There's countless religions out there. Why pick the one you did when you have so many choices? You could believe in Jesus, you could believe in Zeus, you could believe in reincarnation, or you could believe any number of other things people believe. And yet out of all those you chose one. Why that one?
Why did you pick your religion?
(33 posts) (15 voices)-
green411
Member-You didn't pick Jesus??? He picked you??? It takes two to tango dwade, and even within christian theology, Jesus picks everyone, it is that people don't always pick him and that is what sends them to their fiery doom.
-come to think of it after saying/typing that, I'm glad I'm out of that christian boat (or ark, lol)
Posted 3 years ago # -
Jeremy
MemberWhat's wrong with Calvinism? I think it's a fairly logical outcome for how an omniscient / omnipotent God would do things.
Because the Calvinist god makes Hitler look like a schoolyard bully.
I mean the whole Christian god is a pretty terrible character to begin with (drowning every infant on earth, for starters) but it takes a special kind of real, honest-to-goodness evil to randomly choose people for damnation without them having any chance whatsoever.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Kodie
MemberI am an atheist after some searching or grasping in my younger years. I was raised in a non-religious household, held financially by my grandfather who supported us on some real or imaginary grounds that we not be taught about god or be brought to church. I don't know to this day how my mother feels about god or church, only to think that we might have benefited from the comfort and community that she failed to provide us due to our family's dependence on her father for income. I cannot verify the strength or duty of this situation, only the outcome, of which I am a product.
My grandfather was a total atheist ball buster. You might not have liked him. I didn't always like him. I do remember going through a spiritual phase toward the end of my teenage years in which I attempted to demonstrate the possibility of god to my grandfather because of that movie "Oh, God!" (which was release almost a decade before this incident) with George Burns as god and John Denver as some dude who met god, and was granted the task of demonstrating god's existence to all... for some reason.
This was a weird time for me. I didn't really have anyone else to talk to about this, not like someone who goes to church and might have doubts, and talks to someone in their congregation or their pastor about the strange things they think or have been exposed to, how to process this type of stuff, and way before the internet to approach this subject anonymously, what with the wealth of info and forums we have now. I grew up in a place where I thought everyone else was Catholic except if they were Jewish. I wasn't really sullen about how outcast I was except for most of my peers at a young age attending CCD. I didn't know what it was, and my mother said we weren't Catholic, so I still didn't understand why I couldn't go. Religion was never talked about. I don't know when the subject of there not being a god came up on a more regular basis, but it seemed to be something my grandfather expressed anecdotally when we visited, not like brainwashing or indoctrination or force of belief or disbelief from my perspective. I did see my grandparents at least every two weeks throughout my childhood and many times, the subject never came up at all.
Anyway, after the whole "there might be a god, ask John Denver" episode - I do give myself a lot of credit for attempting to think for myself and not just buy into the family belief, and for speaking up and not just swallowing everything I heard - I just experienced living, graduation from high school and college and never felt like anything to do with religion was at all appealing. Everything I have ever learned about god was quite ridiculous on the face of it, that I could immediately discard it as false. I've not been actively skeptic of religion as of everything in general. I've been lied to enough in my life especially through my 20s by bosses and boyfriends that I am just skeptical in general. Religions seem so ridiculous to me, although I sometimes feel what some may call spiritual, what I call regular awe. The world is so wide and strange, and I am so small and inconsequential, that I feel so much sometimes, it is just awe. As somewhat atheist brought up, this was never explained or demonstrated to me, this is something I accumulated through experience and personal observation.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Kodie
MemberI still don't know. Catechisms something something. Was after school 2 days a week or 3 maybe.
Ah, the internet, it's this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confraternity_of_Christian_DoctrineThe Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was an association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religious education. Its modern usage, often abbreviated CCD or C.C.D., is as religious education programs of the Catholic Church, normally designed for children.
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine is commonly referred to by its abbreviation, CCD, or simply as "Catechism," and provides religious education to Catholic children attending secular schools. Similar to children’s Sunday school in Protestant churches, CCD education is provided by both members of the clergy and lay staff, although unlike Sunday school it is often held after school on weekdays. CCD attendance is considered by Vatican officials to be vital to children’s development as Catholics. These classes not only educate children about Jesus and the Catholic faith but prepare children to receive the sacraments of Penance (confession), the Eucharist (Holy Communion), and Confirmation.
Posted 3 years ago # -
phrankygee
MemberYech. Indoctrination classes. I guess I am lucky to have belonged to such a wishy-washy, weak-willed religion (the United Methodists) who never bothered to really brainwash me all that hard.
They are one of the most rapidly declining churches in the U.S., too, I believe.
Posted 3 years ago # -
I was Methodist because my mom and dad said every Sunday morning, from my infancy, "Get up - it's time to go to church." I started hanging with some evangelicals later on in high school because their church had drums and electric guitars.
