Seems to have worked for millions of people.
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What Religion Have You Been Before?
- Thread starter Rival
- Start date
firedragon
Veteran Member
Yes. There was a group of people called the Hassassinns who were "stoners". The name Hassassins is because they used to have Hashish. They were warrior fighters who were sent for special missions and high on hashish they wouldn't fear anything.
The name Assassin stems from them.
Cooky
Veteran Member
It would have been cooler if instead of assassins they were conversationalists, and invited people over for parties all the time. Fattened calves and milk and honey munchie treats for all.
firedragon
Veteran Member
Haha. You are talking my language.
I was just telling you a real group bro. They were part of the Shia's. And the name assassins was actually taken from them. The world has been a nasty place.
A Vestigial Mote
Well-Known Member
I've always been a non-believer. Didn't really "know" that at all times, per se - because belief was just so common, and as a kid I expected that there might be something to it for that reason. But I can honestly and easily state that I was never sincere in that sort of "pseudo-belief" at any moment. There were always more questions, even when "answers" were given, and answers were never, ever satisfying. Not in the slightest.
I guess I did, sort of, think about changing at some points... not sure. It was more just a wondering... "Could I actually be a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/etc. and believe as they do?" But even a few minutes reading a scripture or being at holy services or even just being around religious people and the answer quickly came back that "No... no you cannot believe as they do."
I guess I did, sort of, think about changing at some points... not sure. It was more just a wondering... "Could I actually be a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/etc. and believe as they do?" But even a few minutes reading a scripture or being at holy services or even just being around religious people and the answer quickly came back that "No... no you cannot believe as they do."
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I'll try to tell you a little more.
I liked all the art on a Bhagavad Gita. I realized after 9/11 that Genesis 1 must be really deep and I checked out meru.org and Hirsch. I was all religions because that made sense, but when I left the Raelians I had to wait to go back. I was Buddhist, scientologist and Wiccan because the Raelians wouldn't have belief in God.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was by the Holy Ghost at first but my High School friends from several religions made fun of it; indigestion. I went months before rebaptising at 39 without feeling a thing and then felt it like once a day. Also, it has the best promised afterlife of any religion out there and more text than anyone!
Hello.
I was a devout catholic in my early childhood and am extremely grateful for what they instilled into me and taught me. They taught me to love Jesus and humanity, to think of the well being of others and put them first, to be pure and holy.
I am now a Baha’i and if it wasn’t for the love they put in me for Jesus I would never have believed in my current Faith because I believe Baha’u’llah is the return of Jesus and it was the fact that I knew Jesus in my heart so when He returned in the Person Of Baha’u’llah I was able to recognise Him. They taught me how to recognise truth so now I am able, thanks to them to see the truth.
That just makes me like Shia Islam more. Lol
firedragon
Veteran Member
Haha. Dont be mistaken. Shia Islam is also very strict. Its just this group I was talking about. But then again, you get the Rasthaman's who are real stoners and coming from a faith built on Jesus and his return.
Nevertheless its a fascinating story.
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
I had no religion and no interest in God before I stumbled upon the Baha'i Faith at age 17 in my first year of college and fell head over heels for it. Both my parents were raised as Christians (Anglican and Greek Orthodox) but both dropped out of the church before their three children were born. Later all three of us children became Baha'is and at age 60 my mother became a Baha'i. My father was an atheist and he died at age 52 of a heart attack before ever hearing of Baha'i.
No, I have never thought about changing religions. I do not consider myself religious but I love the teachings of Baha'u'llah and His Writings and I am sure they are the Truth from God for this age. I also love the spirit of Christianity, it moves my soul, but I could never be a Christian because of the doctrines of the Church which I consider false.
j1i
Smiling is charity without giving money
I thought in all religions and read about them and it was one of my favorite books to study random and imaginary ideas to know the nature of people psychological and behavioral and cognitive and perceptional, although their perception were weak
Now I live a period of comfort and contentment with Islam because the most important thing in Islam is faith in God (as one) and this is enough to enter Paradise even if after the torment of sins and sins for a long time
If faith in God is true I will escape from the Immortal punishment and if there is no God punished I will not lose anything
just saftely believe there is GOD the founder or The principle of all existence as (Tawhid).
This equation led me comforted especially since other religious practices are more concerned with the philosophical aspect and There is no punishment in their religions
thanks brother
hug
iam1me
Active Member
While I was born and raised Christian, and have always identified as such, my views have changed significantly overtime as I have put in the effort to study and debate theology. Indeed, it feels like just about everything I heard in church growing up is the inverse of the truth. I was born and raised a Trinitarian, and by attempting to learn about and defend the Trinity I became a vocal non-Trinitarian.
I was raised a Protestant, and most Protestants are all about faith/belief only vs works. The idea that something is actually required of you for salvation is treated by many as if it were a slight against Christ and his sacrifice. Now I view the specific beliefs and doctrines one holds as being largely insignificant to salvation (save indirectly, in so far as they guide ones actions), and instead argue that we are judged by our deeds - and that eternal life is a reward for good deeds. Nor again is salvation reserved for Christians, but all are judged fairly and equally by their deeds and how one has lived their life.
