Have you previously held a different religious belief than you do now?

Question

What religion(s) were you in the past? What belief do you have now? At what age(s) did you switch beliefs? What prompted you to do so?

Answer 1

Yes, I was raised Mormon and converted at age 30 to Christianity plain and simple. I now attend an Anglican church but I don't consider myself "an Anglican"--just a "mere Christian" as C. S. Lewis would say. I attend the church I do because I was converted there and because I feel that's where the Lord wants me now. I was in a charismatic congregation for a few years but I am back where I started.
I converted from the religion of my parents because I couldn't square the Bible's teachings with the doctrine I was being taught.

Answer 2

I was raised a Catholic. By the time I was in my early teens, I had questions about the religion, and about God, that were not addressed by the church. After I got married, I searched out a different Christian church, which was very Biblical and I learned alot from it. After many years with this church, something within the church changed, and I needed to take a good look at it, and I moved on,.I left with quite a few other people in that church, and we formed our own group. We studied the Bible together and on our own, for many years, and I still meet with those who are remaining. I also meet independently with other Christian friends, (differning denominations of Christian belief) who are interested in finding truths from the Bible. We study together. To me, knowledge of the Bible can come from many sources, and studying to prove all things, is what I'm interested in, and is always an exciting challenge.

Answer 3

JW from age 2, baptized at age 11, escaped in 1996 ish finally saw the light that their teachings are so erroneous and hypocritical.
Led a rebellious life-style (trying to get as far away from the cult-like conditioning from JW's) for about 4 years, no religious inclinations. I believed God was there, but was so disenchanted that I didn't think he played a very important part of my life.
Began searching in 1999, after a failed second marriage.
I tried Assembly of God, tried Southern Baptist.
Baptized Southern Baptist last year at age of 43.
Never been happier!

Answer 4

I was raised Catholic.
Then became an atheist when I realized the beliefs of the Catholic Church were ridiculous.
Then I became an agnostic after I realized how much more I need to learn about life and how it works.
I am now a deist. Logic couldn't steer me any other way. "God" can and will be discovered through the study of the natural world.

Answer 5

I grew up Christian but got disenchanted with it when I was 17 and found Wicca. I was Wiccan for a couple of years then discovered Norse seidr. Went with that but then left during a dark period in my life and became a Satanist. 2 years later I left and became agnostic and then was drawn back into Seidr and from there into Asatru. Been there ever since, going on a few years now.

I kinda bounced around on other Occult paths along the way too, including dabbling a bit in Thelema. But throughout it all the Norse were always in the background.

Answer 6

At one time I was an agnostic. But I was young and dumb.

Then I became a baptist. God found and called me and I responded but I was still pretty fleshy and young. The local baptist church had the best looking young women. Then I married a catholic. Go figure.

Then I became a believer. I realized that the baptist church was full of error and that to truly follow Yahshau I needed to make a break from the paganism in the church and follow the commandments of God.

Now I am a follower of the way. After my trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles I was baptised by the Holy Spirit and I turned from following the commandments out of duty to keeping them out of love of God. I still obey the commandments but the fruit of the spirit is far more evident in my life. Love, joy, peace, temperance, patience, kindess, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Answer 7

I left christianity around 1985. Became a disciple of The Spirit of truth this past year, prompted by an intense desire to know the truth.

Answer 8

I was raised Roman Catholic. Practiced for 27 years and had so many questions that just could not be answered. I also felt I could never be good enough so I decided to walk away (I do not have hateful feelings, however). At around 26-27 I started looking at Wicca and over the last several years have settled into Buddhism (34 year old right now). It makes me feel peaceful and makes a lot of common sense. It only requires what I put into it and is not painfully judgmental.

Answer 9

I used to be a Jehovah's witness. When their house of cards collapsed before my eyes, I threw out everything I learned from them and started over. I'm still learning. It will be a long time, if ever, before I "join" another belief-based group.

Answer 10

I rejected Christianity at about the age of 5 or 6. I was a sort of non-denominational monotheist for many years, migrating to New Age spiritualism, then to a sort of pagan agnosticism, and now I am a pagan studen of Taoist and an atheist.