[EmilyMae12]

I grew up Lutheran (baptism, communion, confirmation and all). In fact, I wanted to be a pastor when I was in high school. I even did a sermon one Sunday for a youth led service which was all about loving and caring for others regardless of their beliefs (don't even think I mentioned Jesus).

I attended an extreme Evangelical Christian church for about 3 years when dating my former boyfriend (I was even a youth leader for 7th graders).

I tried to "believe" for so long, went through all the camps, services and fellowship. I also felt judged and a lot of guilt (especially when attending the E.C. church). I couldn't deal with all the fire and brimstone garbage and the hatred disguised as "biblical truth". I could not believe that you have to believe a certain thing to be "saved", that homosexuality was a sin and premarital sex/masturbation was "evil". Some of the people who have hurt me the most were those who claimed to be "moral" and "godly" people.

DH was raised in a very liberal Jewish home. We sort of observe some Jewish holidays, but have fallen away from religion due to just the sheer ridiculousness of it all. As far as holidays go, we will probably just observe some of them in the most secular way possible and teach DD that there are different things that people believe and you can respect beliefs, but anyone preaching hate for others based on religious beliefs is not someone you need to befriend.

DH has considered himself an atheist for quite sometime and I teeter between atheist/agnostic. I do however believe that all animals get to go to some sort of heaven and I hope that's where I end up when I die!