Louis struggles with religion.
He personally labels himself agnostic. He's not sure there is a god; or, if they do exist, he's not sure that he would want to worship or be invested in them anyways. He's of the mindset that, if they exist, and they are truly omnipotent or all powerful, they are cruel.
This comes from his own trauma within the church. He grew up within the Catholic church, very involved within it by association of his parents. His mother Colette desperately clung to the community for approval; her only friends were affiliated or very prestigious members. He was at every Mass, every Bible study, every event, every confession his mother or father went to. Part of it was appearances, part of it was sincere adherence to the religion.
As he did not identify as a female, he was an outlier. As he started to become more outspoken and try to express himself, it earned judgmental and scornful commentary and glances. People were quick to mock or make snide remarks. His mother's confidence was weak, so she crumbled at any possible negative connotation to herself; his father prideful and displeased at the idea of being a poor example of a Christian, or simply listening to his mother's hysterics over the matter.
Religion was often used as a reason for why he couldn't be himself. He had scripture quoted to himself frequently. Why his choices would upset the community, upset god, how it would destroy him in the end. The older he got, the more he was represented as the enemy of god...which is an intense thing to have to fathom as a young teenager.
Likewise, religion was used as the barrier for connection with is parents. He couldn't have heart-to-hearts with his mother about himself, how he felt. It was blocked with 'this is not what god would want', 'why do you want us to live in sin with you?' etc. He always seemed to be beneath religion and the community his mom clung to. Truthfully, he's not sure he was sincerely loved by his parents; he assumes that he was chronically a disappointment simply through existence.
Most traumatic was when he was 15. His mother had told the priest at confession that he wanted to be a boy. How he continued to live in sin despite her many attempts to bring him back. She cried that she didn't want him to go to hell. In response, the following Sunday sermon was a pointed discuss of identity. It was a mockery of his identity and recommending that he turn away from it. Though his name wasn't said specifically, it and the gazes were pointed enough for him to know. He remembers going home and crying in a mix of pain and embarrassment, feeling utterly betrayed and disconnected to his mother.
Eventually, he was kicked out of the church (it is important to note that the church would deny this. However, it was made very clear that he was not welcome if he 'stayed on his current path'). It was then that he agreed to military school based off a promise his father made.
He has not been to church since. He gets a sour taste in his mouth thinking about what happened to him all those years ago; truthfully, it pisses him off. It upsets him that he was never treated kindly, that people could be that cruel all because he wanted to be himself. At the same time though, there is some empathy to it because of his mom, seeing some have a community and purpose because of the religion. It leaves him frustratingly conflicted.
