Good one.
Do you still follow the religion you were raised with?
- Thread starter Daneel
- Start date
Good one.
Fear not. If he exists, humanity will destroy him. We cannot and will not suffer any tyrant alien overlords.
That reminds me of a friend who was raised Catholic, attends services at an Episcopal Church and 'still makes his Easter duties' in the form of confession.
Most Catholic people I know are very nice but, I just have too many disagreements with the Vatican to be a member of their club.
I went to the United Church of Canada for the first 8 or 9 years of my life. After that if pressed until I was in my teens it was what I would identify myself with (or as Judeo-Christian tradition).
Now I'm basically a "Humanist" first and foremost and don't consider myself really "religious". Philosophical maybe, spiritualist if cornered, Jedi/Sith if I just want the questioner to bugger off
Now I'm basically a "Humanist" first and foremost and don't consider myself really "religious". Philosophical maybe, spiritualist if cornered, Jedi/Sith if I just want the questioner to bugger off
I was not raised with any specific religion, and I still don't follow one.
As a child I attended the local Baptist church, but mainly because my sisters took me with them. Since then I've been a secular creature.
A friend of mine converted from Catholicism to Judaism on her own, long before marriage. Later, she and her husband converted to Orthodox at her wish.
If I ever were to become Jewish, it'd have to be Reform. Another female friend who converted to Reform Judaism at marriage, agrees. Neither of us could live with the Orthodox or even the Conservative views of women.
As a child I attended the local Baptist church, but mainly because my sisters took me with them. Since then I've been a secular creature.
A friend of mine converted from Catholicism to Judaism on her own, long before marriage. Later, she and her husband converted to Orthodox at her wish.
If I ever were to become Jewish, it'd have to be Reform. Another female friend who converted to Reform Judaism at marriage, agrees. Neither of us could live with the Orthodox or even the Conservative views of women.
I'm on my way to becoming a member of the same religion I was partially raised in.
That's pretty much it, yeah.
I am a Lutheran, and I identify with that. I don't like using words like 'Protestant' - that's too negative. I prefer to stand *for* something, rather than dwelling on protesting *against* something.
That being said, I thought the 'Protestant' scene in Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life was friggin' hilarious.
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I was not raised with any particular religion, but was exposed to many. My dad was raised by extremely Catholic parents, but ...
... Dude, I have PBS on and they're talking about the panspermia theory, and they're showing the technical aspects of experiments testing the viability of bacteria in space, and they're playing the theme to the Next Generation in the backround!
Sorry, back to the topic...
...but my dad was Agnostic by the time I came along. My mother, however, was doing a lot of self-searching during my childhood, and tried out a number of religions, taking us kids along for the ride. I think that she wanted not only to find an outlet for her own spirituality, but she was also trying to give her children the chance to experience spirituality in different ways. I think she wanted to nurture in us an interest and respect for religion/spirituality, while also being realistic and letting us think for ourselves. Mainly because we're American we always celebrated Christmas and Easter, though usually in a secular manner (I do remember her reading to us from the Bible when I was very young, the story of Jesus' birth -- it's a lovely story). In addition, at different times in my childhood we were also Jewish -- celebrating all the holidays and even keeping Kosher for perhaps 6 months, Buddhist, and we explored aspects of Islam, Wicca, and Hinduism. From my earliest childhood we also celebrated many Native American beliefs; my mom is half NA and my dad a quarter. During my childhood my mom allowed me to accompany the friends who invited me to their own places of worship. One friend brought me to her Mormon church, another to a Christian denomination (but I can't remember which), another to a Catholic Church, and another to a Synagogue.
The result? My mom maintains her own spiritual path, borrowing aspects of NA beliefs and Buddhism. My older sister is very spiritual, but is not religious or monotheistic. She attended a Christian private school (at our great grandmother's expense) until the 5th grade, when we moved and she entered the public school where I was starting kindergarten. As a result she is the most well-versed in Christianity. She also harbors some very negative feelings toward that religion. My younger sister considered herself Wiccan for several years, and took her faith very seriously. This was during her teenage years, though. It's just occurred to me that though we are very close, I don't know her religious/spiritual beliefs. I think she's either Atheist or Agnostic at this point. I am an Atheist, I suppose I could be considered a secular humanist. I find religion to be fascinating and provocative, with many aspects beautiful, many aspects disturbing and disgusting, many aspects idiotic, many aspects admirable -- it's a complex beast.
