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Why did you chose your religion/lack thereof?

Religion & Science

Minitokyo » Life & Lifestyle Fora » Religion & Science  Why did you chose your religion/lack thereof?

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As the title says why did you chose your current set of religious beliefs, or why do you chose not to believe?
I ask because this kind of thing is of interest to me.

This thread is not for arguing why your choice is better than someone else's or for attempting to change another's point of view.

I myself was sent to a catholic primary school, and being of a logical bent of mind found myself unable to reconcile the inconsistencies within the christian faith [not that I would have been able to express it as such at the time], and thus rejected the belief system that the teachers tried to impose upon me. I didn't pick up another one at the time having had limited exposure to others, and as I learnt of other religions, I also found them to have their flaws, especially any monotheistic religions, and that science had explanations for the questions I would pose while religions did not, or did not have a rational explanation if they did supply some kind of answer.

To briefly sum it up, I work mostly on logic, and thus have come to the conclusion that systems of religious beliefs are incorrect, therefore I am best described as an atheist.

Well, my whole family is made up of Christians, so of course I was "taught" to be a Christian at a young age. But, after a while, I found everything hard to belief and, whenever I asked questions, I was punished or given a good talking to. The only time that anyone in my family actually attempted to explain things to me, they couldn't convince me. They just kept going in circles and half way avoiding the question. So, after a while, I started to look at things with my own eyes in my own way, which lead to my being an atheist. I like to approach things with my own mindset and my own views.

i was a young lad when my motehr tried to subject me to catholic beliefs..the bible and jesus n stuff...that was just not what i wanted..as i grew older i started to see my own POV of things on religion..and what i believe myself.. after researching a bunch of religions of all sorts, Shamanism most fitted my beliefs, so i figured..why not become shamanistic =p

Me, I just chose not to believe cause to me, it's illogical. Buddhism was the belief I was "supposedly" brought up in, but I abandoned it when I was really early. My parents aren't that big into buddhism too, so... whatever. XD Buddhism wasn't really illogical, just I don't want to.

Yeah, I was Catholic too at one time. The turning point in my life was when I heard the line "the Bible is a book and nothing more". I heard this when I held the bible at a high regard but was unsure why and that quote, for some unknown reason to me, made sense. Long story short, I ultimately left religion and became an Atheist.

i was brought up in a Christian household, and have always believed in God since i was a child. i believed in Him for myself not for my family, though that became more apparent as i got older. however over time a lot of our ideas about church have changed and the way in which we live our lives has changed quite a bit as well. i dont go to church anymore but i still believe in God. My boyfriend doesnt believe in anything that doesnt exist and cant be scientifically proven, he's more of a science person. and somehow we co-exist. we dont make our beliefs such a big deal, weve made the deal that we would "agree to disagree"..

I was catholic at first, then I was taught the ways of the christian.
Later I decided to just follow my heart and just do what comes natural and be a good person.
In other words, I follow the way of Our most almighty GOD and that's all there is to it.
No questions asked and so far life's never been better.

I was once a Buddhist...but never a devout one...

Well...but after I start to take more classes...I start to questions myself on various subjects...including morality and purpose of life...then it arrive on religion...

I just start to think on the logicalness of all religions on what I've learnt on science, and compare all the actions done in the name of religion...and after long thought...I decide to abandon it...since it's just all bad...even though some are less than others...I still don't feel good about religion...since many immoral acts are done in the name of religion...

So now I'm irreligious...

I chose Noncognitivism because it is the truth. I don't know if there is a god or gods, and frankly it doesn't matter because either way, my actions will be the same. I intend on doing what I think is best, regardless of what somebody who may or may not exist wants me to do.

I'm from Mexico, wich population is mostly Catholilc. As you, I studied in Catholic schools too.

I wasn't very interested in religion. Actually, it BORED me. Going to Church was actually ANNOYING.

I became an activist at the age of 16. I went to the apostolate because my friends and two girls I liked were going there. It was a small and poor chapel. The people living around it also were very poor.

We were teaching cathecism to the children. I DIDN'T KNEW A THING ABOUT RELIGION. But there weren't many people at hand, so I started with the smaller kids.

I fell in love with the place and the kids. All but three of my friends and the girls I liked left after three years. They had enough flirtation among them and there wasn't much of social life there. I mean, "high" social life.

I still didn't know much about religion and I was kind of the black sheep. but stood OTHER 11 YEARS in the chapel. I think because of ythe children. We always could do better for them.

The chapel grew and became everything we always wnated it to be. By those times I had become the leader for one year and rigth hand for the next. I did a lot of new friends who remain true friends until today.

I left leaving two generations of new cathequists. I was ill at the time, with an stressing job, and I thougth I was done forever, but... I lasted only 6 months away, because my friends called me again. Left the stressing job, but remained ill until today.

