Second Congregational Church of Derby, CT

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Well as I sit here at Pastor Larrys' desk, I can't help but listen to the voting debates that are all over the news. It's strange to me...Republican or Democrat?

Some things are instilled into us as small children. If our parents were Democrats, then we were also Democrats. We didn't really understand what a Democrat was, all we were told is that that was what we were. So many important decisions in our lives are somehow just passed down to us from our parents. And for many of us we live our life and never question our "inheritance" from our parents.The same can be said of another important choice in our life. Our "religion". Yes it is inevitably our parents who pass their choice of "religion" onto us. I was "born" as a Democrat and a Catholic. I never questioned either of these choices as a child. It never seemed as if I really had a say in either one. I did all the things I was required to do to live my life as I was expected to.

But things changed when I was 19. My life made a big turn and I decided to question many things. You see, I had a child out of wedlock. A beautiful, perfect little girl.

The first thing in order was to have my baby baptized, right? Lord knows I was in fear that if something was to happen and my daughter was not baptized, then she would not go to Heaven. So I went and met with our priest and asked about a date to baptize my daughter. I was absolutely beside myself as I listened to my priest tell me in no uncertain terms would my "bastard" child be baptized in the Catholic church. Sobbing all the way to my Mothers house, I couldn't help but feel as if I had ruined my own child's life and somehow doomed her to burn in Hell forever.

Needless to say, at that point I left the Catholic church and began seeking other churches. In doing so I realized that "ONLY" God can judge me, and that much of what I had been taught was NOWHERE in the King James Bible. I finally found my happiest home at a little Nondenominational church, a church that had no "man" laws to keep me in bondage and shame. My daughter Nichole was baptized in that church, when SHE accepted Jesus Christ into her heart, Nichole was 12 years old. So along with my new found church...I decided to question other things that my parents had chosen for my life.

My next great choice...I became a Republican.

Friends, my point is this...research important life changing factors in your OWN life! Don't  just say you are something because the numbers might look good! I CAN'T change the fact that I am of Italian and Polish heritage...because that is my DNA, and that's unchangeable.But for the other things in your life, YOU decide for yourself. Religion is so much like a political association. We are born to make the best choices for ourselves...these are life fulfilling choices...choose your own...and guide your children, but always let them choose their own destiny...

God bless you all,
Doreen Crasilli