Kudos to Mom!!!

I went down south to visit the family for Easter and had a wonderful time.  While there, I had a friendly debate about religion with my mom's husband, who happens to be a great guy. During this debate, my  mother reminded me of a decision she made when I was a child.  This decision helped me to have the freedom to grow into the authentic me.  My family is primarily Southern Baptist.  My mother never crammed the religion down my throat.  She made sure we knew the basics of our family's religion however, didn't force us to go to church, tell us what we should believe or which book to follow.  As a child, I had friends of different religions and I was allowed to go to various churches and experience different beliefs and ways to celebrate beliefs.

The most respectful decision my mom made was not allowing us to get baptized.  She felt that children weren't mature enough to make the decision to be baptized for themselves.  Being baptized is a personal decision each person should make for themselves, no one parents should make for a child.  It's disrespectful for anyone to force children, or any human being, to do this. 

I'm still not baptized today and I never will be.  It means nothing to me.  I'm going to heaven because I'm a good person, do good by others and live the best life I can.  I have a strong relationship with the Mother and Father Gods.  I'm very spiritually healthy, happy and strong.  I have grown to be Buddhist and have become educated enough to know that the Bible is too manipulated for me to put faith in.  I'm not saying anyone should believe as I do, that's a personal choice for each person.  I was given the upbringing to be secure and strong enough to make my own decisions and become the person I am.

Thank you Mom, you really knew what you were doing!!