If you have a religion, have you given up on it?

Answer 1

Nothing.

My religion is liberating not enslaving.

Answer 2

I was baptized and confirmed Lutheran but always had problems believing what I was being told and when I asked questions, the only answer I ever got was "have faith." That just didn't do it for me. I wanted answers, not platitudes, even at age 10.

I started saying I was agnostic in my late teens/early 20s but even as I said "There may be something out there," I felt like I was lying.

Two years ago, I said, "I'm an atheist" outloud for the first time. The sense of peace and tranquillity that I felt at that moment was almost surreal. I've not felt conflicted at all since then.

I've since settled on Agnostic, more or less. I don't think we can honestly say, one way or the other, definitely, for sure, that there is a God, so I can't be a Christian (who says there is a God) nor can I be an Atheist (who says there is no God) because I can't verify either way that either of them is true.

Answer 3

When you are born a family with one kind of religion, maybe you keep it until you grow up, and find another religion that may fulfil your needs, or better, throw away any religion. There is no tragedy in giving up one religion for another or just get rid of all religions. Live in peace and prosper!

Answer 4

I believe that all religions are, at their base, the same. I have SWITCHED religions, from Christianity (Presbyterian) to Pagan and I couldn't be happier about my decision. I think the problem comes when we feel trapped in the religion that we were raised in and don't realize that there are other options out there to explore that might make us happier.

Answer 5

I've given up on the "religion" label. I choose to call myself a "believer".

Answer 6

I am a born-again atheist. Sure, it would be nice if when we die we go to a magical place where Grandpa Joe and Sparky the cat are waiting for us with Jesus and we all live forever holding hands on fluffy white clouds. But that's just not reality. And anyone who thinks so it is is either a child, a complete idiot, or seriously deceiving themselves.

Answer 7

No, if you give up on it. You don't have it. Relgion doesn't work anyway. It just causes problems. The most important thing in life is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, not religions.

Answer 8

I have a religion and I haven't given up on it. I gave up on being Catholic though. I am now a happy Kemetic Orthodoxy.

Answer 9

I was raised Lutheran and have fallen away. There's way too much hypocrisy, I just couldn't do it anymore. I'd rather believe what I believe and be honest about it than belong to any religion.

Answer 10

Yes I have. At one time I was a Christian and I believed in a judgmental God Something about that never seemed to make sense to me so I sort of forgot all about God until something happened that got my attention.

Several years ago I had an unusual experience concerning an uncle, a distant relative who lived over a thousand miles away.

While driving my car I suddenly felt the unmistakable presence of this relative that I hardly even knew. He was more like someone I had heard about than someone I knew. It was very strange; it felt as though I was momentarily lifted right out of my physical body. I seemed to be suspended somehow beyond space and time, bathed in a love so intense It felt like I could have just disappear into it at any moment if It would have let me. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever at the same time. I realize how crazy this must sound. The experience was so strong that at first I was afraid I was loosing my grip on reality. I finally managed to chalk it up to an over active imagination.

Three days later I got a call from my aunt telling me that this uncle we are talking about had gone into a coma and died the day I had the experience. It felt like ice water had been poured down my back when she told me this. I had lost any real ideas of God or faith and had become somewhat of an atheist. Needless to say this experience caused me to rethink some of the conclusions I had come to.

I feel blessed to now understand that even in our darkest confusion something loves us so much that it went out of its way to assist me and bring me back to a state of absolute certainty about Gods love for us.
During the experience it seemed like there was a vast amount of information that I was somehow allowed access to. One thing that I came away from this experience understanding beyond any shadow of a doubt was that any Idea that God is unhappy with us or would judge or allow us to be punished for any reason is simply impossible.

I can’t explain the love I felt with words. They simply don’t make words big enough or complete enough to do this. The only way I can begin to convey this love to you is to say that there was simply nothing else there. Nothing but love. No hint of judgment, no displeasure of any sort. It is as though God sees us as being as perfect as we were the day we were created. It is only in our confused idea of ourselves that we seem to have changed.

I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck. Love and blessings.

Your brother don

Answer 11

I am spiritual, not religious. It was a great revelation for me to find out religion is man-made.