What is your religion?

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Forgive me if there is already a thread for this. I couldn't find one.

But I was wondering, what religion do you practice, if any? If so, did your family practice it, or did you choose it on your own?

 

[Megalita]

I am an atheist. I've switched back and forth between that and agnosticism, and it could be said that I indentify with this (agnostic atheism), but it sort of seems like a cop out between the two. ;D

My parents never truly adopted a religion in our household. Both of their parents were religious -- Episcopalian on my father's side, not so sure about my mother's side. I just live with my dad now (well, when I'm not living at my dorm,) and his whole take on it is that his relationship with God doesn't need to merited by going to church. My younger sister seems to share the same sentiment.

I think religion is super interesting, though! I am taking a World Religions class next semester and am super pumped.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I'm Catholic, but now a good one. Haha, I'm going to church only at Christmas and Easther but I do belive in God 😀

 

[anyatara]

I'm pretty much agnostic, at the moment. I used to be a practicing wiccan, but my parents got pretty mad at me about that, and I apparently can't go down the route of choosing my own religion until I'm at least 16. However, I have most of the views of wiccans/pagans; though if asked, I'd refer to myself as agnostic, as going by Christian beliefs, I'm not quite sure if God exists, which is what my parents expect me to believe (Although none of them go to church, they were both brought up as strong Catholics). Religion in my family, is complicated at best.

 

[Fredsicle]

I was born and raised Catholic. I've been Baptized, had First Communion, all that.
I take part in Lent, I pray. Being gay isn't exactly welcomed with open arms.
But I know God is forgiving, and there are worse people than me out there, so judging me negatively will not be on His priority list.
It's not like I'm hurting anyone.

 

[faeriegrrl27]

I'm a Jewish Atheist. I was born a reformed Jew and love the culture and community, but I don't believe in god. It's quite common among Reformed Jews. It's very much a cultural thing for me. I go to services, observe the holidays, say the prayers. I enjoy knowing that I'm connected to a thousand year old people. God rarely enters into conversation in a legit way. We talk about god and all, but more as an idea than a sentient being.

 

[Washburne]

A lot of people would call me a bad one but I say that I'm christian. Protestant. Not an active one though. I don't agree with everything that religion say or the spin some people do on it claimng it to be the "truth". But I do believe in God. I see it as more important to be a good person than to believe in God. It must be better to be a good person than to claim to believe just to be on the safe side or act bad but think you're safe just because you're a "believer". And to me to believe is a feeling, not knowledge. It's called faith after all.

My family isn't especially religious in my eyes but I'm sure they would look that way to some. But to me it's more about christian traditions than being religious. And I'm fully aware that I claim to be a protestant just because the way I was brought up and in Sweden. Not like I sat down one day and decided that it was the one for me. It works well and since I'm not active I've never really bothered to check other options out. But I think it helps me keep an open mind. I don't look down on other religions or people that don't believe. But I dislike the fact that people use religion to try and make themselves better than everyone else and that goes for the once not believing as well. And that especially goes for those who thinks that your sexuality defines how good of a person you are or what you deserve.

My best religious moment by far was when I was in Taizé. When you try to explain to people what it was like and what you did to most, especially not religious people, it sounds really bad. But it was totally great as a whole.

Since I haven't read the whole bible (and have a terrible memory) I'm not sure how accurate this is and it is a tv-show after all. But I like it.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-zhNiGlogQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-zhNiGlogQ[/ame]

 

[Frketson]

I'm a Roman Catholic, but i don't go to church as often as i should. I go on all special events, easter, christmas etc. and random weekends.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I am an atheist. I've switched back and forth between that and agnosticism, and it could be said that I indentify with this (agnostic atheism), but it sort of seems like a cop out between the two. ;D

My parents never truly adopted a religion in our household. Both of their parents were religious -- Episcopalian on my father's side, not so sure about my mother's side. I just live with my dad now (well, when I'm not living at my dorm,) and his whole take on it is that his relationship with God doesn't need to merited by going to church. My younger sister seems to share the same sentiment.

I think religion is super interesting, though! I am taking a World Religions class next semester and am super pumped.

I too identify as an atheist. I grew up in a Catholic household. My mother is pretty religious.

Strangely enough, I have went to Catholic school my entire life (grade school, HS, and now, I attend a Jesuit university.)

 

[AndrewCrossett]

I don't believe in any form of organized religion. I was raised a Catholic. I believe in the existence of a God, but I believe that he/she/it is fundamentally unknowable.

 

[Revolver]

Agnostic, I guess. I was raised Christian, and I like the idea of Christianity (the idea that all that is me will just cease to exist is terrifying) but I guess I'm a skeptic at heart. That and the world just seems too crappy to have been made by a divine being. I live in the same town as my parents, so for awhile I was going to Church with them just to make them happy but then a bunch of crazy drama happened there. A reasonably large group of people went after the new Pastor for moronic reasons: they didn't like the way he dressed (he typically wore a sweater or a suit instead of the robe the old Pastor wore), they were angry because he was spotted at the park with his kids on a Thursday when they felt he should have been at the Church (how DARE he spend time with his kids). My parents went to a council meeting and said some people starting outright lying about the guy and dragging his name through the mud and he eventually was bullied into quitting and leaving. These people also made his wife and children feel very unwelcome, and this was after they'd bought a new house and moved to town to work at this Church. These people were, by and large, very old and really had no excuse to treat him like that. It's sad when men and women in their seventies or above act like children and definitely demonstrated that a lifetime of going to Church taught them nothing important. Anyway, I'm certainly through with THAT church. Fair or not, it's definitely changed the way I view Christianity or at least organized Christianity.

