As a child, one church I was sometimes taken to was of the denomination called Disciples Of Christ. I learned much later that that denomination is sometimes called "Campbellites" (with varied connotations) after it's founder, Thomas Campbell. My father called it that sometimes, but I thought then he was saying "Camelites". Then one time I went to a Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church. Some of us toured the sanctuary, where there were murals, showing, among other things, the three Wise Men riding horses, not camels, as I was more familiar with. The guide told us that that was more historically accurate, that their likely means of transportation at that time would have been horses, not camels. I thought then and there that I'd learned why my more familiar church was sometimes called "Camelite" -- because of a belief not shared with certain other churches, including the Greek Orthodox, that the Wise Men rode camels.

Lucy

i used to believe that the lines said by the priest will turn one to a priest. so i cried every time i saw my dad mumbled the priest's lines during mass because i thought that will turn him into a priest and then he'll leave us forever.

erin

As a protestant growing up in a catholic school, I was not used to certain catholic customs, such a recieving first communion around the age of about 8 or 9, (second grade). While not participating, I was required to attend my classmate's communion. When I saw them walk down to the front in white dresses and little suits, I thought the school was forcing my classmates to marry each other! I had belived this until I asked my teacher why they did this. She set me straight.

Anon

When I was a teenager I only wanted to marry someone Catholic, because I wanted 6 kids. I thought Catholics liked kids more because they had so many. It wasn't until YEARS later that I understood they don't have that many kids on purpose!

No way.

Well, I'm Catholic, and I went to a private school. On Ash Wednesday, when the priest rubs some ashes on your forehead at church at the beginning of Lent, I used to think the ashes were like still on fire and burning, and that it would burn into your forehead and skull permanently and hurt. I think I was around 5 or 6, and I remember running out of the church when it was my turn to be next in line.

One a side note I also thought most people in the world were one religion.

Anon

I grew up in a pretty strict Lutheran church, and I sincerely believed that if I took communion when I was in any way spiritually unprepared, that I would be immediately shot straight through the floor down into hell to burn for all eternity. Right there, on the spot. No second chances. Only a pile of clothes and shoes would remain.

The fact that I had never observed this phenomenon didn't diminish my conviction that it was guaranteed to happen to me.

I never signed up for confirmation/first communion because I figured I wasn't stupid enough to play Russian Roulette with my immortal soul.

I still hold my breath at other people's kids' First Communions.

Anon

When I was a teenager, I asked my friend what religion she was (she had recently moved from Pakistan to Canada). She told me "Ismaili", but, not having heard of that religion before, I heard "Smiley". I rsponded, "That's so cute!" In retrospect, that came off condescending and horrible, and I'm terribly embarrassed. I sincerely hope she doesn't remember.

Naive about world religions

I used to go to CCD (Sunday School). We would sit in the church area at the beginning of it with the teachers and the priest. My friends and I would sit in the front row because we liked not having to look over people's heads, also because we felt special. (But that's not the point.) Well, the priest would stand up front and usually talk to everyone. One day I raised my hand and asked him "Where is the real Jesus?" He responded, "What?" I then said "Well, in our church, we have a fake Jesus. Where is the REAL Jesus hanging up?" He still didn't understand, got angry and ignored me.
As you can see, I was refering to in the front of churches there are the big crosses with Jesus on it (Where the priest talks and stuff). I wanted to know in what church was the real Jesus hanging up in. I had a few more thoughts about this concept. One of them being it would smell bad in that church because he would be really old and have not taken a shower in a while (not to mention, he'd be dead).
Kids are funny.

I Heart Gorillaz.

Being a non-Catholic, I used to believe that the word virgin was another word for Catholic: My third grade friends, however, had recently learned what virgin really meant and were afirming that they were indeed still virgins. I'll never forget their faces when I declared, "I'm not a virgin."

Katie, CA

I was in 6th grade we were discussing religions and my friend was talking about how her mom was wiccan. I didn't understan that she was a witch, I thougt that meant that she worshipped candle wics.

Yasmin

wgen I was in kindergarten catholic school I haf just learned about ccd. it was like a thing where you go once a week to learn about god. before I started it me and my friends thought that ccd was this evil group of kids who would come into the school at night and ruin it. because our desks had been drawn on. when my mom told me I was going to start ccd i cried. it waas so funny

sophie

When I first heard of the Pope I misheard it as The Poke, apparently he was above even Kings. That fitted because he had a taller crown than was ever seen on a King.
He was called the Poke because he carried this big staff thing and if anyone, even our King, contradicted him he'd poke them in the eye with it.

eppenguin

I used to help out in a 2nd grade Hebrew class that was way out of control. The teacher asked the class if anyone knew when we celebrated Shabbat and one of the boys raised his hand and said "December."

Anon

When I was ten I asked my mother if she was a Catholic or a Prostitute.

Nick Tucker