Did you Choose your Religion, or Inherit It?

[mopaul]

this is not a debate thread, just a query. i have a theory that most of us remain the religion our parents gave us. and that only a small percentage of religious people choose their own religion. i for instance was raised to be a protestant/methodist, but later became a hindu, and am now an atheist. strange trip yes.

i respect all benevolent religions, and i respect the freedom of religion concept thoroughly. just curious. did you choose your religion, or did you simply remain the religion you were raised up in? and if you changed, why?

[drhilarius]

1. Born a Catholic...

so, naturally, I became an atheist. :evilgrin:

I first gave up on the church. Back in 1995 they were renovating our church. They asked for contributions every week IN ADDITION to the weekly tithe. My parents didn't have much, but they gave what they could. When the repairs were done, the parish had a mass to commemorate the completion. My parents arrived early so they could get a good seat, but they were told they couldn't sit in the church and had to sit in the side chapel and listen to the mass over a PA. Why? Because the church proper was reserved for all the rich Catholics in town who could dish out the big bucks.

After that, I was pretty much disillusioned by the racket called the Catholic Church. A few years later logic and reason pretty much put god to rest.

[mopaul]

2. hilarious doc

now genuflect

[Nimrod]

29. As lapsed as you get

I was raised in a pretty religious environment. Not stifling at all, genuinely good-natured faith for the most part. I just rejected all organized religion.

BTW, the upbringing was Mormon, but don't believe every urban legend you hear.

[Skittles]

3. was not raised with any relgion

I don't believe in the tooth fairy either

[mopaul]

5. as a kid, i only knew one atheist family

and we all thought they were weird. i'd fight and debate with the kids all the time about god and they'd fight back very astutely. year later, i remembered all their talking points and went over to their side. glad i did. there are more atheists who are willing to admit it now than ever before it seems.

and i know of one lady raised by atheists, who now is a born again weirdo.

[Skittles]

30. I wouldn't call my parents athiests

My mum was Church of England, my dad Lutheran. I simply had no religious upbringing and could make up my own mind. I wish other parents would do that; there appears to be a lot of brainwashing going on.

[mopaul]

32. my parents told me i could be any religion i wanted

even though they werent' happy when i did

[SoCalDem]

4. Inherited Catholicism..ditched it at 18

none since :)

I am a "Golden Ruler"

[Piperay]

6. Raised

a Lutheran, am agnostic now.

[AG78]

7. Went to church

when I was very young. I can remember going when I was 4 or 5.

My dad is more religious than my mom, but she still believes in God.

I don't. Too many plot holes. Just gradually came to that conclusion over a period of years. It wasn't just one thing that changed me.

[Placebo]

8. I Was Raised Catholic, but Chose Atheism, and here's why...

I remember it just like it was yesterday...*que ripple screen effects* I was sitting in CCD class on a saturday morning. (for those who don't know, 'CCD' is sunday school...but on a saturday... :shrug: )

I had just completed my FIRST communion (aww) and was now working my way towards CONFIRMATION. *que dramatic music and thunder*

Teacher told us that if we wanted to make our confirmation, we would have to memorize a whoooooole LIST of prayers! Well, this list looked very long to me, and I asked teacher "Miss, why does jesus care if I memorize these prayers?" She looked at me funny and simply said, "You have to memorize the prayers of you CAN'T make your confirmation. That's just the way it is."

But this didn't sit well with me. Why, teacher dodged my question like a tricksy republican on Meet the Press. So I pressed on with my questions. I asked, "But Miss, I still don't understand why Jesus, who loves us no matter what, would CARE if I knew 100 prayers or zero prayers." Teacher didn't know what to say. For some reason, I just kept talkin', and somewhere along the line I somehow found a way to mention karma (which she aptly told me was NOT a catholic belief and that it COULDN'T exist) and how my father always told me I was one of the greatest people he's ever known, why should Jesus not think so just because I didn't know some 'thought up by man' prayers? I also asked her why there were posters in the halls asking us, the students to donate our precious little money that we had to help feed poor children in some other country, when the CHURCH was so rich it could feed everyone in the world if it wanted to. She didn't have an answer for that one.

Well teacher went silent, but that would surely not be the end of it.

Teacher called my father and asked him to come down and speak with her. She told him that it wouldn't be best for me to continue on there. Needless to say, that was the one thing she had said in the time I knew her that I actually agreed with her on.

And there we have it, The Nation's first and official break with the catholic church and religion in all its forms.

Now I laugh back at how, not only was I the better reader and speaker, and smartest of all the students there, but most of the kids who stayed in CCD and made their precious, holy, jesus-stamp-of-approval 'confirmation', are now high school drop outs, pregnant, or just plain 'ol FUCKED UP.

I don't need a man-made, control and power driven symbol of human depravity to be my moral compass, I will just trust myself for that.

And oh yeah, I'm gay. :hi:

[cushla_machree]

78. i was baptized catholic

but my mom moved us to the episcopal church soon after.

I think her break with catholicism started at CDD, when the nuns told her native americans were going to hell because they weren't catholic, that woman who wear red lipstick are asking to be raped, and that if she wasn't a 'good enough; catholic she was goin to limbo.

[ReallyTired]

9. What about those of us who had it THRUST upon us?

[mopaul]

10. yeah, what about that?

that ain't right. forcing kids to be a particular religion. happens all the time. in fact, all cultures embrace this practice. we are headhunters, you too will be a headhunter. we are baptists, you too will be a baptist.

it's like raising pets and forcing them to wear clothes. forcing your child to be the same religion as you and yolking him with guilt. 'you cannot marry a jew, or you must marry in your religion'.
we are beyond all this cave man stuff. let kids be kids and decide their own paths.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. Some faiths don't believe in proslytizing

and that includes making their own kids follow in their footsteps into their faith. Many Sufis I know have kids who are Christians or who follow another spiritual path. Could be because they are encouraged to find their own way and to investigate and celebrate the many ways to worship.

[Hamlette]

48. "forcing" kids is just tribalism

some (many, most?) religions teach that to marry outside the faith means you won't be together in heaven. If you buy into that its a scary concept.

As a mom, I have NO intention of letting my kid choose his own path. I want him to be my friend. Religion is like a brick wall. I have superficial friendships with religious people but sooner or later we come to a disagreement over something and they say: "because God says", all logic and reason goes out the window and with it reasonable discourse. (I know or have known a few people who do not fit that mold, but they are the minority.)

I am a third generation godless commie pinko and my son will be a fourth generation godless commie pinko. (He's 21, so far so good.)

I do understand the "pull" of religion though. It would be easier to face death if you thought you'd see the person again, or in the case of yourself, that you'd see all your friends and family again.

I still prefer to be rational.

edited to add: Read Karen Armstrong for an interesting view of religion by a thinking person. She was a nun for 7 years, left the church and was an atheist for years and now seems to be reconsidering. Through the Narrow Gate (SP?) is about her life in the nunnery and The Spiral Staircase is about he journey after that. In between she wrote The Battle for God about fundamentalism in the three monotheistic religions. Fascinating stuff.