... Dude, I have PBS on and they're talking about the panspermia theory, and they're showing the technical aspects of experiments testing the viability of bacteria in space, and they're playing the theme to the Next Generation in the backround!
Sorry, back to the topic......but my dad was Agnostic by the time I came along. My mother, however, was doing a lot of self-searching during my childhood, and tried out a number of religions, taking us kids along for the ride. I think that she wanted not only to find an outlet for her own spirituality, but she was also trying to give her children the chance to experience spirituality in different ways. I think she wanted to nurture in us an interest and respect for religion/spirituality, while also being realistic and letting us think for ourselves. Mainly because we're American we always celebrated Christmas and Easter, though usually in a secular manner (I do remember her reading to us from the Bible when I was very young, the story of Jesus' birth -- it's a lovely story). In addition, at different times in my childhood we were also Jewish -- celebrating all the holidays and even keeping Kosher for perhaps 6 months, Buddhist, and we explored aspects of Islam, Wicca, and Hinduism. From my earliest childhood we also celebrated many Native American beliefs; my mom is half NA and my dad a quarter. During my childhood my mom allowed me to accompany the friends who invited me to their own places of worship. One friend brought me to her Mormon church, another to a Christian denomination (but I can't remember which), another to a Catholic Church, and another to a Synagogue.
The result? My mom maintains her own spiritual path, borrowing aspects of NA beliefs and Buddhism. My older sister is very spiritual, but is not religious or monotheistic. She attended a Christian private school (at our great grandmother's expense) until the 5th grade, when we moved and she entered the public school where I was starting kindergarten. As a result she is the most well-versed in Christianity. She also harbors some very negative feelings toward that religion. My younger sister considered herself Wiccan for several years, and took her faith very seriously. This was during her teenage years, though. It's just occurred to me that though we are very close, I don't know her religious/spiritual beliefs. I think she's either Atheist or Agnostic at this point. I am an Atheist, I suppose I could be considered a secular humanist. I find religion to be fascinating and provocative, with many aspects beautiful, many aspects disturbing and disgusting, many aspects idiotic, many aspects admirable -- it's a complex beast.
Well put, I totally agree.
Well, these results are certainly interesting... as of now, almost half of the poll respondents claim to have not only rejected the religion they were raised with, but to have rejected religion altogether. Nearly two-thirds of those who answered the poll identify as currently being without religion. I somehow doubt that any other national or international poll would yield similar results.
It kind of makes me wonder: is there a correlation between being a Trek fan and being non-religious? Hmmm...
As far as I know, he still goes to the Catholic Church for that on Good Friday. It was just something that came up in a conversation one day. I didn't ask for any details.
Historically, there's been a high correlation between Science Fiction fans and Atheism.It kind of makes me wonder: is there a correlation between being a Trek fan and being non-religious? Hmmm...
fear? this is an interesting conundrum indeed I should start a thread the most feared thread of all.
mmm interesting...
I was raised in a Catholic family, went to a Catholic high school but now I don't follow Catholicism. I do believe in God. I had started going to a Baptist church which I really liked but it was mainly because the music was better and the people friendlier.
I was raised Maronite Catholic and follow it to some extent. I agree with a lot of what the church says, most importantly the one about the sin being bad, not the sinner. Thus I still love and respect myself and my family and my friends even though there is a whole lot of dishonoring of parents, coveting of neighbors, gluttony, sloth, and unmarried non-missionary male-female sex going around.
I did a lot of religious experimentation and study in my teens and twenties, but nothing gives me that feeling like the Maronite church. I think it really stinks that a lot of Catholics who grow up in the Roman Rite seems to have such negative experiences. The institution can really ruin the message.
