Raised with a double whammy of both Irish and German RC. Married ECLA. Fiddled around with Wicca, Zen, Agnostic. Got divorced. Found atheism. Happy now.
Yes. I just modified it a bit, having grown weary of being constantly told that if I have any fun, I’ll go to hell, observing people showing up on Sunday acting all good and holy and during the week being bastards and snakes, spotting the political infighting among parishioners to achieve positions of status in the church and deciding that I was more comfortable in my faith than going to church.
I’m technically Methodist. My error, or salvation, however you choose to look at it, was to study every available report on the various forms of the Christian religion and to learn about all of the others. TV preachers and evangelists did not help at all. Jumping around and screaming is not my idea of worship. I kind of got fed up with the TV ministers preying on old, lonely and desperate people in the name of money. (Touch the screen and you shall be healed!! Send in a $20 donation, thankya Sisters and Brothers.) That’s another thing. I dislike most Christians calling each other Sisters and Brothers. A lot of those folks I’d disown if they were really family members. So, after deciding there was, or is, a lot of good in the Christian religion, I formed my own version and like it.
I don’t go out and bug people to join it or burn in hell either. You might say I’m an enlightened Methodist.
I was raised Catholic, am a practicing Catholic, and plan to stay Catholic. I would best be described as a liberal Catholic though. No, really, we exist! Of course liberal for a Catholic is still way to the right on the larger spectrum. We’re the ones that don’t see a problem with female priests or priests being married, and that birth control is a lesser evil than abortion. Its a challenge trying to adapt Catholicism to this time without strying too far from the central teachings.
I have studied other Christian faith, Islam, a smattering of the Eastern religions. There are some stylisitic things I would incoporate, but I haven’t found a faith I would switch to.
I wrestle with my religious faith a lot especially with my views being rather unpopular in society. But I think that is how it should be. “I beilieve that the God that endowed me with intelligence did not intend for me to forgo its use.” --Thomas Jefferson. I bring that attitude to my faith journey. Another quote I liked is, “The prayers of all good people are good.” -Willa Cather. I bring that thought to my dealings with other faiths.
Raised Catholic…eventually became a feminist and decided that I couldn’t be both. Married an atheist. Discovered that to be true to my intellect I had to be an agnostic. To be true to my emotions I had to be Theist. But could easily decided that Christianity was just so much myth (some of it very nice myth to be sure). Had children. Now consider myself Unitarian. Currently trying to get my atheist hubby to attend services so the kids get religion (OK, its the comparitive non-religion of UUs, but it beats the neighbor kids telling you that you are destined for hell).
Don’t let Esprix fool you guys - he’s going to come back and make a case for you all being Unitarians…
I was born and raised Episcopalian for 11 or so years, then converted (against my will) to Catholicism. By the time I was in high school, I was a darn near fundie. Gradually, throughout those four years, going through several stages of belief, I now find myself to be somewhere between atheism and agnosticism (more towards the former though).
Basically, I started thinking on my own, and felt that Christianity (catholicism in particular) kind of limits one in that respect. It’s hard to point out what exactly brought about the change, however. There’s a lot more to it than that.
In terms of a god, I actually don’t really care if one exists or not. If I ever believe in any, it would just be the kind that sets off the Big Bang and that’s it. As of yet, I don’t ever see myself as converting back to a religion, unless some obviously divine miracle happens (eg, my chiapet bursting into flames and screaming at me).
Dirx
I was raised Catholic.
When I was 20, I got to know Jesus and found out what christianity was.
Looking back, I felt Catholicism was too ritual oriented.
I enjoy churches that are spirit-filled; such as Assemblies, Foursquare, pentecostals.
Officially Catholic. Roman Apostolic Catholic. I was baptized, took the first confession, first communion, but I have not yet been confirmed(nor plan to, until I reach 25)… I seldom go to church, because of this, its been years since I last took comunion. My main problem is that 1)My family does not go to church, since they can not take communion, and 2)I only like going to church services where I know and like and respect the priest.(which leaves me with just one day of the year, except for funerals and weddings) I have questioned many things of my religion, but I have not changed because: 1) I believe I am too young and inexperienced to change a religion, 2)no conversion or need to change it, 3)I don’t like the others that are around home
Yes, I have gone to different services (Adventists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals). Did not like the service, and well…I question my religion, and also questioned theirs and…the heck, I’ll stay with Catholicism for now
[hijack]
I would have to disagree; different religions can be radically different in their nature. Several religions do not believe in a god or gods, and many of them have such different theologies that IMO one does oneself a disservice to merely view them as being different ways of giving love and praise to a single supernatural entity.