 

[TheCheese]

Raised Pagan. Norse Pagan. But my philosophy doesn't necessarily add up to that

I believe that the Universe="God" and we are experiencing and learning as part of it, on it's behalf.

I believe in Magic, and Reincarnation. I also believe in the power of belief, anyone's belief, but the more people who believe it, the greater the power.

I believe all religions with few exceptions have something useful to teach us, but that they are all wrong in the literal sense.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

I was raised without a religion. My parents are both really hardcore atheists. So, I grew up with those ideals. When I was younger I got into a lot of arguments wth people about all that stuff. At home I was sort of taught that religion is totally stupid and whatnot, well, and I blurted it out to the world, which is not really a smart thing to do. Great example though on what too extreme views can do to your children: before they really start to think about these more profound things in life, they just go along with what their parents tell them and assume it's the smartest thing possible to think that way.

These days, I'm sort of between religions. I still don't have like a real faith, but I am seriously contemplating converting to Judaism (Reformed Judaism, that is). I'm pretty sure my parents would strongly disagree, the Jewish community isn't really that kean on converters (it's not like they don't want you or anything, but they sure don't make it easy for you to convert...there's like 2 years of classes and stuff you have to take before you're officially Jewish. Also, I was raised in Germany, and although they officially don't mind, I could imagine some of them still having some hard feelings toward Germans) either, and I know it won't be an easy task to change my lifestyle accordingly, but yet it's something I really do want to do. Not right now (mainly because I don't plan to stay in Maastricht much longer (only for my Bachelor), and because there's only an Orthodox Jewish community here), but in a few years, maybe even already when (or better if) I do my Master in England.

 

[TheCheese]

I like that it is hard to convert. Makes sure you are really committed and really understand it.

 

[Big Damn Hero]

I am an atheist. I've switched back and forth between that and agnosticism, and it could be said that I indentify with this (agnostic atheism), but it sort of seems like a cop out between the two. ;D

I see it as more important to be a good person than to believe in God. It must be better to be a good person than to claim to believe just to be on the safe side or act bad but think you're safe just because you're a "believer".

Stolen from these two cos they say it better than I could!

 

[Spikesangel11]

I'm an atheist in that I don't believe in any religions' gods, but I do believe there's something out there that we aren't able to comprehend so I'm spiritual just not religious 🙂

 

[ubi4soft]

I was born and raised as an orthodox, now I think I'm an atheist. I do a lot of ritual sacrifices with pie especially after my parents, grandparents and significant other died in this order.

I don't know if God in any form exists but I think there are consequences for every action we make and I hope that in the end the balance between good/evil will lead somewhere.

 

[Megalita]

I would also like to add that it's very disappointing when people assume that because I'm an atheist, I have no morale compass. 🙁 I know most religions seem to set a code of morale, but just because I don't participate in religion or belief doesn't mean I'm immoral! I still strive to be a "good" person!

 

[InsaneMystic]

Non-confessional pantheist mystic, with Buddhist leanings. I was raised in a (very hypocritical, I might add) Roman Catholic family, but I wasn't really Christian anymore in my convictions since I was 16 or so, and finally officially left the Church when I moved out from home.

I also admire the agnostic stance, but it's not for me as strict, consistent agnosticism led me to the lonely, rock-hard bottom of solipsism... you will need faith in something unproven and unprovable to get back from there, and the existence of God is as plausible a faith for that as any other, even though it won't be the Judeo-Christian God for me anymore. 😉

 

[anyatara]

Okay, reading this you may seriously think I'm insane, but after today I'm not agnostic anymore. I'm not part of any set religion, but I definitely believe there's something out there more powerful than us.

I had an RE class, and I wasn't paying much attention. Nothing special was going on, afterall. However; my teacher said she was going to try out this exercise with us, she said she'd done it with another class, and three people had cried, but I thought I'd be okay, nothing would happen. We had to close our eyes, and do all these things to relax our bodies, etc. She started reading to us this thing about judgement day, and it was so, so strange. When she was saying about trumpets getting louder; I could hear them, so vividly; and when she spoke of even those who'd died being there, I swear I could see people I knew who'd died, although my eyes were closed, I could have sworn they were infront of me.

It went on to describe a book, if it went into the left hand you'd be taken to a Hell-type place, and if it was the right you went to Paradise. I saw it in my left hand, but I felt a tingle in my right hand - That apparently means I feel guilty for things which I've done, but it's uncertain which one I'm going to. It went on; I don't want to go into details, it was so vivid and scary. I could hear things, see things, feel things and it honestly felt like I was on another plane. My breathing was shaky, and my whole body was shaking. I don't remember it, but apparently I was breathing really, really loudly; whispering at times, and kicking my foot. I don't remember moving at all, but apparently I did.

All I know is when I opened my eyes I felt guilty, scared and was in tears. I felt quite weak, and ended up feeling almost calm. It was really such a strange experience. Call me crazy, say it didn't happen; but I swear religion has some sense of meaning to me now.