[kiahzero]

83. Pot, meet kettle (n/t)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Changed

I was born into a Methodist household and went to church quite regularly. But my mother taught me tolerance, saying all roads lead to God. That is what my Sufi Order says as well. So, although I "changed religions" I can't say that I really changed philosophy. (BTW, my mother became a Unitarian in her later years).

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Had an innate sense it was hooey from the get-go

For purposes of political discussion in the USA, I'm an atheist, and a secular humanist to boot (particularly because that moniker seems to really annoy people on the right)... However, I find certain tenets of Buddhism and Taoism useful (neither of which, as I understand them, believe in an invisble man in the clouds) ...So "atheist" in and of itself is only a partial description. I'm by no means a strict materialist-- I think there's some weird shit going on; my general worldview in a non-election year, while constantly changing, is something along the lines of "trying to describe ultimate reality with the tool of language is like trying to stuff 100 tons of jello in a single soggy paper bag"

But I wasn't raised with any real religious indoctrination, thankfully.

[James T. Kirk]

14. I inherited it, lost it and chose to reclaim it later.

[mopaul]

16. interesting captain

most illogical. just kidding. i'll bet that happens often. my mom was religious, but then became hyper-religious in the 70's. still that way. millions have had this same experience you had.

[Joy Anne]

24. Me, too

I grew up Evangelical & Reformed (now United Church of Christ), did the teenaged "look at all the hypocrisy" thing and became an agnostic of sorts, married an agnostic Catholic, and then one day wanted to join other people who were running a homeless shelter and otherwise trying to follow Jesus' teachings, which brought me back to the church of Howard Dean, Bob Graham, Sista Solja, et al. With the rest of my congregation, I'll be putting up wallboard for Habitat for Humanity this weekend, while wearing my "Another Christian for Kerry" button.

[drdigi420]

15. i think raising a child with religion is akin to child abuse

intentionally instilling fear and belief in fairy tales is wrong and makes the child less prepared to deal with the reality of adult life

I managed to survive it without being delusional

I was enlightened around 15 years old when the whole shaky story finally fell apart

I wish my parents had never wasted my time and my intellect by raising me with religious delusions

[kimchi]

57. Not all religions are built upon fear.

And all children are naturally creative and love myth and fairy tales. I suppose that means that we shouldn't allow our children to believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny because they are fairy tales and delusions. These "delusions" give children great joy and anticipation for most of the month of December. I wouldn't take that away from any child-even though, or perhaps especially because, we are Pagan.

Fairy tales are for children. Those myths once taught us about life in a way that children can understand. I agree that those who take the stories literally do a disservice to the intent of mythos; but that doesn't mean that it serves no purpose.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

105. On the other hand, one of my grad school roommates

was raised by atheists and converted to Christianity (the Lutheran variety, later Episcopalian) as a teenager.

While how you raise your children is up to you, I hope you're raising them with SOME coherent set of values. Hamlette, raising her children as "commie pinkos," is doing what religious people do, passing on her values.

It's not so much the kids raised mainstream religious vs. the kids raised as atheists as it is the kids raised with a set of values vs. the kids given no guidelines whatsoever except whatever the pop culture is currently pushing.

[kimchi]

109. And I hope you raise yours not to kill people.

Forgive me for the smartass remark, but it sure seems like you are concluding that I am neither religious, nor raise my child with values because I'm Pagan. I'm sure that isn't how you meant it.

I would go so far as to say that all parents instill values in their children; some by neglect or bad example, but most by conscious choice. I've been blessed with really happy and caring kid, and I will do everything I can to make sure she stays that way.

[Briarius]

17. Started out a Methodist

Drifted away from the church in my early teens, went to a fundie church in my later teens. It was there that I decided organized religion wasn't got me. Floated a while as an undecided, found the Tao Te Ching and became a taoist. I've been looking at Buddhism, which has some great ideas, but I'm still leery of organizations. Strange trip, but it's worked for me so far.

[blalock]

18. I was raised capitalist

but I saw how that religion is violent and destructive, so I abandoned it.

[rhino47]

19. raised catholic

walked away from it.Went mormon ,then buddist,went back to catholic.

[mopaul]

20. funny how a lot of us delved into eastern religions a bit

damn beatles!

[sweetheart]

52. For me it was timothy leary and Ram Das

As "first contact" with true mystical path. The beatles and
a Haight Ashbury generation, '67 summer of love, and there was
something afoot, like a magnetic charge, that everyone knew would
explode somehow in peoples hearts and lives.

The beatles were for me forever symbolic in that time period in
muisic and feeling. The Hare Krishna festival in Venice California
and seargeant peppers playing in the background.

[Warren DeMontague]

104. For me it was the Tao Te Ching

Fritjof Capra and the lyrics of Robert Hunter helped quite a bit along that path.

And, personally, I never "delved" back out.

[Maeve]

21. A catholic born into an evangelical family

My natural inclinations embrace a worldview more open to love/forgiveness and seeing joy in creation than the God-is-distant pov.
I use the small "c" altho I belong to the Roman Catholic faith because I profess a more universal Christianity than many in my church. Sometimes I think Jesus is shaking his head saying "I knew turning it over to humans was going to lead to trouble!"

[sweetheart]

22. parents attended methodist

I found it a hollow room of pretenders; a social club of
people who had no true religious aspiration.

In my teenage years, i just avoided being dragged by mum to church,
and as an adult ditched it for eastern religion. I had discovered
the Tao te ching, and LSD. Between them, i was sure that
meditation was the path. I researched various groups from the
hare krishna's to nichirin Shoshu buddhists and found all the
groups another social replacement for my parents methodism.

One day, i went to a public meditation with the teacher Rama,
Dr. Frederick Lenz, in Beverly Hills. I sat in the very back of a
room with 1000 people in it. It was ecstatic and profoundly
peaceful. Rama actually glowed, just like descriptions i've read
of christ, paintings and such, a good 15 feet of luminous light was
clearly visible around him. I became a devotee, and 10 years later
an ordained monk in his discipline.

He taught enlightenment, and put foward the teachings of many
different religiouns from taoist, buddhist, hindu and american indian
teachings without ascribing to any particular. Later in my knowing
him, he relied more heavily on the buddhist strain, and i became
very close to the tibetan Nygmapa Vadjrayana.

Due to Rama teaching publically, we were attacked by the american
media from Newsweek, Dateline, Current Affair, Washington Post.
They all took the slanderous route, without a single honest report
of our meditation group. This got worse and worse, until
Dateline tried to expose all the businesses of Rama's devotees,
and cost many of us contracts, jobs and clients by lies and slander,
suggesting "we" were there to steal their data or some crap.

We found out that the US congress had authorized the use of the RICO
statutes to tap our phones and were mounting a case to suggest tax
evasion... and none of this was true, but our group was very tight
and the fact that so many devotees would not rat out their teacher
or collegues made the republicans fearful. Rama stopped teaching
in 1996 and took his life in protest to the treatment of buddhists
in america in 1998.

