| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 5/22/2007 9:04:39 AM | Raised Catholic, decided around I dunno like 13 or 14 that I totally didn't agree with the religion at all. Found it to be quite opressive and controlling in fact, and decided to seek out what I believed in terms of a religion.
So from there I read every religious text I could get my hands on, and found more of the same from most of them. Sure, there were things I agreed with, but I've always felt that one can't identify themeselves with a religion unless they accept all the tenets of said religion. Then one day I randomly picked up a book and found that it resonated with me and I actually agreed personally with everything in it. | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 5/22/2007 11:02:59 AM |  I wasn't born nor raised in a "Christian" home. Neither parent was interested in worshiping God, and they weren't interested in my well being, spritually, or otherwise. In fact, my father would joke that I was going to Hell because I wasn't baptized. After years of fearing I would perish in Hell, I made arrangements to be baptized and joined the Episcopalian Church. I switched to Lutheran when I married. After reading and studying the Bible for several years, I now conclude that salvation has very little to do with your church, or religion.
God knows our hearts, and He will lead us into His way, if we are willing to give of ourselves and do His will.  | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 5/22/2007 1:19:45 PM |
God knows our hearts, and He will lead us into His way, if we are willing to give of ourselves and do His will.
What then in the case of someone like myself who doesn't believe in god? | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 5/22/2007 5:30:28 PM | I was raised protestant. It never seemed quite right to me and I was always questioning things, but since I was born and raised in the bible belt before the advent of the internet, I had absolutely zero exposure to anything BUT Christianity.
When I went to college I met my first atheist. Thats right, I had never MET an atheist before I went to college. That got me to thinking. Eventually I embraced atheism and tried to convert others to it. I was actually pretty good at it to, which was a shame. I found that many people resented the loss of their faith. That calmed me down a bit.
Now I am agnostic with atheistic leanings. I find it likely that there is no higher sentient power, but I would not bet on those odds. I currently preach tolerance and acceptance of others as they are. My enemies are bigotry and closed minded indoctrination regardless of the extreme.
I know this is the opposite direction you are looking to go but, you asked so there it is. | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 5/22/2007 7:21:23 PM | I do not pull the stupidity blanket of church or mosque or temple up over my head when I'm feeling unsure about the world.
Nope. You pull up the hostility blanket.
Namaste'
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 6/2/2007 10:08:08 AM | I'm not an expert on religion, but it is my understanding that the Holy Spirit offers opportunities and understanding to each of us concerning his salvation during our life time. I also believe from the Bible that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be born to a Virgin, (John 3.16), and eventually die on the cross for our sins. He rose again, and ascended into heaven.
I don't mean to preach, but I'm just trying to share. If you don't believe in God, that's your choice. I certainly am in no position to judge you, or anyone else who doesn't share my beliefs.
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 6/3/2007 9:01:00 AM | Hi Javaqueen,
First off I'd like to say thank you for starting such an interesting thread. I've enjoyed reading the various different points of view. There have been some excellent replies and so far I think my favourites (and very much in line with my own personal views) came early on. Comments 3 and 5 both made me nod and smile.
I don't know what to call myself as far as religious beliefs go -- sometimes I think labels are half the problem. Like a lot of people, when I was a child I attended whatever church my parents went too. I had an incredible advantage though in the fact that my parents were exploring the different Christian off shoots to see if any one in particular felt more right for them. They followed that path for a couple of years and I assume the quest in itself was enough for them. They don't belong to any church now either and have decided to be good people in and of themselves who live pretty much by the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Of course I'm rather biased because they're my parents, but they are very kind, gentle people so I think it has worked out well for them.
Once we were older, my parents let their children decide for themselves if we wanted to partake of church or not. I have gone to a couple of different churches at the invitation of a couple of different people. Sometimes you have to be gentle but firm in making it understood that you really are only there to visit. I'm always respectful when I attend their services and sometimes people misunderstand this respectfulness as a genuine interest to belong to their church. But again, I don't really identify strongly with any one particular faith or know how to identify my own belief system. The Zen of Quantum Physics has a nice ring to it and both components of the title are very much in line with me. I'd have to have my service in the forest though preferrable by running water. Needless to say, there wouldn't be any kind of a sermon but I know any time I'm communing with nature I am in fact communing with God.
Rather a long answer I suppose, but I really did enjoy you question and would have loved to have been able to sit down with you and talked until the wee hours of the morning. Great topic! | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 6/3/2007 11:48:39 AM | We didn't really have a religion per say in my household. My dad was of the opinion that one could fine 'god' w/o the use of a church and its fickle membership of
clique-ism. We were raised agnostic for the most part. 
Way early in the 90's I discovered wicca and from there became eclectic pagan (while finding out about myself, covens, how to be a good witch, etc) before really finding my path as a reconstructiontist Hellenic Pagan. Since Pagans are pretty interactive with the various Gods/Goddesses, I'd say my Patrons chose me which lead to my current Path. 
Been a wild and informative 10 yrs | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 6/4/2007 8:29:03 AM | Good morning :) I attended a Roman Catholic school as a child and lived in a home with a Father who never attended (was forced as a child) and a Mother who refused to believe or discuss the matter.
My children were christened catholic, following family tradition....
