What is your birth religion and current religious status?

[Jtolj]

Also, racial makeup.

I was born a Jew, and then I left and became independant but still a believer in the Abrahamic G-d.

I am one quarter Russian
I am one quarter Italian
I am one quarter Belarussian (essentially Russian)
I am one quarter Irish/English

[cuppajoe_9]

Catholic/atheist (although the idea that one can have a religion at birth is ridiculous).

[Shalot]

Lapsed Catholic (but once a catholic always a catholic, right?)

Irish German Norwegian Cherokee Indian :)

[Jtolj]

Lapsed Catholic (but once a catholic always a catholic, right?)

I thought it was only like that with Judaism.

[cuppajoe_9]

I thought it was only like that with Judaism.

No, some Catholics (and I imagine other Christian sects) also believe that. Some churches, such as my own former one, much to my chagrin, report all the names of everybody they've confirmed as part of the Catholic population when surveys of that kind are done. This irritates me, as I have quite a few beefs with the Catholic Church.

[Jtolj]

No, some Catholics (and I imagine other Christian sects) also believe that. Some churches, such as my own former one, much to my chagrin, report all the names of everybody they've confirmed as part of the Catholic population when surveys of that kind are done. This irritates me, as I have quite a few beefs with the Catholic Church.

Well, Judaism is also considered a genetic ethnicity.

[mir]

Jtoli, i'm a bit like you - born Jew, now atheist; though i don't beleive in Adonai anymore at all.

[Virgil]

Born and still Catholic. I'm of Italian ethnicity.

[Virgil]

Well, Judaism is also considered a genetic ethnicity.

I thnk it's a little different between Judaism and Catholicism. In Judaism you are born into it and remain part of it no matter what. In Cathloicism one needs to be babtized to become one.

[Madhuri]

I am a Hindu. There is something similar like 'baptism' that we have here too, its called with a different name, especially in the Brahmin caste. This is relevant for the boys only, once they attain puberty (I am not sure if its before that or after) there is a ceremony in which they have to wear a 'sacred thread', which then makes them a Brahmin, and it also means that, they have to now follow all the rules of the religion. Men dont follow these rules as strictly as they would have earlier, but I still see guys wearing this sacred thread.

I do not think I am religious, because I do not pray or practice my religion. I do visit temples only if (say once in a year) someone wants a company.

[Boris239]

I am also ethnically Jewish, but neither my parents nor my grandparents are/were religious( it was tough to be in USSR). I am an atheist right now.
I am from Russia.

[TEND]

I was born a Lutheran and practiced it until about 13, I am now an agnostic.
Ethnicity I am:
1/4 Scottish
1/4 Ukrainian
1/4 German
1/4 Czech

[ShoutGrace]

Also, racial makeup.


Why?


s10cr

[cuppajoe_9]

Why?


Tribalism.

[ShoutGrace]

I would think that location has more to do with disparate religiosity than ethnicity does. (I have no evidence or experience to back this statement up.)

[cuppajoe_9]

By Jove, I think you're right.

Look here. (http://www.wadsworth.com/religion_d/special_features/popups/maps/matthews_world/content/map_01.html)

[0bliv!on]

Or it could be that religiosity and ethnicity are both affected by location?

[cuppajoe_9]

Or it could be that religiosity and ethnicity are both affected by location?

Quiet you!

Actually, I think the fact that ethnically diverse regions (such as Canada and the US) are reasonably monolithic religiously proves Shouty's point.

[0bliv!on]

Hmm, i guess i should include mine too =P

born a buddhist, although not a very observant family.
i thought i was an atheist for a while, and finally settled on agnosticism.

Chinese... probably Han ethnicity.

[tucsongirl]

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

[0bliv!on]

Quiet you!

Actually, I think the fact that ethnically diverse regions (such as Canada and the US) are reasonably monolithic religiously proves Shouty's point.

AHahaha… sorry if I sounded a bit superior there.

EDIT

I apologise for the mess that I posted earlier. This is an attempted clarification. These are my opinions, just on the record here, so that I don’t have to repeat “in my opinion”, “I think”, etc, later on.

Religion is based on a person’s background: culture, upbringing, and ethnicity and location. Ethnicity and location are two factors, although not in a purely causal sense. The two are also related, so much so at the present that nationality (which is congruent to location) and ethnicity are often interchangeable in everyday conversation. For example, when someone speaks of Chinese people, they can in fact be referring to both people of the dominant Han ethnicity, or someone living in China, (or even someone who originally lived in China). This is because in most “non-immigrant-built” countries (as opposed to, for example, the US or Australia) the majority of the population is of one ethnicity (eg. Most people in Germany are of the German ethnicity), while reciprocally, most people of that ethnicity reside in that country (eg. Most people of German ethnicity live in Germany). Insomuch as their respective relationship with religiosity, in such cases location and ethnicity are equal. However, when countries with overwhelmingly large non-native ethnicities such as the US and Australia are taken into account, things become more murky.

As religion is based on upbringing and culture, the original location of the immigrant (depending sometimes on the length of time since that person or his/her family first immigrated to the present location) is more important than where they may be now (eg. The son of a devout Buddhist is likely to stay Buddhist even if he immigrates to Australia, and the majority of devout Buddhists live in China; therefore the fact that the man came from China has a greater bearing upon his religious beliefs than the fact that he now lives in Australia). The original location is also very much related to ethnicity as large scale immigration occurs primarily between the native home of that ethnicity and a new destination, for example, most Chinese who immigrate to the US are also members of China’s native ethnic group, as opposed to a case where a long term resident of China who immigrates to the US is of a non-native ethnicity such as German. Despite this, location has a greater causal effect upon religiosity due to both the greater exposure to the dominant religion of that location and a form of “peer pressure.” In religious vacuums such as China and the former USSR, where atheism was strictly enforced, this causality breaks down. Ultimately however, it is difficult to deduce whether location or ethnicity has a greater relationship with religiosity. However it would be interesting to compare the ethnic diversity and religious diversity of countries such as the US or Australia.

Argh. Ok that’s about it. Hope I haven’t bored anyone to death.

[grace86]

Born and baptized Catholic, today I am a Christian.

Umm, ethnicity: Spanish (Spain, not Mexico - some Californians mix those two), German, and a little bit of Native American and Polish.

[OZEED]

Born Hindu, changed to christianity at the age of 15.
ethnicity - Indian

[toni]

I was born and raised and will die a Christian.
Ethnicity, I am
a Filipino of Chinese and Spanish descent.

[ktd222]

I was born to Buddhist parents. Though I was never tought or told to learn anything about this religion.

[mtpspur]

Born a child--sent to church where I truly had no idea what the Lord Christ was doing on the cross--was there for the cookies. Was hoping to get by on good works (totally oblivious that I had none to present to the Lord and no one would ever say I'ld get by on my looks). Methodist church by the way -- becamea Christian at age 18 thru an interdenominal organization called the Navigators and took awhile it was really by the grace of God. Current religious belief system mostly based on the Westminster Confession of Faith. Had read the Bible at least 6 times (pathetic for someone of my years) and have found only one error in it. The Apostle Paul says he was the chief of sinners -- I feel well qualified in that area -- I find lipservice so much easier then heart service as for all the war stories I'm really standoffish. The stories (while true) are really my shield to keep people at a distance and I think most of you on the forums have probably figured that out. Why I occasionally think about leaving (Grace86 and I discussed this once) but I can't spend all my life running. So your stuck with me until the moderators start winnowing the chaff.

[Nightshade]

Or it could be that religiosity and ethnicity are both affected by location?

I think its history that may do it....

[subterranean]

Indonesian

Christian

[Bluebiird]

I was born. I was christened. One of my Aunts bought me an illustrated children’s bible (a big hardback thing with pretty pictures).
But, none of my family are active Christians. We were christened, yes, but there are only three ways to get my family into a church:
-Wedding
-Christening
-Funeral (Though our last one was actually a cremation)
So I should probably say cremation/funeral.

These events are never really significant in the religious sense. They're just an excuse to have the family together and get all dressed up.

A wedding is for making a big show of how you love each other, so you invite the family (Both halves). It's a lovely occasion full of pretty dresses, speeches, dances and no one is willing to turn up the free food either. I was actually very happy to be a bridesmaid at my uncle's wedding, even though I was only 5-6 at the time. Though, because we only had one rehearsal and that didn't include practicing hymns, when it came to the day, I didn't know the words, and of course, being at the front meant I didn't have a book to read it from. So, I was able to sing the chorus to All things bright and beautiful but for the rest of the time I was going la la la la la in time with everyone else, and was only found out when we looked over the wedding video :D .

After the wedding a christening is expected to follow a few years later. This isn't really for religious reasons, it another excuse to get the family all together (Both halves) and have them all coo over your new offspring while you show them off.

Funerals are slightly different. They aren't an excuse to get together (Usually one half). They are for mourning the dead. Now, these I will not make light of. I went to my grandfather's a few years ago (He was my only remaining grandparent) and was overcome with a deep sense of sadness, especially when my eldest cousin broke down in tears after the service. The atmosphere was completely different; it seemed alien, because no one was happy to see each other. Well, they were, but it didn't really show through the grief.

So that's Christianity for my family.
Me personally. I declare myself to be Atheist.
As for my nationality.
I am English, as far as we know. There may be some other influence from around the UK, we don't know. But, my dad says I'm either Viking or AngloSaxon. But I think I'd be proud to have a hint of Celt in ther somewhere too, I probably do.
One the whole, I'd say I'm a mix of the native Celts and the invading Vikings, AngloSaxons and what ever else invaded England over the years.
And I'm proud to be it :D

[Dr Eep]

Born a child--sent to church where I truly had no idea what the Lord Christ was doing on the cross--was there for the cookies. Was hoping to get by on good works (totally oblivious that I had none to present to the Lord and no one would ever say I'ld get by on my looks). Methodist church by the way -- becamea Christian at age 18 thru an interdenominal organization called the Navigators and took awhile it was really by the grace of God. Current religious belief system mostly based on the Westminster Confession of Faith. Had read the Bible at least 6 times (pathetic for someone of my years) and have found only one error in it. The Apostle Paul says he was the chief of sinners -- I feel well qualified in that area -- I find lipservice so much easier then heart service as for all the war stories I'm really standoffish. The stories (while true) are really my shield to keep people at a distance and I think most of you on the forums have probably figured that out. Why I occasionally think about leaving (Grace86 and I discussed this once) but I can't spend all my life running. So your stuck with me until the moderators start winnowing the chaff.

It's just so great to see such refreshing honesty!!

I was going to say; Born Pure - tarnished by religion!! Although that is not quite true.

My life more like;
- Born pure
-Believed in Santa and God
-No longer believed in Santa but still believed in God
-Still believed in God but wished he was more like Santa
-Learnt that you need faith to believe in God
-Promptly set about breaking many of the rules set by God
-Commit, agonize, justify, time, numbness - true sorrow if caught out.
- repeat above process ad nauseam
- caught between thinking it'd be easier to be atheist and knowing that there must be more than just this life
- Therefore a christian, by the skin of my teeth - just in case!!

[Virgil]

It's just so great to see such refreshing honesty!!

I was going to say; Born Pure - tarnished by religion!! Although that is not quite true.

My life more like;
- Born pure
-Believed in Santa and God
-No longer believed in Santa but still believed in God
-Still believed in God but wished he was more like Santa
-Learnt that you need faith to believe in God
-Promptly set about breaking many of the rules set by God
-Commit, agonize, justify, time, numbness - true sorrow if caught out.
- repeat above process ad nauseam
- caught between thinking it'd be easier to be atheist and knowing that there must be more than just this life
- Therefore a christian, by the skin of my teeth - just in case!!

I enjoyed that, Eep. :)

[Dr Eep]

Thanks - Virgil!

[haxan64]

Born from Christians.

Became an Atheist in my early teens.

Became a Christian when I was 24, and my life has been Blessed ever since!

I'm 100% American.. Bloodlines from England, and German.

[Themis]

Also, racial makeup.