Since his death, i've spent time with some tibetan teachers, but have
found a home with the Jnana Yoga direct awakening teachings of
Gangaji (www.gangaji.org), a very authentic enlightened woman teacher
who is very clean in her direct awakening. She is on cable TV on
much of the American west coast, yet i have found her most profound
in intimate retreats in denmark and switzerland.

I don't believe in religion anymore, only enlightenment, and those
who have the maturity to step beyond their beliefs towards direct
mystical awakening.

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. Good question - I'm not sure

While my mother is Christian, and I'd call myself atheist (though I did get confirmed in the Church of England - it was about that time I started to decide there's no such thing as God), it turns out my father is agnostic, almost to the point of atheism. But he always shut up, just to keep my mother happy (he goes to church with her a couple of times a year). Only recently did I talk to him about religion, and found out his true stance.

Since my reasons for doubting the existence of gods (logic, evidence, experience) come from an attitude I think I got from my father, perhaps I did inherit it.

[Swamp Rat]

25. I was born free and remain thus.

I do enjoy studying religions and belief systems.

grok

[mopaul]

27. ....born freeeeee.....my father's a doctor...........

an old joke. i too find theocracy fascinating.

[Swamp Rat]

28. 'sup mopaul?

Did you read my last response to you in the Lounge? It was about playing a harmless little prank on your brother when he comes to Mardi Gras next year.

[mopaul]

31. will you taunt and mock him?

cause he loves that. makes him feel persecuted and christlike. dragging a huge wooden cross down the street of revelers and being mocked gives him a hard on. i'm serious. but if you do confront him, remember, you can't get through to him. i've tried for over 30 years. if he gets ridiculed and heckled, he has it coming i guess.

[Swamp Rat]

33. No, not at all. I've witnessed the taunting for decades... boring...zzzzzz

I'm thinking of something much more elaborate and creative... maybe PM material if we want to keep it under wraps. I'm talking about scaring the ba'jaysus out of him. I need to know what he looks like, etc.... then I must become an actor to play a role, if you get my drift. Imagine, he won't know me from Adam, but you can give me some background material on him that will make him shit gold tacks!

[mopaul]

34. you are devious indeed

that'd be outrageous. i'll think about it.

[Swamp Rat]

36. OK. I gotta sleep a few hours now.

I've been up all night creating mischief and hunting freepers.

My intentions toward your brother are as noble as they are goodhearted. You say the Kool-Aid has indeed gone to his head and that he's beyond all hope. I say let's try a new approach - pull a "Mel Gibson" on him, but to steer him in a new direction... How he mustn't ever forget to love his brother and listen to his advice, or whatever jazz you come up with. It's up to you. You are the director 'cause he's your bro.

Feel free to PM me anytime... time to sleep :boring:

[AmerDem]

26. I was raised Catholic but

after receiving Confirmation ( about the age of 14 yrs and because my mother wanted to see all my family go thru it ) I started questioning it all. I left the Catholic church shortly after that I am now a devout Spiritualist.

[DemBones DemBones]

35. Born Catholic in a Presbyterian family.

That's the thing: we're often born into families that we disagree with on matters political or religious. When we grow up, we get to make our own choices.

I don't resent my parents for being Presbyterian or the Presbyterian Church for not working for me. I just made my own way spiritually and CHOSE Catholicism because it works for me.

I went through various phases, including atheism, along the way.

I used to think people who had stayed with their original religion might not have any intellectual curiosity but now I realize some people were just born into a religion that worked for them.

[hexola]

37. Do you still believe in Santa?

If you are raised within a certain belief system you will have the tendency to stay within that system. You may stray. Adolecents have a tough time dealing with religious parents. They invariably get turned off...but almost always come back to their "root" faith when they get a little older.

I was raised religion-less. Which for the sake of this argument is a religion. I dont really see myself adopting any particular faith anytime soon. So I am remaining in the "faith" I was raised in.

Two of my friends were raised in very religious households. They were hippie party-ers and rebels in their youth. But now, in their late thirties, they have gone back to thier parent's religion.

Most of us can reason that Santa isn't real...but we have harder time with big picture stuff...life/death...why are we here?-type stuff. Then you realize...Nobody knows! There's a lot of competing ideas...some seem pretty popular.

Ever see the episode of the TV show "Ed" when Warren is out shopping for religion? He goes to all the various worship houses, like he's shopping for a car. "What do you have to offer?" Warren asks the Priest. "I'm a free agent." It's halarious. He asks the Rabbi "Will I have to pray a lot?"

[kimchi]

38. Baptist to agnostic to Pagan.

What a long strange trip it's been.

My freeper BIL was railing about how "those people" believe whatever their leaders tell them, and are forced to be Muslim from an early age. I said "And how is this different from you being raised Lutheran, and forcing your children to be Lutheran?" No coherent explanation ensued.

[Deja Q]

39. I made up my own religion, the established ones are spurious.

It's a simple one:

* treat others with kindness and dignity.
* be friendly
* work together as a community
* money is the root of all evil
* thy shall not commit infidelity
* thall shalt not kill
* thalt shalt not maim or torture for selfish reasons
* punish the wrongdoers but understand why what they did so the root problem can be diminished or eliminated.
* homosexuals are okay.
* heterosexuals are okay.
* threesomes are okay.
* child molesters are evil.
* If you want to do it with a horse, don't tell us about it.
* Marriages are okay, even for threesomes, but we won't let you divorce. Marriage is for life and that must be obeyed.
* it's okay to speak up against the religion and the government. after all, it is made for the people and addresses their concerns and won't be hijacked by those with money. Compromise is key to a civilized society.
* tolerate the religions of other people as long as they don't hurt or kill people in the name of theirs.

I grew up a methodist. By age 14 I saw that my peers around me weren't interested in it, they couldn't have cared less. I knew what it was all about so I could shovel out convincing lip service.

I believe there is a God.

I believe Jesus tried to save us.

Anyone who thinks he is hand-picked or chosen by God is a pompous self-aggrandizing selfish egoist who doesn't give a damn about other people.

Anyone who thinks God talks to or through them is a complete nutter and outright dangerous, especially if they hold a position of power.

There, I said it. Now it's time for me to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie-Pop (tm). I recall the turtle asking this to the Owl and the Owl said "3" after crunching into the Pop and ruining his teeth...

[ColumbiaCowboy]

40. Wow, very sad answers...

I'm sad to see so many people treating problems caused by PEOPLE as if they were problems with faith, or with God.
Teaching one's child about God's love for them being compared to child abuse is shocking...nothing could be further from the truth, telling a child nobody cares about them would be abusive.
The love of God and Christ for you is not a fairy tale...if you choose not to believe, that's fine, but it's depressing to see the outright hostility so many here have for faith and for church. Churches are full of people, and people make mistakes, and one of the lessons of God is that we're supposed to forgive one another.

