What Religion(s) Are You / Have you been?

[Yamori]

This thread isn't to discuss or debate religion, it's just here to say what religion you currently label yourself as and what you were raised as / have been in the past. It could be interesting.

If you think this isn't anyone's business, don't post. :D

Me:

I was raised as a Protestant Lutheren, though I always found church boring, uncomfortable (chanting creeped me out, heh), and an annoying thief of my weekend free time. In spite of that I was still a good church school student and learned a decent amount of church schoolin' stuff.

At about age 13 I thought about how religions of the past (ie, the greeks) seem so silly and obviously false, then I applied that to christianity and went "oh," and became Agnostic.

At about age 17 I had a brief fling with Satanism (the humanistic/hedonistic/quasi-existentialist philosophy of Anton Lavey, that is mostly a watered down mixture of Nietzsche and Ayn Rand... not the baby sacrificing heavy metal variant), but found the occult/magick side of it to be silly.

Around the same time, after further thinking I decided there is very little chance that a god could exist (except for the one that looks at me in the mirror ;D), and that science provides much more logical explanations for everything, so I became a full fledged Atheist. And have been ever since.

I had gone through somewhat normal fervent anti-christian feelings through the process, but (although I still find christianity to be ideologically a negative thing) I've long since cooled out and no longer care about what other people want to believe in, as long as they don't want to shove it down my throat or want to force their beliefs into legislature.


Annnnd you?

[Harrison]

I'd swear you're trying to catalog information about people.

[Yamori]

Note 437: Finawin Knows!!

[The Kizzy]

HA, my story is interesting,

My Dad grew up Lutheren, my Mom grew up Catholic, and was supposed to be the first Nun in the family but she met my Dad.

We grew up Baptist, but I grew away from the church around 12 when the pastor made a rude comment in front of the whole church because my Dad had not been in church for a few months, and he came back for Easter service, which included a pot luck.

I went back to church around 17 or 18 and chose Pentecostal as my religion. After I got married I lost religion again, but did study with some Jehovah's Witnesses. That didnt go anywhere.

I just recently found God again, but haven't decided which religion is a good fit. I just know I believe in God, and I am trying to get a deeper understanding of what he wants with me.

[veeneedefeesh]

I am trying to get a deeper understanding of what he wants with me."

For some reason this made me LOL

[Gypsiyee]

Grew up with not much religion at all.. prayed at night but my parents wanted me to decide what religion I wanted to believe in myself instead of pushing their beliefs on me. 13 I was bapitized baptist, but always found myself to lean more towards unitarian

[dammuzis]

jew... conservative not reform

[Ciladan]

I'm a Christian. I don't know what denomination I would fit under because I'm new to it.

But whatever church I have been going to has really helped teach me how to be a better person by serving Christ. Frankly I see a lot of good coming from this community even if you don't believe in God. It really passes on some great morals (just last week it was a sermon on random acts of kindness). I really like who I am becoming in my walk with Christ and have found a lot of doors opening up for me since.

Life is really starting to look up.

[Narrock]

I'm a Christian. I don't know what denomination I would fit under because I'm new to it.

But whatever church I have been going to has really helped teach me how to be a better person by serving Christ. Frankly I see a lot of good coming from this community even if you don't believe in God. It really passes on some great morals (just last week it was a sermon on random acts of kindness). I really like who I am becoming in my walk with Christ and have found a lot of doors opening up for me since.

Life is really starting to look up.

That is awesome news Ciladan! Keep it up!

[brinstar]

grew up LCMS

learned to think for myself

appreciated LCMS for what it is

found the Tao

looking into Sufism currently, it seems like a cross between Islam and Taoism

diggin it

[Diabolik]

Raised Christian, became an atheist in junior high school, became Christian again until my senior year in high school, then dabbled in New Age very briefly which brought me to Buddhism, then Christianity again, then my neighbor had an experience which had a profound effect on me and then I became the atheist I am today.

[Tacks]

My religion is none. I believe God put me on earth to make fun of all these pathetic fuck-holes who can't get through their lives without having their hands held.

[Ironfang]

Grew up Protestant, but am not sure if I was even baptized.

Went to Sunday school for a few weeks when small and stopped going because it was not interesting and my parents were not religious.

Now Agnostic as I don't care enough to be an Atheist.

[Ganzo]

Non-Tradition Observant, Orthodox Jew

[Adivina]

Born into a very traditional portugese family who demanded that I be baptized at this old sailor bethel. (I live in whaling central mind you) After my mother got divorced she told me she wanted me to be able to chose for myself, she brought me to a Unitarian Universalist church, which basically preached believing in what you find to be right for you. There was a Pagan Covent that met in the church, so I learned a lot from those women about Paganism and attended Solstice celebrations and other such events. Also because the UU church was very diverse I was taught about and celebrated all kinds of religious holidays as a child.

My mother married the minister's son, so I became the grandchild to Reverend Kellaway and was always brought to every religious function around. It was then that I learned that even "Holy" people can be just as guilty of sin and trecherous acts as everyone else, and often use their status to exploit their way to the top of society. It was another shitty wakeup in a series of nasty losses of my innocence as a child. I still cringe when people ask me if I am "Reverand Kellaway's granddaughter" upon hearing my last name. I want no association with that church and the majority of its people anymore.

Now I do not adhere so much to a traditional religion, my beliefs are gathered from multiple religions, mostly eastern. Religion fascinates me and I love studying theology and learning about different beliefs and practices, but I have not found one that is just for me at the moment, but I am content nonetheless.

[mofish]

My religion is none. I believe God put me on earth to make fun of all these pathetic fuck-holes who can't get through their lives without having their hands held.

Raised disinterested episcopal.

Atheist/hardline agnostic now. Maybe there is a prime mover. Cant rule it out. But it certainly isnt described by some prehistoric darkage dogma. Im sure that a creator of the universe, if it exists, could give a shit less about whether men marry men, or if I eat fucking shellfish or worship on a certain day of the week. Or whether I worship at all.

[liquidstayce]

Grew up as a Reform Jew, attended conservative services/synagogue/Harvard Hillel when I was in college, now just hardly a twice a year Jew and do not belong to a temple/synagogue. Still love the traditions and culture anyway. Will pass that along to any children.

[Almegest Victory]

I'll add my info...

I used to get beat if I didn't go to church when I was younger. (irony, my mom wouldn't go LoL) I was brought to know Christianity through a Nazerith church. However, I don't like conformity and I stopped going for some years after the age of 11. My senior year of high school, my half-sister introduced me to a Non-Denominational church. The vibe seemed right and it was more my speed. Now, 3 years out of high school, I don't go to church, though my mom gives her friends my cell phone numbers and has them harrass me about it.

Who says you can't believe in God and show thanks in the way you live your life.

[Adivina]

Who says you can't believe in God and show thanks in the way you live your life.

That is quotable material, I like that.