I'm catholic with all my heart. Maybe my soul is a little atheist too but mostly catholic.

Racial makeup, well...

Complications to no end but my family consists of Austrians mostly. But our forefathers include people from all over Austria when it was still under Habsburg rule.

[Turk]

Every people is Muslim in creation (fıtrat, essence). I'm still Muslim.

I am a Turk. I don't know exact percents but i don't know any other blood in my roots.

[Whifflingpin]

"Every people is Muslim in creation" just as everyone who does not die believing in Christ is doomed to eternal damnation.

Grew up as a more active Christian than my parents.
Now a kind of Zarathustran, mainly because no monotheist arguments that I understand provide a satisfactory explanation of evil, (and atheist arguments don't provide me with a satisfactory explanation of anything.)

.

[Nightshade]

"Every people is Muslim in creation" just as everyone who does not die believing in Christ is doomed to eternal damnation.

.

not really basically what he probably means to say is that every child is born pure and free of sin and until they hit puberty if the die they get a one way ticket to heaven regardless of what their religion is, afterwards it gets more complicated.

Mmmm Im a complicated one I was born a muslim and I am a muslim althouh I have flucuattion is just how much I practise but I always belive the main bits and the quran. Anyway ethnicity I usually but down MYOB however here it goes:
1/8th irish ( catholic if thats of any intrest) 1/4 gordie ((Church of E) means possible scottishness?somwhere in there ) 1/8th scouse and they are a muddle and half( how do you explin the liverpudlians?) . lets see 1/2 delta egyptian which means quite likly to have greek, roman,turkish and all the dozens of other invaders mixed in there nearly 100% sure family founder was an arab who left part of his family in egypt as he followed the army and never came back -if you listen to my dad I have realtives ( going back 20 generations or more) strung out from iraq to morroco, we would be the egyptian branch ( one of my ansestors kindly traked down and recorderd every birth death and marraiage of our branch right back to the founder but I havent seen this book myself though.

[Janine]

Protestant, but no longer practicing in a church sense. I still do believe in a higher being, Providence, God but I am constantly questioning all existence and our mortaliy "...try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue." ~Rilke~ Also, regarding our mortaliy, as Hamlet states ".....The undiscover'd country, from whose bourne No traveller returns,...." posses many questions.


Born and still Catholic. I'm of Italian ethnicity.

Virgil, Did you ever read Evelyn Waugh's novel "Brideshead Revisited"? Interesting thoughts on Catholisism. If you read this novel or saw the miniseries I wondered what your thoughts were on Waugh's ideas. I later read he ultimately converted to Catholisism, but I may be wrong. Must check his biography online.

[SleepyWitch]

(eg. Most people in Germany are of the German ethnicity), while reciprocally, most people of that ethnicity reside in that country (eg. Most people of German ethnicity live in Germany)
no we aren't, no we don't :)
heehee, I know it's was only intended as a random example, but I can't help splitting hairs :) We never use terms like ethnicity and race when talking about our own country or immigrants to this country. We do use it when talking about 'ethnic minorities' in other countries, e.g. the U.S., the Balkans etc (in an 'academic' sense) but it's not a label people identify with or would use about themselves (as in, we wouldn't say "My ethnicity is Germany" or whatever it is you say)
I think the point is that "ethnicity" only figures in immigrant-built countries (i.e. the U.S.) or countries that have very large minorities (e.g. because they were founded by the colonial powers without taking tribal boundaries etc. into account)

what's "racial makeup" got to do with religion?

religion: none, didn't get baptized as a baby and still haven't
ethnicity: probably "none" as well, alternatively: German or 1/4 Czech, 1/4 probably Dutch, 1/8 unknown (Russian or Polish)

[Virgil]

Virgil, Did you ever read Evelyn Waugh's novel "Brideshead Revisited"? Interesting thoughts on Catholisism. If you read this novel or saw the miniseries I wondered what your thoughts were on Waugh's ideas. I later read he ultimately converted to Catholisism, but I may be wrong. Must check his biography online.

I read and own the mini series in DVD. I love that book and movie. I know he converted to catholicism, and while I see references in the novel, I have not learned or picked up his specific ideas. I never have studied Waugh anywhere, but I have read that wonderful novel.


We do use it when talking about 'ethnic minorities' in other countries, e.g. the U.S.,

I have been told that the largest ethnicity in the US is actually people of German descent. However, I know of only one person who claims it. I wonder if because we have faught two world wars with Germany that most German immigrants have cast off that identity. Plus the large waves of German immigrants were aound mid 19th century i believe, so could be over 150 years ago.

[SleepyWitch]

I would have thought it's people of British descent, but I don't have any statistics (It's just a general impression, maybe it's only because the British were among the first settlers, so we tend to think they're the biggest group?)
The point is, in the U.S. everyone is originally from somewhere else, so 'race' and ethnicity probably matter much more to people than over here because it's something their identity is based on to a larger extent??? You know what I mean?

[Idril]

I have been told that the largest ethnicity in the US is actually people of German descent. However, I know of only one person who claims it. I wonder if because we have faught two world wars with Germany that most German immigrants have cast off that identity.

I think it just depends on where you are, there's an enormous amount of 'Germans' where I live and I'm talking statewide, regionwide really because I know SD and MT and MN have a lot of Germans as well and none of them feel the least bit awkward about admitting that. In fact I have a little German in me, along with Norwegian, Swedish, English, a tiny bit French and an even smaller amount of Scottish, Irish and Welsh...the English side of the family apparently got around a lot. ;)

I'm Lutheran 'by birth' and by choice, with a few Dieist leanings.

[Virgil]

I think it just depends on where you are, there's an enormous amount of 'Germans' where I live and I'm talking statewide, regionwide really because I know SD and MT and MN have a lot of Germans as well and none of them feel the least bit awkward about admitting that. In fact I have a little German in me, along with Norwegian, Swedish, English, a tiny bit French and an even smaller amount of Scottish, Irish and Welsh...the English side of the family apparently got around a lot. ;)

I'm Lutheran 'by birth' and by choice, with a few Dieist leanings.

You may be rght Idril. The mid west has a larger contigent of people from German and Scanadinavian ethnicity. While where I'm from we have a larger Italian and Irish contigent.

[Janine]

I read and own the mini series in DVD. I love that book and movie. I know he converted to catholicism, and while I see references in the novel, I have not learned or picked up his specific ideas. I never have studied Waugh anywhere, but I have read that wonderful novel.
Well, I found your post and the section I was thinking of after I wrote you last in Lawrence post. So ignore that part of my post. I should own the miniseries, too. Loved it! Got it from my library on loan from another library so I only had a weekend to watch it. I would have watched it twice, but too long to fit two viewings into that short a time span. I loved the book as well. Much to think about. Poses many questions on religion. I have been thinking about it since I watched it weeks ago. The miniseries was so well done - don't you agree? It followed the book just about exactly. BBC did a fine job!

[Virgil]

Well, I found your post and the section I was thinking of after I wrote you last in Lawrence post. So ignore that part of my post. I should own the miniseries, too. Loved it! Got it from my library on loan from another library so I only had a weekend to watch it. I would have watched it twice, but too long to fit two viewings into that short a time span. I loved the book as well. Much to think about. Poses many questions on religion. I have been thinking about it since I watched it weeks ago. The miniseries was so well done - don't you agree? It followed the book just about exactly. BBC did a fine job!

I loved it. It was the best mini series I have ever seen.

[mtpspur]

To Dr Eep--Thank you. I try not to kid myself about myself. A running gag going on at work and home is that I can relate almost anything and get it back to being about me when in cold reality it rarely really ever is. When ever I do dishes anymore I remind the long suffering wife there was a reason I didn't like my daughter getting married--why should SHE have a life---what about ME!!!???

I'm solid on knowing the Lord Christ as my personal saviour but overwhemed He cares on such a personal level. I feel like the guy who owed 50 pence and likes his redeemer least because of it or (especially worst) the servant who hid his talent in the ground. I spent years trying to relate to God as a 'Father' when I really shold have stopped comaring him to my dad and make it make sense. This mind you after years of thinking of Him as a High School principal--sure they want the best but don't mess up. Heart knowledge--head knowledge -the constant struggle to be real.

Bottom line--His forgiveness is TOO GOOD to be true. YET IT IS. I'm still learning that THAT is a very good thing indeed.

[miss tenderness]

I'm born Muslim,

in the beging I was a bit far from religion,no practice but then I was like: is my life purposless, went back to study religions and my focus was on my birth religion Islam. I feel like I've lost many years of my life>>>now I'm strongly back to practice my religion,knowing more about it.
I'm born a Muslim, I'm a Muslim now , will die a Muslim inshallah.

[Virgil]

I'm born Muslim,

in the beging I was a bit far from religion,no practice but then I was like: is my life purposless, went back to study religions and my focus was on my birth religion Islam. I feel like I've lost many years of my life>>>now I'm strongly back to practice my religion,knowing more about it.
I'm born a Muslim, I'm a Muslim now , will die a Muslim inshallah.

Hey Miss T. I had a similar experience with my religion.

[Chava]

Hmm, i was born totally oblivious to religion, which is rather releiving. My mother tought me about all religions, i have book's on Toaism, two bibles (one of them has illustrations), The koran, and so forth.
I would love to say i'm agnostic, but I'm not. I'm an atheist. On the other hand, i feel people should be free to practice their religion. What i strongly dislike about religion is extremists, or people who feel so blessed that they try to convince other's of they're religion.
Religion is a personal thing. Don't push it onto people, and don't push it away from them!
I'm half danish/norwegian nad I grew up in Indonesia.

[holograph]

Well I am Belarusian. I was born there. 1/2 Jewish and 1/2 Catholic by birth.

I have plenty of religious fanatics and atheists in my family, I abhor dogma, I am a spiritualist in my own regard.

[Laindessiel]

My mom was born a Catholic but ever since she was a kid, she would very hesitantly do, never heed if she had her way, the routines and the doings in her church simply because she was in her right state of mind to realize what's wrong and what is right.

Now I'm afraid to say it all one-by-one because some people here are Catholics. I know religion is a very sensitive and touchy subject so I hope nobody bears a grudge on me. (Please don't take anything I say personally...)

When she grew up, she became a Christian (I always associated the word "Christian" with a religion and didn't know what it really meant) and until now, we are Christians, I say. We believe that there is an Almighty God and his son Jesus is our saviour. We don't go to any church, don't listen to any sermon but we are filled with joy and blessings because we know that we are serving him right. Just read the Bible and do everything it says.

All you have to do is fear him and all the good things are yours.

We have no religion; but God is.

[mir]

hey! i like that idea!! :)

i used to be like that for a while after i left Judiasm . . . then i declined bit by bit into aethism. i'll probably be a solipsist in a year, the rate i'm going. :D

[AQuick]

I am an American who is 1/8 English 1/8 Dutch(descendant of Stuart Kings) 1/4 German, 1/4 Italian, 1/8 Irish(Northern, so Protestant) 1/8 Scottish: The first half I listed coming from my father who was born and raised and still is Lutheran, and the second half from my mother who was raised Catholic because her Italian mother, but she(my grandmother) was not very religious and my grandfather(Protestant Scotch/Irish) was very, so then my mom was very little religious, especially after my grandfather died around 40 of complications from Lung cancer. My mom had rejected Catholicism when she was 15 and lived w/o a religion until . . .
My mom married my father and then they moved from Chicago to California then to Arizona and then my parents joined the church that they are still members of and my mom was enthralled because of the genius of our old pastor(now a pastor at Cal Lutheran University, who was a bishop of Arizona) and now she is still very religious
Apparently when I was a young child I wanted to be a minister
I am very spiritual with heavy Christian tendencies, but I love philosophy, mainly classic, but including 19th century, so I have a very diverse outlook on religion. I rarely attend church, yet still am deeply religious. I love studying every religion under the sun, but am definitely a monotheist.

So, I would consider myself a Christian Deist with Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Socratic influences. All at almost 17 years old

[i_be_jimi]

Jewish though birth right but never practest any religion

now sorta budist pagan if that makes sence...

