What was the original thing that made you follow specific religion, or lack there of?

Answer 1

I never believed in my religion because of all the hate and violence it caused.

Answer 2

Well I followed christianity because I was born into it and until I was a certain age did not have the choice. When I left that belief system really didn't have any kind of belief while I studied various religions to find a path more suitable to myself. After some time, I chose to be an Eclectic Wiccan because it offered me everything organized religion didn't - tolerance, understanding, a relationship with the natural world around me, the allowance for the belief to grow and change as I did. Now 21 yrs later and middle aged I am again changing and I am still searching and learning and I believe that is a continual lifetime process and it is normal.

Answer 3

I was born and raised into Christianity, saved and baptized when I was 22. When I was 33 I started studying Astrology, which I have studied for many years now. I realized that Astrology was not bad and the devil's work as Christians say. so then I started reading some new age material and it made sense but I was still Christian but I was thinking that you can still be Christian and believe in reincarnation because the bible talks about it, even though Christians will say you are misinterpreting it, (who told them how to interpret it, some other old preacher guy). and that many references to it were removed from the bible by the council of Constantine.

Then one day I was reading a book that made mention of some things that I thought must be crazy. But then I thought more about it and I thought well I'm going to go look for myself. So I started studying the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian tablets and my husband and I both decided that it just wasn't coincidence the similarities between these documents and the bible and since they are a few thousand years older than the bible I think it is clear who copied who. After that I studied more to make sure what I was thinking was true, then I resigned from Christianity, I believe it is false.

Answer 4

Belief systems are a security blanket, a reason to be, easy explanations for the obsurdities of the world. My lack there of came over time, I just found that it was never in my heart nor do I have the need for such a crutch. I accept the unexplainable. Besides, religion, and the concept of one being 'better' or "more right" than another has plagued human existance since society began. I cant be a part of that.

Answer 5

I am a witch, more or less. I know I shouldn't be the badger I am in here towards Christians and Muslims, but their ignorance annoys me far too greatly.
I subscribe to witch beliefs mainly because they are there to provide one with a spiritual path to follow while at the same time NEVER claiming to be the one and only way - all else burn in hell. The concept of one path of many appeals to me because there are entirely too many religions out there which prophesy their own perfection - damned are all the rest. It gives me something to hold onto yet doesn't tell me to convert or kill everyone else.
I think all religion should adopt this attitude; we could eliminate the whole idea of Holy War altogether.

Answer 6

I was in a state of complete existential despair and anguish, feeling pretty much like a cockroach scurrying around on earth pointlessly, waiting to get squished, and I said, basically, "God, if you're there, I need you, because otherwise I can't live." And in some way I can't describe, I received a gift of light and hope, in some deep, inward place, which has never afterward deserted me. I've practiced a few different religions (now pretty firmly a Christian), but have never lost theistic faith after that experience.

Answer 7

I was taken to church as a child and believed in God...I also believed that Jesus was God's son who died on a cross...but that's about it, that's all I knew. I went away from church for decades....it was boring to me when I was a teenager.

When I was about 45 years old, someone brought me to a good bible teaching church. I listened and listened. At first, I was put off by the statement, only Jesus saves you. I thought, how arrogant. Then I got into bible study. Among other things, I found out Jesus made that statement in John 14:6.

After many years of studying the bible in depth, I am sure it is the inspired word of God. I cannot tell others what to believe, but I stand on His word, and I now know exactly who Jesus is. That is why I call myself a born again Christian.

Answer 8

My lack of belief was the result of:

My natural tendency to be curious and to question everything. Mom and dad hated me, they didn't have all the answers. The priests didn't have all the answer, and some of those they had were highly suspicious. I find religion and mythology fascinating, I particularly like greek mythology. =D

Answer 9

A series of tragedies, spread out over many years. As the drama of my life played out, I began to see my reaction to, and involvement in those tragedies as inevitable. At a certain point, it became painfully obvious that a pattern was developing. My childhood education (bible school) leaped to the front of my mind, and identified the pattern, as the same drama illustrated in the Bible. Original sin, forgiveness, prayer and sacrifice crystallized in my mind, and the symmetrical beauty of the larger picture became self-evident.

And then I began to study the Bible in earnest...

Answer 10

I actually spent about 6 years studying people around me and their various religious affiliations.

My desire was to get to know God and associate withe others who believe what I believe in my heart so I chose a religion and am very happy.

I still believe that spirituality is more important than "religion". Anyone can attend a church but it takes someone with integrity and honesty to actually live what they propose to believe.

good luck on your quest.

Answer 11

My whole life I thought that the answers to existence and inner peace were int the Bible. I read the Bible and I realized it was full of rubbish. Later I started reading Eastern philosophy and I realized that the Judeo-Christian God was completely pointless. I later came to realize that all gods that wanted to be worshipped were pointless.