We're losing a ton of votes, and a lot of elections, because so many people view the entire Party like we see from a few people here...not only that it's not for people of faith, but that there is an outright hostility for people whose faith is important to them, that Christians are viewed as stupid and evil. That's a path to the Democratic Party as a permanant minority.

I hope those here who seem to have thrown the possibility of God and faith in the trash many, many years ago will at least prayerfully re-consider.

Now...to answer the question, I am tremendously blessed to have a great family that DID take me to church as a child and DID tell me at home from the time I was born that God loved me and that Christ was sent to save me. We read the Bible and prayed together. But I didn't "inherit" my faith, I chose it. And it's been the best decision I ever made.

[muriel_volestrangler]

47. But you've left out the interesting part

about how you learnt about other religions, and were then able to make an informed choice to choose Christianity over them. How did you do it?

[ColumbiaCowboy]

56. Interestingly enough

I learned the basics about other religions in my church. I can remember having to research for several days to do a ten minute report on Islam for a youth fellowship program we did on the world's religions. I developed some interest in college, like lots of people, in some of the eastern religions. I had friends from India most of my life, I just like India and Indian music and culture so I've learned a little about Hinduism.
But a faith in God isn't like going to the grocery store, going down a set of aisles and choosing one that fits you best. I'm a Christian because I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, and there's not really some process of picking Christianity over Islam or something.
More relevant to the type of thing I think you're talking about is choice of denomination, which really DOES involve that kind of choice. I grew up in the Disciples of Christ church, a fairly "liberal" (I hate divvying up Christians like that but it helps for this purpose explaining what it is) denomination; my wife grew up Catholic. We went through a long discussion about where we wanted the kids raised, and because I was much more tied into church life than she was, and out of concern for Catholic doctrine on subjects like homosexuality it was decided that we'd raise the kids DOC.
And we went DOC over, say, Lutheran or Baptist or whatever as much as anything out of comfort level with the traditions. Yeah, there are doctrine differences, especially with the Baptists, but I just like how the Disciples do their service and we do communion every week for "all believers" instead of just church members and we do baptism by immersion for one who chooses it instead of sprinkling babies and ministry of ALL members instead of setting aside the minister as somehow above the rest of us...that all was more comfortable for me and the family.
And while we were in a very progressive church for a while (even had a lesbian minister, and she's very cool!) we moved to a somewhat more traditional church for no better reason than it had more kids the age of mine and they did hymns I knew instead of the "updated" hymnals...I'm pretty progressive on a lot of issues, but I'm a real traditionalist when it comes to the music...I want "Old Rugged Cross," not the modern songs.

[muriel_volestrangler]

93. I'd agree it's not a 'consumer choice'

but I would say that you have effectively picked Christianity over Islam - by deciding its fundamental tenets (eg the divinity of Jesus) seem 'truer' to you. Since you did have some knowledge of Islam and other religions, that's an honourable and respectable choice to have made. Many people only really know about their parents' religion, and in that case, the idea that they 'inherited' it is valid (Richard Dawkins, when introducing the concept of a 'meme', used religion as an example of a self-perpetuating idea, that sets up the conditions for it to be passed from one person to another, just as a gene makes an organism mor elikely to pass the gene to the next generation).

Choices between Christian denominations, especially between Protestant ones, are more 'finding one that fits you best' - and I don't see much wrong with that. I'd even agree with you about old-fashioned hymns - I may be an atheist, but I did find belting out some well known tunes quite satisfying ...

[kimchi]

58. Welcome to DU, ColumbiaCowboy.

I'm sorry you feel that we are denigrating your faith. But when you say things like "The love of God and Christ for you is not a fairy tale", well, prepare to be flamed. Inherent in that sentence is that your religion is the One True Religion (tm), and it is not a statement of fact. It is a statement of faith.

Now, having said that, I agree with you that telling one's child about God's love is not child abuse; and I don't believe, though I could be wrong, that anyone is saying that. What many of us agree on here, though, is that scary fundamentalists don't preach about God's love. They preach about hellfire and damnation, and use fear to keep people in line. IMHO, TRUE Christians don't fall for that.

Many years ago I went to a Baptist church, and I have not only some good morals, but also some scars. The fear and retribution factor is why a lot of people throw their faith in the trash. It was because of people purporting to speak for the faith and for God that they did; whether by false teachings, intolerance, or hypocrisy. So don't blame those who don't believe; blame the preachers and christians who don't understand the love of God for spoiling the true message.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

80. Reply

(I hope this doesn't bug the daylights out of people, it helps me organize my thoughts and respond to the whole thing)

"I'm sorry you feel that we are denigrating your faith. But when you say things like "The love of God and Christ for you is not a fairy tale", well, prepare to be flamed. Inherent in that sentence is that your religion is the One True Religion (tm), and it is not a statement of fact. It is a statement of faith."

I'm not into the "one true religion" thing so far as this...there are those who think ONLY through Christ can one find salvation, and that means that God created billions of souls and sent the vast majority of them to eternal damnation, most of them because they were born in India and grew up in a Hindu household or whatever. No, that ain't it.

"Now, having said that, I agree with you that telling one's child about God's love is not child abuse; and I don't believe, though I could be wrong, that anyone is saying that."

I apologize if I overstated that, it DID look as if they were saying "don't take your kids to church, don't teach them your faith." You should. BUT you shouldn't force it on them. I have a VERY headstrong 13 year old who's going through a phase of not believing anything he can't see in front of his face (and half of what he CAN see) and my wife's freaking out that he's going to be an evil atheist and rot in hell. I tell her I had the same thing, just in college, and that going through that then coming BACK to God just made my faith stronger. I tell my son God's big enough to forgive and that He'll be waiting when he needs Him, and that's the best I can do now.

" What many of us agree on here, though, is that scary fundamentalists don't preach about God's love. They preach about hellfire and damnation, and use fear to keep people in line. IMHO, TRUE Christians don't fall for that."

I think of that the way I think of my grandfather...the greatest man I ever knew or ever will know...who used to spank my mom something fierce with a tree twig, which hurt like hell. That's what people used to think you had to do to make kids be "good" and do the things they should. We know better, now, and were he 35 and raising kids today he'd do things differently. The key to ALL of this is to be able to critically examine your beliefs, and if your beliefs can't stand up to that, they ain't worth a hill of beans. And yeah, a lot of fundies won't do that, CAN'T do that. But the same is true for a lot of athiests.

"Many years ago I went to a Baptist church, and I have not only some good morals, but also some scars. The fear and retribution factor is why a lot of people throw their faith in the trash."

And that's an awful thing, and the reason WHY they have to re-examine how they're doing things.

"It was because of people purporting to speak for the faith and for God that they did; whether by false teachings, intolerance, or hypocrisy. So don't blame those who don't believe; blame the preachers and christians who don't understand the love of God for spoiling the true message."