Quarter Japeness
Mostly rich white people

[Lily Adams]

I am decsended from people who came from the British Isles, France, Germany, and Russia.

I was baptised Greek Orthodox, but I'm an Atheist.

[msdirector]

Born and bred in the NYC area, I am Jewish by birth and choice - definitely Jewish ethnically, culturally and religiously. All four of my grandparents were from two little towns (very much like "Anatevka"!) not far from Kiev in what is now Ukraine, was then Russia. In fact, my mother was actually born in Russia and came to Canada (the Toronto area) when she was a year old. She came to the US to visit cousins, met my father (whose parents had emigrated to Brooklyn a few years before he was born), and moved here and became a citizen when she married him.

While I love the rituals of Judaism, I don't actively practice them very often. I am, I guess, more spiritual than actually formally religious. But, while I am Jewish, and decidedly so, I am very curious and open to ideas and beliefs from all other religions and cultures. I impose my beliefs on no one and treasure the chance to learn about theirs.

I think the basis of my beliefs is that the essence of G-d, or whatever spiritual creative being(s) you believe in, is too big for any of us to have any clear perception of. I don't know if any of you have ever heard the story of the 7 blind men who came upon an elephant on the road. Wanting to find discover what this entity is, they approaches the elephant and, by chance, each of them touches a different part of the beast. Excitedly they try to describe it to each other: "The elephant is like a huge wall, " said the one who felt the elephant's side. "Oh, no - the elephant is like a snake," protested the one who touched the elephant's trunk. "No it isn't," said the one who touched the elephant's ear, "it is like a great fan!" "Nonsense," scoffed the one who felt the elephant's tail, "it's like a rope." "I disagree! It's like the trunk of a tree," insisted the one who had wrapped his arms around the elephant's leg. But seventh blind man had walked right past the elephant. "What are you all talking about," he said. "There's nothing here at all!"

That story epitomizes how I feel about religious beliefs. Each of us "sees" or feels or believes in the perception of G-d that we have personally experienced (or that has been taught to us by others). But that doesn't mean the we "know" all of what G-d is. The creator, whatever he/she/it may be, if there is one at all, is far too big for any of us to understand in its totality. We each see a tiny part of the whole. We are all right, but none of sees the whole picture. When we fight about religion, we are like those blind men, fighting to maintain that their perception is the only one. I prefer to believe that we all see some part of the whole - even those who see nothing at all - and that we can all benefit by sharing our beliefs and learning from each other.

[Ancestor]

No religion by birth for I was raised to choose my own spiritual path. I am now a Spiritualist with to me is a religion although some may disagree that is fine with me. But I believe in a higher being and the power of prayer and my church is where ever I am at the moment.

[cuppajoe_9]

Spiritualism, while certainly a religious position, is not an organized religion, per se. That's ok, neither is atheism.

[Ancestor]

Some people still think it is Satanism but it is not but is similar to Christian beliefs.

[cuppajoe_9]

Some people still think it is Satanism but it is not but is similar to Christian beliefs.

Some people still think the sun goes around the earth. What can you do?

[Guzmán]

Some people still think the sun goes around the earth. What can you do?

The sun actually does go around the earth, its all a matter of which you take as a reference point, after all, movement is relative. A problem with taking the earth as a reference point would be that the other planets would have really wacky orbits.

[cuppajoe_9]

Some people still think that the earth is the immovable centre of the universe, and that the cosmos consists of seven crystal spheres.

Happy?

[silly mischief]

I was raised by parent's who became Jehovah's Witnesses shortly after my birth. After a long and varied journey I connected with my ancestral memories and my ability to 'read' Runes, a language I was born knowing. I consider myself a keeper of the Old Ways and am fascinated by the stories under the stories in the Hebrew Scriptures.
An interesting mixture of Scotts/Irish, English and Swede with the blood of the Vikings in my veins, the wail of the Banshee in my throat, you can hear me coming through the heather and the Highlands playing the bagpipes, my wild crazy curly hair blowing in the wind.

some people still believe that the earth has a top and a bottom, north up, south down. what if we just turn maps around the other way?

[BibliophileTRJ]

Raised Roman-Catholic.

Recovering now. (thanks to shrink)

Atheist (Show me a god that believes in ME and maybe I'll consider believing in him/her/it/them)

1/2 Polish
1/4 French
1/8 Irish
1/8 English
All American

[Guzmán]

Born Atheist (if that makes any sense) and will die Atheist, as far as ethnicity goes im:
one quarter martian
one quarter uranian
and one quarter robot

[BibliophileTRJ]

Q: What's the worst thing about being an atheist?
A: No one to talk to during orgasms.

[vheissu]

I was baptised greek orthodox, but my familiy never really pressured me to go to church or believe in God. I think my grandparents thought I did: Greece is quite a religious country (in my opinion) and people always assume that everyone is religious, and are quite taken aback if you're not.My father had some bad experience with the church when he was a child, and altough he never discouraged me from following any religion, he didn't exactly support it either. Now I'm an atheist.
I'm half Greek and half Irish with a big influence from italian culture

[Ubiquitous Prat]

Well im 70% English 30% Scottish, if that makes sense. My mum is a sort of hippie Christian, well sometimes. My dads religion was motorbikes, drugs and the Clash. I am a Buddhist :D

[Shield&Sword]

I enjoyed reading most of posts here, interesting thing for me.
Only nightshade i want to say that every one is born Muslim (surrender to God) as Hadeeth of prophet Mouhammed peace be upon him say and then his parents change him to the religioun they want.
I was born Muslim for pure parents my mom is a strong believer, at first i was praying all 5 times normally without a lot of knowledge about religioun but always believed. When i arrived here in europe alone when i was 18 years i became more and more believer because i watched life here and sosciety and how people live and how families go and sit alot of time alone thinking of what i saw here, the door was widely opened to make big mistakes and my age was and still the age of "curious" or "wanting to try every thing", but i didnt go with what my body say, i offered every thing on my brain and decided that the way i was living and the principles i was born and raised with and the teachings of my religioun is better than what nights give me here and days. Secondely i became more believer because of lies i hear about my own faith said in this sosciety. My arrival here teached me alot of things that inflewenced my faith, thats why i wrote all that.
I am 100% arabic, PERHAPS with a thin turkish vain.

[Dorian Gray]

I was born into an atheist family. Most people in the Netherlands are atheist I suppose. Either way, it never changed.

[Pendragon]

None, clear and simple. My mother raised me later in a very strict Fundamentalist Christian church. I rebelled when people couldn't answer questions I asked, and tried to hide it by saying "I was preaching before you were born!" Well, that didn't change the fact that they misquoted the Bible to suit them. I tried a lot of things. I finally became a fundamentalist preacher, but one who had issues with most other preachers. So when I had a nervous breakdown and was in no shape to fight back, they kicked me out. I still preach, but I've changed a lot. I cannot get recognition from most, which is fine if that's how they wish to act. But the Bible says different. And God is He that speaks and it must be, say a great many, I do not disagree. That being so, why kick me out? Why not simply pray that someday I will not have to depend on medication to get me through a day? :)

[cuppajoe_9]

I rebelled when people couldn't answer questions I asked, and tried to hide it by saying "I was preaching before you were born!"Correct response: "Yeah, well so was Anton LaVey."

[Rogers_68]

i don't how easily i can answer this. i was raised in a christian-church-going home. i knew things about God but i can't say that the knowledge had much personal meaning. then in about 10th grade i met jesus for myself and realized that much of what i had been told about God appeared to be true to me. currently (10 years later) i am still seeking to know jesus more, through trying to understand the bible and finding God in various form of art, as well as other people's experiences with him. in that sense, i am a christian.

(that does not mean that i believe everything about american christianity or that i support t.v. evangelists :flare: .)

hopefully that's not too complicated...

as far as blood lines, i think i have irish and german in me, although it's pretty far removed. i like guinness and a good polish sausage, if that means anything. :brow:

[Eagleheart]

Christened in all the solemnity of orthodox rituals/ the obvious reasons of the disadvanteged age/ Now my necessary piousness for my community is accompanied with arguments like "Once christened you have to follow your path"....-tricky...-smart guys- Historical heritage perhaps

[arao]

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

Completely agree with you!
I attend the mass every sunday but not a Catholic.
By chance I meet Catholic, they are really good persons. Spending their time and money to help others.

[Annamariah]

I'm a Christian and I'm a Finn. I'm not a Lutheran, though, but a member of Evangelic Free Church of Finland.

[brainstrain]

Born non-denominational Christian (in case you dont know, and i've encountered a suprising number of people that don't, that means we go only by the bible and its teachings. nothing extra, or, according to our beliefs, uninspired). I am currently undecided, though i am adamant that my religion of birth is misguided in many areas.

One of which would be comdemning bisexuals such as myself. Meaning that my relationship with my parents and immediate family (extended family's religions do not think i will rot in hell) are based on a fragile lie. which i fear will break apart before i'm ready...

but what will be, will be. and i dont have much say in that =D

[Pendragon]

Correct response: "Yeah, well so was Anton LaVey."
Excellant point, Joe! :) Also "And you never learned to read in all that time? Bummer." There is an excellent quote in the Bible: I Corinthians 14:38 "But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant." :nod:

[Arguendo]

i was born totally oblivious to religion
Everyone is, eh.


I and all my siblings were christened because my secretly atheist mum didn't want to piss off my die-hard Christian grandmother. I was raised with a fair amount of religious teaching, but it came to a point where I realised that I saw absolutely no sense in any kind of faith.

Eventually I left the State Church (although they constantly try to sneak us non-members in, using the population register as their member list) and I'm certainly an atheist. I'm a member of the humanist organisation in Norway, and I'm very comfortable with relying on ethics instead of belief.

[higley]

I was born into a Christian family. My father is Jewish by blood, but his mother converted to Christianity when she was a girl. My grandfather was a pastor. Both Mom and Dad grew up being involved in church, and so did I.

I have remained a Christian. I have never felt that there were questions I had that couldn't be answered, and believe me I asked them. But that's relative to my life and the people around me, meaning I wasn't surrounded by the shortsightedness and/or legalism that seems to infect a lot of churches, leading to members rebelling and questioning their faith.

[sanctus]

White...Canadian (French-Canadian technically)Mother was Hungarian.

Born and raised Catholic and Catholic I remain;-)

[Santiago-gemini]

I am Muslim by birth and proud to be as I had not to think of quitting religion like others.

Spain

[Mary Sue]

I was raised by a non-secular Mom and a more-or-less agnostic Dad. Needless to say, religion never seemed much of an issue in our family! Notwithstanding my Mom was a loving and deeply spiritual person who believed in God and who instilled me with strong moral values from my earliest recollections.

How would I label myself? I'd have to say "Christian reincarnationist." I don't really trust ANY of the organized religions, which I find too narrow and self-constricting. Too often, IMO, organized religions teach the "us-against-them" mindset, causing division and thereby defeating their own ultimate purpose. God---by whatever name you call Him---or Her!---is supposed to be all about love. Unconditional love. As we're told in the New Testament, God IS love. And so God would never promote religious wars or prejudice or misogyny or homophobia. Jesus didn't teach this type of negativity, only the fallible mortals who, coming after him, distorted or misinterpreted the original message. To my mind, all religion can be summarized as "Do unto others..." and "Love the Creator."

As for my belief in reincarnation...Well, a few years back I was hypnotized and had a past-life regression! It turned out to be one of my most memorable
and awesome experiences. While in a light trance I remembered past incarnations I'd had, often in great detail...and realized that some of my half-forgotten childhood games had been simply "re-enacting" these unconscious memories. Also, some of my more vivid dreams had been, and continue to be, clues to the past. In reality there is no death, only evolution and change. We're all of us spiritual beings who just HAPPEN to be in physical bodies at the moment! We have multiple incarnations---I believe---as part of an ongoing educative process. Each life is comparable to a course taken in school...and once you accumulate enough credits, you can graduate, i.e. move on to something bigger and better. THAT'S my belief system!

