I was born a Methodist in the same way I was born British - is this a way to select a god?

Question

I am Methodist purely by accident of birth. I didn't choose to be, but there we are. Is this really a way to select which god to follow? I know that you will write and say i can convert, but the truth is I would never be accepted properly as Jewish or a follower of Islam or Buddism; I am not sure I would be considered Catholic or Church of England. I would always be just a converted Methodist in the same way iif I moved to USA I would never really be American - i would be Northern European American. Your choice of god is purely dependent on to whom you are born is this a way to select a religion - by an accident?

Answer 1

I've toyed with this idea for years. I know just what you mean, it really gives you pause to condemn anothers "choice".

Most of us are living the life we were more or less born to--so moral superiority is a bit asinine when you think about it.

If you were born in Iran, Turkey, Canada, Alabama, China you'd have a totally different perspective and how can any one point of view void all others?

Certainly something to at least think about--unless somehow you're guaranteed that you have all the answers above everyone else.....

Great question.

Answer 2

Well let me just say if you moved to the US, the rule of thumb is that if you are accepting of Americans, invariably you will be accepted right back. Anybody who loves America is an American whether they have a green card or not!

All of us at some level I believe acknowledge God in the deepest recesses of our souls. The problem becomes the human mind and something you just mentioned......

We have built in biases that come from the place of our birth, what our parents teach us, what school teaches us, our personal attitude toward the teachings if any, etc. While many religions out there are teaching crazy stupid unGodly things, invariably any church you start with including Methodist has if not an ounce of truth to it. You take that truth that God is trying to teach you and you "snowball" it as you grow spiritually. Im not really advocating that "all churches have a part of the truth." What I am saying is that the more YOU grow, the wiser and better churches you will gravitate toward that teach the truth of Jesus.

In other words, a person that is smart usually wont take a job at Walmart and work their the rest of their life. No, they will seek a higher education and grow academically or even in a trade or skill so they can have a much better job and a more blessed life.

Even though we are born and raised to favor a certain religion(or none at all), if we are focused on God then we will naturally seek out the churches that are doing Gods will and grow spiritually.

Answer 3

You may have been raised to be Methodist through your parents, but you have the free will to choose the denomination that is "right for you". To me religions are like diet plans, it's not one size fits all - you've got to get in where you fit in. And then others just decide that there is no God, and they have their right to believe that too.

Just be prepared for questions from family if they learn you've chosen a different denomination, they will probably be nosy or curious at least and wonder why the change.

Answer 4

Exactly. Which is why education is so important. It's also why many atheists consider all religion to be a form of brainwashing. I do not mean this in a sarcastic or judgmental way, simply as reality.

Note -- after reading all the bible-thumping answers here, I can honestly say that I am embarrassed to be an American. Please be assured that there are many of us here that are much better educated and much more open minded than the representation that you see on this page.

Answer 5

You could always be an Atheist or agnostic.

I do not think the Buddhists would even care what you were born as, for they believe in re-incarnations / past lives.

I think it is your Methodist or British experience that is affecting your judgment regarding other religions and conversions. Most religions would keep a member rather than lose him/her to another religion, so they would make it uncomfortable with a label.

Question is, do you want to be who you are by deeds or by title? Do you even what to make that decision for yourself? Perhaps freedom does come with a bit of responsibility.

As for moving to America, it is a huge mixing pot here.

Answer 6

I was not born a Child of The Moon, I chose to be. My parents were Baptists. What you are in your heat is how you should see yourself in the matter of religion, not how you were born, or what someone else may think is right for you. The only one who can honestly chose that is you. So look into yourself, find out how you personally feel and then make your own chioce. Just keep in mind if you have or will have children to let them know they will have the same chioce to make too.
Blessesd Be

Answer 7

Political Correctness is the Incubator of Islamism with the help of Amil Imani 14 Feb, 2007 repeatedly we are informed with the help of the politically perfect “professionals” no longer to be troubled about Islam posing a gamble to our lifestyle. we are repeatedly lectured that surely a really small minority of Muslims are troublemakers who're giving the non violent 1000's of Muslims a foul call. we are also suggested that the terrorists, who occurred to be Muslims, are the disaffected and the more youthful. and in no thanks to be troubled, in view that because the hearth of adlescent turns to ashes of previous age the rebellious will mellow, as they continuously have. With heavy assurances like this, coming from such various know-it-all authoritative figures, we may be able to sleep soundly with out the help of napping pills. in spite of everything, people reason that those pundits are “professionals” whose job is to understand and tell it like that's. those who voice opposite perspectives might want to be a set of racist, alarmist hate mongers. who's ideal? Wouldn’t be more desirable prudent to enable the data settle the be counted, truly than blindly accepting both position? for sure it would want to, except for one huge concern. contained in the face of threats, people have a tendency to bypass to the ideas’s drugs cupboard and take some denial and rationalization pills, interior an analogous way that it truly is the aspirin bottle they turn to even as a headache strikes. Why no longer? we are the easy Species. we adore uncomplicated, quick and easy recommendations. And that’s no longer forever undesirable. It has given us all kinds of not straightforward artwork and time saving contraptions. yet, the Islam concern is amazingly actual and deadly. Neither the pronouncements of the professionals, nor the tranquilizing pills of the ideas can make it bypass away. that's the following and it exhibits each signal of implementing itself on us. Europe is already badly contaminated with Islamism. it truly is the coal-miners’ canary. that's telling us that the subsequent cease is u . s . a .. We might want to act and act now. We might want to no longer sacrifice our loved way of existence and the lives of our young children on the altar of political correctness: the incubator of Islamofascism.

Answer 8

I was born into a family that were "Baptist". I don't attend the Baptist church, but we are both Christians, Mom, Pop, and me.

European American: talk to the "politically correct" idiots. If one is an American, he should be called American.

I will sign out as Mutt American - politically correct, that would be; English, Scottish, British, possibly Chinese, no doubt, African American.

Answer 9

The methodist religion (an evolutionary off-shoot of christianity) is based on the bible.
The bible, toran and koran have passages that contradict themselves and they imply god is all-knowing, then turn around and act like he doesn't know s*it (like judgement day...what is it exactly that god learns in the afterlife that he didn't know before conception?)
It is best to let the books fade out.

Answer 10

No, it's not a good way to "select" a religion, because someone else selected it for you. But I think that your fears of conversion are largely unfounded. I've made several conversions over the course of my lifetime, and never had a problem being accepted.