what religion were you raised?

[kage69]

Methodist flavored christianity.

My earliest memories of church and Sunday school all involve my bullshit alarm going off. Anything involving Genesis in particular, and that was before I became a student of History.

When I was 11 or so I told my mother I wouldn't be accompanying her to church anymore. Said that I understood it brought her comfort in some form, but to me it always felt so wrong and dishonest, and seeing holy rollers look down their noses at others while exhibiting the opposite of what they preach just confirmed my distaste for organized religions. Subsequent travels and years living abroad really put all that into perspective too. How American culture has twisted main stream christianity is pretty fascinating (nationalism for example)

I don't have a religion as I am a proud secular humanist. My mom used to make quips every now and then about being sad that I lost my faith. My usual response is that I didn't lose my faith, I lost hers. Doesn't happen at all anymore, 3 years ago she and the eldest of my sisters got to experience some very un-christian behavior from the entire congregation at the church they still attended. They got a taste of what I was talking about when I was a kid, and have since left that church. Better late than never I suppose!

 

[ahenkel]

Atheist since before I knew the word but was raised Lutheran and let my parents put me all the way through catechism then I told them I was done.

 

[dennilfloss]

Started Grade One at a convent of the Sisters of Charity (The Grey Nuns) and finished high school at Jesuits College. Think that makes it obvious. 😉

 

[NuclearNed]

Don't you realize that essentially creating your own religion and set of beliefs is absolutely insane?

<not trying to preach to anyone, but you asked>

Who said I was doing that?

Many if not most Christians have never read the Bible.

A lot of those who do read it have read only the light, fluffy parts that are easy to understand. A lot of the Bible is deep and takes intellectual study. A lot of Christians simply don't bother to get this involved. As a result, a whole lot of Christians have no idea what the Bible says. Instead, their notion of Christianity is influenced by all sorts of corrupt ideas that have nothing to do with the Bible.

As a result, you see "Christians" running around spewing lies like "God hates fags" when actually the Bible says "For God so loved the world..."

So while it's a dirty word nowadays, I and a lot of other Christians I know are fundamentalists in the truest form: we believe that Christians should follow what the scriptures actually say and get back to showing the love of God to the world.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Russian Orthodox Christianity. Still am.

 

[slayer202]

<not trying to preach to anyone, but you asked>

Who said I was doing that?

Many if not most Christians have never read the Bible.

A lot of those who do read it have read only the light, fluffy parts that are easy to understand. A lot of the Bible is deep and takes intellectual study. A lot of Christians simply don't bother to get this involved. As a result, a whole lot of Christians have no idea what the Bible says. Instead, their notion of Christianity is influenced by all sorts of corrupt ideas that have nothing to do with the Bible.

As a result, you see "Christians" running around spewing lies like "God hates fags" when actually the Bible says "For God so loved the world..."

So while it's a dirty word nowadays, I and a lot of other Christians I know are fundamentalists in the truest form: we believe that Christians should follow what the scriptures actually say and get back to showing the love of God to the world.

edited out my response, I don't want to get into a debate since the thread has stayed on topic so far. I was just asking because it sounded like you meant you sort of had your own set of doctrines/beliefs but that doesn't really seem to be the case.

 

[jupiter57]

How do you know... being Baptist = Real Christian?

Not trying to flame you.. just curious.

That was my thought too, what makes any given sect "right"? YOUR personal belief in it doesn't mean it is "right" unless you are so egotistical you think YOUR belief is the only possible right one. (lol)

No, not saying that Baptist is the only real religion at all!
Just meant that my beliefs don't revolve around money, inordinate customs, or following some man-made rules & rituals.

A lot of protestant fundies don't consider catholics to be "real" christians. In some ways I can see their point since a lot of what catholicism does borders on idolatry (google "eucharistic adoration") or polytheism (veneration of saints.)

Not really what I meant either.
Though the Catholic religion does a lot of things (IMO) that do not reflect on "true Christianity".
I have attended many different denominations churches, I have seen both good & bad in most all of them.
Matter of fact, one church that I have been "invited" to a few times recently (A rather large & popular sect in the US), every "sermon" that the minister gives always ends up with a lot of references to Alcohol & drinking, makes me think that they worship alcoholic beverages more than The Lord!

IMO, the absolute worst are the ones who's sole existence revolves around money!
("The love of money is the root of all evil"), it's in the bible, yet so many churches push for money, give, give, give! They build huge churches, with classrooms, sports complexes, even financial offices, and have paid staff, including Financial Officers.
Pitiful.

 

[etrigan420]

Raised Baptist.

Now I'm a "Could not give less of a shit"...ist.

Offering plate should be coming around any minute now...

 

[DougK62]

I love coming in to these threads to see how quickly some numbskull says that Catholics aren't Christians. Always by the second page. Hah

 

[nanette1985]

My father's large extended family was (still is) Mennonite - Anabaptist. My father was a serious musician and spent a lot of time on the road, so we kids spent a lot of time with his relatives. Mostly nice people. But not so nice that any of us kids felt like following their religion. Some nice folks there but Anabaptism cured us all of organized mainstream religion.

