forcing a kid to be religious is the best way of raising an atheist
I come from a semi religious family in that my dad is, and my mum isn't...

As such, and as I am (and always have been) a male, I was forced to go to church with my dad every fucking Sunday (and the odd Friday, Monday and Wednesday, and Xmas) for the 1st 18 years of my sorry life.

From the age of 5, which was when I came to realise that it was dull, I protested and generally didn't take much part in the service other than to mumble along to the various prayers (all of which I can still recite if given the opening line... like a really dull version of the rap from 'Move Any Mountain' by The Shamen). I also got miming down to a fine art - the problem you see was that not only did I get dragged there, I also had to sit next to my dad, in the choir. Everyone thought I had the voice of an angel, despite the fact that I NEVER SANG A NOTE. But luckily I was never asked to do a solo, as that would have ended up being an organ solo (fnarr fnarr).

Even when I stayed at friend's houses on a Saturday night, he would arrive at 8am to pick me up, it's little wonder that I had few friends.

The best/worst bit was when I had to take myself there because he was in hospital, I set off on my skateboard (it was about a mile away, all downhill) and as I approached, I realised that I didn't have to go, I could just skate on the park nearby...
...I arrived home at the usual time, and my mum had already taken 5 phone calls to say I hadn't been to church... spies! He had prompted the congregation to look out for me!

I was briefly an altar boy, mainly so I didn't have to sit in the choir or take part, I never got bummed, and I got the best seats in the house to watch the crazy lady go mental at the priest and get escorted out. I was also confirmed, which means that I accepted that I was definitely a Catholic by my own choice... I don't remember ever being asked if I wanted to do that, I just went along with it.

My 18th birthday fell on a Saturday, I went out on the Friday night to celebrate the last illegal night out and then Sunday came around, my dad knocked on my door and said "you coming to church then?" and I said "no thanks, I'm going to stay in bed" and my pa's little face dropped.

Flippin hogwash the lot of it, all it's done for me is give me a guilt complex and made my relationship with my dad that little bit worse than it should be.
(Ross McBingobangobongo bingobangobongo, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 15:52, Reply)