Phrankygee - You didn't go through indoctrination, ur, I mean, confirmation classes in the Methodist church? It was every Saturday morning for several months for me.
Posted 3 years ago # -
phrankygee
MemberYeah, I did Confirmation, but it was not intensive. There was no question that we were going to join the church, and the pastor needed only to make the minimum token effort required by the almighty Book of Discipline. (which never sounded sinister, until I just now mentioned it. Sounds like a Kama Sutra for BDSM fans, doesn't it?)
Anyway, my Confirmation classes were just a very few "any questions?" sessions with the pastor, and a couple of fun field trips.
For all I know, catechism might be about the same, but I pictured rows of desks, and harsh, ruler-wielding nuns terrorizing kids who ought to be out playing.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Kodie
MemberFor all I know, catechism might be about the same, but I pictured rows of desks, and harsh, ruler-wielding nuns terrorizing kids who ought to be out playing.
For me, it didn't sound like it wasn't fun. Nobody sounded like they dreaded it - it was as if they had soccer practice or scouts, and left me with nobody to play with after school several days a week for years, you know those precious after school days before you were old enough for homework (in the historical era before primary grades came home with piles of homework and their moms kept them inside anyway to keep them from being stolen by a pervert). Probably why I'm antisocial.
The Book of Discipline: 50 Ways to Leave (Welts and Bruises on) Your Lover!
Awesome funny.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Good one, phrankygee!
Posted 3 years ago # -
Stupid Idea
MemberI did United Methodist confirmation too. Our was just Sunday school classes! Seriously. As long as you came to Sunday school the minimum number of times over the course of the year, you were confirmed. Also, I went to a Southern Baptist run school and had been hardcore indoctrinated from the age of 4, so I actually knew more about the Bible than the random church member that taught our class. I had to correct her multiple times.
To answer the original question, I was raised in a Christian home, because my parents were raised in Christian homes, because their parents were raised in Christian homes....
Posted 3 years ago # -
JamesIV
MemberMy paternal grandfather and namesake was a Communist Atheist, and my maternal grandfather was an Elder in the Baptist Church - (the latter gave instructive talks to the faithful: he carried with him a hollowed out model clock, and the hands of the clock indicated the ineluctable march of time towards Judgement day, and he kept inside the clock "Evil" things like a lipstick, a theatre ticket, a deck of playing cards...) So, I guess you can say that the marriage of my parents was, ur, a collision of cultures.
I was encouraged to attend Sunday School basically as soon as I could walk, and was taken there by a lovely spinster Christian lady - kinda ironic, given that both my parents did not attend Church, except for weddings and funerals - I was also encouraged to be a free-thinker. I think my Mom just wanted me out of the house on Sundays.Posted 3 years ago # -
phrankygee
Member"I have remained a Christian because I've yet to find a non/religion that explains the world, existence, and meaning any better than this one"
Well, the word "better" in that sentence is an expression of opinion. If you don't misrepresent facts, you are allowed whatever opinion you want.
But I struggle to understand you. BRG. You fascinate me in your persistence.
You and I seem, from what I know of you, to have thrown out the same amount of Bathwater, but you see some Baby in there worth holding onto, which I just can't see.
You call yourself Christian, but you are certainly not what I think of when I use that word.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Ty
Moderator"I have remained a Christian because I've yet to find a non/religion that explains the world, existence, and meaning any better than this one. "
The word 'meaning' here is very telling.
There are much, much better theories for explaining the world and existence than the Christian mythologies.
Meaning is the problem. Science can tell us why the world exists, but it can't tell us what that existence means.
Some people hate the answer 'nothing', and that's generally where we lose them.
Posted 3 years ago # -
rodneyAnonymous
MemberThe question "why?" is a sticky one. It could mean one of two things: what are the mechanics? and what is the purpose?
The former includes questions like "why are plants green?" and "why do helium-filled balloons float?" If you are asking "What are the mechanics of the origin of life?", science does seek an answer to that. No answer yet, though. People are working on it as we speak. Type.
The latter includes questions like "why are bicycles shaped that way?" and "why do we not eat pork?" The thing is, entities assign purposes. They don’t otherwise exist. So, if you ask "Why are we here? What is the purpose?" you are presupposing a cosmological entity of some kind. When you ask this kind of "Why?", you are assuming there is something to ask. The answer to that question might be "There is no answer to that question, there is no why."
What if there is no objective meaning, that the search for meaning is fruitless? Why spend so much time and energy on a nonsensical question? I didn’t give up asking the question, I accepted an answer.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Ty
ModeratorMy 'why' is this:
The entire 14 billion year existence of the known universe, and all the things that have ever happened in it, including the activities of every life form on earth up to this point have occurred entirely so that I could meet and marry my wife.
After 20 blissful years of marriage, I have to let you all know that you're doing an excellent job. Keep up the good work.
