How much do you value your religious background?

Religions, cultures, traditions have evolved through epochs. Today we are somewhat different from our ancestors and we kind of do not subscribe to the ideas and practices our elders are glued to. I do not want to belong to any particular thought or ideology. I know religious or ideological pillars stand on sandy foundation. They are wobbly.
I grew up in a totally conservative background and we have so many castes and creeds and even in the eve of scientific inventions in which most of our age-old belief systems have been shaken.

Religion never played a big part in my life. I went to a catholic school (not in the US) and was taught about Jesus and God and their magical powers. Anyway, I believe a learnt a great deal from that. Jesus taught me to stick up for the underdog, so to speak, to love my neighbour and to be kind and all that jazz. Of course, my mother and grandparents taught me those values as well and they did not bring Jesus into it, although my grandparents were devout catholics. Those stories really made an impression on me but the bigger story (he died for my sins and he's my ticket to salvation) never convinced me. I only went to church with school but I stopped going along when I was about 14 years old. Since then I've been to church only for weddings and funerals. I became interested in buddhism in my teens and the buddhist philosophy made quite an impression on me too. But I took from it what I needed and disgarded the rest.

I'm an atheist but I recognise the influence religion has had, but nevertheless, I'm positive I would've turned out fine regardless of religion.

Nobody can avoid being religious no matter how much they claim not to be. Everybody is constantly praying and living of hope, either covertly or overtly. Good luck in eventually getting to realize these facts.

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Originally Posted by osho

Religions, cultures, traditions have evolved through epochs. Today we are somewhat different from our ancestors and we kind of do not subscribe to the ideas and practices our elders are glued to. I do not want to belong to any particular thought or ideology. I know religious or ideological pillars stand on sandy foundation. They are wobbly.
I grew up in a totally conservative background and we have so many castes and creeds and even in the eve of scientific inventions in which most of our age-old belief systems have been shaken.

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How have these age-old belief systems been shaken? I assume you are coming from a Hindu tradition, but I may be wrong. If anything the materialistic and deterministic metaphysics of the late 19th century are what have been shaken by modern science.

I hold my value my religion (Catholicism) very much. I have had a great deal of struggle in my life (cancer,stroke) and I Have had experiences that may be considered Devine and my faith helped me get through those ordeals

I have had occasion to question everything I have ever believed. Some things I now realize were simply the result of being told this was the way it was, no questions allowed. At the end of the day, I still have my faith (Christianity), but now it is based on nobody's narrow minded opinions in what I believe to be right or wrong. To any of you who wish to still walk in the ways of whatever Religion you espouse, make certain that it is your own choice, don't just follow blindly someone else's belief however much you may trust them. On the road of salvation there is only room for you and God. You should attend services, read whatever Holy Text comforts you, have a solid idea what is right and what is wrong. Ultimately, however, you stand or fall on your own two feet. A walk with God is personal, not a community effort.

God Bless

Pen

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Originally Posted by YesNo

If anything the materialistic and deterministic metaphysics of the late 19th century are what have been shaken by modern science.

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Could you elaborate on this?

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Originally Posted by cafolini

Nobody can avoid being religious no matter how much they claim not to be. Everybody is constantly praying and living of hope, either covertly or overtly. Good luck in eventually getting to realize these facts.

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I'm...not sure what you mean here. Praying and 'living of hope' to whom or what? To a deity? To themselves? I may be misreading you but it seems that you're using a very broad definition for what constitutes being religious.

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Originally Posted by Pendragon

I have had occasion to question everything I have ever believed. Some things I now realize were simply the result of being told this was the way it was, no questions allowed. At the end of the day, I still have my faith (Christianity), but now it is based on nobody's narrow minded opinions in what I believe to be right or wrong. To any of you who wish to still walk in the ways of whatever Religion you espouse, make certain that it is your own choice, don't just follow blindly someone else's belief however much you may trust them. On the road of salvation there is only room for you and God. You should attend services, read whatever Holy Text comforts you, have a solid idea what is right and what is wrong. Ultimately, however, you stand or fall on your own two feet. A walk with God is personal, not a community effort.

God Bless

Pen

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And strictly by His Grace, I should add.

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Originally Posted by Pendragon

I have had occasion to question everything I have ever believed. Some things I now realize were simply the result of being told this was the way it was, no questions allowed. At the end of the day, I still have my faith (Christianity), but now it is based on nobody's narrow minded opinions in what I believe to be right or wrong. To any of you who wish to still walk in the ways of whatever Religion you espouse, make certain that it is your own choice, don't just follow blindly someone else's belief however much you may trust them. On the road of salvation there is only room for you and God. You should attend services, read whatever Holy Text comforts you, have a solid idea what is right and what is wrong. Ultimately, however, you stand or fall on your own two feet. A walk with God is personal, not a community effort.

God Bless

Pen

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This was well-put.

Ironic that an institution such as the catholic church goes out to impose certain religious ideals, and in doing so, teaches the kids to think for themselves by questioning some pretty ridiculous assertions.

that's what i got from my religious background, that you should question everything in an effort to formulate your own opinion. for that reason, i value my background.

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Originally Posted by hypatia_

Ironic that an institution such as the catholic church goes out to impose certain religious ideals, and in doing so, teaches the kids to think for themselves by questioning some pretty ridiculous assertions.

that's what i got from my religious background, that you should question everything in an effort to formulate your own opinion. for that reason, i value my background.

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I don't think there is any irony left in the Roman Catholic (let's not forget that the Episcopalian is also Catholic) but a mental game of dope and malice.
It does not teach children to think for themselves at all, although having been forced to adopt false values, those who wake up know a few bits of the BS Magna. It is not at all a matter of opinion. If someone tells you to eat ****, you don't need an opinion to avoid it. God be with you. Irony my arse.

90% of my friends from sunday school walked away from it knowing more about how to question religion than how to follow it. it was such a joke it taught us to think for ourselves. that is what i mean by irony.

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Originally Posted by hypatia_

90% of my friends from sunday school walked away from it knowing more about how to question religion than how to follow it. it was such a joke it taught us to think for ourselves. that is what i mean by irony.

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I knew exactly what you meant, given your background and disposition. You meant Socratic Irony. I call it BS magna. There is no humor, nor wit in there.

are you saying normal irony is feigned and implies wit? in that case i don't even think my situation is socratic irony, since that still implies the church knew what they were doing..

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Originally Posted by hypatia_

are you saying normal irony is feigned and implies wit? in that case i don't even think my situation is socratic irony, since that still implies the church knew what they were doing..

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Of course they knew. Case closed.

I didn't really have a religious upbringing. I never went to church. But my dad often quoted from the new testament and spoke a lot of Buddhism, and I believe this greatly contributed to the development of my morality and philosophy.

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Originally Posted by cafolini

Of course they knew. Case closed.

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you think they intended to make students think for themselves rather than obey their teachings?

My religious background had much stronger impact on me when I was a child. My husband is a catholic and goes to church once for a week but I don`t. Well I can go but I don`t feel involved in it.

I only value them in the sense that they have gotten me to where I am today. I was raised under a specific sect of Christianity, was baptized into the LDS (mormon) church at age 21, and have sense left all in search of my own spirituality, where I have grown the most as a person, and become closer to my God.