Like a lot of things, there's room enough for both. I think a LOT of disbelief comes from a stubborness that THEY know best for their life and nobody's going to tell them what to do. You have to be willing to give that up and some just won't.

[kimchi]

85. My disbelief doesn't come from stubbornness.

And I can guarantee you that 90% of the people I know personally who have discarded Christianity will tell you the same thing. Each of us must choose--and we do, ultimately, know what is best for our individual lives. God gave us a conscience (barring mental illness) for a reason--so we could make our own decisions without relying on what someone else wants us to do. Even if those commands are *interpretations* of a 2,000 year old book that was supposedly divinely inspired.

I am a spiritual person, and it is my responsibility to live my life. No one can tell me how to do it, and no one can do it for me. IMO, it is more harmful to follow a command blindly than to make your own decisions. Otherwise, you aren't a thinking, learning human; you are a sheep.

(I agree with the majority of your response, but I wanted to clarify your assertion of stubbornness.)

May your life be blessed.

[Warren DeMontague]

91. You Think Disbelief comes from Stubborness, I think the same of Belief.

Particularly belief in invisible beings and explanations for the Universe that have absolutely no scientific evidence to back them up.

I think it's illuminating that it's difficult for you to get through a post without engaging in a little bit of preaching... "You have to be willing to give that up".. No, I don't. You work your own explanation, but don't presume to tell me what I need to give up- be it my beliefs, my knowledge, or my functioning cerebellum. Does my tone sound patronizing? Well, you patronize, expect to be patronized in return.


That said, you're welcome to teach your kids whatever you want. As long as you don't beat them, like James Dobson of Focus on the Family does his dog, I'm personally not going to call it "child abuse". However, it's ludicrous to expect someone like myself to teach my children about "God's love", much less that he's this all-poweful man in the sky who has nothing better to worry about than who on this planet is having sex with who, and how.

I intend to teach my kids to think for themselves, and critically base their conclusions on the verifiable evidence at hand. I don't think that is child abuse.

[Swamp Rat]

99. Whew!

Your post is a welcome relief from the proselytizing and it saved me from posting the same... though my response may have been a bit more acerbic.

[Darranar]

41. Depends on what you consider to be my religion...

I'm essentially a Jewish atheist, inherited Judaism, chose atheism.

[noonwitch]

42. Chose it

I was raised mainline protestant (UCC). I embraced the evangelical movement in high school (through Young Life) and rejected it after my freshman year of college. As a young adult, I got involved in wicca, and still have not rejected it as invalid. I now attend a Unity church, where I can reconcile my christian tendancies with my wiccan ones. My church also has gotten me interested in "A Course In Miracles", which fundies label false prophecy, but I find an interesting way of looking at the world. I don't agree with everything in it, but it does teach a better way of treating other people, because it encourages readers to put their egos out of the way.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

43. inherited methodism, chose agnosticism

[mopaul]

44. sure are a lot of former methodists runnin' around here

i thought maybe i was the lone ranger methodist. methodists are so shapeless and bland, i guess they turn people off in droves

[SheepyMcSheepster]

45. it wasn't methodism specifically that i had a problem with

just the whole theism thing in general. but yeah, methodism is pretty bland, they might have had a better chance of indoctrinating me if they had been southern baptist or something. :D

[DUreader]

46. Nice to see a flame free religion thread

cheers to you mopaul

[Blue_Roses]

49. borned and raised

southern baptist and it really wasn't until I was around 18 that I looked to what the hell was really going on in the world...

[kodi]

50. i invented mine.

.

[swag]

51. I inherited stifling Christian fundamentalism.

I later chose atheism.

I am much happier now.

[LWolf]

53. chose.

I wasn't raised in a religion; my mom sent me to Sunday school a couple of times with friends. I attended a lutheran private school for 2 years, plenty of bible studies and weekly service attendance at school, but we didn't go on Sundays. In high school, I was broad-sided by virtous christian families who couldn't believe that my mom had so neglected my spiritual well-being; I spent a few years working my way through a fundie church, and left it behind before I turned 20. I tried it their way, and it just wasn't me. My mom, meanwhile, spent some time as a UU, and then happily settled into Buddhism, which fits her well. I've dabbled here and there, and am definitely a spiritual person, but don't have an organized religion or label to go with it. I've found things in most faiths to appreciate, and to avoid. I guess you could say I've chosen to be an eclectic solitary, studying different faiths and mining what "fit" before moving on. So I carry those bits and pieces along with me, and weave them into a whole that is unique to me.

[FlaGranny]

54. I was raised in an atheist household

and was allowed to attend church if I wanted to. As a child, I did attend a Methodist church for a bit, for the selfish purpose of joining the youth program, which took the kids roller skating once a month. I remember doing a lot of thinking about God. I decided, on my own, that God made no sense. I thought about what a god "could" do and "might" do and even "should" do. I decided that if there were a god, he wasn't doing things the right way. I decided that if there were a god, and a good one, the world would be a much better place. I've never really looked back since then (when I was about 10).

The whole thing was similar to my deciding at the age of 7 that there was no such thing as Santa Claus. It just occurred to me that no one could distribute gifts to every kid in the world in one night. I also realized that poor kids didn't get gifts like other kids and realized that Santa Claus would make sure that poor kids and rich kids would be treated the same way. I did keep my awareness of no Santa to myself though, because I was afraid if I said anything, I wouldn't get any presents.

[kymar57]

90. FG You just hit it for me

"I thought about what a god "could" do and "might" do and even "should" do. I decided that if there were a god, he wasn't doing things the right way. I decided that if there were a god, and a good one, the world would be a much better place."

Those were my thoughts exactly as I was reading this thread. Raised Catholic I suppose I've grown into something of an atheist in my middle years. But not knowing what term describes it I still believe there is something to be said for living life according to a certain moral code. But if I am truly atheistic, why bother?

Now my brain hurts.

[Butterflies]

55. I chose it

I was raised Episcopalian, but I now go to a Unitarian Church (not regularly) and am an agnostic. I'm not close to my family of origin, so I also don't feel connected to their religion.

[realFedUp]

59. Chose

[progressivebydesign]

60. Choose.

I was born as an occasional Catholic. I am now.. a... a... I'm not sure. Agnostic?

[Scout]

61. I chose the one I practice now

I chose Wicca of my own free will ... my parents (mom) forced me to go to Christian church until I was in late high school. I never really believed what they taught, I would just memorize what they told me, spew it back when asked, and then go home. I simply made the best of it to get it done and out of there.

I was the one in confirmation class asking who did Cain multiply with? Why should I be held accountable for Christ's sacrifice ... I wasn't there, I didn't ask him to do it, I think it was a horrible thing God did to his only child. I also did not care at all for the woman's role as taught by the church.

I also learned how much of Christianity was co-opted from the pagan religions anyway, so why not cut through the crap.

Anyway, I think a lot of people don't necessarily believe the religion they've been taught ... they just practice it out of habit or fear.

[Jawja]

62. My Mom

raised me as a Methodist, as she is; my Dad was raised strict Southern Baptist but pretty much rejected the Church.

