RELIGIOUS THINKING

I've been thinkin about religion this morning. Not just religion in general, but one particular thing.

I'm thinkin that there's a difference between folks that are born into a church, and folks that come in from the outside later on in their life. This has been rumblin around in my head for a while, so I figured I'd let it out.

I've got experience in the Southern Baptist, the Pentecostal, and the Charismatic churches. But I think this is gonna hold up true for Catholics, Methodists, Mormans, and maybe even Hindus and Muslims.

I've watched a lot of kids grow up in one particular church or another, and it seems to me that they just don't have the excitement later on in their lives about their faith that "converts" do. Now for sure, it ain't always true. A bunch of kids grow up in their church and go on to be fired-up leaders in their particular movement.

It's interesting to me when an adult "converts" to one religion or another...or even when they swap teams...say from Baptist to Methodist, or Catholic to Protestant, or Presbyterian to Pentecostal, or convert to Mormonism, or Jehovah Witness, or Christian Science...and on and on.

I've known a lot of Catholic folks that turn Pentecostal. I've known some adults...I mean, 40 or 50 year old folks that turn Catholic after being something else their whole life...or after being nothing else their whole life. Heck, I seen in the news the other day that fellow who used to be the President of England, that Tony fellow turned Catholic. And he ain't no spring chicken...guess he wanted to cover all the bases before he takes a dirt nap.

There just seems to be a more (dang, let me get my word book out....) profound devotion to the doctrine, the work, and the daily living out of the teachings of their church.

I started thinking about this when Mitt Romney's Mormonism got to be an issue in the Presidential campaign. I figure that Romney (being a born-in Mormon) is sort of like a born-in Baptist, or Catholic...I mean he ain't a Mormon preacher or nothing...but I reckon he did do his two year hitch. When his religion became an issue, he didn't seem defensive about it to me. I think after years and years of following one particular faith that it just don't bother folks as much when their religion is attacked. But it seems like folks that come in from the outside get riled up quick about it.

I got this Mormon buddy. He ain't a Redneck...I mean, he's got a real job and all. He come into Mormonism after he was growed up...and man, it just really gives him the reds when folks say that Mormons ain't Christians. It bothers him something awful. But it don't seem like it bothers Romney much. I looked at his religion speech, and he didn't seem riled at all. In fact, it don't just bother this buddy of mine (the one that's not a Redneck) when Mormons get talked bad about...it fries his fish when anybody's religion gets bad-mouthed. It seems like it bothers folks more when they come to faith later on.

I got this other fellow that I know...wouldn't really call him a buddy...but I think he is a Redneck. This fellow is a Roman Catholic. He come into the Catholic faith way along in life. And he will look me, or anybody right square in the eye and tell you that there is only one church, the Holy Roman Church...and if you ain't in it, well, you are in trouble...but big! And it sure enough steams his clams when you tell him he's wrong.
Now when he tells me that I ain't getting in Heaven, it really don't bother me. But it sure does bother other folks. Seems like it bothers folks that came into Christianity later on a whole lot more than folks like me that growed up in a church.

I don't know. I've rambled around a long time with this, and probably didn't make much sense. But I needed to empty my head of it...gotta make some room up there... so I can start thinkin about LSU & Ohio State...I hate Ohio State.