NationStates Jolt Archive

This is something I'm curious about - why people choose to follow a particular religion - maybe it's something that parents instill into their children. So why are you religious - or if you're not, why do you think people are?

http://home.comcast.net/~kickassdook/lilwhofuckincares.jpg

or

http://pics.livejournal.com/quelconque/pic/000026dg

http://home.comcast.net/~kickassdook/lilwhofuckincares.jpg

or

http://pics.livejournal.com/quelconque/pic/000026dg I thought the point of a forum was to post silly or indifferent things…

http://home.comcast.net/~kickassdook/lilwhofuckincares.jpg

or

http://pics.livejournal.com/quelconque/pic/000026dg

So true

http://home.comcast.net/~kickassdook/lilwhofuckincares.jpg

or

http://pics.livejournal.com/quelconque/pic/000026dg

The URL of the first one kinda gives it away.. ;)

The URL of the first one kinda gives it away.. ;)

I have pictures autoload into posts, so I didn't think about that.

It's cultural conditioning

I was exposed to a family culture that had some religious aspects to it so I was never completely religiously cultured, which is one reason why I'm now secular. The other is that I live in a predominantly secular society

I thought the point of a forum was to post silly or indifferent things…

... that have been done do death.

(And, yes, I do realise the irony in posting pics that have been done to death as a response. That's the whole point, so don't point it out.)

It's cultural conditioning

I was exposed to a family culture that had some religious aspects to it so I was never completely religiously cultured, which is one reason why I'm now secular. The other is that I live in a predominantly secular society Mm, it's not always cultural conditioning, though. Quite a few people were brought up in no religious background, but "caught religion".

... that have been done do death.

(And, yes, I do realise the irony in posting pics that have been done to death as a response. That's the whole point, so don't point it out.)

*shrug* No point in doing this. Some people just have to learn the hard way that there's no point in rehashing this topic. I did. :)

http://pics.livejournal.com/quelconque/pic/000026dg
:D
On the topic of the thread, I had a vaguely religious upbringing - because it's the law over here that schools have to have a time for collective prayer during the school day. I don't now follow any religion, I'm vaguely opposed to organised religion. I call myself agnostic, but the truth is I don't think about it at all (unless I want to contribute to threads such as these).
Personally, I think that the majority of people who are religious follow their religion because that's the way they were brought up. Also, I hope that the majority of people question their religion, not because I don't believe in it, but because I think it's a bad thing to have blind faith. If you can question your religion/faith and still believe, then good for you.

I was a subject of illumination, so I converted from anarchist-inspired atheism to gnostic christianity.

Very VERY limited options!

Can't you ignorant agnostics get it through your head that maybe we religious bunch chose to be religious out of free will? G-d is salvation, G-d is truth, G-d is moral, G-d is love.

On the topic of the thread, I had a vaguely religious upbringing - because it's the law over here that schools have to have a time for collective prayer during the school day.

That's screwed...where are you from?

That's screwed...where are you from?
England. Bear in mind 70% of the population (at last census - 2001) stated their religion as Christian. Not all schools follow the law, it's kinda optional, so long as they do give people who want to pray the time to do so. My secondary school had it most of the time I was there, but it was optional. So I opted out. Though very few people actually did. My primary school did follow it though - I think primary schools were more the subject of the law, as it had to do with the 'spiritual development' of the kids. Which is a crock of shite.

Very VERY limited options!

Can't you ignorant agnostics get it through your head that maybe we religious bunch chose to be religious out of free will? G-d is salvation, G-d is truth, G-d is moral, G-d is love. That's "converted from atheismor another religion". Choosing to follow a belief yourself. And by the way, I made the poll and I'm not an agnostic, nor am I am atheist.

Very VERY limited options!

Can't you ignorant agnostics get it through your head that maybe we religious bunch chose to be religious out of free will? G-d is salvation, G-d is truth, G-d is moral, G-d is love.
I think the only other choice needed is 'I was brought up religious, but chose not to follow it.'
Everything else is covered. Brought up religious, but question it offers you the free will choice, as does 'converted from atheism/other religion'.
And not all agnostics are ignorant, please do not insult as like that. I would say in general agnostics are no more ignorant than religious people.
Personally, I think that the majority of people who are religious follow their religion because that's the way they were brought up. Also, I hope that the majority of people question their religion, not because I don't believe in it, but because I think it's a bad thing to have blind faith. If you can question your religion/faith and still believe, then good for you.
That's my view. In other words, I appreciate that the majority of those who are religious are so through their own choice.

