What is your birth religion and current religious status?

[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 [I am 18], 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 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. ) 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.