3.5 years ago, I contracted Legionnaires Disease and almost lost my life. I had to learn how to walk/talk/live again. 2 Mormon missionairies came to my door while I was recovering and I felt like a weight had been lifted off me. Within 2 months, all three of my children and myself had converted. I love what the Mormon church stands for, their beliefs that family always comes first and to always help your neighbour. What I didn't "appreciate" about the Mormon religion was the "the word of wisdom". (Notice that the Word of Wisdom forbids the use of hot drinks [coffee/tea], strong drinks [alcohol] , illegal drugs and tobacco.)
I have since stopped attending church but still follow The Ten Commandments. I drink every now and then, and I smoke. It seems I've found a happy medium.
Just think about this: If the world followed The Ten Commandments, what a wonderful world it would be ;)  | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/13/2007 3:50:31 PM | I would have to agree with newwayhome, I feel that I did not chose my religion, but my religion chose me.
My feelings on religions......well we could open a thousand more forums.....but the bottom line.....Is whatever or which ever path in a person's life that enlightens them is what a person should stick with.
God did not create us with the same faces or the same eyes or the same teeth etc......so why not put in our path many ways to find him. What makes one religion or no religion superior to another.
when in the end it is a personal matter that only you have to answer to in your life. | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/13/2007 4:35:29 PM | | I chose Judaism because it literally sang to me, so to speak. I was soul searching after high school and I wanted to go to services but wanted to go somewhere that followed my own belief structure. I was raised roman catholic and did study it since I was a child. I never believed it. So I knew I was not a christian by any means. I was able to rule that out. I did some research and when I read about the fundamentals of Judaism, I saw that I agreed with the theological teachings. I went to temple for 2 years then when i got close to conversion my father begged me not to do and my mom married an arab, so it was out of the question at the time. I started college and took all of these philosophy classes and my curiosity was peaked by instructor about paganism. I studied that for 6 years but I always missed Judaism, alot. The beauty about paganism is that no one pagan thinks exactly the same. I did not agree with the wiccans or anything and did more of an american indian type deal working with The Great Spirit (G-d) and just tried to work with nature. My path is now back to Judiasm with a twist of new age practices (reiki, energy work, and natural medicine). I am going to services again and love it. I felt like home. I love it and that's it for me. | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/13/2007 9:57:04 PM | I grew up feelin atheist for the longest time thinking science could explain everything...
man I feel wrong, life is a learning experience that we must judge as we experience.Through my experiences their is way to much science and reason that points fault at all the unexplained and draws nuviable solutions to the mystery.
As long as I live their will be things of the past that science could never explain,infact are past is riddled with unexplainable events.Yet the bible has mystery and yet it's guidence on human morales and tactics is incredible.Their is much that will be never explained and put in the category of coincedance and accident.Society may always accept this unresolved events and pigeon hole them all the time, thats just human nature.In the event of uncontrollable disaster and known demise even the non beleaivers pray to god for help................ | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/14/2007 10:29:01 AM | nostringsatched1: I grew up feelin atheist for the longest time thinking science could explain everything...
Does the Bible explain everything satisfactorily? Doesn't the Bible just boil down to "God created everything for reasons known only to Him"? Isn't this just the same as atheism-science (you combined them, not me) saying that the universe "just is"?
If you're looking for a pat answer, you can choose any belief - including atheism. If you want to feel safe and secure, choose any theism. Whatever gets you through the day.
GE&H | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/14/2007 10:50:11 AM | I began as an atheist... moved toward agnostisism and searched for a religion that would suit me because none of the ones around me made any sense on a deep level whatsoever...
I researched religions and took classes, and what I found is that each religion has a grain of truth... truths that I enjoy discovering and unraveling... that is the part that resonates for me.... but there is no one religion that I could ever take on as a whole...
To me, once spirituality is "organized" in such a fashion and requiring followers, it takes on an ego and stagnates the purity of spirit... I want no part of that... so eclectic and "Idolatrous" I am, lol....
My connection to God is not found within the pages of a book... though there is value and inspiration to be found in the words of others, my connection is in my heart and each every breath... | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/14/2007 1:42:27 PM | I have a belief in, not worship of, a form of Creator. Like sassy, I studied up. My way was with various denominations and, like sassy, I took what I could from them.
I recognized many issues that did not resonate with me. My questions were not answered with any lasting satisfaction. The problems I didn't always see as mine just kept on increasing. The ideology or dogma was suffocating. Without going into the details, I also had many psychological problems as a result.
The only relief I felt was in abstaining. But... just as my curiosity dictates higher knowledge, I continued to delve into much of the scriptures. I would never class what I believe to be part of any religion... the outcome was to search myself for answers. This I do and will continue to do relentlessly.
Today I have a spiritual leaning, not of anything mainstream. I keep an open mind and will debate … but sometimes I find it overpowering. What I find fascinating are the many differing aspects of spirituality, even if I cannot always agree with them. | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/14/2007 7:07:41 PM | I was born catholic, raised as a protestant and now have my own religion. God and the golden rule. How did I get to that?,by observing the inconsistencies and sometimes downright cruelty and manipulation of certain religions. I decided my best bet was to go direct to the big boss.
What I retained from the bible for some strange reason was, beware of false prophets, and especially the temple of God is in you. | |
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| How did you choose your religion?
Posted: 8/15/2007 6:20:39 PM | I do not follow any religion, to me they are all the same, only the details differ.
What are you looking for, something to fulfill a need or thirst you have within or something that will mentally stimulate you? If a need within then follow your heart and remember what you are looking for you already have. | |
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