England. Bear in mind 70% of the population (at last census - 2001) stated their religion as Christian. Not all schools follow the law, it's kinda optional, so long as they do give people who want to pray the time to do so. My secondary school had it most of the time I was there, but it was optional. So I opted out. Though very few people actually did. My primary school did follow it though - I think primary schools were more the subject of the law, as it had to do with the 'spiritual development' of the kids. Which is a crock of shite.

Hmm, as long as it was optional.

However, I went to a Catholic school and we were never forced to pray. Okay, we had the odd mass (which I usually skipped :p), but never forced to pray in class or whatever.

I'm religious (Christian to be specific) because I have a strong sense their is a higher power. Why Christianity? I didn't know at first. I thought there was a God and I was exploring different religions. Since the US is mostly Christian that was probably some influence. But after I accepted Christ into my heart I felt something. Not right away, but I felt God was there. I get a sense that there are things he wants me to do, and when I do them things turn out for the best and when I ignore them things usually don't work out for me.

There is strong evidence that the majority (but not all) people sense God. They have linked religious experience with activity in certain parts of the brain. This doesn't prove God, it only means that we are wired to experience God. So there is either an evolutionary advantage in having the majority of the population think their is a God (regardless if he exists or not), or God really exists and thats why we feel He does. I sort of believe in the latter, but have no credible evidence to support it. The best evidence for me is my own personal experience, unfortunately I can't give you that experience. Why do things turn out better when I follow what God tells me? Well it could just be my imagination and maybe things don't turn out significantly better. I've started a journal and it seems that things are working better when I follow God, and times I blatently ignored him they didn't turn out. But you could still argue that what I think is God, is just part of my subconsious thinking that knows the answer even when my consious self does not.

So either I'm crazy or there is a God. If I'm crazy why are we wired to be that way? Why would we evolve to think there is a God? How could believing something that is false be adventagous? And if believing something false is adventagous should we encourage ourselves and others to believe it (My personal opion would be no, but only because for somereason the truth is really important to me).

So either I'm crazy or there is a God. If I'm crazy why are we wired to be that way? Why would we evolve to think there is a God? How could believing something that is false be adventagous? And if believing something false is adventagous should we encourage ourselves and others to believe it (My personal opion would be no, but only because for somereason the truth is really important to me).
To be comfortable. And to shift responsibility away from oneself/humanity in general. If one believes there is someone/thing 'up there' looking over him/her, then that makes that person feel safer, more comfortable with their life. Also, having seen far far too many times on this forum 'it's all part of God's plan' or similar statements, then that shifts the responsibility: 'Oh, there's nothing I can do about that, God wants it that way'. The less responsibility a person has, the less stress they have, the happier they are. Please don't think that I believe that this is the only reason people are religious, this is just an answer to your question 'How could believing something that is false be advantageous?'
And I agree, I don't think we should encourage people to believe something false just because it's advantageous. Misleading people, for whatever reason (no, I'm not looking at you Mr. George W. Bush :p ), can never be advantageous.

That's screwed...where are you from?

I'm from England too, I think the title of 'collective worship' is quite misleading. At my infants and junior schools it was just a daily assembly with a few hymns thrown in. We also had a weekly trip to the church next door at the infants school (it was a CoE school) but even that wasn't overtly religous, there were a few prayers and we were taught some basic moral ideas but we were never really 'preached' at. At my secondary school there wasn't time for a daily assembly so the principal just ignored it, when we were inspected they accepted that.

What could I answer?
I was brought up in a religious family, but that's not the reason why I am religious myself. Was never forced to be Christian.
I just feel that it's right. :confused:

I also find the options lacking. I was able to answer because I was a convert (albeit the conversion was from United Methodism to Roman Catholicism); however, if someone stays with the religion he or she was brought up with out of authentic, confirmed beliefs and so has to answer with 'I was brought up that way', then it automatically looks like the culture was all the influence.