As to my ethnicity I'm a mongrel, though solidly Northern European. English, German, Austrian, French and Dutch. I grew up in a very liberal area of New England, which is probably a good thing, considering what I'm like, LOL!

[Lotus3]

I was "born" more or less protestant, went through my angnostic angst phase and I'm now a buddhist.

As for my make-up:
3/4 German and 1/4 Irish

[Shalot]

I was baptized a Catholic and I went to Catholic schools. In the second grade, a nun told us that we were lucky to have heard the good news and now that we did know about the gospel and the teachings of Christ, we were better off but I couldn't help but think that I wish that I didn't know at all.

[Shadowsarin]

English with French heritage.

I was born without a religion, and given the choice to chose what I wanted to believe. After a few years with a christian group a while back, I went agnostic for a bit, and now stand at Nihilist. However, I'm open to others points of view, and if someone can convince me their god is right, I will probably convert.

[PistisSophia]

I was born a Jew and will die a Jew. I am now a Jew-Buddhist or, a Jew-Buh..

[kilted exile]

I was raised as a Church of Scotland Presbyterian in the West of Scotland, I did the whole "Boys Brigade thing" as well. Being raised as a protestant in that area it invariably meant that I was supposed to be a Rangers supporter and definitely in favour of the Union. A lot of things are assumed to go along with this, all of which are complete nonsense (for those not aware, as far as Catholic/Protestant "issues" go, after ROI/N.IRE the west of Scotland is one of the most bigoted areas you will find)

I could not reconcile the idea of a God with any of this crap, and so I have zero faith in the existence of any God anymore.

[Poetess]

I do believe in Allah (God).
I was born a Muslim, and hopefully die a Muslim.

But, would you please elaborate the reason of losing faith in God`s existence?

[Kelly_Sprout]

I was born to parents who were Seventh-day Adventists. I went to Seventh-day Adventist elementary school, high school, and college. My parents were active members of their church and I was raised to consider the weekly cycle of attending church to be something to look forward to and something to respect.

I became a student not just of the doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist church but also a student of theology as in, "the study of God and Godly things." I believed that I knew something about Truth with a capital T. I also felt like I had a real relationship, almost tangible, with Jesus.

Then I got married and had children. After raising them and indoctrinating them with my own beliefs, I found myself divorced and childless. Worse, I saw my ex-wife as a threat to the healthy, well-balanced spirituality that I thought was important to the spiritual health of my children. She had become a ranting fanatic, damning to hell anyone who dare to contradict her views, including me.

This forced me to look at the politics of supporting, exhorting, and defending the doctrines of organized religion in general and the Seventh-day Adventist church in particular. I didn't like what I saw. It looked like totalitarianism, exclusivity, and supreme arrogance dressed in platitudes and supported by a careful weaving of scriptures with interpretations. I began wondering about what love actually was and why it was so elusive. I began wondering how one can love a God that can't be seen, felt or proven if they can't love one another and are willing to tear each other apart, like my ex-wife had done to me when she took my children away. I began to wonder about what God values if he doesn't value his own people.

I tend to approach philosophical things much like Buddists do, but I tend also to question the existance or purpose of spiritual things. These ideas that we call spiritual... What were the motives of the people who laid the foundations of thought that have become ideas that we call spiritual? How much do those to minister to their flock actually believe, how much to they go along with while never expressing internal nagging doubts, how much do they go along with for political, financial or career motives?

I have become a distant observer of religion. I can't completely let go of the possiblity of God and purpose and good and evil and reward and judgement and spiritual understanding, but neither can I embrace these things any longer. I just don't know. I guess that makes me Agnostic.

As for ethnicity, I was born in California. I am 1/4 German, 1/4 Swedish, 1/4 English and 1/4 unknown. I have little to none of the cultural environments from any of these blood lines.

[Darlin]

I was brought into this life by two atheists however I became a born again Christian when I was in my late twenties and born again I remain. I find the old adage that if there is no God then I've been as good a person as I could be and that's important and if there is, which I believe, then I may escape somewhat unscathed come Judgment Day.

My father was Black and claims there was no mixing of the races in his family, my mother is part Black, part White, and part Native American Indian a combination that leaves people guessing just what she is. Not me though, there's no mistaking what I am and if you look at my picture you can see I'm just a sweet California girl.

[you_per7]

It's a good topic…
I was born Muslim, and I will die Muslim Inshallah.
The reality that I am 100% not Arabic. My ancestors was obliged to leave Islam by some invaders who tried to spread the Christianity in my country .they thought that we had to adopt any religion .we were not Muslims, but we accepted Islam, so It is easy to accept other religions….. They first brought a superstition in order to avoid the reaction of the inhabitants who surely refuse Christianity …. Decade after decade, our ancestor was trapped into believing in superstition, but they stayed considering Qur'an as the right constitution that will guide them to the straight path.
However after a great revolution In the name of Allah whom we know a little,
we got the independence .The Egyptians, Iraqis and Syrians contributed to rebuilt the Islamic background of our society.

Now the question that I often ask is: why do the Muslims consider the Islam as the right religion?
We pretend what the others may pretend.
"Take a look at the previous posts"
Why does each religious man tries to spread his believes?
This and many other questions impelled me to learn other religious texts.
Although there are detailed descriptions and explanations of the Judaism and Christianity in Qur'an, I decided to discover them far from Islamic perspective. So, each time I read about the other religions I become very amazed by Islam.
Do not believe in all that Sartre has said ….
.
What is your birth religion and current religious status?

The second part of The Question was widely spread before Islam .
I worshiped a God Made by dates , but when I felt hungry I ate it,then I worshiped a god made by ballast but I placed it in the bilge of a ship to ensure its stability. Then I believed in pelf, but after hurricane Katrina
I converted into Christianity , but when I read Da Vinci Code , I converted into Islam ,

enjoy to decipher the code of religion. and do not accept what you have inherited unless you are convinced.
Yroos rof ym dab hsilgne.

edited by Logos to remove reference to current politics, as per forum rules.

[Virgil]

I was brought into this life by two atheists however I became a born again Christian when I was in my late twenties and born again I remain. I find the old adage that if there is no God then I've been as good a person as I could be and that's important and if there is, which I believe, then I may escape somewhat unscathed come Judgment Day.

My father was Black and claims there was no mixing of the races in his family, my mother is part Black, part White, and part Native American Indian a combination that leaves people guessing just what she is. Not me though, there's no mistaking what I am and if you look at my picture you can see I'm just a sweet California girl.

Welcome back Darlin. :) It's been a while since I've seen around. And I just noticed your photo in your profile, a lovely lady. ;)

[Poetess]

It's a good topic…
I was born Muslim, and I will die Muslim Inshallah.
The reality that I am 100% not Arabic. My ancestors was obliged to leave Islam by some invaders who tried to spread the Christianity in my country .they thought that we had to adopt any religion .we were not Muslims, but we accepted Islam, so It is easy to accept other religions….. They first brought a superstition in order to avoid the reaction of the inhabitants who surely refuse Christianity …. Decade after decade, our ancestor was trapped into believing in superstition, but they stayed considering Qur'an as the right constitution that will guide them to the straight path.
However after a great revolution In the name of Allah whom we know a little,
we got the independence .The Egyptians, Iraqis and Syrians contributed to rebuilt the Islamic background of our society.

Now the question that I often ask is: why do the Muslims consider the Islam as the right religion?
We pretend what the others may pretend.
"Take a look at the previous posts"
Why does each religious man tries to spread his believes?
This and many other questions impelled me to learn other religious texts.
Although there are detailed descriptions and explanations of the Judaism and Christianity in Qur'an, I decided to discover them far from Islamic perspective. So, each time I read about the other religions I become very amazed by Islam.
Do not believe in all that Sartre has said ….
.
What is your birth religion and current religious status?

The second part of The Question was widely spread before Islam .
I worshiped a God Made by dates , but when I felt hungry I ate it,then I worshiped a god made by ballast but I placed it in the bilge of a ship to ensure its stability. Then I believed in pelf, but after hurricane Katrina
I converted into Christianity , but when I read Da Vinci Code , I converted into Islam ,

enjoy to decipher the code of religion. and do not accept what you have inherited unless you are convinced.
Yroos rof ym dab hsilgne.

edited by Logos to remove reference to current politics, as per forum rules.


I`m not a 100% Muslim person, yet a complete one.
My granny -may her soul rest in peace- was Maronitte. She got married to my Muslim grandpa -RIP too. I do wear crosses from time to time, but i`m extremely convinced about my religion. I guess I went an atheist for sometime, but later when I wondered about the reason behind this life, nature, people..etc, I was persuaded about the only one Allah.

You said you are not Arabian?
What is your nationality?

[Idril]

Worse, I saw my ex-wife as a threat to the healthy, well-balanced spirituality that I thought was important to the spiritual health of my children. She had become a ranting fanatic, damning to hell anyone who dare to contradict her views, including me.

Have you ever read the book The Brothers K by David James Duncan? Your ex-wife sounds a lot like the mother in that book. Her fanatical Adventist faith has some very serious repercussions for the rest of her family. It's an incredibly powerful look at the role that that kind of fanatism has in family dynamics. It has a really slow start but you are very well rewarded for that patience in the end. I think it might strike a chord with you.

[inwoods]

I'm welsh. english german but if I go back further then probably heinz variety. Don't know whether I'm born into any religion. Family went to protestant church for funerals and weddings. I lean towards buddhism, bon, and native Indian spiritual beliefs.

'The human race, to which so many of my readers belong' GK Chesterton

[Theshizznigg]

For Kelly Sprout.
I've always found the study of theology interesting, but the thing that I always have thought to be more important than theology was my own personal relationship to God. Theology is a human study of religion, and unfortunately with anything that has human involvement there is room for error, fanaticism, and bigotry.
Your wife sounds like a difficult person, and I'm sure your children are of course your greatest concern. The best thing in many cases that you may do for them is function like a normal Christian and teach by example, if they see that they don't have to follow the extreme then they will often follow what is reasonably normal in their minds. As for your wife, al you can really do is forgive her, her faults and hope she somehow sees the error of her choice.
Aside from that I'd like to congratulate you. Being a Christian is not an easy task, and we should question what our churches teach us, since humans are not infallible. Hence the reasons I am always learning more, and more, and questioning things. The answers often become clear over time. Good on you.

For the actual thread.

I am British. My families are Welsh/Norman Norwegian/Scottish Scottish/British, and British in descent. I can trace my families back to William the Bastard and great clans.
Has this done anything to affect my religious views, not a twig. My parents were Church of England, but found it to be spiritually dead, so they joined a small born again movement.
I was born into a family that encouraged Christian values, while giving me the freedom of choice. I went through a period of spiritual blindness, where I didn't practice any religion. Then about three years ago, I rededicated my life to Christ and have been a practicing Christian since. I have no spiritual denomination except for born again. I personally don't hold much in the way of churches, (I do attend one though. I like the atmosphere.) and prefer to focus my time on my personal relationship with Christ and God.

[Darlin]

Welcome back Darlin. :) It's been a while since I've seen around. And I just noticed your photo in your profile, a lovely lady. ;)

Why thank you, Virgil! It's been a long while indeed but I may pop in from time to time. It's good to see you and other regulars keeping the forum going.

[you_per7]

You said you are not Arabian?
What is your nationality?


nationality = algerian

[lit-phile]

I was born into the Catholic religion. I later followed my father's Protestant religion. I am now reading about Buddhism. It seems to be what I want to follow.
Is anyone out there that follows Buddhism? I would like to hear how you became involved and how it works for you.

[Silv]

I was born into the Catholic religion. I later followed my father's Protestant religion. I am now reading about Buddhism. It seems to be what I want to follow.
Is anyone out there that follows Buddhism? I would like to hear how you became involved and how it works for you.

My family follows Buddhism, though I'm not sure yet whether I am a Buddhist or whether I would prefer being Atheist. To me, Buddhism is a peaceful religion that has a history of calmness. Unlike the church or any other religious organizations, Buddhists have never spilled blood because of religious differences. While it is true that there have been occasional quibbles between different sects of Buddhist clans, there has never been bloodshed. This is the one true point I find very impressive. The other thing, of course, is that it is said that people who are Buddhist can feel a certain affinity for it. Just thought that may interest you :)

[Ari]

I'm just gonna put my 2 cents into this thread...
I was born into a Baha'i Family and I still am happily a Baha'i!

