People who have changed religions - can you tell me why?

Question

I am now an atheist, but was brought up as a catholic.
I noticed in an earlier question that some people had said that they were once X but are now Y.
I'd like to know what changed you from one to the other, if you wouldn't mind answering.

(My reasons for changing were that I questioned everything (still do), and found the answers were not there for me within the catholic or christian religion as a whole. I am a firm believer in scientific study, theory and proof.)

frangipane, would you like to expand on that please?

tessy gurl, it was the answers to your question that prompted me to ask this one, thank you.

Answer 1

well i was always a christian my whole life. but then awhile ago someone asked me "why r u a christian" and i actually thought about it and i realized that the only reason why was bc my mom told me i should and ppl at church said it was real but deep down i didnt really believe it i just pretended i did to fit in. now im an atheist and believe me its not all fun and games ppl think that u become an atheist to rebel or to have fun but i have friends trying to save my soul and boys saying they wont date me if i dont believe in god and then my mom who never ever stops nagging!!

Answer 2

Christian to Atheist - (age: 9) my dad died when I was a child, and the answers I got as to "why" were not only completely unsatisfying (why would a "kind, loving God" do that?), but someone also told me that he must have done something bad to have been taken so young, and was burning in Hell now. I rejected the idea that there was a God, because God wouldn't do that to His creations.

Atheist to Agnostic - (age: about 12) there were still questions that I didn't think had completely non-divine answers, but I didn't know if there was a God or not and to be honest, I really didn't care... it was a non-issue.

Agnostic to Pagan - (age: started at about 15, ongoing journey) I started reading mythology in high school and interfolding the ancient beliefs about nature and Deity into my life. The more I read, the more it made sense to me about a way to interpret the existence of the Divine in the world around us.

I created my own spiritual connection with the Divine, and after about a decade I discovered that there was a label that fit much of what I had already come to believe - Wicca. I studied along that path, and it still forms the underlying foundation of my beliefs.

I called myself Wiccan for a while, but then re-examined it with regards to the arguments about "non-initiatory Wiccans" so now I just call myself "Wicca-based Pagan".

Answer 3

I have gone through many different changes. I have gone through most of the "religion" choices. Remember that "religion" is man made. Man decides to inact change for selfish reasons mostly. "I don't like this rule or that" many people become atheist for that very reason. There seems to be no right answer. And if there is no right answer the conclusion of most is that there is no God. I say if you are into scientific study then you see an over abundance of evidence that points to a divine creator. You don't really have to look any futher than your on body for that. When your "heart" is broken why does it hurt in that location? There are some evolutionary theories on emotional development, they have merit. The point is you can Choose to believe in God, and then choose how to. But, just Choose wisely. Oh and by the way. If you need to, you can change your mind. It is not over till it is.

Answer 4

I was raised a Catholic and did not know how to think "oustide the box" then during my teens some C of E Christians managed to convert me. I always felt unsettled as a Christian and there are what appear to me to be flaws in the ethics.

When I hit my late teens I realised that what I had been told seemed less possible than unlikely, and I could not love that God. I left organised religion then just thought about things myself for some time, I soon became what some people call a "Deist" although I had no idea other people had followed this path and there was a name for it maybe 2 years or so I just was.

Now I am a Deist, and its me.

Answer 5

I was brought up as a christian, was actually quite devout until my late teens, early twenties when I, too, started asking difficult questions.
I tried priests, the Bishop, went to stay in a monastery for a short while but no-one could really answer me.
So I left the church.
Some years later I came across a book called The Quiet Mind. Turned out it was about Buddhism. And there were all the answers I had sought in Christianity.
I read and learned a lot. I learnt to meditate. I have found Buddhism to satisfy my needs emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.
I hope you too will find your 'way'

Answer 6

Offense is a biggy....And like you, some are trying to find who they are and what their purpose is here! I believe the Catholic church never had anything to offer but religion man made doctrines and rules and regulations that are broken constantly..Unfortunately the Christian community of churches for some parts are in the same shape! Religious and controlling......

I was a church goer for years and had a big part in ministry also, now I don't go at all .but still maintain my belief and relationship with my savior.. It seems to be more real for me now then it ever was....

The way I see it is God is science and without the two there's no balance just like the absence of Him and only leaning on science you only have half of reality...

I have had too many experiences and seen things not to believe in God but I have to attribute that to my stubbornness and wanting to know more then the church generally teaches outside of the box.....If anyone should search they will find the purpose and balance of the two.....

Answer 7

1. The hypocrisy, preachers saying we weren't allowed to do such and such, and then finding out that they practise the very things we had been told were bad.
2. The fact that no one could actually answer the questions I had, it was always "Oh that's a matter of faith"
3. The fact that I always felt like a failure, no matter how "good" I had been
4. The bitchy people, I had always believed that the church people were warm, loving people, how wrong I was, talk about back stabbing.
5. I just wanted to be normal, I didn't want to go to church 3 times a week, I wanted a life.

Answer 8

I think that people tend to get caught up in the "religion" of things instead of the spiritual side of things. When we can't label it or classify it we don't know what to do with it. It's a very difficult and personally intimate decision. I recommend to everyone that you look at all the spiritual side of things, many of which can be scientifically theorized and proven to those who wish to try. Religion is a set of beliefs that someone else wrote down , spirituality is something that needs to be researched individually and decided on by you and not what someone else has decided for you or the whole world

Answer 9

I suppose they are not happy or satisfied with their particular faith!
Logically I would look at other denominations within Christianity and compare them as well as study their foundation.
I belong to and believe in the one that has been around from the beginning-Catholic-meaning universal.
It was handed on to us from St. Patrick, (for the Irish) and down through the generation by our parents or whoever.
All I can say is, it is very precious, don't loose it.
I know I have'nt changed but thought I could contribute in some little way.

Answer 10

My path was identical to yours. I was brought up christian, but questioned everything. When christianity not only fell short, but turned out to be embarrassingly wrong on many levels, I turned to atheism.

I will remain with an atheistic view until I am shown I should believe otherwise. I am still surrounded by christians, and I find it very hard because few people have a skeptical mind... everyone has something they want to believe - I prefer to always be as open & objective as I can

Answer 11

Hello,

I was born Buddhist and later converted into being a Catholic.

I converted because I just felt I could relate to it more, and felt more confortable in that society.

I don't feel one religion is better than the other...

As long as you're a good person, and wish well for others, good things will come to you.

Religion is simply an interpretation of faith.