Posted 3 years ago # -
JamesIV
MemberTy: with regard to meeting your wife and your enviably happy marriage, are you stating your version of the Weak or Strong Anthropic Principle? - I always kinda get them mixed up - I'm with Descartes: "cogito ergo mundus talis est."
("I think, therefore the world is such [as it is]")
This deduction arises from the fact of our existence, and if it is true to say that I think, then the world must be so construed as to allow this. I was never much good at Philosophy, let's face it - but I agree with what you said.Posted 3 years ago # -
Hmm. I'm 25 years old now, I think I spent 23 years as a Christian (Although that's including the years where you're too young to make the decision at all). My parents are both Baptists, as well as their parents. I will worship Haruhi Suzumiya at times as a joke, or refer to god as a she, but I'm an atheist now.
My whole family is pretty much very religious, although you'll get the typical "it's a relationship not a religion" reply if you say so. I've had a bit of a clash, which my sister and my cousin know and agree with me, that my mom is a big "Videogames are of the devil" person. She's a nice person, but she's also pretty irrational. Problem is, I'm an amateur game developer who wants to have a commercially released game in the future. I can play for an hour, then she'll come in the room and yell at me saying that gaming is all I do (which I get a few hours of gaming in a month, not a day) and that the games are ugly and of the devil. It was very amusing when I was beta-testing my friends game, which featured an Oni (in this game, a girl with horns), my mom came in and said that the horns were of the devil. I told my mom that my friend made it, and then she said that my friend was a devil child. I told my friend that, she had a good laugh out of it.
They go to church on Sunday morning, Tuesday night for prayer service, Friday night for youth meeting, Saturday night for practice. This is time that you could go out and enjoy, stay in and sleep, go on vacation, instead of being yelled at for falling asleep in church. I was doing some calculations, I forget if it was just counting sundays or if I counted those other days as well, but it ended up as 5 years of your life in church.
As much as I didn't like that and having it continue to this day, I still remained as a Christian for a while. I thought my dad was a rational person and he loves reading and viewing programs about science and nature. He's also a Christian, so I figured that it was also logical to follow God as he did. One thing I learned from that: Someone may be smart but that doesn't mean you should unquestionably follow them. Something good did come out of it though, it made me have a greater respect for science than I probably would if my dad were like my mom. I told my mom about the primate that was on the google logo for a bit, and she's like "I don't believe in evolution, all I believe is what god said in the bible". I can't do that. Actually, my dad recently made a few intelligent design comments that I felt like just picking apart, but I decided to just try to take the conversation to something that we'd both agree on about evolution.
The Evolution debate was what got me to be an Atheist in the first place. Once I saw that the "controversies" in evolution were easily refuted and that I really did not know the first thing about it, I decided to do some actual research on it. I had also been reading skeptic blogs too. Helped me actually go out and look up claims before I just assume something to be true. I really wish I had done this earlier.
Now I have to act like a Christian because of the reactions I may get from my family, and I'm in the church music group. I feel like they'll just assume that I'm getting out of the church just because I'm lazy or that they were right about videogames being from the devil, or would try to send the pastor and other people to try to reconvert me and I don't need that. I wanted to at least move out before doing that. Right now, being a freelance pixel artist isn't exactly bringing in much money. Perhaps an opportunity will come and I can state that i'm an atheist and the reasons why to my family. I was relieved though when I told my girlfriend (who is Catholic) and she was fine with it.
Being an atheist is nice, and I feel much better, knowing that I'm not a terrible christian because I don't evangelize (I'm shy, I couldn't do that!), or that I have to worry about being the anti-christ, or that I would get demon possessed, or that I might end up in hell, or that god/angels are watching my every action from heaven, or "what if you end up in heaven but none of the people you love do?" types of things (or the inverse).
Sorry, I'm sleepy right now so my thoughts aren't exactly coherent. So basically, they wanted to have children that served the lord. My brother and sister can be, I will not, sorry. Not without good evidence that there is a lord, that the lord is worth worshipping, and I get something better than Sunday: except for all eternity for an afterlife. This is why the religious people like to convert the kids when they're young, they're going to accept it as fact and if you throw in a "you must believe by faith", "any science that contradicts the bible is false" and "doubt is sinful" type of stuff you're going to have a bunch who'll continue in the religion because they're too afraid to go out and research it for themselves for fear of eternal torment.
EDIT- Holy crap this is longer than I thought it would be. Sorry :<
Posted 3 years ago # -
phrankygee
MemberI like long posts. That's why I like the forum better than the comment threads on the blog. We can all go into that kind of detail, and fewer people just "drive-by" with evangelism OR sarcstic snark.
My relationship with my parents is troubling too, and I'm over 30 years old.
It might get better when you move out, but that will not be the end, if you still want a relationship with your parents.I wish there was something I could say to make your situation better, but it sounds like you have a tough emotional road ahead. So do I, I can just procrastinate longer, because my parents live about 100 miles away.
Posted 3 years ago #
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