Have you ever converted from one religion/belief to another, and if so, why?

[Hacker]

Hello,
I just happened to think of this question, the question in the title. If you have converted more than twice, feel free to share that too.(feel free to share what you want really, lol). I'd like to know specifically why you converted, if you ever have, from what religion/belief to what. And why do you think that your present religion/belief is better than the previous one? I've noticed quite a few people on these boards converted from another religion and I find that quite interesting. Thanks

 

[Comet]

I was raised a Christian and converted to the beliefs I hold now because I never believed the stuff that was being taught to me. I always had questions that nobody could answer and the religion of my parents failed to bring me the answers I sought. I wouldn't really say I converted as I never believed what my parents made me do. As for converting to what I believe, it has been a long process and I'd call it discovering not converting. Hope that makes sence

 

[Hacker]

Yes, it does totally.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I've slowly converted from mild to extreme Angellousianism.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I was brought up as an Anglican Christian.
I was exposed to catholicism at a convent junior school.
And later a friendship with Carmalite monks.
in my early twenties I became involved with non conformists, Baptists,Methodists and congregationalists and Billy Graham gatherings (his first UK visit)

All this time I Ruminated on all I had learnt and belived.
Now I have returned to the Church of England where I started.
It is perhaps the only church I have found broad enough to accept me, complete with my less than usual beliefs.
I in my turn have no reason to question the beliefs of my fellow members.

 

[Quiddity]

I was baptized catholic but never took it further then that.
Lightly looked into Latter-Day-Saints.
Ventured into various non-denominational Churches.
Went cold turkey in regards to faith my senior year in high school.
Returned to Catholicism my second year of college and haven't looked back.

 

[Snowbear]

I'd like to know specifically why you converted, if you ever have, from what religion/belief to what.

I spent most of my life as a humanist. I tried for awhile to believe there is no God. As a Biological Sciences major in college, I eventually just couldn't keep denying the existance of a "Higher Power."
I 'became' a Christian a little over 2 years ago after some serious in-depth soul searching and a search for inner peace.

And why do you think that your present religion/belief is better than the previous one?

It's not the religion itself that makes it better... I see a lot of people who go through the motions of religion without actually even understanding what they supposedly believe in

To me, what makes my new Faith so much better than what I had before is that the Savior I now believe in and follow gives me Hope.

 

[c0da]

I was brought up a Methodist, but I didn't attend church regularly or strongly believe in what I had been taught, it was just label I applied to myself out of convenience, because it was what my parents are. I began to question my beliefs a couple of years back but only began looking into other belief systems, like Taoism, Buddhism and Hinduism about ten months ago. Reading through a lot of information I found on the web about Buddhism, I realised that a lot of it made sense to me and, in some parts, agreed with my very lose philosophy on life.

Like Comet said before though, I would rather call it a journey or discovery, rather than conversion.

 

[Hacker]

I spent most of my life as a humanist.

What's a humanist? The same as an atheist? I'm still learning these MANY subdivisions.

 

[Booko]

Hello,
I just happened to think of this question, the question in the title. If you have converted more than twice, feel free to share that too.(feel free to share what you want really, lol). I'd like to know specifically why you converted, if you ever have, from what religion/belief to what. And why do you think that your present religion/belief is better than the previous one? I've noticed quite a few people on these boards converted from another religion and I find that quite interesting. Thanks

Does converting to atheism count?

 

[Hacker]

Does converting to atheism count?

It says that your religon is Baihi in your post, so I guess this was recent?

 

[Booko]

It says that your religon is Baihi in your post, so I guess this was recent?

No, I'm just nearly an old fart. I've been a Baha'i since 1980.

I was raised in a Protestant Church (Reformed) but had mentally and spiritually left it by the time I was 10. Oh, my parents forced me to go to church, and I tried to find what good I could when I was there, but I pretty much stopped believing a God existed when I was about 10, and was dead certain there wasn't one by the time I was 12.

I went my merry way for years as an athiest, but still kept reading up on religions for several reasons. Oh, I've always had a passing interest in history and different cultures, but was also keenly interested in trying to figure how this mass insanity known as religion kept hanging on in the modern age.

And ended up a Baha'i years later. Go figure.

 

[Hacker]

Well I'm very glad you found your path!

 

[Booko]

Well I'm very glad you found your path!

Oh, so far, so good!

I never assume I'm actually on it. What others have said about more of a process really fits.

I mean, if you'd told me as an athiest that I would end up a theist in a matter of days, I'd have told you you were off your nut.

So who knows what tomorrow will bring?

 

[Snowbear]

What's a humanist? The same as an atheist? I'm still learning these MANY subdivisions.

Here is a summation from wikipedia.

Humanism is a broad category of active ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities—particularly rationalism. Humanism is a component of a variety of more specific philosophical systems, and is also incorporated into some religious schools of thought.
Humanism entails a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means in support of human interests. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects transcendental justifications, such as a dependence on faith, the supernatural, or divinely revealed texts. Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of human nature, suggesting that solutions to our social and cultural problems cannot be parochial.

I basically believed that people are what they made themselves without the influence of a God, though I did believe that other people could have an influence on them (and still do ). While I eventually believed that there is a Higher Power and that a Creator had a hand in making plant and animal life what it is, I did not believe in a God who Loves and cares about us. I did not believe that a God could change a person's life, but that it was the person who changed their attitude or habits or whatever that made a change.... though I also believed that "bad" people are inherantly bad and that "good" people are inherantly good. I did not believe that a God would or could influence a person's behavior or heart or attitude or whatever, though I did know that the practice of a religion could have influence on someone.

 

[Hacker]

I tried for awhile to believe there is no God. As a Biological Sciences major in college, I eventually just couldn't keep denying the existance of a "Higher Power.

That's interesting, what was most significant in your major that influenced your change of mind?

 

[GoldenDragon]

Well I at one time I was on the verge of converting.
I was born and raised Roman Catholic my nanny took me to church,we'd pray to the rosary some times and I have 12 years of Catholic school under my belt. Along my journey (out of nowhere for all i know) I became strongly interested in Judaism and just a few years ago was on the verge of wanting to convert because I felt a strong connection to Judaism but other than that reason couldn't find an exact reason for converting and wondered if I was on the right path.I certainly didn't want to convert to my "new" religion for the wrong reason(s) or no reason at all and its not like I had any spritual conflicts with Catholicism in the first place. So I decided to stay with my "original" religion Catholicism , but I still remain strongly attracted to Judaism kind of "watching from a far" type of thing and I'm still trying to figure it out what and where my spiritual journey is...

 

[Snowbear]

That's interesting, what was most significant in your major that influenced your change of mind?

The studies of Embryology, Genetics and .... believe it or not.... the Theory of Evolution

 

[Hacker]

I became strongly interested in Judaism and just a few years ago was on the verge of wanting to convert because I felt a strong connection to Judaism but other than that reason couldn't find an exact reason for converting and wondered if I was on the right path.

Can I ask why you feel a "strong connection" to Judaism? Is there a particular belief or beliefs that strongly resides with you?

 

[Booko]

The studies of Embryology, Genetics and .... believe it or not.... the Theory of Evolution

I can see how studying those could have such a result.

My husband's grandfather was a Nuclear Physicist, and always maintained that the more he studied physics, the stronger a belief he had in God.