Thanks for this posting, I’m glad to see those inside religion thinking about it at least.
I grew up in the great wilderness that most of the world lives in with NO religious instruction, I didn’t even know what Christmas was about, what an angel was (tho I knew the word) etc.
I attended a Catholic class when I was 9 years old and was blown out of the water at the words they used (transubstantiation was one) and so lost that I never went back nor became Catholic.
I wanted to belong to Christianity and it took me until I was 52 years old. I am Lutheran (Missouri-Synod) and even now I ask what seem to be dumb questions (though my pastor is always glad to be asked) like what does the actual word Gospel mean? (Good News).
Those “inside” religion have no idea what a howling, cold wilderness it is outside of it and how much most people do not know, “sacristy” and acronyms are the least of it.
It’s just like when you try to speak French to someone, and you are dreadfully poor at it, then they tell you they speak English - you are so relieved, you speak a hundred miles an hour and full of slang! (But they were not THAT much better at English!)
We know only what we’re used to doing in our neighborhood.
“Those “inside” religion have no idea what a howling, cold wilderness it is outside of it”
Putting in my glossary of quotations.