A lot of my reasons for staying Christian coincide with Der Drache's explanation (bravo!). Of course, that brought me to the theist conclusion. Also, too many coincidences have occured in my life--things that would seem silly if I posted them here, but still things that are enough to convince me.

For a while, there was a strong contention of monotheism vs. polytheism in my mind. If there were several Gods vying for control, wouldn't the most powerful one naturally want people to believe that he/she was the only God? It seemed natural, from cynical human psychology. I found myself capable of believing the monotheism, however, partially because of culture and generally because of my love for and faith in whatever this god was. Yeah, yeah, subjective.

It had to be an Abrahamic religion. This was not about me finding enlightenment inside me; it was about an external force greater than my comprehension. Because of the coincidences and such.

I could go with Christianity because it builds from the Bible of Judaism. Islam and Baha'i claim continuation from history, but they do so with only the Pentateuch (not sure if Bahai'i even uses this).

From here my discussion goes toward the right denomination, which I don't think always belongs in such a general thread (or anything like nationstates, with so many non-theists around to get negative impressions from internal bickering).

Ultimately, it's lack of faith in both the secular world and myself that helped supplement my faith in the supernatural.

To be comfortable. And to shift responsibility away from oneself/humanity in general...

Actually no; my path to Christ made me accept more responsibility. My nature is to forget about something once I lose control over it. I never worried about assignments in high school after I turned them in; the deed was done. All my worry would come before the fact, and there was no point to such after it was beyond my power. Guilt came occasionally, but it always died out of nonutility.

Accountability. Recognition not only that I am a sinner, but that I COULD stop doing bad things if I loved people enough and put forth enough effort. It's not realistic, no... but that's where mercy and God's sacrifice fit into the picture. So no, it's not about shifting responsibility.

This is something I'm curious about - why people choose to follow a particular religion - maybe it's something that parents instill into their children. So why are you religious - or if you're not, why do you think people are?
There's a great difference between having a spiritual aspect to your nature, and being "religious."

Most people subscribe to a particular religion because they were raised in it. I was raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, but thought my way out after learning to think. :)

The unexamined belief is actually no belief at all.

Very VERY limited options!

Can't you ignorant agnostics get it through your head that maybe we religious bunch chose to be religious out of free will? G-d is salvation, G-d is truth, G-d is moral, G-d is love.

Very very limited options posted, yes. (and Koroka - I think I KNOW YOU! You visited New Zealand?), but not for the reasons you're saying.

I'm not Christian at all, so I'm wondering what you mean by "religious"?
I'm an ecclectic free-thinker who has his own concepts of the Divine - you may share some of them and disagree with others. My belief doesn't require you to agree with me - and so I wonder why people automatically associate "Religion" with one of the "Big Book" faiths.

There's a great difference between having a spiritual aspect to your nature, and being "religious."

Knowing fully well that dictionary.com is not the best source...

re·li·gious adj.
1. Having or showing belief in and reverence for God or a deity.
2. Of, concerned with, or teaching religion: a religious text.
3. Extremely scrupulous or conscientious: religious devotion to duty.

People say 'spiritual vs. religious' with 'religious' being definition #3 casually flirting with definition #1.

I am self-proclaimed religious, but my description is definition #1, which naturally creates definition #3.

Unfortunately, putting aside my desire to have society change its definitional implications, you are absolutely correct.

I think you already know my answer and pointof view on this question.

This is something I'm curious about - why people choose to follow a particular religion - maybe it's something that parents instill into their children. So why are you religious - or if you're not, why do you think people are?

Being religious is not exactly the same thing as believing in or following a specific god. If one goes to church simply because one's parents did, then THAT person is religious, because he/she is going out of inertia more than any other reason. In other words, he/she is going religiously. One can do many things religiously, e.g., I read the NY Times religiously every day, I exercise religiously, etc.

To follow a specific god, however, denotes that one believes in said god and tries to do the things he/she believes the god wants him/her to do, be it out of love, fear, or whatever of the god. Believing in a specific god also implies that one believes all other gods to be false, as most tend to be mutally exclusive, i.e., if one says "I am the only god" then all other claimed gods obviously don't exist.