I totally understand agnostics since my Dad is defiantly one of them, but I could never understand atheism even though for a time I declared I did not believe in anything but facts. Then I got into medicine and realized facts change about every other time I get a journal in the mailbox! As far as a lot of sci-fi folks being atheist, all I can think of is the line from the Simpsons where the judge issues a restraining order declaring religion and science to keep a 500 yard distance from each other.
Frankly, I think all religion sends pretty much the same message, it just differs in details, worship, and geography.
I did a lot of religious experimentation and study in my teens and twenties, but nothing gives me that feeling like the Maronite church. I think it really stinks that a lot of Catholics who grow up in the Roman Rite seems to have such negative experiences. The institution can really ruin the message.
I totally understand agnostics since my Dad is defiantly one of them, but I could never understand atheism even though for a time I declared I did not believe in anything but facts. Then I got into medicine and realized facts change about every other time I get a journal in the mailbox! As far as a lot of sci-fi folks being atheist, all I can think of is the line from the Simpsons where the judge issues a restraining order declaring religion and science to keep a 500 yard distance from each other.
Frankly, I think all religion sends pretty much the same message, it just differs in details, worship, and geography.
A
Amaris
Guest
Yeah, I've observed a lot of Jewish people, too. You know, I've noticed they like bagels. Bagels and funny little hats. Nice people though. Very...Hebrew.
J.
I am still a Christian, a Methodist.
This was not without a lot of reflection, soul-searching, and even some experimenting. Yes: the church, and we Christians, have a lot of problems. But I came to the conclusion that the problems didn't mean the entire concept was bad. And that perhaps instead of running away, I should instead work to heal what was broken.
I do not do this as a thoughtless person, nor one who is ignorant of the way the world works. I can even say that the closest I got to a church during my three years away, were the science and math buildings at my college. I can hardly think of anything more beautiful, awe-inspiring, and faith-strengthening than the concepts of calculus or the Big Bang, or the wonderful, billion-year shaping of life we call evolution.
For me...what some would say "should have" torn me away only made my faith stronger.
EDIT: This was why I was extremely shocked to find that sci-fi fans, and ST fans in particular, tended to lean atheist. For me...there simply is no conflict, no more than there would have been for a Pascal, a Descartes, or a Newton. I don't have their minds--but I have their love for the work of God as seen in Creation, and their belief that we don't have to bend those observations somehow in order to uphold the glory of God.
This was not without a lot of reflection, soul-searching, and even some experimenting. Yes: the church, and we Christians, have a lot of problems. But I came to the conclusion that the problems didn't mean the entire concept was bad. And that perhaps instead of running away, I should instead work to heal what was broken.
I do not do this as a thoughtless person, nor one who is ignorant of the way the world works. I can even say that the closest I got to a church during my three years away, were the science and math buildings at my college. I can hardly think of anything more beautiful, awe-inspiring, and faith-strengthening than the concepts of calculus or the Big Bang, or the wonderful, billion-year shaping of life we call evolution.
For me...what some would say "should have" torn me away only made my faith stronger.
EDIT: This was why I was extremely shocked to find that sci-fi fans, and ST fans in particular, tended to lean atheist. For me...there simply is no conflict, no more than there would have been for a Pascal, a Descartes, or a Newton. I don't have their minds--but I have their love for the work of God as seen in Creation, and their belief that we don't have to bend those observations somehow in order to uphold the glory of God.
Well put, I totally agree.
Well, these results are certainly interesting... as of now, almost half of the poll respondents claim to have not only rejected the religion they were raised with, but to have rejected religion altogether. Nearly two-thirds of those who answered the poll identify as currently being without religion. I somehow doubt that any other national or international poll would yield similar results.
It kind of makes me wonder: is there a correlation between being a Trek fan and being non-religious? Hmmm...
one thing that should be taken into account with these polls is by not having an identity with a specific religion dosnt mean people dont have faith.
so many people are turned off the actions of so many religious figures.
they are turned off by what they see to be sunday school christians who preach how to live during the week but actions are otherwise except on sunday.
cosnider this..
Late last week, the polling organization Gallup announced that "the percentage of Americans who identify with some form of a Christian religion has been dropping in recent decades, and now stands at 77 percent." In 1948, the percentage of Christians was 91 percent.