I'm half Scotish, and half Northern European, Soo Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish...

[IamMissingaLink]

I don't have a birth relgion, don't follow a religion currently and don't plan to in the 'futurely'

[Nightshaper]

I was born into a Christian life style and raised that way till i found myself in disbelief, i then converted to a non-traditional version of Wicca, and have yet to find anyone who shares a common belief (even within the pagan circles i chat with)

[amuse]

I learned a few years ago that not only my stepmom's family but also dad's has Seventh Day Adventist roots, though dad is agnostic. Nana taught me to say Grace when I was small. :) I've been a member of Eckankar since '89.

[Matilda]

Born into christian tradition, but none of my parents were very religious. Went to a christian pre-school though.
Currently I am an Atheist.

[Jetxa]

I was born into a Christian life style and raised that way till i found myself in disbelief, i then converted to a non-traditional version of Wicca, and have yet to find anyone who shares a common belief (even within the pagan circles i chat with)

Perhaps we should chat.

My father is a Jew and we followed Judaism till I was a teen. My father then converted to Christianity and the family had no choice but to follow suit. My mother was raised Christian (Welsh, Scottish and Irish), but has never "professed" any real faith or ever talked about her faith that I can ever remember.

Neither Judaism nor Christanity ever felt right to me and only served to burden me with guilt. After a lot of long, hard years of searching, I currently call myself Pagan and claim to a Pantheist point of view. I do honor the God and Goddess or Lord and Lady, but see them as representatives/symbols of the Source of All Life which, for lack of a better word, I call God. I honor the Wiccan festivals (sabbats and esbats) though I do not worship in the Wiccan faith.

[Tournesol]

Hi all!
It's marvelous to hear everyone talk about their religious beliefs.
I'm a Muslim. I was born into a Muslim family, and now in my mid-twenties I'm still a Muslim. I'm not naive about it though, I've read a lot about other faiths, and for me, as a woman, Islam is the only thing that works.

The thing is, I'm from Trinidad, that lil' island in the West Indies. So, our Islam is very orthodox, very free from cultural constraints that Muslims in the Middle East and Asia have been accustomed to. And I'm very glad that it's so! I have friends of all different faiths and non-faiths! And we appreciate one-another for our differences.
Trinidad and Tobago [our twin-island Republic] consists mainly of Christians [of various sects] Hindus, and Muslims. There are minorites such as Buddhists, Jews, and then there are some atheists as well.

[JGL57]

I was raised in a baptist environment but have been an atheist (non-theist and scientific rationalist) for about 30 years now.

Due to my background, I at first thought about starting my own religion - "The Baptist Atheists" - based on a two-part creed:

1. There is no god.
2. Nevertheless, anyone who disagrees with us is going to Hell.

[hyperborean]

"The Baptist Atheists" sounds interesting, JGL. ;)

I was born into a Roman Catholic family. However, I no longer follow the church. I'm not atheist, but I care less about God...because if I did it would make me a slave. :)

[JGL57]

...I'm not atheist, but I care less about God...because if I did it would make me a slave...

Well, words don't have absolute meanings, just common usages. I am also an agnostic and I have little if any problem with pantheism or deism - as long as followers of those concepts do not proselytize and preach - which in fact they generally don't.

Many so-called "liberal" Christians are ok and I can get along with them well, simply because they are not absolutists - and the fact they have no real problem with modern science – and the fact that they don’t preach. Ditto Buddhists and Hindus - most of whom are not maniacs either.

[Adudaewen]

I was raised as a Lutheran, and because of circumstances, changed churches 3 times while I was still quite young. In high school, I convinced myself that I was agnostic and rebeled against religion, but mostly against my parents I think. I have actually come full circle, not really through faith or religion, but through logic. The more I studied about my faith, the more it, logically, made sense to me. I am not at the moment an active member of a church, but I have a very strong faith in God.

[JGL57]

I was raised as a Lutheran, and because of circumstances, changed churches 3 times while I was still quite young. In high school, I convinced myself that I was agnostic and rebeled against religion, but mostly against my parents I think. I have actually come full circle, not really through faith or religion, but through logic. The more I studied about my faith, the more it, logically, made sense to me. I am not at the moment an active member of a church, but I have a very strong faith in God.

Was it the Lutheran variety in particular or Christianity in general that you found "logical"? And why?

Besides your childhood religion, did you ever study or explore in depth other religions like Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, pantheism, or deism, etc., etc. to see if one or more of them were more "logical" - or not? If not, why not?

Just interested.

[Adudaewen]

Was it the Lutheran variety in particular or Christianity in general that you found "logical"? And why?

Besides your childhood religion, did you ever study or explore in depth other religions like Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, pantheism, or deism, etc., etc. to see if one or more of them were more "logical" - or not? If not, why not?

Just interested.

I really found my logical faith in Christianity as a whole. I think the number one mistake of most Christians is turning against other denominations. Because, let's face it, no one single denomination has hit the nail precisly on the head yet.
I did do some extensive research into several religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism, Wicca and Hinduism. The surprising thing that I found is most other major religions share serveral things in common with Christianity.
I struggle to keep my faith fluid and dynamic. I don't want to be the kind of person that is close minded enough to say my religion is right and yours is wrong. For me, Christianity is a good fit.

[JGL57]

I really found my logical faith in Christianity as a whole. I think the number one mistake of most Christians is turning against other denominations. Because, let's face it, no one single denomination has hit the nail precisely on the head yet.
I did do some extensive research into several religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism, Wicca and Hinduism. The surprising thing that I found is most other major religions share several things in common with Christianity.
I struggle to keep my faith fluid and dynamic. I don't want to be the kind of person that is close minded enough to say my religion is right and yours is wrong. For me, Christianity is a good fit.

Now who can argue with that?

If all Christians agreed with the thoughts expressed above, we wouldn't need atheists.

[Redzeppelin]

None of us know who will be saved and why - and thankfully none of us are in charge of that decision (because heaven would be empty).

But: all religions cannot be "right" because they all have exculsive claims to the truth. There may be "pieces" that coincide, which may suggest the larger truth each is trying to find, but they can't all be right.

[Adudaewen]

Now who can argue with that?

If all Christians agreed with the thoughts expressed above, we wouldn't need atheists.

True story

[rjordahl]

I have been an Episcopalian for many years, though I don't believe in women or "gay " priests. I don't even like this distortion of the word.

[EdwardJ]

I have been told that the largest ethnicity in the US is actually people of German descent. However, I know of only one person who claims it. I wonder if because we have faught two world wars with Germany that most German immigrants have cast off that identity. Plus the large waves of German immigrants were aound mid 19th century i believe, so could be over 150 years ago.

Hehehe frankly I doubt that americans would be "ashamed" of having german ancestry. Some americans even seem to be german wannabees. :D

I have also never understood these statistics. If you pick up any phone list (even one from Iowa, for that matter) it seems that english surnames are in the majority. Maybe they just consider themselves "german"?

Take a look at this: http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-35.pdf --

Ancestry is a broad concept that can mean different things to different people; it can be described alternately as where their ancestors are from, where they or they parents originated, or simply how they see themselves ethnically.

Maybe they just "see" themselves as german?

[sofia82]

I am Perisan with Azeri ethinicty, and i am Muslim

[Virgil]

Hehehe frankly I doubt that americans would be "ashamed" of having german ancestry. Some americans even seem to be somewhat of german wannabees. :D

I have also never understood these statistics. If you pick up any phone list (even one from Iowa, for that matter) it seems that english surenames are in the majority. Maybe they just consider themselves "german"?

Take a look a this: http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-35.pdf --

Ancestry is a broad concept that can mean different things to different people; it can be described alternately as where their ancestors are from, where they or they parents originated, or simply how they see themselves ethnically.

Maybe they just "see" themselves as german?

You may be interested in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American

[EdwardJ]

You may be interested in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American

Hi Virgil, thanks for the link. There is some interesting info there such as this:

Presidents with maternal German ancestry include Richard Milhous Nixon (Nixon's maternal ancestors were Germans who anglicized Melhausen to Milhous).[54]

I did not know neither that Nixon was half german nor that his mother's family had "anglicized" their name. Maybe that partly accounts for all these english surnames? Still, there are just too many english surnames out there. The greatest part of them are definitely not "anglicizations". ;)

Another factor that may play a part in this is the fact that many people who are only part german (like Nixon) claim to be of "german ancestry" (which is partly true, of course) and disregard (or fail to mention) the rest of their background.

But in the end it is still unexplained in my opinion. Too many people who claim german ancestry, too few german surnames.

[Gracewings]

Born and raised Catholic but have spent most of my adult years in nondenominational and then many reformed Christian churches. In the past year, I've thought of returning to the Catholic faith but while in the process of examining it more closely, I found myself doubting any belief in religion.

[Drkshadow03]

I was born Russian Jewish and am still a practicing Jew, though not Orthodox, as I was raised.

You identify as Russian-American? Were you raised in Russia before moving to America?

I was raised in the Reform Jewish tradition, but also attended a Conservative synagogues sometimes I believe.

I was a "cultural Jew" for awhile with a belief in G-D. I was a Deist for awhile. Eventually I became a privately-practicing Reform Jew with a strong spiritual, cultural, and religious devotion of Judaism, but in all fairness I haven't attended synagogue since this change of heart. Though I plan to.

[Drkshadow03]

No, I grew up in the US and in Western Europe, but in a Russian community. Absolutely, I identify myself as Russian-American. Not Russian - I have visited, but not lived in Russia - but as very Russian-American. All our food was Russian, our customs, our friends and family. All Russian Jewish.

Ah, I was asking because at least two sets of my great grandparents were from Russia, another set was from Austria, and another from Poland. I identify as Jewish-American or an American Jew.

Russia kicked out my family during their pograms, so I see no reason to identify with a country who did that. I was curious what your reasons were for identifying that way.

[amanda_isabel]

i'm a Filipino, and given that the Philippines is a Catholic country, well, i was baptized a Catholic shortly after birth (the concept of which i do not agree with since i believe that baptism should be a matter of choice). i went to a Christian school for elementary though, and thus grew up with those beliefs as opposed to knowing prayers like Hail Mary and others by heart. I have found this Born Again concept or at least the part of it that i was exposed to, a bit restricting and horizon-narrowing (no offense to others on this forum), since at my old school they immediately dismissed non-Christian things as wrong, i.e. immediately dismissing the theory of evolution as wrong and baseless and claiming that only Creationism is the truth, which of course i beg to disagree with... we didn't even study Buddhism since it was immediately regarded as worshiping "false idols", and this fanaticism (an extreme case, more like) were the main reasons i decided to switch schools for high school. (do forgive me, i'm ranting.)

so i guess, as of the moment, i am a baptized Catholic, i grew up with this Born Again concept, and right now I'm looking for somewhere to belong.

[Sir Bartholomew]

hey amanda isabel. kamusta na diyan sa baguio? i'm born and raised a roman catholic but i never go to church. the last time, i think, was a school policy so i had to attend.

[DapperDrake]

I was born and raised atheist, or more accurately without any religious or philosophical beliefs.
I became a Christian several years ago but stopped practising a year and a half ago.

[Scheherazade]

Status: Deactivated due to disuse.

[Trystan]

My religion? None. I'm an atheist from a family of lapsed Christians (apart from my mother who is also and atheist, and my dad who doesn't really care.) But I did grow up receiving some religious education, and for a while I think I really did believe in God . . . but then I discovered philosophy and science. Ethnically I'm white, from South Wales, UK. I've no idea if I have any "foreign blood" someplace.

[Tournesol]

I was born into Islam. Both my parents are Indians [Mum is a Trinidadian and Dad is a Guyanese], but they both were born and grew in the West, like me.