So, instead of asking "Why are you religious?" a better question would be "Why do you believe in a specific god?" That usually (but not always) has little to do with what your parents believe.

http://home.comcast.net/~kickassdook/lilwhofuckincares.jpg

or

http://pics.livejournal.com/quelconque/pic/000026dg
my thoughts exactly

I think the only other choice needed is 'I was brought up religious, but chose not to follow it.'
Everything else is covered. Brought up religious, but question it offers you the free will choice, as does 'converted from atheism/other religion'.

No, that doesn't cover it. The option says, "I am religious because I was brought up religious, but I do question it." That leaves no room at all for "I am religous because I choose to be." It is basically a backhanded attack on people to suggest that they couldn't possibly have made up their own minds if they happened to have been brought up in a religious household.

My mother did occasionally take me to church and give me the option of whether or not to go as I got older. My aunts were both religious and took me to church sometimes. However, that is not the reason I am religious. I am religious because my own examination has led me to believe that there is a God, and that God should be worshipped. It has little, if anything, to do with the way I was raised.

Very VERY limited options!

Can't you ignorant agnostics get it through your head that maybe we religious bunch chose to be religious out of free will? G-d is salvation, G-d is truth, G-d is moral, G-d is love.

It´s spelled "god".Jesus,I swear if I see another hyphen in the middle of a word I´ll drown a kitten! :headbang:

Aight,I´m not a very religious person because I started thinkin about god and the world and I thought:"hey,this whole god thing is way more trouble than it´s worth.Who honestly cares about who created the world or IF the world was created?We´ll know anyways once we´re dead and while we´re living,we have better things to do.Well,I do anyways."

edit: I hate my keyboard...

It´s spelled "god".Jesus,I swear if I see another hyphen in the middle of a word I´ll drown a kitten! :headbang:

Aight,I´m not a very religious person because I started thinkin about god and the world and I thought:"hey,this whole god thing is way more trouble than it´s worth.Who honestly cares about who created the world or IF the world was created?We´ll know anyways once we´re dead and while we´re living,we have better things to do.Well,I do anyways."

edit: I hate my keyboard...
w-d 40
let the drowning begin

I believe what I believe because I don't have choice, it's what my experience, my reason and my revelation allow me to believe. I am religious in my action because it helps me be a better person.

religious has such a bad connotation to me, it kinda means the same to me as hypocritical. to me someone who is religious is someone who goes through all the motions but really doesn't mean it, more like they are trying to keep up appearances. (I know that everyone doesn't see that when they read religious, I had to explain what I see so some of you will understand my answer)

I don't really consider myself all that religious.
I don't really know what to choose on the poll either.

I grew up in a "Christain" family, but at age 5 (after 5 years of abuse) I figured out that they were basically going through the motions so that people would leave them alone. I really don't think they ever had a commitment to Jesus or anything, I think they were just trying to "look good" in the community. I started smoking pot at 5 and by 10 I was doing prescription pills and drinking excessively. By 11 I was dealing drugs to support my habit, and by 14 I was addicted to crack. I stayed addicted to many things until I was 17, and had a huge God size wakeup call. I started having heart problems because of some of the drugs I had been doing, by this time I had moved out of my house and was working 80 hours a week and trying to go to school, and leading the youth group at my parent's church (talk about a hypocrite)
I prayed to God, trying to bargain with him, if you make my heart problems go away I will give up everything but meth ( I thought I still needed that to work) it didn't work. I was angry with God. I passed out on a trip to youth camp with my youth group from exhaustion. (I still needed a constant high to get through the day and so I had promised to give up everything but speed I hadn't been to sleep in 8 days) I landed in rehab, against my will but it was 2 months until I turned 18 so there wasn't a whole lot I could do about it. I met a guy in rehab, that for the first time explained to me the gospel, explained to me that I had a purpose in life, and that God loved me. I prayed a prayer right there in the lunch room with him, and from that point forward, I haven't needed to get high at all. I have a natural high. I can't believe I spent so much money on drugs just to end up feeling crappy when this was free.
sorry for the long post. but you did ask why...... ;)

Yes I was raised up, in a sense, but I chose my path long ago because I wanted to, of my free will.

