elementary. By the time I started College (High School, depending on where you're from), I started to become an Atheist through many problems I started having with Christianity and saw it as more and more stupid, which gradually made me a hard atheist. (by the time I was 16)

I've obviously 'softened' up a lot since then (as a pantheist and agnostic) but it is amazing how these scriptures change as you grow up. I currently have a good 'relationship' with the Bible, even though I am not a Christian. My explorations into the esoteric have yielded many a great fruit from the Hebrew scriptures (in particular) and apocrypha

 

[Sunstone]

I'm surprised you could see anything through the crowd.

Who do you think was selling the tickets?

 

[Rival]

Who do you think was selling the tickets?

I was.

And you never bought one.

 

[Jumi]

First thing that comes to mind about religion, when I became aware of it, was skepticism about some stories.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Strange how you found that a turn-off! In my opinion that singular act was the most convincing argument for the existence of deity...EVER!

I'd be more impressed if it were a good stout...

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'd be more impressed if it were a good stout...

okay...somehow I ended up responding to a post I wasn't intending to respond to...