Poll: Was your religion influenced?

[black lincon]

Absolutely, although in an odd sense the religious teachings I learned from where very odd. I'm a Methodist in technicality but the pastor who taught me about religion thought the concept of organized religion was flawed, she pointed out that organized religion always aims to do good but usually ends up failing miserably, she particularly liked the example of the Methodist church having a large hand in modern gang violence.

Oh, and she also taught me to challenge authority, another odd thing to take out of church. She used to allow me to mess with the adult leaders, who were for the most part imbeciles.

 

[mackemsniper]

I wasn't 'taught' any religion. My parents are atheists, and their parents were atheists. This is the 21st century, albeit 21st century Britain, where you're 'lucky' to meet any religious people these days.

 

[PersianLlama]

I was raised as a Muslim, and lived in a mostly Christian area. I never liked the concept of organized religion and became an atheist when I was 10 or so, but I didn't call myself that, I didn't know what to call myself because I didn't know atheism existed till I was 12. I'm also constantly insulted/looked down upon for being atheist. Along with that, I met my first non-religious friend (He was agnostic) when I was 13, and I met my first atheist friend when I was 14.

Play the "I'm just not sure, yet" card instead of outright atheism.

It works.

More people than you think question their beliefs, and are accommodating when you say you're just unsure. If you DENY God, however, 'hoo-ee!'... Now you're an asshole.

Edit: Just a pithy suggestion, do what you wanna do dawg.

I did that for a bit. Then I said screw it, anyone who wants to insult me because I'm atheist isn't worth speaking to.

 

[Erana]

I chose my beliefs because they make sense to me.
Of course, religious people think I'm athiest, and athiests think I'm religious, so I don't bother going into the details.

 

[Ursus Astrorum]

In my earlier years, my greatest religious influence was Catholicism, from my grandparents. My father is an atheist, my stepmother as well, and my mother is Wiccan. I chose Taoism/Shintoism not because of or in order to spite or escape any of those paths, but simply because it seemed like the most logical and wise path to choose.

In short, no. My religion was not influenced by my earlier teachings.

 

[PersianLlama]

I chose my beliefs because they make sense to me.
Of course, religious people think I'm athiest, and athiests think I'm religious, so I don't bother going into the details.

Deist?

 

[ExistentialCrisis]

Whoever in the thread said that it isn't as simple as a "yes/no" answer had a good point. Most people pick and choose aspects of religious practice that most apply to them and their experiences throughout life. For me, personally, I grew up Episcopalian Christian and it influences me morally, but metaphysically it didn't do a damn thing for me. I felt like I would suffer under the idea that there is some kind of wishy-washy all-seeing, all-knowing deity that I'd have to beg and plead to help me out when life got rough and when he didn't lift a finger I had to see it as a test because he "loved" me.

When I got to thinking about it, I realized that the whole notion was a very "human" occurrence and not exclusive to just God; that was sort of the point of no return for me, now that I think about it. I could go into how every other little instance of religion having betrayed my understanding crumbled for me at that point, but it'd be the length of a novella or so. In the end, I would have rather been the master of my own moral, metaphysical, and ethical choices in life, so I chose to be.

These days I follow the advice of some fairly smart people such as Lewis Black and his theory on having little personal rituals as well as maintaining a sense of humor about it all, George Carlin and his idea to observe things and people that actually exist (for him, the sun and Joe Pesci), and Richard Dawkins and his plethora of logical analysis on religious and scientific relationships.

 

[Shurikens and Lightning]

But since I'm highly sceptical, I'm not a religious person. The most logical religion I've met is Buddhism, and there are barely any of them here in Poland.

I thought buddhism was the religion that 90% were there. huh.

I have been Raised roman catholic but I really dont care, I pray when im scared but I havent been to church since I was 11.

 

[theSovietConnection]

I was Catholic, born and raised that way, but I grew... disillusioned with the number of hypocrites even just around here, now I'm more Agnostic

 

[This-is-Hip-Hop]

No, I found my religon on my own, my family never went to church, but one day my friend invited me to his Youth Group, that day I found God, and I have never turned back.

-This-is-Hip-Hop

 

[TheDustyBanana]

I pick and choose stuff I like from every religion/belief so I'd say it's about half and half with influence and free will when it comes to my religion. If I had to give myself a religious label I'd call myself a Discordian Christian Nihilist. I don't really care if it makes sense or not, I just like the sound of it.

 

[DeathsAmbassador]

I don't really belong to any specific religion but I do believe in God, I don't think that I've been influenced by other people, but I guess there would be no way of knowing.

 

[Jursa]

I follow the new "I believe in god but not religion". I think what drove me to this decision is when people say that religions other than theirs can't really go to heaven... I'm a born catholic but when you get right down to what they tell you to do and what they do themselves, it's kinda like a person eating a hamburger and telling others to somehow make it through the starvation.

 

[KeithA45]

Every once-in-a-while I hear things like "Under God" should be taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance

small info-nugget... It wasn't in there to begin with, we added it during the cold war.
http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm

some people are more of a free thinker than others, so it may influence others that the us is a nation of "god." the religious entanglement in the us government is something that was not intended originally.