I moved with some friends of the old chapel to another of the same parish church. Maybe because of the children. The chapel was in a crisis because the cathecist, mostly very young people, had left at once for different reasons.

The place it's in a rough neigborhood, the parents of the kids were in gangs, so many of the children are, too. The answer of the people is poor... the place is a challenge.

Now I'm the elder (I'm 34), and the one who follows me in age is 19 years old. The other cathecist are from 12 to 15 years old. Too young. I'm not the leader. But I'm there to watch over them in their first steps. A cathecist is aleader in the community, and there's a long way for them in order to become leaders.

Now I teach the pre-teens. What a nigthmare.

I THINK THE REASON BECAUSE I REMAINED CATHOLIC IT'S BECAUSE BIT BY BIT I KNEW DEEPER ABOUT MY RELIGION. THE LOVE OF TEACHING CHILDREN (EVEN AS THEY'RE THOUGT)

I got a new hobbie: studying religions. I believe all religions guide you to God (well, not all, at least not New Age). But perhaps, as a friend, oceansoul, I recomend you to review your old religion. Not all of it. What stuck me were the Gospel by St. John (the inspired Gospel), and the life of a little girl, St. Maria Goretti, who died martir in Italy at the begining of the XX century. And think a lot.

Because, believe me, I went trougth that too. When you don't love something or someone, most of the time it's because you didn't got to know it very well. And Logic is usefull, but not in matters of the heart.

Quote by BloodWolfXI chose Noncognitivism because it is the truth. I don't know if there is a god or gods, and frankly it doesn't matter because either way, my actions will be the same. I intend on doing what I think is best, regardless of what somebody who may or may not exist wants me to do.

That's interesting, not many people I see in this forum see things the way you do, I think.

As for me, I guess I'm more of an agnostic, or perhaps, a free thinkir? Officially I'm a Buddhist, but I'm not completely tied down to it. I like to keep an open mind. I'm not pro/anti any religion in particular, nor am I completely convinced that there are/aren't any superior beings. I don't care which is 'true', because as far as I'm concerned, that's not the point. What matters to me is how I live my life, my decisions and actions and how they affect other people. Why and how did I come to this conclusion? After thinking about this for many years, I realized it didn't really matter to me, as long as I'm not doing anything that goes against my principles. I refuse to be forced to believe in anything at all with such a degree of certainty, just because someone else tells me I should.

It's great to see all these atheists and nonreligious types. I was raised a Christian and was really happy with religion. I was just a big fan of the JC and God and whatnot. I was and still am a huge moralist, but that's exactly why I became an atheist in my first year of high school. Religion just deals with things that have absolutely nothing to do with morality--how can you possibly say it's a sin to not believe in god? Or to be gay? What does that have to do with morality? As it is, I have a very stern sense of morality and, without abandoning religion, I don't think I would have made the most morally salient choice in my life, which was to become a vegan. (for those of you who don't know, a vegan is someone who doesn't eat or purchase meat, eggs, or diary products in addition to other animal based goods).

well, I studied in a catholic school, where everything was about religious parties, adoratiosn and those kind of things, acts and prayers, etc. before that I was very religious, I read bible everyday, but the fact of goin to church really bored and annoyed me.

when i was in 10th or 11th grade i started to doubt about the existence of God, or whatever. I always thougth why they call it god, when they talk about an spirit without sex, or androginin... well, the thing is i became a person with doubts, many... I became a person with much rage, and pain... what did this happen, why? if it were a god, nothing in this world would be this way, there's no god, god do not exists... but still in my lagoons, i feared that god existed.

instead i opted to believe in angels, which was ridiculous, but becuz i liked them more than god i opted to startet the search of my guardian angel, and i entered to the methaphysic world.

then i saw a movie that opened my eyes: Free will, and i kinda started to feel that there was a God... after that passed like 3 years and i was a believer...

then i went to an conference or activity when they talked about covenants, deals or not deals, the church, the inquisition, the Crusades. and they quoted a Genesis verse, when is written IN THE BIBLE that the men shall take possession on nature, and shall feed on every animal ever existed. I was furious with that, becuz I forgot it, or I don't know if the blindness was that big. I became an atheist.

I read a book about Jesus, with a twist in his story, when u see that Satan is not that bad, n u see God as the bad of the movie, when he name each n everyone that will die in thy name.

those were like the fuel that push me to not believe or become in one X religion.

and, forget about it, my beliefs where not always linked with any located religion, where not linked to gods, or whatever. they were always linked to nature, trees, flowers, to animals and everything that have life, read it: seas, mountains, sand, mud, rivers, lagoons. everything that came with the nature was in my mind.

I consider myself an agnostic, even though i do not believe in any god that was proclaimed by men, i believe in the existence of an entity, call it life, or nature, never God, but that's what I believe in.