Ever since then I've been through a lot, and would I have changed things? Would I have gone back on my beliefs? Would I have gone back? No. Because with this life experience I have learned to be tolerant of other people and their beliefs, mainly because of my life experiences and seeing the actions and reactions of others.

I follow this path because, in my strong opinion and belief, it shines a bright light on the road I walk, even in the darkest of hours. I have such strong faith in what I believe in, that it is real, that I made the right choice, I do not seek to go back. Why? Because I am happy, and because in my strong opinion and belief, I feel guided in my ways. Of course, I have free will, and of course I do my own actions and choose freely upon many things. However, I say guided because I Believe in strong Faith that Someone watches over me, that someone helps me in my ways, that a gentle hand and voice(not literally) shows me the way. In the end, as always, it would be of my choice, of my free will.

I believe because I seek to believe, I want to believe. I believe because I know my experiences have made me a kinder, gentler person to others. I believe because I have come to respect, to laugh, and to enjoy my time with others. I believe because.....because I, in all my faith, have a Creator to Worship and Thank in my times of darkness, to Glorify and Praise in my times of Joy. And all therein inbetween and after.

I wouldn't call it religion exactly, I'd call it Spirituality. For even as I believe in a Savior, a Creator, I try to see them as one and the same. I seek not to be apart of anything, for I know where my temple lies. I seek to be with my fellow man, to understand and have knowledge, and be a respector of, their ways.

But mainly, and above all, I seek to live my life Worshipping and Glorifying the God I chose of my own Free Will, the God I believe created me.

Thank You.

This is something I'm curious about - why people choose to follow a particular religion - maybe it's something that parents instill into their children. So why are you religious - or if you're not, why do you think people are?

Why do people choose to follow a particular religion? Desperation.

Why am I religious? Desperation followed by overwhelming success.

If you are never desperate in life, you will have no need of religion.

Interesting... the vast majority of non-religious people in this poll believe that people are usually religious because of upbringing, but the votes of the religious people in this poll don't bear that out.

I think it is impossible to make it through adolescence without having questioned everything you believed in regardless of which religion you were raised in.

Very VERY limited options!

Can't you ignorant agnostics get it through your head that maybe we religious bunch chose to be religious out of free will? G-d is salvation, G-d is truth, G-d is moral, G-d is love.

You have to start providing proof for your god. This god is this, this god is that... seriously? How so?

I was brought up staunchly Catholic, but I started reviling church from about the age of 8 and actively shunned the teachings from 10 and older. I went through a few stages where I would accept my faith again, but I'd end up shunning it again fairly quickly. I have no faith in a religion that restricts freedoms and supplicates men. I was always very interested in religion though, all religions, I liked reading about them and when I was about 17 I stumbled across Norse Heathenism (the Viking religion), and since then I've been a dedicated Heathen. I am a very religious person, I just believe in the Norse pantheon and all that the Asatru religion has to teach.

To answer your question as to why I'm religious: because Asatru is a religion that teaches freedom, striving to be the best, staying strong and living life to the fullest. Being a naturally superstitious person, the mystical side of it sates my need to appease the universe around me, while its teachings give me fuel to burn so that I can stay focused and achieve as much as I can.

I was brought up in a Protestant Christian home. I grew up on a farm so it was pretty isolated. My Parents both really believe in Christianity. I am still a Christian but that does not mean I blindly follow just because my parents say so. I find it impossible not to believe in a God(probably upbringing). I have explored Christianity and I find that I am content with my beliefs. Now, some people could say I'm desperate or I'm Ignorant. I don't care what you say my Belief in Jesus Christ is genuine and if you don't like it live with it. I have had enough of people saying "People are only a part of a Religion because X" Well, All I have to say is that some people actually find comfort in the belief in God, that is fine. It does not mean they are stupid nor does it mean they are superior to you. I do have to say that a vocal minority of Christians who do preach hate and intolerance are Ignorant and I don't agree with them at all. I guess what I am saying is that not all Christians want to judge and preach at everyone.

I try to follow the truth wherever it leads. From my search, the weight of the evidence sides on Christianity and so I follow Christ.