So, I grew up in Islam, and I'm still an avid Muslim, Alhamdulillah [praise Allah]

[NikolaiI]

My parents were divorced, my father atheist and my mother Christian. As a child I believed in God but was atheist for my early youth. I began attending church and believed for some time, but at the same time half didn't believe. Descartes, Plato and Pascal all three helped restore me to faith in God, and also some experiences I had. Now I am not strictly any religion but mainly Hindu, or rather Vaishnava. I believe Visnu and Buddha are both real, so I guess I am a mix between Vaishnava and Buddhist.

[Dori]

I was born a Protestant Christian. However, my faith has since faltered and I've been reduced to an agnostic, if that.

[Whifflingpin]

"I was born a Protestant Christian. However, my faith has since faltered and I've been reduced to an agnostic, if that."

Strangely self-deprecating phrases. Why not say "I was born a ..., but then grew up and blossomed into an agnostic" ??

[PeterL]

I had no religion at the time of my birth.

[JBI]

I was born the son of 4 Cohen grandparents. By tradition, a Cohen is not supposed to marry a convert, therefore it is safe to say that I am probably the closest thing to "pure" Jewish, in terms of blood. I am of course an Atheist, though I don't consider myself one, since atheism seems to be forming itself into its own little religion, based off quasi rhetoric and hypothetical science, and I prefer to associate myself with nothing.

[Chester]

I started out a Presbyterian. In very general terms, I am now something of a believer (although I hate to pigeonhole myself) in Christian Mysticism, ala St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila, etc.

Basically you take the Christian experience and mix it with panentheism.

Or, in philosophical terms, you begin with Plato, steer towards Spinoza, then head ultimately towards Whitehead. That’s about where you’ll find me.

[NikolaiI]

I was born a Protestant Christian. However, my faith has since faltered and I've been reduced to an agnostic, if that.

Definitely it is best to follow one's own path, with one's heart and conscience as guide. If you are true to yourself you can't go wrong, and believing anything that doesn't make sense by what is inside you is falsely following externals.


"I was born a Protestant Christian. However, my faith has since faltered and I've been reduced to an agnostic, if that."

Strangely self-deprecating phrases. Why not say "I was born a ..., but then grew up and blossomed into an agnostic" ??

You are right that it is definitely better to be positive. However, faith is a good thing. It is infinitely precious, to use The Mother's words. For instance love is inseparable from faith, and the two are the highest possible avenues of the spirit.


I had no religion at the time of my birth.

This is a good point and of course one that came to mind to me as well. In fact, people aren't Christian, or Hindu, Or Muslim, or anything, because whether or not we are a soul, we are not this body. The soul or atma is unlimited by any characteristics such as religion, race, gender, etc.


I started out a Presbyterian. In very general terms, I am now something of a believer (although I hate to pigeonhole myself) in Christian Mysticism, ala St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila, etc.

Basically you take the Christian experience and mix it with panentheism.

Or, in philosophical terms, you begin with Plato, steer towards Spinoza, then head ultimately towards Whitehead. That’s about where you’ll find me.

How wonderful! I also in many respects began with Plato. I have yet to study Spinoza in detail and I've only heard Whitehead mentioned. . .

Christian Mysticism sounds so interesting! You'll have to do something to contribute. :)

[Saladin]

Well i am from a (sunni) muslim family. But i am into islamic mysticism like sufism. My ethnicity is Somali (African), havent been there though.

.

[Dori]

"I was born a Protestant Christian. However, my faith has since faltered and I've been reduced to an agnostic, if that."

Strangely self-deprecating phrases. Why not say "I was born a ..., but then grew up and blossomed into an agnostic" ??

I generally hold people of genuine faith in high regard, for some reason or another. It's difficult for me to fathom how I, at one point in time, was actually a Christian. I miss my former self. :( Those were the good ol' days (these days are also good, but in a different way, if that makes sense). But who knows what life will throw at me next. :)

[togre]

I was born a pagan to Christian parents. As an infant, faith in Christ was created in my heart through the Holy Spirit in the waters of baptism. As a child my parents raised me to know the Christan faith as it is taught in the Bible and confessed by the Lutheran Church.

As I grew I studied the Scriptures myself and examined my beliefs and what was taught me in light of what the Bible said. I came to be personally convinced that what was taught me as a child was in keeping with the truth. I am currently a Christian who believes the truths of Scripture and acknowledges the Lutheran Confessions as found in the Book of Concord to be a faithful exposition of these truths.

As far as ethnicity (because I believe the thread asked this too), I am a fourth/fifth generation American of mostly German ancestry. I am 7/8 German, 3/32 Bohemian and 1/32 gypsy.

[Whifflingpin]

In the following, Dori, I am making some totally unwarranted assumptions - if I make sense, then good, if not then ignore me.

"I generally hold people of genuine faith in high regard, for some reason or another."
I would say that there is no intrinsic merit in faith, or belief. It is the behaviour that arises from that belief that matters, at least to other humans. For example, the faith that inspired Francis of Assissi was the same that inspired Torquemada, and both held that faith equally deeply. God may judge them to be both the same, who knows? I would admire St Francis, but would hold Torquemada in very low esteem.

"It's difficult for me to fathom how I, at one point in time, was actually a Christian."
As a child you believed what you were told by people whom you trusted. How could you not?


"I miss my former self. Those were the good ol' days "
They were days of certainty, when you accepted the beliefs of those around you and felt a strong sense of belonging. Once you start to question those beliefs, you are on your own, with no certainties and with divisions from those close to you whom you have been brought up to love and respect. This is not comfortable.

"(these days are also good, but in a different way, if that makes sense)."
Of course it makes sense. It's good to be secure and accepted, but it is also good, and even necessary, to break away from security and test alternatives.
Don't hang on to a belief that no longer makes any sense to you, and don't feel bad about abandoning such a belief.

On the other hand, if there is something you feel you ought to believe, but don't, then act as if you believed it. "La coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait pas" Sometimes the heart grasps a truth that the brain cannot. Behave as if you believe, and then either the belief will come or you will see that the belief is simply wrong.

[aabbcc]

I was never formally introduced to any religion, my parents were technically atheists and considered their religious background to be merely a cultural curiosity, and I was raised to think of religion as such.

My father, ethnically Italian, was raised Catholic, but abandoned his birth religion regarding practice - culturally, though, he is still tied to it. My mother's family is basically divided between Russian Jews (her maternal line), many of whom are expatrioted and live abroad, and between South Slavic (mostly) Eastern Orthodox (her paternal line). Culturally, she considers herself Russian first - and is all into all that panslavic stuff - and only then a Jew. She wasn't really excited about my decision to consider myself culturally a Jew despite being Italian, especially given that she tried to bring me up the way it would have the least possible influence on me. :(

[blp]

Isn't this bit of the forum supposed to be about literature?

[Erichtho]

I am an atheist, as is my family, and I also live in a fairly irreligious region.

[timbeau]

It's interesting, my family is Christian but I was never raised to believe anything. We never prayed, read The Bible, went to church, or even talked about it at all. I'm an Atheist one day and an Agnostic the next nowadays. I have an interest in Buddhism.

I'm of Ukrainian, Native American, Irish, French, and Dutch descent.

[NikolaiI]

It's interesting, my family is Christian but I was never raised to believe anything. We never prayed, read The Bible, went to church, or even talked about it at all. I'm an Atheist one day and an Agnostic the next nowadays. I have an interest in Buddhism.

I'm of Ukrainian, Native American, Irish, French, and Dutch descent.

That's wonderful! Buddhism is the best religion.

[dzebra]

It's interesting, my family is Christian but I was never raised to believe anything. We never prayed, read The Bible, went to church, or even talked about it at all. I'm an Atheist one day and an Agnostic the next nowadays. I have an interest in Buddhism.

I'm of Ukrainian, Native American, Irish, French, and Dutch descent.

If it was never even mentioned, how do you know?

[timbeau]

If it was never even mentioned, how do you know?

We had religious stuff in the house and I also remember having to pray when staying over at my mom's grandmother's house growing up.

I should've said that my parents never raised me in a religious household, because that's what I meant.

[Dori]

In the following, Dori, I am making some totally unwarranted assumptions - if I make sense, then good, if not then ignore me.

"I generally hold people of genuine faith in high regard, for some reason or another."
I would say that there is no intrinsic merit in faith, or belief. It is the behaviour that arises from that belief that matters, at least to other humans. For example, the faith that inspired Francis of Assissi was the same that inspired Torquemada, and both held that faith equally deeply. God may judge them to be both the same, who knows? I would admire St Francis, but would hold Torquemada in very low esteem.

"It's difficult for me to fathom how I, at one point in time, was actually a Christian."
As a child you believed what you were told by people whom you trusted. How could you not?


"I miss my former self. Those were the good ol' days "
They were days of certainty, when you accepted the beliefs of those around you and felt a strong sense of belonging. Once you start to question those beliefs, you are on your own, with no certainties and with divisions from those close to you whom you have been brought up to love and respect. This is not comfortable.

"(these days are also good, but in a different way, if that makes sense)."
Of course it makes sense. It's good to be secure and accepted, but it is also good, and even necessary, to break away from security and test alternatives.
Don't hang on to a belief that no longer makes any sense to you, and don't feel bad about abandoning such a belief.

On the other hand, if there is something you feel you ought to believe, but don't, then act as if you believed it. "La coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait pas" Sometimes the heart grasps a truth that the brain cannot. Behave as if you believe, and then either the belief will come or you will see that the belief is simply wrong.

Actually, I wasn't much of a Christian until a few years ago. I believed in God, of course, and attended Sunday school at one point in time, but that's about it. I was also baptized at birth. Then, once I was about 14 or so, I started attending a Youth Group at the local church every weekend (I had an ulterior motive, mind you. There was a certain young lady that convinced me to attend.) Then I evolved into a devout Christian. Two years have since passed, and now I am constantly being occupied with questions of certaintly and such. It suffices to say that I question almost everything these days. That is my story in a nutshell. :)


That's wonderful! Buddhism is the best religion.

Really? Could you elaborate? I'm quite interested in what you have to say. :)

The closest contact I've had with Buddhism was when I studied it as a part of the "World Religions" unit in my global history class.

[dzebra]

We had religious stuff in the house and I also remember having to pray when staying over at my mom's grandmother's house growing up.

I should've said that my parents never raised me in a religious household, because that's what I meant.

I wasn't trying to just ask an annoying question (I realized after posting that it may have sounded that way). A lot of times, things are communicated without words, and I was trying to imagine how Christianity was communicated without words in that setting.

[aabbcc]

Well, according to the Jewish religion, you are a Jew, as that is passed on through the matriarchal line rather than the patriarchal. I don't think being a Jew is something we choose. It's like being Italian or Russian or French. We just are Jewish. We may not all practice Judaism or believe in its tenets, but we're still Jewish. I was born a Jew and will always be a Jew.

Yep, I know what halacha says about it.
Being Jewish is not something one chooses (except in the cases of conversion), however, what one can choose the extent to which one is going to, to say so, "culturally care" about that fact. My mother, for example, is the kind of person that simply does not care; I, in the other hand, would like to have something to do with it culturally (not religiously), for example I like to hang out with other Jewish people, attend cultural events or go to lectures that are somehow connected to the Jewish issues or even religion, study Hebrew at the local synagogue, etc. Herein, essentially, is the seed of destruction in the relationship between my mother and me - she does not care, but would also prefer that I do not care; she does not deny, but nevertheless does not want to be reminded (especially by her own daughter); and to top it all, as we live in Italy and my father is Italian, she thinks my behaviour as described to be "politically stupid", in a way, because she believes it might lead to identifying myself with a minority in my own country, making "potentially unwise social connections", because "who knows when the next shoach or similar sh*t might happen". Also, she loves to remind me that now that I am officially an adult , everything I do or say is taken seriously and carries certain weight, and that if "you publicly and openly, be it by your words or social connections or anything, mark yourself as a Jew now, rather than Italian, it might be impossible to de-mark yourself in the future, and G-d knows if there might appear some circumstances under which you will [I]want to de-mark and de-associate yourself with all that", especially given recent and not so recent history, politics, etc.

