Skip to Content
Opinion

We Want to Know If You Believe in God for This Week’s (Second!) Open Thread

As we do every Friday, we're turning Racket over to you, the readers.

Promotional still

Two Open Threads in one week? It's an August miracle!

And speaking of miracles, in today's Open Thread I want you to talk about your religious background. (Heavy stuff for a summer Friday, huh?) The thought came to me while I was writing about hardline Lutherans and Tim Walz yesterday. Sectarianism is fascinating stuff.

I'll start. I was raised Catholic and became unduly devout in my pre-tween years, wanted to be a priest and everything. First, adolescence killed my dreams of celibacy and then a broader skepticism set in until I was properly lapsed in college. When I got sober in 1998, I experimented (not unsuccessfully) with prayer and even met with a priest about rejoining the church. But I soon realized the belief just ain't there, no matter how I went through the motions.

I'm still somewhat envious of the community that religious people have. (Though ideally, a modern society would offer more secular opportunities for community-building.) But I've still got enough Catholicism in my bones that it'd feel wishy-washy to me to become a Unitarian or something.

OK, your turn! What do you believe? What did you believe? What do you wish you believed?

Or, as I always say, you can ignore this prompt and talk about whatever you want. This is your Open Thread, after all.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Racket

How DHS Turned the Whipple Federal Building Into a House of Horrors

Plus the sycophantic MN GOP, an uplifting Alex Pretti Memorial Ride, and how you can help in today's Flyover news roundup.

February 2, 2026

MN ICE Watch Feb. 2-6: Daily Updates on the Federal Siege of Minnesota

Another week, another mega blog of ICE-related headlines.

February 2, 2026

Best Budget Bites: $6.99 Torta de Tamal From Hermanos Locos Tacos

This two-hander originated in Mexico City and is a messy delight.

February 2, 2026

Luminary Loppet, Solidarity Protests, Hammsgiving: This Week’s Best Events

Plus a new gallery in Uptown, monster trucks, and last call for this year's Art Shanty Projects.

February 2, 2026

Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello Rouse Anti-Fascist Fervor at First Ave

Fists were pumped, tears were cried, and 'fuck' was shouted at the Minneapolis anti-ICE rally we all needed.

January 30, 2026

ICE Tech Is as Creepy You’d Think

Plus bad-ass PTA moms, MAGA men bomb at a town hall, and a really weird home on the market in today's Flyover news roundup.

January 30, 2026
See all posts