If it happen to exists every religion god, I'm sorry, do ur thing best next time :)

P.D.
In my country u talk about atheism n they believe u're a satanist, bloodsucker, whatever. That's way to much ridiculous. And when I talk about my affinity with nature, they just laugh. Sad and more sad.

Great days guys.

i'm no religious preference. says so on my dogtags. besides, most of the religions have the same message: live a good life and try to do as little wrong as possible, then you'll be rewarded. personally, i just don't really give a rat's ass about which religion is right or wrong.

Because God is a fabrication.

Made by someone who tried to fool millions, which, for the life of me, I could not fathom why millions are.

Im agnostic. Though i was raised a taoist, and officially a buddhist.

to me, everyone has a right to believe and not to believe and to stand in the middle. though most say agnostics are 'spineless' for not standing for a cause. (but i consider not standing for one of the options given a cause)

God might and might not exist. and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not entitled to the right for shoving it in other ppl's throats

And even though I've been fed a lot of buddhism teachings, i still don't fascinate myself with it. too many people i know use karma and merits as an excuse to do good. i do good because i want to, not because of divine retribution. though it is an effective way to make sure people watch their step. =/

all in all. religion might be a good thing. just not my thing.

I didn t choose my religion.I was baptised as a Christian and thought to be one.But as the years passed I was no longer attached to this and came to have my own opinions regarding life,what s best for me.To me being "good" is not something you have to be forced to do.It s suposed to be based on common sense.In my opinin the era of religion should be over.I don t think people still have mindless conceptions about life,society,how should they behave and of course taboos.I think we ve passed that period and we are able to accept everything as it is,bassed on rational observation.

Quote by HikaruKageIm agnostic. Though i was raised a taoist, and officially a buddhist.

to me, everyone has a right to believe and not to believe and to stand in the middle. though most say agnostics are 'spineless' for not standing for a cause. (but i consider not standing for one of the options given a cause)

God might and might not exist. and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not entitled to the right for shoving it in other ppl's throats

And even though I've been fed a lot of buddhism teachings, i still don't fascinate myself with it. too many people i know use karma and merits as an excuse to do good. i do good because i want to, not because of divine retribution. though it is an effective way to make sure people watch their step. =/

all in all. religion might be a good thing. just not my thing.

*cough* excuse this but...AMEN TO THAT XD

Quote by royaldarkness*cough* excuse this but...AMEN TO THAT XD

lol. tho some find it as self-adulation. 'oooh, she's good because she wants to, smart-alec'...etc but then again. sometimes we just cant accept things that differ from our own opinions eh? (like me being agnostic because...) >w<

Quote: I chose Noncognitivism because it is the truth. I don't know if there is a god or gods, and frankly it doesn't matter because either way, my actions will be the same. I intend on doing what I think is best, regardless of what somebody who may or may not exist wants me to do.

how bout if what u think is best but actually not the best for u? people have to learn from other people so that they can think wise

And what if the faith that you believe to be the best is actually not the best for you? There are other people with different faiths/beliefs who are wiser and lead fuller lives? Wouldn't you have to open your mind and be receptive of their beliefs as well?

i know it's the best because the history book, bible tells it like that. there's only one God n it means buddhist's wrong. i dont knoew bout Hindhu, but islam were created after christian, Mohammad got inspiration from the christian. n catholic is juzt the same as christian, but at that time bcoz those pastors sold the letters called amnesty of sins, some of catholics began to protest n then christian came. christian's the only one that so close to God-Jesus tells us that God will hear our prays in the name of Jesus

I'm sure God is disgusted by the way you look down on other people and other religion. Amen to that.

And I'm sure God is praying for you to have a more open mind. Amen.

There are many REASONS for a person to NOT to have a religion:

1. A distorted image of religion: Parents or teachers didn't do a good job educating in religion. Because none teaches us how to be parents, or parents themselves didn't have a good education in religion. Or they didn't care about it. Ignorance.

2. Someone didn't set a good example on religion: Detecting hipocresy in someone who was supposed to be a rol-model: a parent, a priest, a monk, a nun. Bad experiences lived in a religious community, intolerance to other orientations. A misguided concept orf religions or morals from leaders.

But now (I'm sorry, many are not going to like it), when somene says that "chose" (repeat to accentuate: "CHOSE") to be agnosctic, atheist or whatever, USUALLY its the sinonym of lazyness, selfhiness or negligence.

Because its a good way to live a life doing nothing for others and everything for one self. As Ricky Martin said, "let's 'live la vida loca!"... and to hell with everyone and everything else. Forget about the poor, the abandoned, the neglected or the thousand problems the world has.

I'd like to see an agnostic joining the Scouts, or Greenpeace, or something.

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