Back when I was a teenage fundie, I thought that all other religions were oriented around worshipping a god and trying to get into heaven- Muslims worshipped Allah, Buddhists worshipped Buddha, etc. When I got to college and actually studied Buddhism and Hinduism, it was extremely eye-opening to know that they were nothing whatsoever like Christianity. Christianity is about worshipping a god and having a personal relationship with it; Buddhism, at least in some forms, is about self-understanding. How many Christians do you know who would feel that trying to have a personal relationship with Jesus is such a dangerous distraction that they would be moved to declare, “If you meet Jesus on the road, kill him!”?[/hijack]
Oh, and I was raised a Christian, and became a Taoist/existentialist. FWIW, I don’t believe in any gods, either.
-Ben
Baptised Catholic,communion at 8,mass every Sunday and Holy Day with my family in “our” pew,church organist at 12, confirmed at 16, married with the bishop’s blessings at 21.
Divorced at 32, I still go to mass every so often, but I go to other christian churchs, too. Never really questioned my faith, but Catholic doctrine is wierd. My mamma always told us that the Pope was a man and people were people. Live a good life and you’ll be okay.
Raised methodist, moved to rabid atheism, vague agnosticism, then the focused agnosticistic/deist approach of the Unitarian Universalists. For all intents and purposes I’m a secular humanist who believes there are many powers greater than myself.
Faaaascinating…
I’m smack-in-the-middle of studying this phenomenon in one of my grad courses.
Personally, I was raised a good ol’ french canadian catholic. I renounced that faith in the fifth grade, when I downright refused to go through my confirmation because I didn’t believe in the content of the vows I was told to repeat. It caused a great family rift, which has since been mended, but I must say I’m the only agnostic among a bunch of church-goers (with the exception of my parents, who sort of gave up on things a while back, though they still believe in God and stuff.) Makes family reunions really fun… they’re always at Christmas, and Easter… argh!
I was a weird, precocious kid - deep into philosophy, music and mathematics at a very young age - and always stood up for my beliefs (which from grade one or two were very different than my parents’). I think this all had to do with the illness of a friend, Giselle, who suffered from Lukemia. My grandma had told me that “god had a great sense of humour, and never gave you more than you could handle.” I stopped believing that adults were right, or proclaimers of the “truth”, then and there. I started to question everything. I guess I haven’t stopped since, and haven’t really found a home in any of the more organized faiths.
I suppose this is a form of Sheilaism, religion à la carte, if you will. Bah. So be it.
I figure I’m going to hell, anyway 
For a good read on the reasons behind conversion, Esprix, pick up a copy of “Understanding Cults” by Lorne Dawson. It’s the “textbook” we use with our students of New Religious Movements at the University here.
Best,
E.
I have been born and raised in the catholic church I even attended WYD in Rome last year. However at this time I’m very confused in my faith. I don’t know what I want. I am currently going through lots of changes in my life and I am not sure if that has anything to do with it. I just think that I need to find truth yet the more I search the closer I find myself heading towards Atheistism…
“Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.”
-Ambrose BierceRaised Methodist-Protestant-Christian, currently none of those things but instead my own esoteric nest of concepts and understandings and beliefs. Sometimes I say “Wiccan” but I’m pretty atypical and nonstandard about it. Sometimes I say “Western Unorthodox” instead.
I moved in a direction opposite from most of the people in this thread - both of my parents are atheists and I was raised completely religiousless. My mom was raised very Catholic so we celebrated the non-religious aspects of Christmas and Easter (although we don’t do Easter now that my sister and I are too old for egg hunting), but that was it. My dad is Jewish, but from a long line of atheists (my great-grandparents were Russian communists), and as far as I know, he’s never even been inside a synagogue. Neither of my parents has ever taken me to a religious event.
Due to a number of factors, I began to study Judaism when I started college. However, I didn’t really consider myself Jewish until I spent my third year of college in Israel. I loved being part of a community, and I felt so at home with it. Because I am not halachically Jewish, I generally associate with the Reform movement, but have talked to my rabbi about converting officially (in the Conservative movement; don’t have to take a conversion class, though, yay!)
Rasied Protestant, became atheist once I began too look at the world objectively. I got tired of follwing a fixed-in-stone system that was trying vainly to suppress the outside world. I discovered the practice of skepticism and the philosophy of validiation by external evidence partly from my parents, partly from a few good teachers, and partly from observation. I was a genuine Angry Atheist (an atheist who is vigorously opposed to anything remotely religious) for a while, when I was defining myself by what I was not. Defining yourself that way is not the best path, I’ve found, and seems to point to a history of trying to make a certain system ‘fit’ you despite evidence that it does not. Anyway, I’ve moved past both traps. I think I’ve found happiness in this chaotic world. Dealing with willfull ignorance still drains me, however, and reawakens that futile rage I knew as an Angry Atheist. I can get over it now, though. I can laugh at myself, something a zealot, even one of the Angry Atheist variety, has a hard time with. I think Discordianism, and the implicit doses of nonsense that gives you, helps with that. After all, if you can see yourself as a howling chimp, how long can you stay angry?
