I will tell you some secrets for no other reason than to jade my family. I am of the bloodlines.

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I would be lying if I did not say I had walked into a wall or two in my day testing out this theory :)

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I was never taught Jesus was a man born of a virgin mother. I was shown all the other Gods born of a virgin mother first so when I saw the jesus story I immediately put it into its proper category with the others.

It is also an example to us as children that people can be lied to in a way they like and will play along. Not as an encouragement for us to do that but as a hard lesson about people and life and how the world works. Every Sunday I see everyone going to church as a boy and I knew what they thought they were worshipping and wondered how they did not know about all the others like him. We even went to church sometimes. They explained to me jesus was real at least and it made people feel safe and to not hurt thier feelings telling them what I knew. At 6 and 7 I was reading revelations, the only book i liked besides Genesis and the preacher thought I was a prodigy.

So, given that upbringing I studied and searched for the real story just out of curiosity and found jesus was a much more interesting man than the bible portrayed and that christianity actually ruined his story in my opinion. Took away from it greatly and marginalized it.

The short answer to your question is all three. I thought I would explain how I was brought up to lead me to conclusions about christianity as well though.

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In Ireland the Catholic church owns the land that the schools are on to this day.

The priests are ALWAYS having mass in the schools so we were NEVER exposed to any other religion than Catholicism.
My Grandmother was thought to get off the path if the priest was walking on it and genuflect as he walked passed.

The church also are in charge of the hospitals. Again they own the land that the hospitals are on and the state is supposed to upkeep the buildings and staff the hospital.

Women up until the 1970's were told they had to leave their state jobs when they got married.

The local priest holds the key to whether your child gets into the local school. Therefore you HAVE to baptise your child to get you child educated.

When my middle girl (14 now) didn't make her conformation the local teacher gave her the cold shoulder for the rest of the year.

Here it's all about keeping women down.

To this day...................I shit you not.

So I am the blackest of black sheep here after converting to Paganism.

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Hello Niamh. .isn't Troll a fascinating term. The name cracks me up as I used to read the story of the Three Billygoats Gruff to my grandchildren, if you've read it you will know about the dreaded Troll. .and his subsequent demise.

Yeah i as well think this theory is a crutch for your mind. I think its more like Max Planck thought, this is not what one would call an illusion. Its more like waves interacting with waves, but we experience only 1% of the electromagnetic spectrum. Its just hard to envision that this keyboard in front of you consists of 99,9999% empty space because its atoms consist of 99,9999% empty space. Pretty solid for empty space eh? Should try to look through it some time... :)

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Aye the feckers are nazis really. Hard irish catholic is about as hard as it gets. Kneel, stand up, kneel, stand up ,kneel, stand up..... like it is a damned aerobics class that will be getting you to Jaysus.

We are fine. No worries.

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AND those atoms are moving. So so is the keyboard and everything else around you. Nothing is technically solid.

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I think Naimh many feel as you do but are not brave enough to be honest. They can't go against the Catholic Church. The old ways do remain, I believe they are just hidden. I admire your conviction. You're a brave soul.

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True. There arent even atoms... theres only vibration or waves.

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I would be lying if I did not say I had walked into a wall or two in my day testing out this theory :)

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LoL :-)

Well i am so sure that some very solid objects were eager to test the theory of my empty spaces too. Was the only scientific explanation i could accept in order to explain the strange experiences of walls and doors knocking my head - otherwise i can't be such a blind idiot, right ?

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Those ladybird books were the best. They don't make them like they used to.

There was always an disagreement in our house about the story of snow white -

I KNOW she had a sister called Rose Red but no one believes me....