I also grew up musical and I've sung in Church Choirs of all sorts of sects. There's some great religious music out there - but that's not enough to make me join any organized religion. If asked I say I'm atheist - non theist. I've never yet discovered any reason to believe in GOD except as a fictional construct.

My father grew up seriously religious. When he discovered he had incurable stomach cancer he started going nuts with religion. It didn't help. It was pathetic. Poor guy.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

I love coming in to these threads to see how quickly some numbskull says that Catholics aren't Christians. Always by the second page. Hah

Not all catholics are christian, likewise not all Baptists, Methodists, etc, are christian.

Now let's define what it means to be a Christian 😛

 

[waffleironhead]

none

 

[DougK62]

Not all catholics are christian, likewise not all Baptists, Methodists, etc, are christian.

Now let's define what it means to be a Christian 😛

I'm talking about the religions in general, not the individual followers. Catholicism is a subset of Christianity, yet some "Christians" are adamant that it is not.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Raised in an Evangelical Christian household.

Now I'm an atheist.

I don't think my dad is much of a believer anymore, but my mom and my sister are still very devout. I don't mind it for my parents, so much, but I really believe that my sister is smart enough to know better. She has become so invested in her religion from a social aspect, however, that I don't think she could ever manage to unhinge herself from it.

 

[yllus]

I drew the short straw and got raised in a Muslim home. First vote for that option in this poll, too!

At the age of eight I realized it didn't make much sense and I've been an athiest since.

 

[slayer202]

I'm always impressed(and a bit skeptic 😛) when people talk about how they denied belief at such a young age; anything under 18 or so impresses me(at least out of the people who were raised with religion).

I was never very religious myself and I didn't really think about it until I was 23 or so. But once I did start to think about it I became an atheist almost instantly.

 

[mmntech]

My mom's side is officially Methodist, my father's side is Presbyterian. However, nobody in my family is religious going back to my grandparents. I've never set foot inside a church for any service. It's just something that was never brought up when I was growing up. My mom and grandmothers are agnostic for the most part. My father and myself are atheists. As were my grandfathers.

My aunt and uncle (mom's sister and bro in law) are very religious. As are my family back in the UK.

 

[pelov]

I'm always impressed(and a bit skeptic 😛) when people talk about how they denied belief at such a young age; anything under 18 or so impresses me(at least out of the people who were raised with religion).

I was never very religious myself and I didn't really think about it until I was 23 or so. But once I did start to think about it I became an atheist almost instantly.

Coming from an atheist household I find that it's not that strange, at least pertaining to me, along with friends and family. If you're raised in such a manner that doesn't force a particular religious belief upon you at a young age and you're given the right to choose freely then you won't ascribe to a particular religion unless they can make a compelling argument. And, well, we know how that goes =P

 

[yllus]

I'm always impressed(and a bit skeptic 😛) when people talk about how they denied belief at such a young age; anything under 18 or so impresses me(at least out of the people who were raised with religion).

I was never very religious myself and I didn't really think about it until I was 23 or so. But once I did start to think about it I became an atheist almost instantly.

I wasn't especially bright, but I do have a mind that particularly values order and logic (and accordingly my day job is in software development). Religion just didn't make sense, so my simple eight-year-old mind decided that until better evidence was available it was probably all made up. Twenty-two years later, I'm still waiting for that evidence!

 

[Oyeve]

Really? Only 1 Jew?

 

[Oyeve]

I'm talking about the religions in general, not the individual followers. Catholicism is a subset of Christianity, yet some "Christians" are adamant that it is not.

They are Hypochristians.

 

[slayer202]

I wasn't especially bright, but I do have a mind that particularly values order and logic (and accordingly my day job is in software development). Religion just didn't make sense, so my simple eight-year-old mind decided that until better evidence was available it was probably all made up. Twenty-two years later, I'm still waiting for that evidence!

How religious was your family? I would imagine that even moderate muslims take conversions or lack of faith somewhat seriously? How did you family react?

 

[IGemini]

Raised as the Catholic variety. Closest analogue of what I am now is probably agnostic, but my views are more complicated than that.

 

[zoiks]

I drew the short straw and got raised in a Muslim home. First vote for that option in this poll, too!

At the age of eight I realized it didn't make much sense and I've been an athiest since.

I was raised Muslim. I never let go of my beliefs and they are rooted in my head and inner being. It was really enlightening when one of the local Muslim scholars here who understands Arabic explained the meanings in the Quran to me in the context they were written in. It really brought a lot of light and answers to a lot of my questions.

 

[nageov3t]

Really? Only 1 Jew?

it's the only explanation for why no one laughed at my Elijah joke in the Hebrew National thread 😛

after growing up in the NYC-metro area, I'm always surprised at how un-Jewish things get once you cross over into New England, Pennsylvania, or South Jersey and beyond (until you reach Florida or Los Angeles)