I was not brought up religious but eventually I began to search out the big questions of life and at the end of my search it was pretty difficult for me to assert any longer that Christianity was irrational. It was indeed rational and there was good reason for me to believe the claims of Christianity.

I'm not saying there's no doubt but the evidence is just to strong for me to ignore.

In my own personal perspective, the weight of the evidence points to the indication that god is a human invented concept and has no evidence to it. I've become a stronger atheist in recent months because I have grown tired of christian fundies.

I've become a stronger atheist in recent months because I have grown tired of christian fundies.

I've become a stronger supporter of dumping chemical waste into rivers in recent months because I have grown tired of Greenpeace environmental nuts.

I've become a stronger supporter of dictatorships in recent months because I have grown tired of the inane candidates elected by democracies.

I've become a stronger supporter of animal torture in recent months because I have grown tired of PETA psychos.

I've become a stronger supporter of iron fisted government control of the economy because I have grown tired of the idiots like Bush who support a free market economy.

This all makes so much sense :rolleyes:


P.S. for those not intelligent enough to understand this post, it simply poses the question of whether judging a belief by its most radical adherents makes any sense.

I've become a stronger supporter of dumping chemical waste into rivers in recent months because I have grown tired of Greenpeace environmental nuts.

I've become a stronger supporter of dictatorships in recent months because I have grown tired of the inane candidates elected by democracies.

I've become a stronger supporter of animal torture in recent months because I have grown tired of PETA psychos.

I've become a stronger supporter of iron fisted government control of the economy because I have grown tired of the idiots like Bush who support a free market economy.

That's ridiculous because I basically was an atheist before, albeit not such a hardliner. Some people just pushed me to be stronger in my own beliefs. Not too hard for you to understand, is it?

That's ridiculous because I basically was an atheist before, albeit not such a hardliner. Some people just pushed me to be stronger in my own beliefs. Not too hard for you to understand, is it?

Sure, I can understand it. Im just making it clear to those who didnt see it at first glance, that your stronger feelings are based entirely on emotion and not on logic or common sense.

Sure, I can understand it. Im just making it clear to those who didnt see it at first glance, that your stronger feelings are based entirely on emotion and not on logic or common sense.

You don't know anything about my beliefs, if you think that.

I grew up in traditionally christian family, but didn't believe that there was a god.

Then strange things just started to happen, and I started tho think if the God after all did exist.
Till this very day I have seen so much supernatural things, that I can't question anymore if there is a God, I can't be anything but sure that there is.
I believe that the God exist and that Jesus is the Christ.

What about the option of "I am religious after studying multiple religions and then decided to believe in one after the age of 18"? Too long? Eh...

Anyway, I am religious because I choose too. Is that good enough? Or can I only be religious if I was raised being taught to believe only what my parents believe in or can I only be religious if I had an rock-bottom moment in my life?

Anyway, I choose to believe in my religion because it's the only one I agree with. I do enjoy studying different religions. For your information, I grew up in a atheist home and had no childhood problems what so ever.

~Satanic Reverend Medivh~

Sure, I can understand it. Im just making it clear to those who didnt see it at first glance, that your stronger feelings are based entirely on emotion and not on logic or common sense.

How can you judge the reality of experiences you have not had?

Other - I actually believe it... How come there's no option for that?

I am religious, though I have questioned continually from an early age and have been both atheistic and agnostic.

As to why, I can give no clear-cut answer. Some of it was instilled by my upbringing, but it was almost a conscious choice I made to accept that upbringing. I was never indoctrinated into it, rather, I always had complete freedom to think for myself, and used it prolifically.

I've become a stronger supporter of dumping chemical waste into rivers in recent months because I have grown tired of Greenpeace environmental nuts.

I've become a stronger supporter of dictatorships in recent months because I have grown tired of the inane candidates elected by democracies.

I've become a stronger supporter of animal torture in recent months because I have grown tired of PETA psychos.

I've become a stronger supporter of iron fisted government control of the economy because I have grown tired of the idiots like Bush who support a free market economy.
Good, another soul saved. Welcome to the light

Amazing, a poll thread meant for one subdivision only has < 50% of that subdivsion answering. :D