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Are you still the same religion you were raised? Not really. I was a raised a Southern Baptist, but I have extremely differing viewpoints from my church-accepted doctrine. I’m actually closer to an Episcopalian in belief, with my own ideas about things. I’m probably going to convert once I leave for college.
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If so, are you currently practicing or not practicing? I’m still going to the same church, mainly because my parents go there. They don’t mind my converting, though.
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Have you ever thought about changing, and if so, would you? Corresponds with #1.
4.Have you ever questioned your faith, or the beliefs of your faith, and if so, why have you stuck with it? I think most do. I know I have over the past few years. It’s very important to me–knowing what I believe and why. Hence the idea to change.
- If you have changed religions, what religion were you, and what are you now? Why did you change? What advantages/disadvantages are there between the two? Again, Southern Baptist, destined to be Episcopalian. I changed because of a lot of crap that went on in my church. I know that we are all human, but I don’t like the Southern Baptist Convention. The only disadvantage is that Baptist and Episcopal services are very different.
If you were raised without a particular religion or very weakly one, are you still not religious, or have you discovered something that suits you? If you did, why the change? I was raised in a very religious home. This question really doesn’t apply.
I have studied other religions/denominations. I have Muslim, atheist, agnostic, pagan/Wiccan, Baha’i, and Hindu friends. A lot of my Christian friends are from diverse denominations–Methodists, Church of Christ, Assembly of God, Church of God, all sorts of Baptists, etc.
Hi, Esprix.
I was raised Roman Catholic. Baptized. Went to Sunday school. Received Communion. I chose not to receive Confirmation, which my mum accepted. Started thinking about religion, life, death, meaning.
Eventually, I came to some understandings. Later, I read books about Wicca and realized there was a structure (ha!) that blended with my beliefs; so, now I call myself Wiccan.
Personally, I think experiencing doubt and affirming your beliefs is an important part of any spirituality.
Born Southern Baptist. Changed to a famous Bible church that opened up my thoughts about God,however,the memebers were based more on pomp and circumstance than God. Went from Church to church (with Parents) most being of the fundamental ways. Studied Buddhisim while in Japan and even mroe so before moving to Hawaii. Became involved in 3 + Dangerous Cults (Scientology, International Church of Christ, Unification Church AKA Moonies) escaped all. Now currently attend One Youth campus Ministry church and one Japanese church of Christ (different from the cult one)
Well,that’s my “religious” history. As far as my “faith” history it has never changed. Still believe in one Father, Son, Holy spirit. However, have studied other relgions,and currently am seeking several other things. Not Nescessary wanting to “change” religions but more of seeking various beleifs about God, hell,ect. ight now I am working on the parllel between Amida Buddhisim and Christianity. my recent stdy show they have similar concepts along with a Shinto religion.
Leaning more toward spirtuality than fundamentalsim. My beliefs seem to co inside with one of your posters named Libertarian,which is actullay one of the reasons I finally decided to joined on this board instead of only reading.
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Are you still the same religion you were raised?
a. Yes -
If so, are you currently practicing or not practicing?
a. Practicing -
Have you ever thought about changing, and if so, would you?
a. I have, I have considered abandoning my faith and I have considered changing denomination
4.Have you ever questioned your faith, or the beliefs of your faith, and if so, why have you stuck with it?
a1. Yes.
a2. I stuck with it because my questioning was based on the idea that certain prophecies in the new testament had not come to pass and should have. Upon closer examination, my understanding of the prophecy was incorrect.
- If you have changed religions, what religion were you, and what are you now? Why did you change? What advantages/disadvantages are there between the two?
a. No.
If you were raised without a particular religion or very weakly one, are you still not religious, or have you discovered something that suits you? If you did, why the change?
a. NA
Raised as a Protestant in a funny little flavour (some say cult) of Swedenborgian. Based on the bible interpretations of Emmanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish enlightenment scientist/philosopher. Essentially the while bible was allegory and he wrote textbooks on how to interpret all the symbols.
I had a conversion about 7 years ago and am now a “Born Again Heathen”. Like many others, going on faith wasn’t satisfactory and since I had no facts, I decided to drop the whole matter. I’ll find out soon enough what’s the deal.