I was allowed to question religion and read pretty much what I wanted regarding the subject. I eventually rejected "Christianity" and organized religion in general.

[Kal Belgarion]

63. I really don't have any

My parents are Roman Catholic in name only. My Dad probably believes in God, and my Mom believes in reincarnation. I suppose, in a way, I have the same beliefs as them (which is, no organized religion). Interestingly enough, both my siblings are athiests.

I'm an agnostic with theist tendencies. I think that God may or may not exist, and that we'll never know, while on Earth, one way or another. But life is good, so God, if he exists, must be a nice guy. And there are plenty of areas in the world where people really have no choice regarding their faith. A nice guy like God wouldn't damn someone for being of the "wrong" faith, so I assume that I'm okay having no religion at all. As long as I live a good life, I figure I'm in the clear when I die, and won't be sent to Hell, since God wouldn't punish me if I loose the craps game that is choosing the "correct" religion.

[Gregorian]

64. Inherited

Protestant. My dad studied the bible like a history book. Does not "preach". His dissection and connection of the histories and words has proven to me that it is much more than a "story". Between predictions and a multiplicity of things which cannot be dismissed as having not actually happened, I am convinced that there exists something which created all of this, and is aware and alive in a very real and tangible sense. Much more than a story, or idea, or philosophy. No philosopher ever resurrected.

Sorry. I just don't know when to shut up. Inherited.

[RichardRay]

65. Went for refuge three years ago

Raised in several churches - I now call the whole bunch of them 'Suburban Non-denominationalist'. Lived with my grandparents for awhile, they were practicing Christian Scientists so I went to their services for a couple of years. Dropped away from any regular spiritual practice for many years although retained interest in several including Buddhism.

Several years ago I had a fairly complete psychological breakdown and was in counseling and under drup therapy for a couple of years. When I tapered off the drugs I found that Buddhist meditation practices supported me to maintain equanimity in daily life. As I explored that more deeply I became more interested in Buddhism as a spiritual practice. Three years ago I decided to stop flirting with it. After appropirate study and preparation I went for refuge and took the first set of lay vows. I look forward to a time in a few years when I can take the remaining vows and precepts (they don't work very well if your still trying to go to work, etc.). Until then I maintain a daily practice to support my psychological well-being as well as in service to the more religious/spiritual aspects of Buddhism.

So, chosen, and for darn good reasons, too!!

Richard Ray - Jackson Hole, WY

[nini]

66. both.. born and raised Catholic.. left and came back

I quit going to church when I was in my late teens but never lost the spirituality part of faith.

About 5 years ago I went to a mass for an anniversary party at the church I grew up in and slowly went back after. It took me almost a year to find the right parish.. One with a liberal slant and decent non judgemental people. There are many parishes that turned me off from the whole thing and were like the ones that forced me to leave organized religion way back when. I'm glad I found the right fit for me again.... I don't go every week but do about half the time.


I wouldn't be against most religions if I felt I had to swithc, but if for some reason I couldn't find a parish in my area I'd probably stick with something similar in a Methodist or Lutheran type. Even the eastern religions ae appealing to me as it centers on the relationships with God, not the administrators of a particular sect.

[dryan]

67. Converted to Catholicism....

when I was 15 years old.

[Wapsie B]

68. Born & raised a Lutheran,

baptized Missouri Lutheran and Roman Catholic. That's why I hate myself. (rim shot)

Now I'm an agnostic in the sense that I believe that something created all of this even if it was a big bang thingy. I just don't know if it was a Christian god that did it.

[wicket]

69. I chose it.

n/t

[TrogL]

70. Chose it

I was raised in the United Church of Canada and always found it wishy-washy and unsatisfying. It lacked intellectual rigor. In University I was exposed to the Anglican church and quickly switched. Eventually I upgraded to Anglo-Catholic.

[JohnKleeb]

71. Odd story really

I was born in to a Catholic family, my grandparents on both sides are or were devout, my dad was brought up in Catholic schools and of his 6 brothers and sisters, the only one not to graduate from a Catholic high school, my mom went to public school but her parents were very religious too. I heard though in the mid 60's that my dad's parents had trouble with the church and became more privately faithful as a result and instead of being buried they gave their bodies to science, well my nana is still alive and she still has the plan to do that like my grandfather did 25 years ago. So when I was born, my parents who really arent religious at all, I'd probably call them both Agnostic, my dad especially, dont know about mom, she rarely talks about religion and spirtuality. My mom's parents pressured them to get me and my brothers baptized. So I was and as a little kid went to CCD which I didnt like. When I was 10-13 around, I met the neighborhood Catholics who went to Catholic school and who said some of the most right wing things Ive ever heard not just about gays, women who choose to have abortions, etc but about the poor too, so I thought that this was what Catholicism really was and I flirted with athiest agnosticism, I believe around the time I was a freshman or when my aunt died I realized that people like my aunt and her sister, my grandmother were true Catholics, tolerant of others, help the needy, etc, so I became a Catholic again though I am not a church attender, but I do defend the church if I have to. So I am very strange, am I not?

[Cleita]

72. I was baptized a Catholic, went to Catholic school

and went to Mass every Sunday, until I was old enough to put my foot down and say "never again". I dunno. My BS meter went off at a very early age, but I couldn't do very much about it until I was grown up. Now, I believe in fairies. It's not a religion, but my own personal belief and I'm sticking with it. My belief in fairies is no more wacky than belief in any other religion, so I hope others respect my beliefs, like they expect me to respect theirs. :-)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

73. Choose it.

I don't really practice any religion currently.

My mom used to take us, my brother and I, to a Methodist church. It was really cool at first because we had husband and wife duo that were pastors and they were ex-hippies. They'd play guitar and sing. They put together an awesome vacation bible school. It was like going to the fair. Almost everyone in the community was attending at that point in time.

Eventually, they left and the pastors we got after that were not nearly as interesting. Church attendance when down a lot after they left and it was just boring to go to church. I kind of lost interest in it after that.

My father was an recovering ex-catholic. He was very anti-organized religion. I learned from my father about how restrictive religion can be and that you don't have to go to church to be a good person. I think my mom felt the same way, but she liked to go to socialize with other people.

I never interpreted Christianity literally anyhow. I thought the point was to show people how to be good to each other. I've heard that unitarian churches are good because they teach about acceptance of many different religions and cultures (or so I am told by a friend who goes to one). I am considering taking my son to a Unitarian church once he becomes old enough. I think church can be good way to teach a child about their community and how to get along with other people. I just don't want to go to a church were I am not going to be accepted if I don't agree with everything they say.

[Throckmorton]

74. I was raised Christian (Roman Catholic), and remain a Christian,

However, in my late teens I switch denominations to American Baptist, and have been one ever since.

