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I was born into a very Catholic family. My Grandfather is an usher for the church and is a Knight with the Knights of Columbus.

I went to Sunday school, Catechism on Wednesdays, was in the church choir, etc...

But even at a young age I felt there was something wrong. I studied our religion and the more I understood, the more I didn't understand.

I was about 8 or 9 when I saw the movie, 'Blue Lagoon' and I asked my Grandfather, "If 2 kids are stuck on an island and live their whole lives there without learning about God, do they go to hell?"

Grandfather didn't skip a beat, "Yep."

I knew even then that it was wrong. Once I started to learn about Nature VS Nurture I started to ask even more questions:

1. How do we know our religion is the correct one?
2. What if we had been born into a Baptist family?
3. If God is so good, then why is he such a dick?

And so many more. Each question was answered with, "You have to have faith." Yeah, well, that isn't going to cut it.

I love my family, but their religion is crap.

I remember one time asking my Grandfather why we go to church every Saturday when we know what the preacher is going to say, and he said it wasn't true, so I made a bet with him, I said, "If he mentions 'Moses parting the seas to blah blah blah", (you get the idea) then Grandfather owed me lunch.

We ordered hamburger and fries.

I saw the hypocrisy in it all. My Uncle once won the lottery of 30k, he'd always said when I was growing up, "If I win the lottery, you two (my cousin and I) will be taken care of." I understand 30k isn't much, but the fact that he has yet to tell me (my cousin told me), and he sent me a "surprise" $100 check, and then donated $2,000 to the church, really got to me. I don't care about the money, I cared that he lied to me, and found his church to be more important than I am, me, a broke college student with no car, living 2,000 miles away.

What's that bible quote again? Ooh, yeah... "Honor your family above all others."

Except for the church of course.