Welcome to Gaia! ::

Well, I am a christian I was baptized in a baptist church because I have a baptist neighbor. I had thought at the time that it was a requirement, my dad then told me that it wasn't necessary, I asked the preacher and he said that was true, that the ritual was merely to show others that I had accepted Christ. I remember thinking " But you will be baptizing in the church. Isn't the ritual more to show non-Christians that yet another person has decided to join Christianity?" like a recommendation. It felt like preaching to the choir.
They were very much about self perfection. I asked "Jesus did die on the cross to save me from all of my sins past, present, and future, so I'm hell proof, right?" They said yes but you should strive to be like him. I said: "salvation is a gift and trying to earn salvation it is like saying 'no thanks i can do it myself.' And I know i can't earn it myself because all have fallen short of the glory of God." They said this was true but I should still strive to be good. I got rather mad they kept shoving those buts in my face!
Their children also apparently rather exclusive and mean to my little sister. So i stopped going.

I have decided the only reason to be "good" and to give the example of an ideal Christian is because Jesus asked us to spread the good news. I feel setting an example is reasonable and I answer anyone who asks Questions on the subject.
I have noticed that being nice can make me feel good. It is also quite a power trip to "grant" people kindness because I don't have to.

As for other deities,

I read about Quetzalcoatl and thought " He didn't get get along with the other Aztec gods, refused human sacrifice, created man, went across the sea but vowed to return. Sounds like God." I mean the Spaniards did bring Catholicism to Mexico from across the sea. (They were truly evil bastards for the most part but they did convert the population they didn't kill.)
The Virgin of Guadalupe also sounds like a spirit who "converted". Asking for a church(but built in her honor?why not in God's honor?)
I suppose that is a very roman way of looking at a foreign gods.

Otherwise I view other gods as lesser spirits. Angels and Demons are spirits why not a few more? I assume ancient people saw these beings and decided to worship them. Perhaps they are still around. Perhaps they got the "I am a jealous God" message and fled or hid, popping up to help people in need now and then. Perhaps they didn't get the message and God killed most of them.

My dad also, apparently, became familiar with tarot cards in his youth. He predicted a man's immanent death, and the man died soon after. My dad got scared, Maybe? He says he decided that he had been wasting his time, that such an ability was useless (it didn't help the man who got the reading.) My sister became interested in the Tarot but he refused to let her learn and did not want to see those cards in his house.

Tarot cards are just a tool like any other. They can be used to divine similarly to a pendulum or Ouija board. They don't change anything and what they show is up to the interpretation of the reader. Also they only show what is most likely at that point, the future is not something set in stone, but mutable and changeable. The cards won't tell you how to change anything either. They are also a tool for looking back, or learning about another person.

Note* I am still learning about the cards and have yet to purchase my first deck.

Zebulous, I do kinda understand where you dad is coming from too. I had a terrifying experience with an Ouija board once, I refuse to use them now, or allow them in my home.

Mind sharing the story?

You must face Hellfire and Brimstone!

I work in a Pagan store, but am Christian myself. I think that goes to show I don't mind, within reason. Some take it too far, and are vehemently anti-Christian. I don't like that sort.