For Everyone: Out of curiosity...how did you come to your faith/religion/path?

Question

Was it a struggle for you? And what is your profession (general)?

Answer 1

Let's keep the Bible out of it what follows, except for Psalms and Proverbs, which are general and useful.

I have a BS/MS in Mech Eng. Got both in 4 years with 3.8 gpa. Worked for EXXON research for years and then another large company for many years. I was a strong atheist. Was and still am fact-based and rational to a fault.

When I got married and had children, I started to go to church, basically to go to church, do the right thing. I spoke, listened and tried to understand how people made a decision like they did to believe in the supernatural. My wife and her family were all strong Christians, very good people, and a lot of fun. One worked for IBM as a systems analyst, another for American Airlines as a programer, etc. Professional and rational.

Just to keep it short though, the religious part never convinced me, though by faith and thru a lot of study, I believe the "message" in the Bible is the right message. Read CS Lewis and his path to finding his faith. It is the classic to go by.

However, it was when I started to take time to pray, to become more open to the possibility of God, that I started to develop spiritual awareness, and became convinced that there was a reality to belief in God. I remember reading a Proverb that was, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding". That statement repelled me since it was so unreasonable. Yet, when I had to put up with tragedy in life later, I learned to rely on it, and now understand it. With it, I gained a peace that surpassed understanding.

Read up on the science of near death experiences, there is a commonality there that is hard to ignore.

Look, if you are a random quirk of nature, then in the grand scheme of "nature", your life is meaningless. You might like your life due to instinct, fear of the unknown (death), or surival of the fittest thinking. Regardless, you are still a meaningless random quirk of nature.

If a creator exists, then He creates for a reason and we have a 1st principle basis for saying life does have meaning, morals exists, human life is precious, as created beings we have a purpose in life and should work to reach it, and I can look into my childrens eyes and tell them with all honesty that their lives are precious.

Follow this logic for a moment. Darwin gave intellectuals a basis to believe in natural, biological creation. Google evolution fact or fiction. The fossil record is a fact (do not put me in the genesis camp). However, no one can prove how "new" genetic code was created. This "how did it happen" part of evolution is purely a hypothesis, even today.

Now why is this a problem? Check your history. In the mid 1800's, Darwin's hypothesis of purely biological creation led to godless political philosophies that have been and are the most oppressive that have ever existed. The Nazi’s were given a scientific justification for ethnic cleansing (Jews and others), and many nations use this justification today. The godless Marxists eliminate (kill) capitalists and (kill) believers and (kill) anyone else who gets in their way to create a dreary and oppressive society. Open your eyes, would you like to live in Cuba or North Korea, or during Stalin's programs and Mao's revolution. 10's of millions of people suffered and died.

The only real message of God is to love God with all your heart, and love others as you love yourself. That is a good message. Some people do go off message, and when religion is politicized it is dangerous.

Here is why this is so important. Philosophically, since God is a creator, he created each of us for a reason. Thus, each of us are unique, and have a god given purpose for life that we need to achieve whether janitor, lawyer, doctor, actor, quarterback, whatever. This totally aligns with the sanctity of human life. Thus, government should protect each of our individual rights and allow each of us to find our destiny. This aligns with a society that believes in a creator and freedom of religion. That is a good thing. Belief in a creator is vital to the health of a society. I deeply fear Godless societies. Government should respect the free expression of religion of people and communities.

If science can get to the point to showing that genetic code cannot be created naturally (macro evolution), not adaption of existing code (micro evolution), then there will be a complete change in philosophy and political philosophy to align with freedom and protection of individual rights, because you then have to conclude we are created beings. Until then, is it a choice that works for us in the US, but cannot be justified.

By the way, how did the brain get programmed for eyesight. To accept 2 images, combine them, to provide near instant assessment and response, millions of lines of unbelievably brilliant genetic code, how did that happen. We could put 1000 genius's to work on this today for 10 years, and they would not be able to figure out how to do that today. Not only is there no randomness, there is unimaginably brilliant creation involved. I admit, I am very skeptical about macro evolution being caused by nature.

Sorry for the long reply and some rambling, but your question was a good question, and this gave me a chance to explain my path to spiritual faith, and that there was a lot of thought behind it.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Take care.

Answer 2

Evil step mother decided an "Exorcism" (baptism) would make me do as she says ... it didn't I ran from religion till I was all grown up. I came back to my religion while watching "South Park" and realized that the writers of "South Park" understood religion better than me, and I just couldn't get the jokes. Well, my quest to laugh has brought me on a wonderful journey of knowledge and enlightenment.

