Your Childhood Religion vs. Now

[Left Coast]

Were you raised with a religion as a child? Have you retained that worldview as an adult, or has it changed? Are you part of another religion, or no religion?

For those of you raised non-religious, same question. Are you still non- religious, or are you part of a religion now?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

okay...this is actually kinda tough to make a selection...I was raised as a Presbyterian...so in some ways, it was like being raised with no religion and other ways being raised with a religion...I mean, if you're of the elect, why bother, huh?

So I picked raised with and not now, because while I have spiritual beliefs and practices, there is no community of common practice and belief constituting a religion...

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Were you raised with a religion as a child? Have you retained that worldview as an adult, or has it changed? Are you part of another religion, or no religion?

For those of you raised non-religious, same question. Are you still non- religious, or are you part of a religion now?

I was raised in a Christian home, became a Christian when I was 17, and remained one for 30 years. Now I'm a Wiccan, a polytheist, and a spiritualist.

 

[PureX]

Being raised with a religion does not mean that one is religious. Rejecting religion does not mean one is non-religious. These questions are a lot more complicated and nuanced than we tend to think. Theology is not a religion, and religion is not theology. Religions are mechanisms for following one's theological perspective if one chooses to use it. But it's not a requirement.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Being raised with a religion does not mean that one is religious. Rejecting religion does not mean one is non-religious. These questions are a lot more complicated and nuanced than we tend to think. Theology is not a religion, and religion is not theology. Religions are mechanisms for following one's theological perspective if one chooses to use it. But it's not a requirement.

A religion is a community of shared belief and practice. A person is either a member of the community or they aren't.

And paradoxically, a person can part of a community and be recognized as a member by other members even if they hold none of the foundational beliefs of the religion (e.g. closeted atheists).

 

[Nakosis]

Were you raised with a religion as a child? Have you retained that worldview as an adult, or has it changed? Are you part of another religion, or no religion?

For those of you raised non-religious, same question. Are you still non- religious, or are you part of a religion now?

I was raise as 7th Day Adventist. I'm no longer religious but still vegetarian because that is what I'm used to.

 

[Left Coast]

I was raise as 7th Day Adventist. I'm no longer religious but still vegetarian because that is what I'm used to.

I didn't know that about you! Fascinating, thanks for sharing.

 

[VoidCat]

Was Baptist now pagan

 

[vulcanlogician]

Catholic kid. Began doubting as a teenager. Atheist since my early twenties-- with a small hiccup with Hinduism when I was 31-32. But, yeah, I'm just your typical Catholic-turned-atheist. I'm sure it's a pretty common story.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Raised culture Christian. Now philosophical, non-theological deist of some sort.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

I was raised without religion. But since I became an adult I've been shifting in and out of various religions, mostly to be around a community. My parents don't understand why I do it but I do and I still want to be part of that ecosystem.

I wonder if I'll be the only one who chooses option four... I can't be the only one on RF who was raised non-religious but became religious later in life.

 

[JustGeorge]

Dad was into 'fire and brimstone', and Mom was a closet case New Ager. I guess Mom had more of an effect on me. I'm not into New Age stuff, really, but it was through her explorations that I first heard about reincarnation, and I'd speed read through any books she brought home.

Dad really wanted his children to be good and devout Christians. I'm the oldest, and he was distraught by me adopting a different religion. Then as my siblings grew, they both declared themselves non religious. Over the years, he loosened up and let it go. Now I joke with him that at least he got one religious kid(me). Though, recently one of my sisters became religious as well; a NeoPagan.

 

[Sand Dancer]

I wasn't specifically raised with a religion, but we went to church here and there. My mom and I did anyway. My brothers stopped going as teenagers, before I was born. I did have a religion as an adult but am not sure what I am now.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

My parents were irreligious but around 7 years old a Jehovah's Witness neighbor started taking me to a Kingdom Hall. I studied with them for many years but left before I was ever baptized, in my late teen years.

I'm irreligious now but quite fond of Taoism, if ever there was something else close to a belief system I have.

 

[PureX]

A religion is a community of shared belief and practice. A person is either a member of the community or they aren't.

Well, the insistence on "belief"and "practice" is where this all falls apart. Believe what EXACTLY? That gets very complicated and almost infinitely variable with people. And believe it how strongly? Does it become a belief after it gains 51% agreement? Or is any degree of assent considered "believing"? And how uniform does the belief have be to define a belief part of a "community" of belief? How much doubt can a member have before they become excommunicated?

And what about practice? Is there a minimum amount of practice involved to claim one "practices a religion"? How much is it? How is it determined? Who determines it? Do we have to practice all the available methods, or just some of them? Like we go to church but we don't pray? Or we pray and go to church but then we cheat on our spouses?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Well, the insistence on "belief"and "practice" is where this all falls apart.

It doesn't, but go on.

Believe what EXACTLY? That gets very complicated and almost infinitely variable with people.

The beliefs of each religion are determined by its members.

And believe it how strongly? Does it become a belief after it gains 51% agreement? Or is any degree of assent considered "believing"?

Again: it's a matter of community. If a person:

- recognizes themselves as a member of the religious community, and
- is recognized by other members as a member of the community,

... then their beliefs are strong enough.

And how uniform does the belief have be to define a belief part of a "community" of belief? How much doubt can a member have before they become excommunicated?

Again: up to the individual community. It isn't necessarily a deterministic or even uniform thing.

We're dealing with human beings; even an individual person might not be entirely consistent in their criteria for who they accept into and exclude from their religious community.

And what about practice? Is there a minimum amount of practice involved to claim one "practices a religion"? How much is it? How is it determined? Who determines it? Do we have to practice all the available methods, or just some of them? Like we go to church but we don't pray? Or we pray and go to church but then we cheat on our spouses?

Again: depends on the community. You can infer the criteria (to a certain extent; like I said, humans aren't entirely consistent) based on who does and doesn't get excluded from the community.

 

[Revoltingest]

Always an atheist.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I was raised nominally Christian, I guess. I converted to Catholicism in my teens. My family is not Catholic.

 

[Ashoka]

I was rasied Baptist, converted to Catholicism in 2008, and am now a practicing Hindu. My family is still Christian.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I was raised nominally as a Christian but now I'm more agnostic atheist - and I think the numbers likely on this survey will not be useful - given that those here will unlikely be representative of the larger population.