Do you still follow the religion you were raised with?

[Daneel]

Howdy folks,

This is something I'm curious about. I myself was born into a Catholic family (although not a terribly strict or observant one), but almost a decade ago, when I was about halfway through high school, I decided that Catholicism was not for me. Why? Well, aside from the fact that I disagreed with the Church's stance on almost every single issue (i.e. homosexuality, birth control, the role of women and their reproductive rights, stem cell research, etc.), I came to the conclusion that I didn't believe in my heart that there was a God, or that "He" sent his son to earth in the form of a carpenter two thousand years ago. I'm not fundamentally opposed to the notion that there is some sort of creator/deity, but I just don't think there is enough evidence to prove whether such a being does or does not exist. I don't mind people taking a different view, by which I mean having faith that God does exist, but personally I find it more than a little presumptuous when someone claims to know exactly what God thinks about everything.

Some make the claim that religion is very slowly on the decline, at least in certain parts of the world. Is this true? I have to admit, it seems to me that most people just accept the religion of their parents as their own, without really bothering to consider it. Occasionally, I meet someone who is agnostic like myself, or someone who follows a "new age" religion, one that their parents probably didn't raise them with, but this seems to be a rarity.

So, what about you guys? Do you still follow the religion you were born into? Do you follow a different one? Or do you not follow any? If the answer is somewhat complicated, then by all means, explain it to us. If you're not quite sure how to answer, I'd suggest just going with your instincts and picking the closest poll option -- or, of course, abstaining (but really, that's no fun ).

Oh, and since I decided to put this in Misc, I do hope there won't be any flaming or bashing on either side. I do realize that religion can get people worked up, but let's try to keep this civil, okay?

 

[Amaris]

I voted Yes, but with a proviso.

I am a Christian, but not anywhere near the sect of my parents. They were Pentecostal Christians, which is a strict faith, better known as "Holy Rollers", at least that's what the Baptists called us at the time.

Anyway, I am a devout Christian, but I'm a Christian Mystic, which is a flavor of Christianity that also has facets of Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufi Mysticism. It is a very free form faith, flowing, and adaptable, flexible and changeable as the spirit wills, although there are basic tenets that are followed quite strictly.

J.

 

[James Bond]

I voted Yes, but with a proviso.

I am a Christian, but not anywhere near the sect of my parents. They were Pentecostal Christians, which is a strict faith, better known as "Holy Rollers", at least that's what the Baptists called us at the time.

Anyway, I am a devout Christian, but I'm a Christian Mystic, which is a flavor of Christianity that also has facets of Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufi Mysticism. It is a very free form faith, flowing, and adaptable, flexible and changeable as the spirit wills, although there are basic tenets that are followed quite strictly.

J.

I'm pretty much with J. Allen. I voted "Other."

 

[the Dagman]

What I believe is that religion was early man's attempt to explain that which they did not know. It was created to make them feel secure. Much like a bedtime story told to children. These stories were authored by the science fiction writers of their day. They had no concept of outer space, so they used heaven instead. The had no concept of aliens, so they used gods instead. They wanted to make people behave, so they created the concept of hell and a boogeyman that runs the place. If Gene Roddenberry have lived about 19 or 20 centuries earlier, the Bible would likely have the Book of Eugene in it.

 

[Brent]

I hate labels, and to be classified into one group. I am a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. I wasn't when my parents took me to church, I came to that decision on my own when I was 17.

Therefore, you could say "I am now different than when my parents raised me in that regard" and "I don't go to the same denomination as I did when they raised me" cause I was different then from what I am now.

The church I go to now isn't part of a particular denomination. The heart of my belief is faith in Jesus Christ, and for that you don't need any church at all.

[Rant]Putting people in groups and saying they are Babptist, or they are Methodist, or they are whatever... is too confined IMO. Most people take attributes from several denominations and don't always agree with everything about a particular denomination they may be a part of, while still keeping their core faith. It is unfair to confine people to one group IMO.[/Rant]

 

[Geckothan]

"No, I do not, and I don't follow any religion now."

I was born into a christian family (though they are baptists thankfully, so no infant baptism for me, not that being splashed with water would've meant anything to me anyway though), and it never really appealed to me. I went to church a few times when I was a kid before I realised how ridiculous the whole faith seemed. I don't like totally discount the possible existence of a god of some sort, but the answer certainly isn't in any of our religions and I don't buy into anything that isn't backed up by concrete proof.

 

[Goji]

I was not raised with any religion and I don't follow one now.