At times the realization of just how far off the mark these churches are has tested my faith, though now not so much. As was the case with the Jews in the OT, Christians are just as prone to getting wildly off the mark - as we can see with the blind devotion so many evangelicals have for Trump.
That said, I also believe it important to be informed about other people's beliefs and got a BA in Religious Studies (along with my Masters in Computer Science) so that I could get better acquainted with other belief systems. Very interesting stuff! It also validated the fact that no - not all religions are the same. They all have different values and reasons for being, and even when confronting a similar problem different religions (and sects therein) can wildly diverge in the solution.
For instance, most people raised in a heavily Judeo-Christian influenced society think that all religions seek to do good. However, this is simply incorrect. If we look at a religion like Buddhism, doing good deeds produces wholesome karma. But both wholesome and unwholesome karma are barriers to reaching Nirvana. A practicing Buddhist must not seek to good or evil. Or, again, we can look at a religion like Taoism that views the very concepts of good and evil as an illusion. Thus, again, they don't strive to do either.
I was raised in a Catholic household.
I’ve also identified as Wiccan and neo-Pagan.
I’ve also identified as Wiccan and neo-Pagan.
Karolina
Member
Brought up culturally Catholic.
Identified as Neo-Pagan for 2 years in my early 20s.
Worshiped with Quakers for some time.
Anglican church that I thought was Episcopalian but later I found out they purposely didn't update their label "to help people find the right church" said the pastor. I stopped going immediately.
A few services in the UU church.
A Protestant service here and there.
Considered Islam briefly.
Identified as Deist but found it unfulfilling.
Considered the Mennonites and Orthodox Christians.
Returned to Catholicism twice.
Currently exploring (Reform) Judaism and trying to decide if it makes any sense to make a physical move, or if the move required is of my attitude and dependence on being in agreement with the group with which I worship.
I have come to love Jesus, or at least the caricature that has been presented to me as Jesus. I don't think he'd actually recognize himself in modern Christianity. I've been indoctrinated with the idea that Jesus suffered for me, so to deny him is like a slap in his face, ultimate ingratitude. Theologically, I think I am a Unitarian Universalist, but I do not find their services comforting or stimulating. I believe in One God, and I believe that God is merciful and will take all of His children back to Himself after death. How exactly that happens, I don't know. I do think there's a difference between mystery (I don't know) and confusion (contradiction and chaos), and that's how I currently view trinitarianism. I think Jesus was a Reform Jew ahead of his time.
Identified as Neo-Pagan for 2 years in my early 20s.
Worshiped with Quakers for some time.
Anglican church that I thought was Episcopalian but later I found out they purposely didn't update their label "to help people find the right church" said the pastor. I stopped going immediately.
A few services in the UU church.
A Protestant service here and there.
Considered Islam briefly.
Identified as Deist but found it unfulfilling.
Considered the Mennonites and Orthodox Christians.
Returned to Catholicism twice.
Currently exploring (Reform) Judaism and trying to decide if it makes any sense to make a physical move, or if the move required is of my attitude and dependence on being in agreement with the group with which I worship.
I have come to love Jesus, or at least the caricature that has been presented to me as Jesus. I don't think he'd actually recognize himself in modern Christianity. I've been indoctrinated with the idea that Jesus suffered for me, so to deny him is like a slap in his face, ultimate ingratitude. Theologically, I think I am a Unitarian Universalist, but I do not find their services comforting or stimulating. I believe in One God, and I believe that God is merciful and will take all of His children back to Himself after death. How exactly that happens, I don't know. I do think there's a difference between mystery (I don't know) and confusion (contradiction and chaos), and that's how I currently view trinitarianism. I think Jesus was a Reform Jew ahead of his time.
Episcopalians are Anglicans, basically. British people call it the Anglican Church; Episcopalian is rarely heard here, if at all.
https://religionnews.com/2014/09/04/anglican-episcopalian-tradition-communion-america/
Karolina
Member
This was around the time the Episcopalians ordained their first openly gay bishop, and the Anglicans in the US split away from the Episcopalians over this. So while they used to be one and the same, a lot of denominations seem to be splitting in half nowadays over LGBTQ issues. It's never ending - as soon as people disagree with something, they start a new church. That's what I'm trying to avoid in my quest, lol, by just joining a group that already exists. I don't want to reinvent the wheel. I'm not that original
Ah, I remember this now. It caused a rift here, too. That was after I left, though, so I wasn't paying much attention, to be fair.This was around the time the Episcopalians ordained their first openly gay bishop, and the Anglicans in the US split away from the Episcopalians over this. So while they used to be one and the same, a lot of denominations seem to be splitting in half nowadays over LGBTQ issues. It's never ending - as soon as people disagree with something, they start a new church. That's what I'm trying to avoid in my quest, lol, by just joining a group that already exists. I don't want to reinvent the wheel. I'm not that original
Heyo
Veteran Member
I never believed in magic, fairies, astrology or gods. My family is Lutheran but religion wasn't a theme in daily conversation. I've been baptised and I decided to get confirmed even though I didn't believe. I liked the community, even became a youth leader. The believers were cool with me being a non-believer and I didn't mind them being religious. We had more in common with social and political ideas than religion departing us. One day that changed and they didn't need my service any more - so I officially quit.