Saturday, February 27, 2010
Battle with Public Pressure
In life we experience a lot of different acts of peer pressure or public pressure, it is through those experiences when you figure out who you truly are. I never thought that I was one of “those kids,” you know the ones who smoked pot because it was “cool,” or failed a test so they didn’t look like a “suck up,” I had thought that I escaped peer pressure, but I was wrong. It is only now as I look back on my life that I realize that I have been a victim of public pressure for some time now. It wasn’t in school where I was swayed to do or say something I didn’t agree with it was within my family. My entire family on my Dad’s side are all practicing Catholics, which meant I was raised as a Catholic. Growing up I went to church every Sunday and on all Holy Days of Obligation, I did so until I turned 18. In the Catholic faith they have a program called Confirmation which is one of the “Rights,” or in other words a mandatory step in becoming a Catholic, such as First Communion and Baptism. I went through all the steps in becoming a Catholic, however it never felt right to me. When I was 16 I started going to Confirmation, which is a weekly meeting where teens get together to discuss our religion and do bible study. It was at these meetings when I really started to ask questions and study the bible. I became consumed in knowing all that I could about the religion, and once I uncovered the truth I completely disagreed with the inner workings. In group I constantly found myself battling everyone on the issues and being on the other side of the argument. I knew then that the Catholic religion was not right for me. The Confirmation process last for one year and at you “graduation,” you go to the church in front of family, friends, and peers and confirm your place in the Catholic Church. Even though I knew that I was not Catholic and that I did not want to continue to practice that religion my family members forced me to proceed on with my Confirmation. So I did and I continued to attend Catholic Church until I was 18. It was then when I finally got the courage to stand up to my family and tell them that I did not believe that same as them. I told them that after careful consideration and a lot of research I feel that I fit better into the Christian church. I got a lot of negative feedback and my family was very disappointed, but at least I didn’t have to live a lie anymore. I felt so free and I now have a great relationship with God and I think that my family is starting to finally come around. It is funny though that through all 4 years of high school I was able to fight off peer pressure, but I didn’t even realize I was dealing with that same pressure at home.
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Wow, that is really deep and I think you are a very strong person for coming out to your family about not believing into the same religion as them. My grandmother is Catholic and even though she lives across the country I know she wants to believe that I go to church on sundays and am I good Cathloic girl, she would fall over if I told her that the last time I went to church was with her when she lived close to me about eight years ago. I think that famliy peer pressure is harder than peer pressure from friends. Friends can come and go but family is forever,and I know the feeling first hand to want to please your family. Being true to your self is a way better feeling than living a lie even if your family looks down upon it, your family should love you no matter what and I hope they are doing that you!
ReplyDeleteWell first off I just have to say that I love that you decided for yourself instead of just accepting what might have been expected of you. I know that that is a big deal for me personally, and that you decided for yourself is awesome, regardless what you choose. I also want to say that I, on a much smaller scale, can relate to certain family pressure. In the past few years I have become a more open and talkative person, especially with the people I know best, but my family is still on the outside of that. I'll talk to them often, but it is rare that I let them in very far, not on a deeper level. Part of this is differences in the religion area, and also that...well I am not even sure what the other part of it is or how to explain it, to be honest. I've just never been amazingly close with my family, not to the point of sharing everything, and so I always felt a tension there that really does not have to be there.
ReplyDeleteWow! Very cool Amanda. Good for you, way to flippin go! I love that you took control of your life and your beliefs. Most people have seemed to have lost this part of themselves. I'm sorry, but you don't really hear too much of something like this. Usually people follow only what is taught to them and never explore and research for themselves. I have an old friend who doesn't believe in God just because his Dad doesn't. He didn't ever do any kind of searching, research, or anything and I find it astonishing. If everyone did as you did with your situation with the most important things in this world, then I'm sure we wouldn't have an economy problem and corruption in politics...but that's another subject. How funny though. You didn't get caught up in peer pressure but found it in your family life. How ironic. Well I hope things between you and your family are fine, and there aren't any tensions. Truth be told, you are still loving the same creator. I feel kind of scared placing my religious input, but ya know what? Our forefathers gave us freedom of speech. PRAISE GOD! Loved your blog Amanda.
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