I like this room, Mac
We're all here to improve who we are, hopefully and help each other a bit along the way. If that includes a God of our understanding, than so be it.
Essentially, what stormie said is right on the mark: we're on this quest together regardless of religion.
I'm a Roman Catholic, too w/ a paternal Jewish grandfather that no one told me about until I pushed it (yeah, not much has changed) when I was around 10. My grandmother got yelled at by my mom for spilling the beans. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Scenario: Grandma, grandpa and I are walking along a NYC street on a lovely Sunday am (I was visiting from CA), we were on our way to Mass, or so I thought, next thing I know, grandpa says goodbye and I say,"Where's he going?"
"Well, your Grandpa's not going to Mass w/ us."
"Why?"
"B/c he's got things he has to do."
"You're not telling the truth, Grandma. Why's he skipping Mass? If he gets to, then I get to."
"Ask your mother."
That's never a good answer. Long and short of it, I pulled it out of her. Pretty stupid if you ask me.
So, I go home and in school the nun says, "Catholicism is the one true religion." I raise my hand and ask, "Then, why was Jesus raised a Jew?"
My mom blamed the fact that I spent so much time in the principal's office that year on my dad's mom. Oh well. Coming from a mixed religion family, what are ya gonna do. You shouldn't keep things from kids.
Now, I don't buy everything the church teaches. I take something from each person I know, each religion has something to teach. The basis is the same, but I do love a lot of what the church has to say. The particular church I go to has a couple of wonderful priests and that's what makes a difference for me, they talk to you, not at you. And they really listen. Not all priests do.
A dear friend of mine is Navajo, I love that family! A few of my cousins practice Buddhism and Catholicism.
It all works if we're open to it.