Religions...what are you, and were you born into it? Or did you convert to it?

Question

Religion is such a personal and sometimes "touchy" subject to some...(But I enjoy learning what and why people believe as they do)
If you learned that some of your ideas, either within your church or your personal beliefs are not Biblically correct, would you change? Would you change religions? Would you stick with the doctrine, even tho you know it's not correct?
Would switching to another religion, or switching to not having one, be extremely difficult?
My question is whether you'd feel inspired to follow truth as it's been revealed to you, OR would it be more important to hold on to your established beliefs?
Tough desision for some, I'm sure...

Answer 1

I was born into a lukewarm, wishywashy, Protestant family... one who believed God and Jesus exist, but nothing beyond that.

I spent a good many years searching for truth, and was a good number of different religions. I either was everything from Atheist to Zen Buddhist, or had studied it.

In the end, I found that loving God as much as possible, accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of my life, repenting of my sins, and following Jesus' path, as stated in the Bible, is indeed truth.

Now, if I can honestly say, "been there, done that, rejected it" to just about everything even before I was a born-again, Bible-believing, Christian... it makes no sense to me to bother reexamining it again. I'm not going to get anything new from it.

And yeah, I've made many changes. I came to Christ under the banner of a Jehovah's Witness, but my own beliefs are quite unlike theirs now (only a few things remain similiar, such as my distaste for the pseudo-evangelism of the Catholic church, by means of adopting pagan holidays and renaming them Christian ones to encourage the pagans to convert).

I couldn't switch to another religion... that'd be like trying to deny the fact that the guy I call "Dad" is my father (despite the fact that I know full well that I look just like him), and call a stranger "Dad" instead... I couldn't honestly do that and stay true to myself. I also couldn't switch back to being an atheist. I hated every single aspect of myself when I was one, so much so, that I spent every waking moment feeling suicidal, and had acted upon it occasionally, during those times... and to this day, in hindsight, I hate what I had been even more. It is only by the grace of God I am alive today.

Answer 2

I was born into a family that, for the first ten years of my life, were hardcore hippies and were all about different religions. My parents then converted to Christianity and started attending a fundamental charismatic church. (They're still Christians, but not as scary about it as they were.) I attended the church until I was about 16, when I began to be bothered by inconsistencies in the faith that nobody would address clearly for me, so I went searching. I cobbled together my own worldview from Jung and quantum physics, which I still hold as a sort of "back to base" starting point. A couple years after that, I discovered chaos magic, which satisfied me on both a logical and, in countless ways, a spiritual level as well. It *has* no established beliefs, so as I said, mine are "back to base" after shifting into different viewpoints.

So really...the day they come across a good, logical explanation for quantum theory (and it's been, what, a hundred years thus far without one), I'll happily change my beliefs if need be. What I have now works quite well.

Answer 3

Forced to go to church as a child, converted to Athiest at age 6 or 7 after getting removed from church for asking too many questions for not beleiving so easily as the other children did. I prefer science because it has facts that I can see or touch not just some stories passed down through generations.

However, I am open to being proven wrong. I still do research a lot of different religions trying t oprove myself wrong and that there is something out there. I personally do not beleive it but I think proving myself wrong would be a great acheivment for myself.




[Edited]
Why is everyone giving everyone elses religions the thumbs down? Come on people, grow up a little and be open minded eh?

Answer 4

Interesting way to phrase the question. I'm an Episcopalian. And, while this is not a universal truth for all who are of that particular Christian domination, there is an encouragement to seek God and a deeper spiritual understanding that would lead one to change and grow *on a personal level*. So, while you pursue your belief in God, you may find your personal values need re-examination. I have never felt that the Episcopal Church demands a lock-step approach to religion. The only real demand on any Christian (as said by Jesus) is to love God and love your fellow human being. For me, that's a pretty good starting point, and I don't have a desire to change my religion...or tell someone else they have to change their's. And so far, through several topsy turvy episodes of life, I haven't lost my base-level Christian beliefs. Just had to modify my personal thinking on the issues.

Answer 5

for me i was born and raised up in a catholic, after i got out of the military, i got interested in being a born again christian, i learned a lot going to calvary chapel but, there were some things they could not clear up in what i learned as a catholic, both religons had a lot of mystery and things that could not be explained. I went to couple other churches still in "christen" side i did give Jehovah Witnesses a chance. I believe i have found my place. Mostely what they do , teach, and the principles that they have come to comprehend are reasonable and not some mystery. it took oh about 4 years before i really could trust them just because of the other religions being money hungry and stuff.

Answer 6

Was Lutheran, am now an atheist. Obviously, if I discovered I was wrong, I would change my beliefs, since I've done so once already. However, I am really convinced there are no gods anywhere. I've listened to arguments to the contrary, but haven't heard any convincing ones in the last 20+ years that I've been an atheist.

Answer 7

At the age of 26, I decided I was trusting in tradition and religion to save me - but all I really needed was Jesus Christ. I now have a real relationship with Him. I talk and walk with Him on a daily basis. I'm a Christian who worships in the Baptist church. I guess my message is to break out of the tradition and religious - and find the Lord Jesus. He is the Way. Blessings to you.

Answer 8

I was raised in an Anabaptist Christian home. I have learned on my own and do not just do something because I was raised that was. I am actually more conservative in my beliefs then what I was raised.

God bless

Answer 9

Having been born an Atheist (as we ALL are), I had to go through religious programming before I found my way back to the rationality of Atheism.

Answer 10

All different names and rituals and beliefs here. Call it what you like but, all the same god from the beginning of time to eternity.