How did come to be a believer or non-believer?

[northoftheborder]

9. Raised in fundamentalist church, attended regularly through early adulthood.

Along the way, I lost belief in much of the exclusivity and narrowness of what I was taught there, but have found other churches which are much more liberal in their interpretations, not legalistic at all. So, I still am a Christian and have belief in the Creator; however I doubt the efficacy of prayer used as supplication; believe in meditation and a personal spiritual connection with something some people call the holy spirit. I believe in the rational, humanistic, scientific worldview also, not antagonistic to religion, but existing along with it.

I accept that wherever goodness is found, God is there, no matter the name of the "religion". If I had been raised as a Buddist, or Muslim, I would have accepted that brand of belief; I do not hold my Christianity as the only belief system, it is just what is part of my culture. I do not evangelize anyone, and my beliefs are private. i answered this question because someone asked it in an honest inquiry of those who read and post in this place.