In a way, she is right - what we talk about here are not merely religious feelings or lack thereof, but one entire cultural dimension about it. She thinks that being "culturally Jewish" is stupid in my case, potentially unwise, and that I am totally silly for studying Hebrew, hanging around with Jewish friends (some of whom happen to be children of influential Jews in the city, which is another problem for my mother) and making such "social connections", as she says, and stuff of the kind. Which are really nothing special, a bunch of my friends who are also perfect "Italians" as I am do the same thing by being somehow in contact with some other roots, but my mother seems to be the only one to have a problem with it. :(

I went off-topic, though. (We can chat over PM, if you want to hear more of my lamentations. :D ) The simple answer to the question posed would be - born in an atheist family, currently an atheist. If we talk exclusively about belief.

[NikolaiI]

Really? Could you elaborate? I'm quite interested in what you have to say.

There are different kinds of Buddhism. Pure Land Buddhism, or Shin Buddhism, comes from Japan, as does Zen, which comes from the earlier Ch'an Buddhism, from China. In Pure Land Buddhism, the Pure Land is the Other Shore, which one reaches by saying "Namu Amida Butsu," just like crossing over. There are many different Buddhist Scriptures, mantras, and sutras.

The Heart of Wisdom Sutra is a good sutra.

Buddhist practice has different rules for lay people and monks. Buddhism emphasizes many things, especially since it is so vast. All Buddhists should practice ahimsa, which is nonviolence, which means not eating meat or killing any living thing.

[Amundsen]

catholic, waiting for rabbi,(in our city there is no working synagogue, there is a library, in synagogue, but library is moving to new place) but that could take few years.....

[J'aimeVous]

Hey.

My mother didn't bring me up to believe in anything as she wanted me to be independent and have my own views. I'm not of any religion and I don't believe in God, but that doesn't mean I don't believe in some other aspects of religion. And I certainly don't completely pass off religion as rubbish like some people do. I enjoy learning about other religions and cultures.

My racial makeup is simply White/Caucasian.

[cipherdecoy]

Born a freethinker, and still one.

[Chester]

Born a freethinker, and still one.
What does "freethinker" mean?

[ampoule]

What does "freethinker" mean?

Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that beliefs should be formed on the basis of science and logic and should not be influenced by emotion, authority, tradition, or any dogma. The cognitive application of freethought is known as freethinking, and practitioners of freethought are known as freethinkers.

[Chester]

Interesting. Thank you. I was just curious. As I suspected, "freethinking" seems to come with its own set of constraints. But I suppose this is inescapable with any kind of thinking.

[ampoule]

Though I didn't do much protesting (hardly even cried), I was born into a protestant family. The Kansas relatives were Methodist but the family in California went by the wayside. One aunt, however, became our token religious person when she became a missionary through the Baptist church. So then we all said we were Baptist. My parents sent me to Sunday School and just about everyone's Vacation Bible School. I loved it. Couldn't get enough. As I got older I began going to church also, mostly general protestant and Baptist. I refused to be baptised though.
Then, when I was 21, I was baptised, and happily and freely joined the United Methodist Church. Some say the Methodists are watered-down Baptists. I don't believe that for a moment. As a woman I never felt worthy there. I love the Methodist church but I embrace many things about many religions. I think I am more spiritual than anything but I need a place to focus my talents and energy.

I am a Native Daughter of the Golden West with an Irish and French heritage and some Bohemian too.

[blazeofglory]

I was a Hindu by birth and now I argued then that Hinduism was the greatest religion and the rest are not as great as Hinduism. Now I take all religions as equals.

[Anatoliy]

i'm christian by birth, but i do not consider myself a religious person. i think that every religion is equal, but i'm not a strong believer in god (in the meaning, that he is such a supernatural creature, who can rule our lives, who can punish me for all my sins). and, frankly speaking, i do not like the idea, that i should be affraid of god, because he is more powerful than me. i do not understand the idea of religion, which is based on fear of god. i prefer love, respect and other things of this kind. and i think, that god is some kind of energy, or, maybe, nature.... or... i just don't know.

[jaywalker]

I was born without any Religious belief. I'm puzzled that anyone should be born believing. I was taught Xtianity by a nice man with a stick. As soon as I began to think;I returned to my original state.

[Pendragon]

Nobody is born with salvation; they may be born into a religion. Religion will never bring salvation, that takes God getting a hold of the heart of someone. I accepted Christ as my savior, thus I became a Christian. But my walk with God is mine alone, not pre-packaged by any branch of Christianity...

God Bless

Pen

[bree]

I was born into a Roman Catholic family and I still practice this religion. I attend church on Sunday's because I want too and my children accompany me. I was never forced to attend church as a child and I feel because of this I wanted to attend as my children do today.

[EricP]

I was born and raised as a Catholic. Now I am an atheist.

[eyemaker]

Roman Catholic is my religion. Hi EricP, would you mind if I ask you why you shifted to be an atheist?

[EricP]

Roman Catholic is my religion. Hi EricP, would you mind if I ask you why you shifted to be an atheist?

I never really believed in god, even as a teenager wasting away countless beautiful Saturdays in stuffy, lengthy catechism classes. I basically went through the motions, following the path of least resistance to avoid confrontations with my parents. I became much more certain of my own personal lack of belief when I began reading philosophy. When I discovered the writings of Bertrand Russell, Nietzsche, Voltaire, Diderot, D'Holbach, Freud, Marx, and Darwin, I felt like a whole new world opened up to me. I haven't looked back since. I think that I became a much happier person once I moved away from home and was able to stop pretending.

I'm not a narrow-minded person, though, and some of my heroes are Catholics: Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, Desmond Tutu, etc.

[Hypercrit Htd]

As Muslim youth it seem to me that religious people were most wicked people in the world. That had me look to other religion which did much to expand my knowledge. Today my view nondenominational.

[mercy_mankind]

As Muslim youth it seem to me that religious people were most wicked people in the world.



What is your religion?

[AARONDISNEY]

Born - Christian (church Of God - Cleveland, Tn Hq Denomination)

Now - Christian (church Of God - Cleveland, Tn Hq Denomination)
.....33 Years And Going.

*not that I was born a Christian - kinda looked funny when I saw it. I was born into a Christian family and became a Christian myself kind of late, age 26. Though I went to Church all my life. I respected Christianity, believed that Jesus was the answer, but still wanted to control my own life for 26 years until I gave it to Jesus (like I should have done many years prior).

[Sorceress]

I'm a Hindu

[Niamh]

Birth Religion; Roman Catholic
Current Religious Status; Spiritualist

[Virgil]

I'm not a narrow-minded person, though, and some of my heroes are Catholics: Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, Desmond Tutu, etc.

Desmond Tutu is not Catholic. I believe he's Anglican.

[Niamh]

you are right Virg. He was ordained the first black anglican archbishop of cape town. :)

[ericalauren]

I was baptized Methodist, but I have always been atheistic agnostic (well, since I was able to think and remember, which was around age 5). I'm a European-American, but, first and foremost, I am a conscious citizen of the world.

[Judas130]

Born - A Roman Catholic, in London, of complete Irish heritage. Some i'm one of them..london-irish folk...yet i've moved out long ago.

Now - well, now i'm not sure. I respect my religion and i study religion at sixth form/college held in a catholic school. Basically, I put my opinions to one side and learnt the opinions of others, yet did not follow them, just observed them. Its all I do. I love to study faith, and what it does to people.
However, I myself have thought to renounce my faith mainly because it serves me no purpose anymore, I have a bible that i read, just as i have a koran. Every one of these world faith books contain lovely ideas which, should I agree with, I might live by. Hell, i've looked upon the work of the current Dalai Lama, all the way to that of Anton LaVey. I'm still trying to define God in my life, currently he is a non-physical symbol for universal brotherhood, yet something more would be nice. Maybe i might just resort to some pagan faith thats all about peace and worshipping the Sun. I can see the deal with that, without the Sun there would be no life on Earth.

I don't know. :D

[Bakiryu]

Birth religion? People are not born religious.

My parents are if that counts. My mother is a catholic/santeria practitioner and my father is a satanist.

I'm part irish
Part black
Part cuban-taino
part scottish

which in turn fragment into bits of little parts since my family seems to feel the need to marry quite different people from random countries.

I'm not religious right now, i like not to believe in lies.

[Judas130]

My mother is a catholic/santeria practitioner and my father is a satanist.



the phrase 'opposites attract' springs to mind. cool.

[cipherdecoy]

I'm chinese and an agnostic theist.

[wilbur lim]

I am half Chinese,and half Hokkien.Nonetheless,I intend to be a Christian.

[blazeofglory]

Religion is not a thing I was born with or attached for that matter now. I do not want to repeat the same mistakes that divided me among my own brothers and sisters and separated me from being in the same clan you are. No I do not want to belong to any anymore now.

Friends I am none, not even a human being and if I say I am a human being there are other beings or species they are not human beings and they are just beings and I am a being and nothing else, a part of this existence. I do not want to draw a line even between beings and non beings. We are the universe, a whole, an integral whole!

[bluelala]

hello~

[princesspoppi]

My mum was a non-practicing Catholic, Dad an Atheist, so I was baptised Catholic as a baby. Now I am a Christian which I find very difficult as I find myself struggling everyday. I received life but find it hard to accept.

[mercymyqueen]

I'm Jewish, born to very irreligious parents who consider our culture more important than our religion. I attended a yeshiva for most of my youth, though I later went to public school.

I fancied myself a very reluctant agnostic, because I don't practice as often as I should, and feel that I need to practice my religion regularly in order to regularly feel G-d's presence. I'm very much culturally Jewish, and agree with a great deal of, if not all, the tenets of my religion but try to keep my Bible and laws in context so I better understand them, and whether or how I should agree with them. I feel my idea of G-d very much half-formed, and am so unsatisfied with that. I also feel that living in a very atheistic society, despite my religious Jewish neighborhood, does me more harm than good. Whenever I practice, I am happy, but somehow, I do not do as much as I should.

[NikolaiI]

My current religious position is Vaishnavism.

[muhsin]

Islam; from craddle to grave (by God's grace).

[Joreads]

I am a Roman Catholic but not a practicing one in the sense of going to church. This is strickly for myself - I don't believe that you have to attend a certain place on a certain day to prove that you believe so I guess I practice religion in my own way.

[blazeofglory]

My religion is kindness to all.

[Equality72521]

Birth religion - none
Following religion - baptist
Next - methodist
After - I dabbled (dabbled meaning looked into/studied) Wicca
Now - pure and absolute Confuzzledness!!!! :( I belive in something, I just don't know what.

[blazeofglory]

Born into a Hindu orthodoxy family and being a devout Hindu for a long time now I am in a state I can not totally subscribe to Hindu Views and ideas when it comes to descending on a domain of philosophy. Unquestionably Hinduism is a great resoirvoir of philosophhies and unlike Christiantiy, Judaism and the like Hinduism is rich in philosophy. Christianity has enriched it drawing on greek philosophy whereas Hinduism is rich per se.

[ntropyincarnate]

Raised Christian (Lutheran), now i'm pretty much like Equality - utterly confused. I call myself agnostic, for lack of a better word.

1/2 Scottish
3/8 German
1/8 Swedish

[Zippy]

Scottish, Roman Catholic, lapsed, atheist, once again a believer (in that order!)

[librarius_qui]

Also, racial makeup.

I was born a Jew, and then I left and became independant but still a believer in the Abrahamic G-d.

I am one quarter Russian
I am one quarter Italian
I am one quarter Belarussian (essentially Russian)
I am one quarter Irish/English

I'll stick to "What's your birth religion and current religious status?"