[LibertyLover]

75. Chose

I was born and raised Catholic. In my senior year of high school a friend of mine started going to an Assemblies of God church and a couple of us went with her one time. I kind of liked it and went back. After a couple of weeks, I was "baptized in the Spirit" and spoke in tongues - but I never lost my intellectual capacity for questioning or beliefs in things like evolution. That got me into big trouble with the pastor and the youth minister. They couldn't understand how someone could speak in tongues, interpret a message given in tongues (and have it "confirmed" by another church member)and not believe the Bible was the True Word of God, etc. Eventually I stopped going to the AG church and joined a Catholic charismatic renewal prayer group. There again I didn't fit in - I refused to bow to the idea that men were superior to women and women were to sit quietly waiting for men to explain things to them. My break with that group came when I got accepted to the University of Chicago to study archeology. The group expected me to turn it down, stay in New Jersey, marry a good Catholic boy and have lots of babies. No way! So I sort of drifted for a number of years, nominally Catholic. Then I discovered Wicca and for the last 20 years have been happily pagan.

[lapislzi]

76. Confession of the world's worst Catholic

as I have been dubbed by a Wiccan friend.

I was raised as strictly as any Catholic, but I was like Teflon. Little stuck. Now I'm an atheist with deep nostaligia for the cult of the Virgin Mary.

[jackieforthedems]

77. Born A Catholic

Still attend church service in a Catholic parish. For me, personally, it's important to attend worship in a church, where I can concentrate on God and Jesus in a religious environment. Although I do not necessarily agree with all of the Catholic doctrine, I don't see any reason to change religions either. God didn't divide us into all these various religions, people did that to themselves. I personally believe that the most important thing is to be a Christian, not to categorize yourself into one religion. I am a child of God, not a child of a certain religion, and God is in you, your soul and heart and mind - not a building.

[PatGund]

79. Born and raised Catholic....

And found I could not in good faith agree with a batch of unmarried celebate men making rules on marriage, childbirth and raising, contraception, etc....

Been a Celtic-oriented Neo-Pagan now for 21 years. And I'm happier with my faith now than I was in the Catholic Church.

[polmaven]

81. A little of both

I was baptized in the Methodist church at which my mother was a member, and attended Sunday School at a different Methodist church closer to home. After graduation from high school, I pretty much stopped going to church for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the day the pastor and lay leader rolled a blackboard to the front and started laying guilt trips on folks who didn't have a lot of money to pledge. I was basically a C&E Christian for several years.

In my early twenties, though, I felt the need for more than that, and spent a couple of years visiting other churches of all denominations, including Methodist. None of them seemed to offer what I was looking for.

One day, my sister told me about a Methodist church she was attending in another town, a few miles away. The first day I walked in the door, I knew I had found a new spiritual home. That was 29 years ago, and today I am the Lay Leader of that church, and I am now a certified (local church) lay speaker(I am continuing with training courses to remove the "local" church only restriction from the designation).

St. Stephen's is truly a place where ALL are welcome. We are a reconciling congregation, which means we have made a public declaration that sexual orientation is not a barrier to full inclusion in the life of the church. We now have a female pastor, a female lay leader, and a female music minister. Sunday worship is a learning experience to be enjoyed, not a guilt trip.

[DemWitch]

82. Born, baptised and raised Xtian.

Then left the church because of different ideals. Discovered Witchcraft and studied for several years, and found that it had had actually found me. And am the better for it.

[Kukesa]

84. No one would choose to be Russian Orthodox!

Talk about a strict religion. One of the requirements (when I was a little kid) was to go to Russian school to learn the language.

Of course, on the other hand, I got to learn about life under Czarist Russia and that's part of the reason I'm such an activist today. No repeats, thank you.

And, thanks to my grandpa who walked across part of Russia to get to America so I could vote.

[LanternWaste]

86. From Southern Baptist to Presbyterian

Parents were Southern Baptists and I satyed in the Church until I was 21. Then I met a young lady who was a Presbyterian , started attending her church's services, found that it both comforted and challenged me and have been one ever since.

[Gothmog]

87. Jewish by Choice

My wife and I are both converts to Judaism.

[sybylla]

88. My family were staunch Catholics until 1970

Even forced every in-law to convert. But in 1970, when my family realized that money means more to the church than dogma, they decided they no longer needed the church. In fact, the break was so clean that we quit praying before meals and never talked about church after that. Lucky for me it was the year before I was to begin catechism so I avoided that burden.

Though many family members still married in the church, including myself, many still had their children baptized in the church and many were buried by the church, that early taste of the hypocrisy turned me away from organized religions. I made the next step, leaving religion as well as belief behind. Looking back, I was a questioning agnostic at an early age anyway and am very comfortable being an atheist now.

Choice? It's hard to say if my belief system was in some way handed down to me or if I have really chosen it for myself. It may have been that I would have come to it anyway, but if I had gone through the indoctrination of the church, I might still be there to this day, out of respect for family tradition if not true belief. Perhaps that was where my granfather was when he shunned the church back in 1970.

[Aidoneus]

89. born and raised without religion (thankfully 'hands off'..)

now Muslim by choice.

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

92. I inherited it first but then changed it because of belief

[Pikku]

94. I chose mine, as an adult

I was baptised Presbyterian, I think. Attended a Methodist church for awhile as a child (not sure why- maybe because it was the biggest and fanciest church in town? My parents were into that).

I got into trouble a LOT in church. Once because I told the church camp teacher that I wanted to be Jewish, since my best friend was Jewish. He told me I was going to hell. I got yelled at for asking stupid questions during Sunday school, then for making jokes, then for doing crossword puzzles, then for bad attendance (imagine that).

So I gave up on religion. As far as I was concerned, Christians were just mean.

I read a lot of Vonnegut in college. He talked a lot about the Sermon on the Mount, and how wonderfully radical it really was. I reread it, and it was really beautiful. Real Christians are those who took Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount to heart.

Then, in Peace Corps, I ran across a lot of literature from the American Friends Service Committee. I admired their development work, and then I admired their religious views, which are strongly based on the Sermon on the Mount. I admired the emphasis on personal experience and understanding of the divine. Outward rituals and rote prayers mean nothing unless they make YOU experience that of God within you.

I went to my first Quaker meeting when I returned to the states, and the people were so kind and so interesting. In my meeting are several gay and lesbian members, many people with advanced degrees, some writers, many politically active people (liberal) and several who consider themselves agnostic/atheist. Not at all like the other churches I had seen. I've been at my meeting for seven years now, and am very happy.

Oh, and about half of the people in my meeting did not grow up as Quakers.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

95. I converted to Catholicism 2 years ago

[goddess40]

96. Indoctrinated, It isn't choice or inherited

Very few people actually choose their religion.

[DebJ]

97. Inherited the beginnings of my faith, eschew 'religions'

[Gwerlain]

98. I don't have enough credulity to have a religion

I don't believe in religion, but I also don't preach at others. Everyone is free to believe what they like, in my book. I don't like to talk about my beliefs in the context of a religion. Personally, I try hard not to believe- I try to know or not know. I'm not perfect in this regard, but I get better at it year by year.

