Mixed Religions

was raised Catholic. I was also raised to respect other's views and have, through out my life, formed varying opinions on organized religion. I still go to mass (though we go on Sat nights) and Remi was Christened in a Catholic church.

A few weeks ago MIL took Remi to her church on Wed evening. He's been several times since, and I've always let him go if she asks to take him. I do want him to be exposed to other religions.

Yesterday, for Mother's Day she asked us to go to church with her. I agreed (though DH refused.) It was Mother's Day. The leader (they don't give them titles for some reason) could have spoken about Mary. He could have chosen a topic about a Mother's love, the role of Mother's in raising children. ANY number of topics about Mom's. He chose, instead, to do a sermon about how all of the churches that call themselves non denominational (except of course for their's) is misleading and essentially wrong in all of their beliefs. He referred to the Bible for ONE verse in which James refers to the gathering as The Church and the rest was essentially his opinion. He also spoke about how those who attended churches that proclaimed a certain denomination (mentioning specifically Methodist and Baptist) were "misled" and "misconstruing the word of Christ."

Now, as I said, I don't think any one religion is right or wrong (though I have my issues with some of the more extreme) but I was just appalled at this sermon. I certainly don't want my child going to a church who is telling him his mother is going to h*ll b/c she's Catholic. I don't want to alienate MIL since DH and FIL own a business together and MIL keeps Remi for 2 hours in the morning while I work. I also have very strong feelings on letting him go back to this church. I have no idea how to handle this!

Religion in the south

Hubby and I went to a good friends for dinner this evening and he lives pretty far out in the country of our little town. On my way home (hubby stayed to load .223 shells) I noticed there were tiny churches popping up like Starbucks in New York City. Now part of me wants to think that these are all good Christian people who like smaller congregations. But the largest part of me is betting on the awesome tax breaks churches get being the biggest motivator.
It seems to me that at some point half a dozen congregants will get pissy with who ever it is that's leading the church and decide to go it on their own. Most of them are Baptist because, this being Oklahoma and all, we are ate up with Baptist's. I was raised Catholic but haven't been a practicing Catholic since I was about 17. Seems to me once I figure out there was too much politics in religion (and not enough religion in politics) I bailed. I'm a believer for certain, but organized religion really sticks in my craw. Like the bumper sticker I saw once said- "If going to church makes you a Christian, does going to the garage make you a car?"
In any case we are overrun with churches that pop up, literally, over a weekend and take up residence in one of those prefab steel buildings and have a had stenciled wooden sign out front announcing their denomination. most often Baptist followed closely with Church of Christ.
Now my in laws are COC. I've only ever been to their church, so I'm not sure those beliefs are indicative of all COC churches, but even so it left one awful taste in my mouth. Apparently if you believe in the Old Testament, drink, curse, or wear mini skirts you've guaranteed your self a front row seat in Dante's Easy Bake (not sure which blog I stole that little phrase from or I'd give em' credit.) So I asked my FIL, after the one Easter service we attended why the believed in Genesis (which is int he Old Testament) but ignored the rest. No answer. Then I asked why, if drinking was a sin, did Jesus turn water into wine. His answer (brace yourself)- because back then they didn't have refrigerators and the grape juice fermented and turned into wine. I shit you not. So I mentioned that if Jesus had the power to turn water into ANYTHING that I'm betting if he wanted it to stay that way it would, fridge be damned. The man walked on water, I'm pretty sure he could keep grape juice, well, grape juice. He was also completely oblivious to the fact that the Torah consists of the first five books of the Old Testament, only not in the traditional verse by verse form Christians are used to. Even so, Jews, going to hell.
In fact I was in the car one day talking to my husband about how completely nuts his mama is when he mentioned his mama and his grandma (her MIL) didn't get along either. I asked why and he said, "Because Mama and Dad are Christians and Grandma was a Baptist." I. Shit. You. Not. So I had to educate him on the fact that unless you're Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist (or some of those other Eastern religions I'm not up on) you're Christian. Now with in the Christina faith you have Catholics and Protestants but regardless they're all Christian. I'm going to spend a lifetime undoing the crazy nonsense that woman filled him with.
In any case, I guess I've got the God I believe in and he's a hell of a lot nicer guy than my in laws make him out to be. If their God is going to send me to hell for drinking a Tecate and saying 'shit' while wearing a tank top, I don't any part of him.