I was raised as an atheist.
After that, I stumbled on the bible. Got at awe with Solomon. Began believing in Jacob's god, was taught in the teaching of his son, and baptized. Until this day, I'm part of a flock in the Carioca* church.

librarius
klicky


__________

*"Carioca" is the name of people who were born or consider themselves from Rio de Janeiro, for living here awhile

[maraki16]

i am christian, orthodox actually.well, i do not know if i am a good christian after all, since3 i do not go to the church(at least not more than twice a year. sometimes when i feel like doing so, i go there to light a candle and pray if the church is empty).
i don't know if i would ever change my religion; well, i don't think i would do so. i have studied a few things about other religions as well, but i have come to the conclusion that none of them expresses my feelings and is at total accordance with my beliefs. what i know is that i should love people and try not to do any harm and learn to forgive. and if these are not enough in order to be considered a good christian, so it might be

[Josef K]

Born catholic, raised catholic, father was a catholic deacon.

I'm currently an atheist.

[absurda]

I was raised in a catholic family of japanese descendents living in Brazil. But currently I am an agnostic. And I don't consider myself a catholic, even though I was baptized.

[RG57]

I was raised as an Anglican, but my parents told s it was up to us to which church we joined or not. I was eventually baptised and confirmed into the Anglican church in 1982 but in 1996 I became a Catholic.

[Mona ..]

Islam

[dodong]

i'm an Adventist...a Seventh-day Adventist...
i'm a filipino...1/8 spanish...

[billyjack]

born and confirmed methodist.

now:thinking about the religion of FSM

[AMDG]

born and raised catholic.

right now i dont know.
jesus is my best friend.
but i dont believe in organized religion.

[Tournesol]

I was born and raised as a Muslim, and by my own choice, I still am a Muslim!

[deema]

muslim

[MissSpoon]

Born A Muslim and Always will be!

[mona amon]

Born a christian (protestant), was an atheist for a while, now a christian again.

[1n50mn14]

Born into several conflicting religions:

my parents are both athiests.

My maternal grandfather is Jehovah's Witness/Ojibway (native American religion).
My maternal grandmother is Presbyterian.

My paternal grandparents are Christian.

I'm Ojibway, Irish, English and French by heritage.

[blazeofglory]

In fact earlier I belonged to a particular religion and now I feel I am hooked to universalism.

[PoeticPassions]

well, interesting really... ethnically/relgiously I was born in a mixed marriage-- my dad being Muslim my mom being Russian Orthodox (Serb)... I grew up in a somewhat Communist household (I did not know who Jesus was until I was 8 or so, and before then I don't think I even knew what/who God was/is)... later, I started going to a Christian church in the states, up until I was 15 years old, at which point I decided to say "f*ck it, there is no God," and my life was so much better since that point.

Now I would say I am an agnostic (though I do not like classifications much.. but I suppose I could say that I doubt, that I am skeptical, that I believe in LOVE above all else, and that if there is one thing I am certain of, it is that we can never be certain of anything)

:)

[oopsycandy]

ha born into a family with no religion.

Granparents were C of E, catholic and protestant but it made no difference.

Not baptised and absolutely no plans of ever joining or condoning any religion in the future. So put me in the atheist pile x

[Emmy Castrol]

I was born a refugee and when we first came to Australia it was the Seventh-Day Adventist church that helped us settle down here.

Over time, my family became more and more secular, so I guess my upbringing was worldly?

Then, when I was 17 I went back to the SDA church (on my own, my family is still non-religious) out of thankfulness for what they provided for my family when I was still an infant, even if I do not agree with all of their doctrines.

[mono]

Born with no religion, though given a Biblical name (in conjunction with my elder brother's), yet we attended Sunday Masses. My parents later baptized me as a Catholic at age 6, and we continued attending Masses, until I began developing my ideas related to skepticism; I have not gone to church since age 11 or 12. Now, I have ended up where I began, with no religion, yet still have a Biblical name. :p

[Chava]

My parents deliberatly tried to find a non-religious name for me, thus naming me after a celtic queen (All these inate expectations to live up to!) Later, they realised that two streets from their house was St. Sunniva's school. :)

That aside. I was brought up to understand and respect all religions, we read the bible around easter, read the koran for Eid, read buddisht scriptures while visiting the Borobudur, and told tales of hinduism. Both my parents were baptized, but neither is religious.

[Zee.]

Buddhist.

[mmaria]

Atheist.
The religion that my mind has mostly in common with (during my life experience) is Buddhism, although I am not physically close to Buddhists.

[Mathor]

I grew up Catholic-raised, but have broken away from that. These days I'm somewhere between agnostic and buddhist.

[Tsuyoiko]

Brought up Methodist, now Atheist, of Jewish and Gypsy descent.

[The Comedian]

I grew up worshiping Sunday afternoon football (NFL), a religion around these parts. While I still maintain a certain reverence for this faith, I'm not as intense about it as I was in my younger days. But on those rare moments when faith aligns with circumstance, I can open a ceremonial beverage and raise it on high near my cushioned pew from whence I participate in this particular kind of worship from afar, as, alas, my sermon still arrives live via satellite.

[Scheherazade]

I grew up worshiping Sunday afternoon football (NFL), a religion around these parts. While I still maintain a certain reverence for this faith, I'm not as intense about it as I was in my younger days. But on those rare moments when faith aligns with circumstance, I can open a ceremonial beverage and raise it on high near my cushioned pew from whence I participate in this particular kind of worship from afar, as, alas, my sermon still arrives live via satellite.No pilgrimage on the cards yet then?

:D

[dramasnot6]

Born with both my parents being agnostic. I now consider myself an atheist.
My dad was raised Hindu. My grandpa on my mom's side was raised Jewish and my grandmother on my mom's side was raised Catholic but both considered themselves atheists when raising my mom.

[Mariamosis]

I was brought up Catholic. I went to a private catholic school for 9 years. I never really took it seriously, and I am now athiest.

I think the nuns and monks confused me...

French on my father's side
Scottish on my mother's side
(I am sure with a few mixes in between)
Born and raised in America

[*Classic*Charm*]

Born and raised Roman Catholic

Science and Philosophy are helping me develop what I think it true and good. I don't follow any faith or any particular philosophy.

I'm of half dutch descent, the other half is a mix of british, scottish, dutch, and I don't know what else. I'm just Canadian, really.

[Neo_Sephiroth]

Umm...I was born under...Bhuddist? Well, my mom was Catholic, I think? Eh, either way, I don't remember going to Bhuddist temples or Catholic churches. Mormonism now.

Full-Blood Lao.

[The Comedian]

Honestly: I grew up a half-hearted Methodist and am now a Jew by association.

[Bastable]

I was born and raised a christian. I lapsed for a number of years, but a number of events have since made me start reading my bible again.

[Virgil]

Honestly: I grew up a half-hearted Methodist and am now a Jew by association.

A jewish comedian? You've got lots of great company. ;)

[jon1jt]

I was raised by a She Wolf in an Idaho cave. Religion, unknown.

[Vangelis]

Was brought up christian and am now Buddhist (have been for about 7 years). I intend to die a Buddhist - but not just yet...

Am Australian with Greek ancestry.

[dramasnot6]

I was raised by a She Wolf in an Idaho cave. Religion, unknown.

I envy that kind of freedom.

[Wilde woman]

I was born into a Buddhist family, but I don't practice much anymore.

[Delta40]

I was born into a CoE background where I went to Sunday School for the lollies. Now, I reflect as I journey on.....

[krymsonkyng]

Who knows...

[mystery_spell]

I am a Christian, Protestant to be more specific, according to my family. According to my own views, I am Agnostic with a little bit of Pagan/Wiccan thrown in.

[whatsername]

I was born a muslim, still am a muslim and will die a muslim (God willing)

[an7hrax]

I was born catholic,
I read the Bible
then I read the Qur’an
then I came to the conclusion I could not believe either

[dramasnot6]

I was born into a CoE background where I went to Sunday School for the lollies. Now, I reflect as I journey on.....

What we do for a sweet tooth...there is no end.

[JacobF]

My Father is protestant and for the most part we were raised protestant -- went to church every Sunday -- but my Mother is Jewish, so I was exposed to that religion as well. Especially around the holidays. Now I'm atheist, and haven't gone to church in about 3 years.

[Luciela Minerva]

I was born Muslim, raised in a predominantly conservative Muslim context, and still am a Muslim.

I'm 50% Chinese and Malay. I'm Asian, so you'd probably not have heard of the Malay race :p

[MissScarlett]

I am Roman Catholic. Was baptized Roman Catholic, am Roman Catholic today, and will remain Roman Catholic and devoted to the Church, though I don't always attend every week.

I'm Dutch, French, and believe it or not, Chinese. (I know I don't look it.)

[Lynne Fees]

My mother was raised as a Catholic. My father was raised as a non-practicing Episcopalian. My parents became Lutherans. I became a Baptist. One sister remained Lutheran. One sister became Catholic. Maybe kids like a different brand of religion than their parents.


My Father is protestant and for the most part we were raised protestant -- went to church every Sunday -- but my Mother is Jewish, so I was exposed to that religion as well. Especially around the holidays. Now I'm atheist, and haven't gone to church in about 3 years.

My one-year-old nephew is in the same boat. How did your parents handle the issue of "Who Was/Is Jesus"?

[jakobmuller]

I am an atheist/agnostic, a little of both. I was born that way obviously, and always have been that way, even though i tried to dabble in christianity just because the community is oppressively christian, but found it too ridiculous to ever even start to believe. I found it like the story parents tell little kids about santa and the north pole, except i never even found about it in the first place to find out it wasn't true.

[crystalmoonshin]

I'm a Catholic by birth though I'm not entirely devoted to the Catholics church.
I'm 75% Chinese and 25% Filipino. :)

[Lynne Fees]

I am an atheist/agnostic, a little of both. I was born that was obviously, and always have been that way, even though i tried to dabble in christianity just because the community is oppresingly christian, but found it too ridiculous to ever even start to believe. I found it like the story parents tell little kids about santa and the north pole, except i never even found about it in the first place to find out it wasn't true.

So your parents didn't really say anything about who Jesus was?

[grotto]

Born into a catholic house hold, did what I was supposed to do until I was 15.

I am no longer dominated by a denomination or a member to any dogma.

I have no label, I like it there.

[jakobmuller]

So your parents didn't really say anything about who Jesus was?

Yes, and i have come to appreciate it since it let me form my own opinion.

[Rorshach69]

Yes, and i have come to appreciate it since it let me form my own opinion.

Yea, in a society where people have lost the ability/guts to think for themselves, i find it pretty cool of my parents to let me believe what i wanted. Not what all the "Cool" kids were believing. Because now as my time with those "Christians" dwindle down in high school i realized who had the better morals. Not the kids who went to church on Sunday and were also having pre-marital sex, doing drugs, and judging others But the kid who never believed in such a foolish thing as religion.....

[Lynne Fees]

Yea, in a society where people have lost the ability/guts to think for themselves, i find it pretty cool of my parents to let me believe what i wanted. Not what all the "Cool" kids were believing. Because now as my time with those "Christians" dwindle down in high school i realized who had the better morals. Not the kids who went to church on Sunday and were also having pre-marital sex, doing drugs, and judging others But the kid who never believed in such a foolish thing as religion.....

That is sad when the "church" kids (or grown-ups, for that matter), don't show true faith in their lives. Jesus said, "By this all men shall know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Instead people see immoral behavior!

[MarkBastable]

Raised non-Conformist Baptist. Now committed atheist.

I've never really understood why people try to keep their children away from beliefs other than their own. I make sure my children get a solid and systemic religious education, on the basis that they need to know what they're talking about in order to make a decision. Just as I find it hard to take seriously a close-minded believer, I'm unconvinced by ill-informed atheists.

[Lynne Fees]

Raised non-Conformist Baptist. Now committed atheist.

I've never really understood why people try to keep their children away from beliefs other than their own. I make sure my children get a solid and systemic religious education, on the basis that they need to know what they're talking about in order to make a decision. Just as I find it hard to take seriously a close-minded believer, I'm unconvinced by ill-informed atheists.

I'm unconvinced by ill-informed Christians!

[MarkBastable]

I'm unconvinced by ill-informed Christians!

Well, yeah - but as I have no investment in their views, I don't mind so much.

Whereas ill-informed atheists just make life difficult for the more intellectually rigorous of us.