Where did you learn about the subject of religion?

[Polymath257]

While many subjects are part of general public education, religion is often omitted from this education. From there we might ask the question - since we don't get good basic education on what religion is from our public schooling system, where does the information we have come from? Who taught us the things we believe we know about the subject of religion? Do we even know? Can we pinpoint that? Did we learn it from random talk and hearsay of others? From some friend that was particularly influential in our lives? Maybe some book from the public library? Where did we develop our understanding from?

So, denizens of the forums - where did you learn about this thing we call "religion?" Who or what taught you what you know about it?

(as a side note, this isn't intended as a thread about who has the bigger credentials than the other guy; it's more of an introspective exercise to help us understand why we understand things the way we do)

I was raised by my grandparents and went to Sunday and Wednesday school every week. My grandparents were Lutheran, so that was the first religion I learned about. Every meal had a prayer before it and there was a prayer every night before going to bed. I memorized catechism and sang in the church choir. I got little stars next to my name because I could recite the words so well.

The funny thing is that I don't think I ever *really* believed in what I was being taught. I had also been exposed to Aesop's fables and Greek/Roman mythology and didn't see the Bible stories as being much different. Some of the stories were clearly morality tales and generally said to do good things. But did I think they were *historical*? No way. I tried prayer, but never got an 'answer'.

When I was 12 I found out that to be confirmed I had to actually say that I *believe* those words I was memorizing. That lead to a crisis in conscience: I could not honestly say I believed in a deity, but I also didn't want to disappoint my grandparents. Fortunately, I managed to avoid going through confirmation (long story).

I've generally learned about other religions because of an interest in figuring out why people believe. I've read Jospeh Campell, William James, some Aquinas, Augustine, books about Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and the history of them.

The only religious experience I have ever had was on psychedelics. Powerful, but the very nature of the experience undermined the conclusions. But it did show just how dependent on chemistry our experiences are.

 

[England my lionheart]

While many subjects are part of general public education, religion is often omitted from this education. From there we might ask the question - since we don't get good basic education on what religion is from our public schooling system, where does the information we have come from? Who taught us the things we believe we know about the subject of religion? Do we even know? Can we pinpoint that? Did we learn it from random talk and hearsay of others? From some friend that was particularly influential in our lives? Maybe some book from the public library? Where did we develop our understanding from?

So, denizens of the forums - where did you learn about this thing we call "religion?" Who or what taught you what you know about it?

(as a side note, this isn't intended as a thread about who has the bigger credentials than the other guy; it's more of an introspective exercise to help us understand why we understand things the way we do)

From primary education to secondary it was part of the curriculum,religious education which for me was interesting at first but seemed like politics in that it equals power so i decided that politics offered at least a chance to change direction when it became apparent that for me religion doesn't allow for that.

Other than that the university of life has provided friends and aquaintences who have related their view of their,chosen or not,religion,

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Books, the Internet and people I know.

 

[sayak83]

While many subjects are part of general public education, religion is often omitted from this education. From there we might ask the question - since we don't get good basic education on what religion is from our public schooling system, where does the information we have come from? Who taught us the things we believe we know about the subject of religion? Do we even know? Can we pinpoint that? Did we learn it from random talk and hearsay of others? From some friend that was particularly influential in our lives? Maybe some book from the public library? Where did we develop our understanding from?

So, denizens of the forums - where did you learn about this thing we call "religion?" Who or what taught you what you know about it?

(as a side note, this isn't intended as a thread about who has the bigger credentials than the other guy; it's more of an introspective exercise to help us understand why we understand things the way we do)

Library.

 

[Desert Snake]

,Xian biblical , background, and reading.

That being said, christianity is a broad label.
Other religious texts, I simply purchased them out of interest.

 

[Desert Snake]

Internet,

 

[Twilight Hue]

While many subjects are part of general public education, religion is often omitted from this education. From there we might ask the question - since we don't get good basic education on what religion is from our public schooling system, where does the information we have come from? Who taught us the things we believe we know about the subject of religion? Do we even know? Can we pinpoint that? Did we learn it from random talk and hearsay of others? From some friend that was particularly influential in our lives? Maybe some book from the public library? Where did we develop our understanding from?

So, denizens of the forums - where did you learn about this thing we call "religion?" Who or what taught you what you know about it?

(as a side note, this isn't intended as a thread about who has the bigger credentials than the other guy; it's more of an introspective exercise to help us understand why we understand things the way we do)

I first got into Christianity during the end of middle school going into high school through a senior student. Struck uo a close freindship and started attending an afterschool get together of christians. 30 years later, became disenfranchised and decided to start from scratch as if i never heard of religion. Decided from that point on that a boots on the ground approach is the best approach, so I did some research and discovered that Zen Buddhism cropped up often, so i ventuered to learn more about it on my own terms to see if i liked it enough for me to continue down a religious path.