I saw my natural mother switch religions like she switched moods (she is bi-polar). I vowed to never be a religion swapper because of her disgrace on believing she can "Pick & Choose" what is wrong / right based on her mood (which was erratic). So, I went bact to learn from the Catholics. Catholic Church's really do spend lots of effort educating both in religion, sprituality, and science (Suprise).

My former profession is banking/ statement production /tax reporting. Now, I just live.

Answer 3

I was faced with a delima today. My girl whom I met on the computer, was putting me out on the street, because she was thinking I was still foolin' round with other internet women. anyway, I was faced with sudden homelessness, and in a flash MY FAITH was being put to the real test.
I wondered what made me believe the way I do, when it seems that all hell brakes loose when you try your best to make a stand for God. But I remembered, the day I accepted The Lord in my life. I was at rock bottom then too. I had no other choice then but to look up.
See, I realized that God never promised me that the world would change. He only promised me that I would change. He gave me faith to carry on, and hope that things would get better. Because of MY FAITH, I didn't go crazy, go to jail, or loose all hope. I lived through the storms of life, and I'll live through the ones up and coming also. I have the promise of a future-sane and upright before people. My circumstances wont cause me to have a negative outlook or reaction to life. I will only cling to my FAITH, and endure it to the end.
Please be encouraged-DAVID

Answer 4

Well, I have searched for most of my life for a "truth" that I could believe in. This involved lots of reading, research, attending multiple types of churches, and talking religion/sprituality with many, many people of different faiths and beliefs.

I believe that all paths lead to the right place. It is just a matter of what works for you.

My chosen path is Kemetic Wiccan. My profession is college psychology instructor.

Answer 5

Actually, it was easy for me. I read the bible a few times and realized that there is no way that it could be true. So I am an Atheist.

Here's a few reasons:
God killed every living thing on the planet...
God killed first born cute babies.
God killed an army on the Red Sea
God asks us to be like mindless sheep.
Satan helped us gain knowledge of good and evil.

With all of the murdering by the "good" character, and the "evil" character acting like a true mentor... There is no way the bible could be anything other than fiction. Especially given the time that it was written.

Answer 6

Raised Lutheran but I quickly began to question my beliefs. I became an atheist in middle school before someone handed me a book called "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. The couldn't argue with his logic and I felt my doubt disappear. I know pursue Christ with everything that I have. He's the foundation of my life because I find that He is the foundation of all life.

I am a college student at Texas A&M. Studying to be a Mechanical Engineer.

Answer 7

I'm an atheist, and i am so because i've seen religion from the inside and realised that there is complete hypocracy. I may be a sinner in the eyes of christians but at least i'm honest about who and what i am. Oh and i'm a university student.

Answer 8

My profession is homemaker. I have been blessed that God has provided for my family through my husband so that I don't have to go to work.

I attended church all of my life. I tried to be good and thought that possibly I might be saved but knew that I wasn't good enough. I realized that something was missing from my life.

I prayed and told God that I didn't love Him and I asked Him help me to love Him. He did.

Within 2 weeks, people came into my life and events started happening that brought me to know and love Jesus.

I realized that I wasn't good enough to be saved but, Jesus, as my sacrifice, was.

I exchanged my religion for Jesus. Now, I know that I have the promise of eternal life with Him.

Answer 9

Coming to atheism is no struggle at all... all that is necessary is to learn how to think properly. Once that happens, those willfully ignorant, self-delusional faith-based religious beliefs just vanish... poof.

For most Christians, though... learning how to think properly... now THAT is a struggle.

Nuclear power plant engineer, QA Engineer, computer scientist

Answer 10

I was brainwashed from birth by that fiction book, the bible. As i grew up i realised that GOD DOES NOT EXIST... placing my fate in #my hands# rather than some made up sky daddy *... this has given me a much more open-minded view of life and the world. Religion is truely laughable :-)

Prove to yourself RIGHT NOW that the superstitious ritual called 'praying' does not even work !

* god, Sky Daddy & allah are all concepts that were created by man kind...

Answer 11

I was non-denominational growing up. i then became Catholic when I was introduced to it from my boyfriend (now husband). After years of "finding myself" I am an atheist and happier that I ever was. I just wish I would have crawled out from beneath the religious bullsh*t earlier.

I'm an embalmer.