[Swamp Rat]

100. Welcome to DU!

Very refreshing post! toast:

[Gwerlain]

101. Thanks!

...and I should have said, "I don't like to talk about my values in the context of a religion."

[More Than A Feeling]

102. Raised atheist

and a fundamentalist one at that. Then I realized that not believing in God didn't keep me from being a jerk about it and simultaneously, began to feel that there was more worth in the world than can be measured materially. So I began to look into the answers that religion offered. Tried Buddhism for a bit, but I couldn't really relate to the whole "things are empty of inherent existence", it seemed like an even farther extension of my previous atheism. Then I got to arguing with a very conservative catholic, and realized that I didn't know much beyond the popular stereotype of Christianity, so I went to the Bible. Shock of shocks, it was the exact opposite of what I thought. It was exactly what I had been looking for, so I signed on. Haven't figured out what denomination(if any) yet, but all in good time. That is my story and I am sticking to it.

[AgadorSparticus]

103. good question!!! definitely chose mine.

I grew up buddhist/baptist. Never went to temple or church until my sophomore year in HS. My parents thought they were being bad parents for not making me GO to a place of worship. So we went for a year to this local baptist church before that got old for everyone.

Afterwards, we went back to the stripped down morals/value/principal standard in the house. I went to college and got bombarded by the campus christian crusaders my freshman year. I have to thank them because they actually made me think about dogma, blind obedience, and how ugly self righteousness and arrogance can look on people.

They made me explore my religious and spiritual thinking. This may sound odd, but I didn't discover my true spirituality. It discovered me during my darkest hour. I am a universalist with a strong emphasis on eastern philosphy. I am not a fan of organized religion.

[Sugarbleus]

106. Inherited...........then tossed it out in recent years.

Reformed evangelical here. *choke* (where's the embarrassment smilie?)

I started backing away a few years ago because, well..I'm liberal and my views of life and how it should go didn't mesh with what the church I attended was "preaching".

Then Bush got elected and I began to research my inherited religious faith and WOW was I surprised to find out it was all based on distortions and misinterpretations. I discovered how far back the "movement" went and who started it. I discovered a whole lot of very ugly and um anti-christian things.

I cannot be part of an organized religion that supports the same ideals as this administration. Case closed.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

107. Raised Lutheran, decided I was really an Episcopalian

I read a lot of comparative religion as a teenager, but none of the others appealed to me, except possibly Judaism.

Being Lutheran was a family tradition, but when I went to grad school, I didn't like the Luterhan chaplaincy and drifted over to the Episcopalians. After drifting back and forth between the denominations for 17 years, I was officially received into the Episcopal church in 1991.

I have never been an atheist, because I have had spiritual experiences throughout my life. The only question was what form my religion would take.

My theology is very liberal--on the whole, I believe that any human who thinks that he or she has God all figured out is being incredibly arrogant.

In the Episcopal church, my kind of attitude is perfectly okay, and I love the liturgy, the music, the openness to diversity, and the sense of community.

[PassingFair]

108. Combination

Mom was Episcopalian and still is. Dad stayed home on Sundays because he "preferred to worship in private". LOL
We got lunch out if we got churched with mom. After about age 8, the lunch wasn't worth the hassle and the rampant hypocrisy going down at church.
I am currently unaffliated and live by the golden rule. So do my husband and children.

[The Straight Story]

110. Through leaving the faith

My parents were baptists. I was during a teen, then became agnostic, atheist, buddhist, and several other things in between. Through my own decisions I came back to christianity. A lot of research, study, and questioning over the years went into all this. I still study and read many ideas from varied sources (from the Dali Llama to the Bhagavad Gita, my copy of which is somewhere in all this mess after moving).

Faith is a personal choice, but I can understand parents passing it onto their kids, much like politics and other ideas which they have and believe to be right and good for them. Kids will rebel and seek their own answers at some point, but offering them a foundation is just fine to me. We all hold beliefs of some sort, and because we do we feel they are right and good (from politics and philosophy to religion). Passing on things we believe in to our kids is a natural course of events, how that affects them later is debatable.

The return to my faith had nothing to do with them, but more with finding the answers on my own. We still don't agree on all things, and I have a different view even on things we agree with I am sure. But they provided me with a view, a reason for that view, and when I left home I looked into others. Theirs influenced me in that I was more familiar with it, but I did not reject it because they held it - I left it because they could not fully provide me with the answers to questions which I had. I answered them on my own over time, but they laid the groundwork by transmitting to me a core set of beliefs.

I found my own core set, researched a lot, and one day it all happened. I don't expect others to get it, to believe it, nor do I want to force them to - that is contrary to the teachings I have seen. It is a personal choice, like any belief anyone holds. I made my choice by seeking the truth overall, and not seeking solely to destroy or find fault with one. I kept an open mind, instead of being biased against an idea because I was brought up with it.

[TheReligiousLeft]

111. With a name like Religious Left I got to tell the story

3 days into this thing called life some docs said I was going to die, so some misc. Christian Pastor Baptized me. Then no religion for 10-12 years or so (My mom was a pissed Lutheran who was angry that God gave her son a heart condition and my dad was, and is, a sworn athiest) Then some friends dragged me to a Nazarine Church. Pretty quickly I saw their theology as shallow (and I was only in 4-6th grade folks) also check out the Baptists, liked the singing and the idea of being in God's army, then got to thinking about what armies do. Then I was Presbyterian throughout Junior high. Eventually decided their systematics were so worked out that they lost God in the process (not to mention some bad business within the very fundy church). Then I found Lutheranism. Ahhh. Female pastors, liberation theology, post-modern views, true GRACE, an understanding of historical critical, all kinds of good stuff. Then about a year into the Lutheran thing I get the calling to be a pastor and now I have one more year of college (double majoring Religious Studies and History)then I'm off to Seminary (though I'm thinking of running from the call briefly, taking a year off to go to Kenya with Lutheran World Relief/Services) and today I got a new name at the Homeless Shelter I work at, Godboy... sort of like Hellboy only not I guess...
Peace,
Chris "Godboy" Halverson

[Cheswick2.0]

112. chose it

[ismnotwasm]

113. hmm

Mom converted to Catholicism when I was 12 Dad had no religion, before that, no Church expect the Pentecostals across the street who used to take us to their chuch once in a while (scary, speaking in tongues, some guy claiming "God was growing his eyes back" that he had lost in combat in Vietnam" showed the whites of his eyes, I was about 8)So, the classes you have to take to be Catholic were more interesting to me than compelling. I'm now solidly agnostic, but I find the impact of religion on human development fascinating.

[GreenPartyVoter]

114. Both. And it is still morphing all the time. I don't think

sprituality can be set in stone. It has to keep on growing in you or it stagnates.

Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

[Kitka]

115. Born Catholic, raised Lutheran, decided to become Buddhist and remain <m>

a Buddhist today. I changed because Christianity made no logical sense so I went and studied until I found one that made logical sense.