I was recently asked to explain what it is I believe, and at the time, this is what I said. I believe our universe is an extraordinarily complex system and that to preclude any intelligent involvement in the creation of that system without any evidence would be as much of a stretch as to accept it as a given. So I don't believe, nor actively disbelieve, in a "god" of any sort.

But I do believe that the ideas put forth to explain the source of our universe by humans in the form of religion are universally banal and uninteresting. When I look around at the intricate, multifaceted world I live in, I find it hard to believe that the ultimate answer is that some all-powerful bearded guy poofed it into existence and sent us a book that we have to follow, worship and obey or we are roasted in a pit of fire for the rest of eternity. Does not compute, at least for me.

Ultimately the true origin of our universe, along with whatever "meaning" it may have, may be unknowable. I'm fine with that. Whether there's a god or no god has zero bearing on my life. I'd be living the same way either way. So while I might give the matter some thought from time to time, it never goes beyond that. I live my life the best way I can for the sake of the people I live with and the planet I live on, not out of fear of becoming a marshmellow.

But there's always the Pandimensional Cult of Sunshine & Happiness, though that's an entirely different story.

 

[miraclefan]

Some make the claim that religion is very slowly on the decline, at least in certain parts of the world. Is this true?

Yes, all except ISLAM! and that's just mainly because of a HIGHER birth rate!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yes, I am still part of the faith I was raised in (Christian - Lutheran specifically) and always will be.

 

[Arrqh]

I was raised Jewish in a cultural sense but not a religious sense, which is what I remain. So, "not raised with one, don't follow."

 

[Michael Chris]

Sort of. Raised non-denom Christian, more pentecostal now. Jesus freak all the same.

 

[Brent]

Jesus freak all the same.

me too

apparently people have to apply this label to us, but whatever

 

[Davros]

Growing up we only went inside a church for a wedding or a funeral.

I am still following the same plan.

 

[Daneel]

Interesting responses so far everyone, thanks. I did kind of wonder about individuals who follow a different sect of a belief system (like Christianity) than the one their parents did; I see there are a few such people here. As to whether or not the current sect/denomination is so fundamentally different from the old one as to constitute a wholly new religion, well... I leave that for you to decide.

 

[Amaris]

Interesting responses so far everyone, thanks. I did kind of wonder about individuals who follow a different sect of a belief system (like Christianity) than the one their parents did; I see there are a few such people here. As to whether or not the current sect/denomination is so fundamentally different from the old one as to constitute a wholly new religion, well... I leave that for you to decide.

Well, my faith differs in that while I believe Jesus as the central figure of my faith, I consider Jewish Mystics, Sufi Mystics, Buddhists and Hindus to be correct in many things, also, and that God is one God but with many facets. Mysticism also involves direct communication with God. Church is not required, neither is many other traditions held today in Mainstream Christianity. I meditate on the spirit, which is a little different than what others may do. I believe that the universe is an extension of God's awareness, and that we can affect this universe by connecting with God.

J.

 

[Michael Chris]

My faith has changed not in the substance of the faith in Christ but in how I worship and see Him. To illustrate what I mean, two [not great] Christian songs both focused on God but in a different manner. Focused on Christ (and quite obviously not on musical ability, song starts at about 0:40) vs. still focused on Christ just not using the same music.

 

[Goliath]

So, what about you guys? Do you still follow the religion you were born into? Do you follow a different one? Or do you not follow any?

No one in my family follows the religion into which I was born--not even my parents.

When I was born, my parents were Roman Catholics. My father became an atheist, and my mother became a Pentecostal.

I am not religious in the conventional sense, though I do engage in certain practices that might be characterized as religious.

For that reason, I voted 'Other.' But I would describe my belief system as philosophical, rather than religious.

 

[Sephiroth]

seeing as how the Jenova's Witnesses weren't founded until 99, no

 

[archeryguy1701]

No. I was raised Baptist, and I went Athiest several years back. It was a variety of things that kinda got me turned off religion... for starts, it was a very hateful group of people. If you were gay, you were wrong. If you were of another religion (including other sects of Christianity) you were wrong. If you were Muslim or Mormon, you were doubly wrong. If you didn't believe exactly the way we believed, you were going to hell, end of story. I also had issues with the fact that there were things that didn't click with me, but I was discouraged from asking questions. They would try to make my questions go away by giving me answers that directly contradicted science and everything else i had come to learn. It had just reached a point that between the hate and the inconsistancies and questions that I couldn't explain away, I decided I needed to jump ship.

 

[Kirk's_Tights]

I was raised Catholic, am now athiest.


I don' want to offend anyone so I wont say why.