If you were raised in your beliefs and have never changed them?

Question

Did you ever look at other beliefs, even on a purely intellectual level? Was there ever a time you considered converting? Did you stray for a bit and return?

I like stories.

Answer 1

I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, had severe behavioral problems as a teen, and left for almost 10 years cause i didn't understand the faith and thought it was too restrictive. During the time i was gone, i did attend a few other churches, but mostly just lived a wild and immoral lifestyle. After the Columbine school shootings in 1999, i got a little scared about what was goin on in the world and started studying again. My grandmother had 2 volumes of Insight on the Scriptures, which was everything in the bible from A to Z. I was so impressed with the research that it was hard to put down. After over a year of studying, i quit my old habits and started attending again. A friend of mine asked me if I knew someone had the truth besides the Witnesses, would i leave. I told him i would, but so far after investigating many other faiths and philosophies, I'm happy with my decision. I think all people should learn as much as they can about their own faith and that of others and compare it to what Jesus and the 1st century Christians did. Learning about God's purposes and the glorious future ahead of us, is worth giving up my so called freedoms of rebellion. Brief pleasures still have dire consequences. I wish u the best.

Answer 2

I was born a Catholic, and I have been wondering what this means ever since I can remember. I go to church most Sundays.

As a scientist, I now believe that the Bible should be viewed as books written by men, with all the flaws inherent in them. To me, Christianity is more a philosophy than a religion, it is a good way to live your life, regardless of what you believe or who you are. I have looked, albeit superficially at other religious beliefs, and find the most interesting to be the philosophical ones, such as Buddhism.

Just by the way, my favourite passage in the Bible is the parable of the Good Samaritan, not so much for the helping others message (although this is important), but for the simple message that your actions are more important than your beliefs.

I have never sought to convert, simply because there is no need, I believe that it would not fundamentally change who I am.

I don't know if this has answered your question, but thanks for asking, anyway.

Answer 3

my dad was a baptist and my mom was a JW and converted over to Wicca so i was brought up on all 3 religions. even as a child i couldn't find a religion that believed the way i did. i once thought about becoming Muslim but there are many things that i don't agree with so a few years ago i decided that i would just keep my own faith which is religion free and study any and all other religions keeping an open mind. to this day i still haven't found what im looking for in a religion so I became ordained a few years back and i started my own ministry for like mined people. i just cant stand the way religions judge their people and all the bickering and the fighting i think GOD would expect more from us then that

Answer 4

I actually think the thought of converting makes me a little uneasy. It's not because I'm stubborn about my beliefs, but because the one thing, well the two things, that come to mind are: forced conversion and brainwashing those who are down and ripe for the picking. There's been too much of that around for a long time.

I was raised a Christian, but found church so mind-numbingly boring that I kind of quietly rejected it all. I do like to know about religions, though, because you never know when you might have to challenge someone in an argument. Knowledge is a benefit in that case.

Answer 5

I was raised a United Methodist. Married became Baptist, found them for the most part to be entirely too judgmental and unforgiving. Left the church completely.Still very spiritual just didn't attend church. Never thought really of other belief systems outside of Christianity. Researched some, thought about Mormonism. Went back to the United Methodist church.

Answer 6

As a a matter of fact. MY parents are christian. MY mother is southern Baptist and my father is protestant. Growing up I had exposure to many paths through my first martial arts instructo who was also a Shinto wizard. When I was 12 I began to study Judiasm when I got involved witht he girl that would become my wife. After she died I spent a week kneeling at the Wailing wall in Jerusalem after her funeral praying for guidance. The only answer I got was an escort to the ariport from the local constabulary beacuse my wailing was "disturbing" the other pilgrims. That was a sign to me that the god of Abraham wanted nothing to do with me and I sever all my ties with him that day. That was in 1985. After that I investigated several paths. I spend almost 2 years studying satanism, but that was no more fulfilling than Christianity or Judiasm had been. I looked into Wicca, but that was had no real appeal for me either. I had always had an interest in the Norse Deities and in January of 1991 I found that there was a contemporary religion centering around them. I dedicated myself to the worship of those deities that same month. I spent time studying and learining and in 1995 I was ordained as a Priest of the God Odin, chief of the Norse deities. I have never regretted that choice and have never looked back. The Norse deities are the gods of my ancestors, the gods of my blood, worshiping them is where I belong.

Answer 7

Well, since you like stories, I'll tell mine and then be done answering questions tonight.

I was raised Christian Baptist, some would say Fundamentalist. I was an Missionary Kid in China till about 5: my parents would smuggle in Bibles in my diapers. Then we came back to the States, and after a period of deputation (trying to raise support from churches), my dad went into pastoring. We pastored a little country church for about two years, and I was in Sunday School under my mom's teaching.

We left that church to another pastor and home-churched for a while with several other families. That lasted for about another two years, and then my father left the ministry, though he and my mother are certainly still strong believers.

I had been led to Christ by my mother at 4, so I really didn't began to question my faith until I became a teenager. At that time I fell into a lot of sin, and in my loneliness and search for identity (that we all think we are alone in when we are going through it) led me to seriously question my faith.

I did not want to have to answer to God, and so I (being of a scientific, analytical bend) tried to prove that science denied the truth of the Bible, by showing the truth of evolution. I couldn't. Reading both sides of the issue, no matter how much I tried, I could not make myself swallow the **** that they try to feed you in your highschool science textbooks. I guess having been raised in the truth, I could not help but see through lies, even when I was trying to believe them.

I thought I was lost, because of my sin, but God did not forsake me, even when I was trying to run from Him. Unable to deny His existence, I was slowly brought back to Him.

After the issue of my basic faith was settled, I spent the next few years critically examining doctrines that I had been taught about Christianity. Many I accepted with renewed conviction. A few I rejected, and a few I shifted my standing on more subtlely.

Now I am in college, and leading the campus organization of Christians there. I am decided in my beliefs now, and can defend them firmly. I have examined the basics of other religions, such as Islam and Buddhism, and I am quite satisfied in the truth of Christianity from an objective viewpoint.

It still takes faith to believe in God, and the things of God that are unseen, but being raised in truth, and examining it on my own has given me a foundation that I would not surrender for just about anything. Praise God for the grace He has showed me!

Answer 8

I changed my beliefs from Catholic to Agnostic over 40 years ago because I couldn't in all honesty believe the teachings of any religion,(although Buddism came closest). I decided that religion caused more problems than it solved and so....... agnosticism.
(Not Atheism!)

Answer 9

I've been a christian my whole life, but I never knew what kind of christian, since there are tons of denominations. I am still investigating to find one that seems to speak the truth, and I know the one I do choose will have to be bible based.

Answer 10

Hi:

My father and mother became christians when I was 6 years old. At 8 years of age I put my trust in Christ for my salvation. I married a christian girl and together we tried to live for God. When I was about 42 I strayed far from God and doubted all the things which I once believed. However, I found after about 12 years of living my own way that I was unsatisfied and could find no happiness in the life I was living without God. My life was without meaning and without hope. Deep within my heart I sensed that God still loved me. After many months of anxiety within my soul I came back to God like the prodical son and I simply placed myself into his loving arms. I claimed his promise of 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9) and I knew that based on God's word I was forgiven "the blood of Jesus Christ , His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7b)

The reason I give this personal experience is to first of all give glory to God and to thank him for his forgiveness through Christ and secondly, to encourage others who are walking afar off, that they too might come to know the forgiveness which is mine.

"You like stories" This is more than a story in that it concerns my life and my personal relationship with God. Jesus said "This is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3)

thanks for reading and listening.