to converts of all religions:what made you convert to your religion?

Question

and how did the people around you take it?

Answer 1

I'm a Catholic convert who joined the church because I love Mass, the Eucharist, and the beauty of the liturgy. The Catholic faith satisfies my spiritual needs and longings more than any other religion ever has.

My family and most of my friends took the news very well and were supportive. Some of my fundamental friends thought (and still think) that I bought a one-way ticket down yonder, but that's their problem. I don't condemn their religious beliefs, and I don't worry if they condemn mine. The only one whose opinion counts is God.

Answer 2

I was raised in a fundamentalist, "there's only one way-ours" home. After I left home I began to study all the ancient philosophers and also to try to make sense of a religion that was divided into many factions all saying they were the way. I could not get the isolationist, arrogant, "we know the truth" attitude aligned with the Bible they proclaimed to follow which seemed to indicate humility, kindness, love. I became a humanist for a long period of my life but I always had an open mind for truth. I considered a lot of things and did not just turn a closed mind to everything that I couldn't understand. One day while on a walk, observing nature which I love, I said to God or who ever was out there, if you are real, please reveal yourself to me - you, not man. Slowly, I started seeing many things that couldn't have organized themselves without an intelligent creative force somewhere. I then began more and more to reach out to this creative force and ask questions of it and became more and more convinced there was a creative intelligence. I studied on my own and now do believe in God, his son, and the holy spirit. I still do not believe in the church or religion - as it seems the majority have closed minds, refuse to learn and condemn and try to convert (most of the time by not listening and telling the other person where they are wrong). I find that most christians do not even understand their own Bible and don't read it with an open mind, asking God for wisdom. I find they are afraid of knowledge and condemn anyone who reads anything outside the church's prescribed literature. So I guest I didn't convert to any religion but to a spiritual level.

Answer 3

Hail and Greetings

I used to be Eastern Orthodox and now I follow the Northern Way. I converted because Orthodoxy didnt make sense anymore. I had questions and no answers. It didnt fulfill me spiritually. I met some Tribalist Asatruar and Vanatru people and they explained their beliefs. It took a while, but gradually I began to accept and believe in the Nine Noble Virtues and started to learn about Asatru and the Aesir and Vanir.

I'm new to the religion and I haven't told my family. I've told some friends and most dont know what Asatru/Paganism/Heathenry is. I explain it and they accept me. When I tell people online and they see my picture, they wonder why would a woman of mixed ancestry be in this religion, since some believe that only full Northern Europeans should be in it. I explain that the Prose Eddas and the stories of the gods speak to me. Maybe the spirit of some of my ancestors from Northern Europe are speaking to me, I don't know.

Another reason why I became Asatru is the emphasis on personal responsibility. No blaming society, your mum, original sin or anything for your failures. There are consequences for wrong choices. Asatruar tend to be outspoken, stand-up people. We're not fluffy and most of us are center to conservative.

I see God through Nature and strive to uphold the Nine Noble Virtues. I want to learn as much as I can about my chosen path.

Answer 4

I was a catholic,educated in a protestant school. Now a JW. why?they answered my questions straight from the Bible.

Love among each other. Iam Asian living in Austria, I do not have a relative aside from my husband and 3 kids....anytime my 3 year old son, who has chronic bronchitis has to stay at the hospital, my fellow JW's always help me by taking care of the other two. They always show how they care about me or other members. The fact that they share the good news even people are laughing at them doesnt bother them.

JW's believe that hell is the commongrave of mankind because A loving God would not create such. I would not worship a terrorizing God.

I experienced Matthew 10:35 For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. 36 Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household.

Also 'They will lyingly say wicked things against you for my name's sake.' They say things that eally hurts me (like I was seeing another man that was why I attend meetings) but I just laugh it off.....because this shows that Jesus' words came true.

Answer 5

Because it is the TRUTH. My husband converted first, I freaked astagfirallah. I studied and learned more about all the religions, and Islam fit my views and values. I decided to learn the truth about it, and Islam called me. I was home to visit in september of 05, i hadnt accepted Islam yet, but my friends and family wanted met o go out to the bars, and for the first time in my life I felt guilty that someone even asked me to do it. I knew in my heart I was a muslim, I came home and started praying with my husband. My family seems okay with it, however they have not seen me in hijab. They know I wear it. I think that they are okay but when I go home to visit and my prayers get in the way of their daily plans they may get frustrated. My dad is not very openminded, but all I can do is make dua for my loved ones. My families biggest problem was me not partying anymore, but that was something that made them so angry before and now I dont do it, I wonder how they can be so contradicting on this matter.

Answer 6

I'm not a convert. I've always been an atheist. My atheism seems to bother some people. It's their problem, not mine.

Answer 7

i went from Christian .. to no faith .. to spiritualism
because spiritualism held the beliefs i already had through experiences , it seemed natural for me
those around me know i do my own thing , i am very independant even in my thinking ... so although they didnt quite understand my beliefs , they supported what i do

Answer 8

Atheism - Always a Good Choice!

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