Believe it or not I already knew that. It's the most convincing argument I've heard to take it out (putting it in was to battle the "Godless communists"? LOL) but regardless of that example, my question still remains: does it influence you towards a religion or does it really make a difference?

 

[I Stomp on Kittens]

I was confirmed while I was atheist because my parents thought i went atheist to get out of confirmation. I don't like being forced to believe in something...

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

I had to go to church growing up, and we had to prayer and sing hymns in assembly at primary school.

I hate being told what to do. I always go against what people tell me to do to piss them off, which is probably why I'm atheist.

Do you have a logical concluding statement on why your an atheist?


That said, I am slightly christian/catholic. I was made to go to catholic church because I was in a catholic school.. Eh.. A friend invited me to go to the wave church with him.

 

[KeithA45]

Yes, I did. I was taught to think for myself.

I was raised, as most Swedes are, a Lutheran Protestant (which in Sweden basically is code for "agnostic"). I'm quite interested in theology, as long as no one asks me to actually *believe* in anything. I was christened, I attended a four-week confirmation camp (which was brilliant fun, despite two one-hour religious lessons a day), I was confirmed, and one way or another I suppose I believe in a god of some description. I just don't think he/she/it/they has any bearing on my life or the world in general.

I don't think someone who demands worship deserves it, and someone who deserves it doesn't need it. And most of all, I don't think someone who's omnipotent and omniscient needs crazed people on Earth to step in to defend them. If I offend God, then I trust he'll go old-school and smite me; until then I'll just be me. As the old saying goes - "I don't mind God, it's his fan club I can't stand."

And of course the classic argument comes up. With great power comes great responsibility, with ultimate power comes ultimate responsibility, someone who is truly omnipotent has a duty to do what they can to right whatever wrongs they see, and someone who is truly omniscient will see them all.

Now look at the world.

If God exists, he's either not all-powerful, or he doesn't deserve to be worshipped. And religion is a really bad reason to kill people.

People matter; gods don't. They can take care of themselves.

Beautifully written. I plan to bookmark this post for answers like these

 

[thePyro_13]

I was christened, and raised somewhat Christian. I had a children's bible, and did RE at school.

I bailed out of religion sometime during late primary school.

My thinking was this: IF god exists, then hes probably an asshole for making most of the world fight over which bible is correct. And if he isn't an asshole then i dont think he'd care if i dont belive in him or go to church, so long as I'm a good person(dont murder/steal etc.). Becuase thats all the bible was trying to achive in the first place, teaching people to behave with moral standards.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

And of course the classic argument comes up. With great power comes great responsibility, with ultimate power comes ultimate responsibility, someone who is truly omnipotent has a duty to do what they can to right whatever wrongs they see, and someone who is truly omniscient will see them all.

Now look at the world.

If God exists, he's either not all-powerful, or he doesn't deserve to be worshipped.

You had me all except here. If read Gulivers Travels, or watch the Futurama episode "Godfellas", it explains this quite adequately. All evil in the world comes from human activity, but so does everything good too. What happens in nature is neutral. Whether you are atheist or theist you have to acknowledge that it is the responsibility of each human to do what they can to minimize their own negative impact on the world while trying to do right by everyone else. Leaving everything up to god is an excuse to give up.

Let me put it like this - birds will shove their young out of the nest when they are old enough.

 

[KeithA45]

Whoever in the thread said that it isn't as simple as a "yes/no" answer had a good point. Most people pick and choose aspects of religious practice that most apply to them and their experiences throughout life. For me, personally, I grew up Episcopalian Christian and it influences me morally, but metaphysically it didn't do a damn thing for me. I felt like I would suffer under the idea that there is some kind of wishy-washy all-seeing, all-knowing deity that I'd have to beg and plead to help me out when life got rough and when he didn't lift a finger I had to see it as a test because he "loved" me.

When I got to thinking about it, I realized that the whole notion was a very "human" occurrence and not exclusive to just God; that was sort of the point of no return for me, now that I think about it. I could go into how every other little instance of religion having betrayed my understanding crumbled for me at that point, but it'd be the length of a novella or so. In the end, I would have rather been the master of my own moral, metaphysical, and ethical choices in life, so I chose to be.

These days I follow the advice of some fairly smart people such as Lewis Black and his theory on having little personal rituals as well as maintaining a sense of humor about it all, George Carlin and his idea to observe things and people that actually exist (for him, the sun and Joe Pesci), and Richard Dawkins and his plethora of logical analysis on religious and scientific relationships.

I made the thread "yes/no" for a reason. It's more than just whether or not you act upon the religion you were taught, but also whether or not you accept it. If you modify your beliefs slightly but still generally "accept" what you were originally taught you're more on the side of "yes", but in the same scenario where you follow it and AREN'T satisfied then you're more on the side of "no".

I'm usually all for "different shades of gray" but rather than 6 or 8 different options that are less clear in the end, I'd rather people decide for themselves which they're closer to and vote for that. Neither answer is absolute "yes" or "no" but more like "for the most part" or "generally no". This data isn't exact, but I don't really plan on using this for anything important anyway.