How did you choose your religion?

How did you choose your religion?

My parents were the influence of my decision	10.9%	[ 10 ]
Personal experience	20.7%	[ 19 ]
Research	13.0%	[ 12 ]
Thinkg about it a lot and coming to a conclusion	29.3%	[ 27 ]
I am still undecided	13.0%	[ 12 ]
Other (Post your explanation)	13.0%	[ 12 ]
Total Votes:			[ 92 ]

[Vanilla Cuppycakes]

I'll make a poll xp ...

As for myself, I've got an open mind. I'm still searching and haven't locked myself down yet.

What about you?

[The New Wineskin]

I researched many religions (religion very much fascinates me; societal and cultural achievements and philosophies fascinate me in general) and found one that best fit what I feel to be true.

[Das Mannlein]

Going off of the fear I see proclaimed by a large sum of the people around these forums, about the idea of "cultural homogenization" bringing an end to respect for other cultures, I would say that many people don't believe in choosing a religion. Rather, religion (your views on the world/spirituality, etc) should be something passed on to you by your parents/family. There is not supposed to be any thought or "choosing" going into it, it seems.

However, on a more logical note, I should hope most people who are serious about their faiths researched at least their parents' religion, and perhaps others, in the interest of finding one which fits them - regardless of cultural origin.

Myself, I'm simply a non-religious atheist, and I chose that because I cannot believe in a higher power. That does not, however, mean I have no respect for those that do - and I'm interested in reading the responses to this thread.

[Pompeiian]

I came about it through a combination of historical/archaeological interest, personal feelings and 'testing the waters' of various other faiths.

[Song of the Century]

I'm theistic but not religious. Personal experience and feelings, it makes sense to me as well. I'm not very dedicated.

[Taikyoku]

My personal set of beliefs really started to come into bloom during a sort of personal little spiritual renaissance about... oh, let's think, it must have been about spring of 2010, when I was writing my biography paper on Lao Tzu and preparing to play Lao Tzu in a school production where we all played the parts of people we had researched. That's when I finally took a look at what Taoism really said, although what I had heard before that had been promising enough. From there, I began to eat up philosophical concepts from the likes of Alan Watts, and books like God's Debris were big influences. Then I ended up meeting this guy who turned me on to Terence McKenna, and for a little while I was trying to get what it was he was saying until it finally started to really click, and so here I am today with a strongly pro-psychedelic, pseudo-taoist, pseudo-shamanistic, technically atheistic philosophy that has consistently evaded one set label, which is great because I really would rather not get caught up in the back-and-forth that so characterized my "Jesus" phase.

[The Forbidden Soul]

All the world needs is me. I've got my values...so you can keep yours, alright?

Research and logic.

[After Sch00l Tea Time]

Agnostic/Atheist, because I have yet to find any proof at all that any religion is more than just stories about morals.

[stealthmongoose]

No religion save for government, and i'm still distancing myself from that fabrication.

[Abdul Salaam]

A pack of cards, a bottle of whisky and a lonnng night.

[Master_of_Jello]

I was raised Christian. Southern Baptist, to be specific.
I'd been going to church since as long as I can remember, got saved when I was seven, but really didn't actually know anything about it. I just knew I was scared of going to Hell.

When I was in middle school and high school, started getting into some pretty bad stuff...still going to church the whole time, mind you. It was easy for me to pretend to be a Christian at church, and then go out and do things that totally did NOT agree with my religion every other day of the week. I was constantly seeking happiness in friendship, boyfriends, anything that would give me what I wanted, but everything always ended up leaving me wanting more, feeling worthless.

When I was seventeen, I went on a weekend "retreat" of sorts with my church. I chose to do it because all of my friends would be there, I really didn't care about the God aspect. However, something happened to me while I was there that weekend.
Years of time spent ignoring God had hardened my heart. It had become so easy to continue ignoring him because it just became habit. At this weekend trip, I realized that I had been outright disobeying God's commands for my life, doing it all on purpose, even though I knew better.
But God still loved me. Even though I had been doing everything I could to push myself away from Him, he was still waiting patiently for me to turn around.
I am a Christian, but I don't claim a denomination. More of a Christ Follower, you might say. I read my bible daily, and constantly look for new ways to study the word and works of other Christians.
I still sin. A lot. Nobody is perfect, but every day I strive to be more Christlike and loving towards others.

[Master_of_Jello]

Das Mannlein

Going off of the fear I see proclaimed by a large sum of the people around these forums, about the idea of "cultural homogenization" bringing an end to respect for other cultures, I would say that many people don't believe in choosing a religion. Rather, religion (your views on the world/spirituality, etc) should be something passed on to you by your parents/family. There is not supposed to be any thought or "choosing" going into it, it seems.

However, on a more logical note, I should hope most people who are serious about their faiths researched at least their parents' religion, and perhaps others, in the interest of finding one which fits them - regardless of cultural origin.

Myself, I'm simply a non-religious atheist, and I chose that because I cannot believe in a higher power. That does not, however, mean I have no respect for those that do - and I'm interested in reading the responses to this thread.

I appreciate your respect for those who believe in a higher power. In my opinion, that's very mature of you.

[Lucky~9~Lives]

Vanilla Cuppycakes

How did you choose your religion?

Reading, including "Ethics", Spinoza; "Facets of Unity", A. H. Almaas; "Tao Te Ching", Lao Tsu.

[princess_pillow]

Grew up Roman Catholic,still am and enjoy it never going to change about that.

[And Shepherds We Shall Be]

Started as a Christian, very involved in the church and Jesus. Then I saw what a lot of his followers were like, especially the years following 9/11 and the hatred that started spewing towards Muslims (particularly those that were American citizens equally appalled by what they had witnessed).

Between 2005 and 2007 I stopped attending church, and started debating with people about the existence of "God." The more I discussed the more I realized how little religion had to offer me. Finally started classifying myself as agnostic, although I take the atheist side in any debate/discussion.

The only reason I don't call myself an atheist is because it doesn't express what I believe, only what I don't. I'm trying to learn more about naturalism and humanism through reading, but it's a slow process.