Did you change your indoctrinated religion?

[Gothic Sponge]

I was raised Lutheran, but as a teen i became an Atheist. I now consider myself Agnostic. I'm somewhat spiritual, but not religious.

[Fenris]

1. My parents never raised me with a religion.

My mother is a nominal Catholic and my father thinks religion is a bunch of bullshit. I grew into my atheism.

[blackcat77]

2. My parents were both militant atheists

I got saved in a fundie church when I was 19 but later became a Catholic.

[exJW]

44. Disfellowshipped for "apostacy" just last week

From the Jehovahs Witness religion. Odd enough, as I hadn't set foot in a Kingdom Hall for about 5 years.

Looking back, I can now see that JW's use the word "apostate" (and to them, it is the most evil of all sins) much the same way racist use the word "nigger".

I have migrated to agnostic/atheistic in my beliefs or lack thereof.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

3. Wasn't indoctrinated with anything as a child

my parents forgot to do that, I guess.

:shrug:

As a result, we got measles, mumps, rubella, you name it. Dammit.

;)

[Hello_Kitty]

4. Raised Catholic became Agnostic.

I think it would be presumptious of me to declare the non-existence of a supreme being because I really don't know. But I do not accept the explanation of any organized religion.

[Malebolgia]

5. I was baptised and raised Lutheran...

but I became agnostic once I started college.

[qnr]

6. Catholic ===> Atheist n/t

[Droopy]

7. Was raised a Baptist

Later became an atheist. Now I'm agnostic.

[DebJ]

8. Raised Catholic. Studied some with other formal religious

organizations: 7th Day Adventists a bit as a child; Jehovah Witness for three years. My sister had married a Witness and converted, so when one came to my door, I said, okay, let's see what you are about. Very intelligent man who liked to argue and knew history and the bible very well came by every week, one or two nights, for three years....I enjoyed all the 'discussions'. What I learned after actually reading and studying more of the bilbe is, I can't be Catholic anymore. Also have gone to United Methodist churches a few times.
Basically I reject any church that says, if you are not one of US, you are condemned to hell (whatever happened to judge not...). The United Methodists, in my brief interactions with them, never revealed any such thoughts and seemed the most Christian of those I have met so far.
I don't attend any church currently. But I will have to go somewhere for consolation and absolute terror if Wubya wins again.

[trotsky]

9. Similar to you - Lutheran to Atheist

But unlike you, I've stayed here. No gods, no masters.

[Gothic Sponge]

12. I have no gods, or masters

The only thing that prevents me from calling myself an atheist is the unknown. I don't want to presume there is a god, or presume there isn't. Really, it's just a non-issue in my life.

[trotsky]

19. I look at it this way:

I've seen as much evidence for the existence of god(s) as I have for the existence of unicorns or leprechauns. So I devote the same amount of presumption to all of them. (i.e., None.)

[Gothic Sponge]

I understand your point

However, when you look up at the sky, you don't see radio waves in the air, but you know they exist. Just because we can't perceive something with our human senses doesn't mean it can't exist. I'm open to the concept of something bigger than us.

I'm not trying to persuade you to see things my way. Believe me, i'm the first person to go off on bible thumpers. I just like to keep an open mind...

[qnr]

31. Technically, only the "strong" atheists claim that there is no God

Most atheists simply feel that there is no proof of god - that they don't believe, or that the thought of there being a god is foolish.

This is as opposed to the more agnostic feeling that you aren't able to know.


I started out Catholic, was a choir boy, even wanted to be a priest for a while. Then I was an agnostic for a long time. I'm an atheist now, in the strong atheist section, too.

[PassingFair]

39. Raised 1/2 Episcopalian / 1/2 Dad didn't care to discuss it

Learned about Dad's atheism (my word, not his) after becoming an atheist myself. He wouldn't say a word against my mother's religion. Said it made her feel good, and that was good enough for him.
He stayed home on Sunday, and encouraged us to go to church with Mom, we went mostly for the lunch out afterward. He watched what he wanted on TV (probably the only time he got to do that...) He truly taught us by example. He was the funniest, calmest, sanest, happiest, least selfish individual I have ever met, and I still miss him every day.
For many years I called myself an agnostic. Then I realized that there really is no difference between an agnostic and an atheist. They both mean: without gods. A small part of me sometimes hopes that there is something beyond, but I really don't BELIEVE in an afterlife. Any attempts at constructing ideals of heaven, hell, angels, etc. are all as nutty sounding to me as bigfoot sightings, alien abductions and Hale-Bopp expedition teams.

[Kolesar]

10. Eastern Rite Catholic => Atheist ... eom

[Suzie57]

11. Raised Catholic

became an agnostic as a young adult but I have returned to Christianity. I'm kind of a free lance liberal protestant. I realized I really did believe in the core tenets of Christianity but resented the trappings and mean spirited preaching of some churches. I decided I wouldn't let misguided people chase me away from my faith.

[Zero Division]

13. Born and raised Catholic. Became Atheist, then Pantheist.

Not an absolute believer in anything, though. That doesn't mean I don't think some things are almost certainly true. I'd also describe myself as "spiritual, but not religious".

[JVS]

14. I was raised and remain to this day a Lutheran

[demosincebirth]

15. raised catholc, still cathtolic, probably die catholic

[miss_kitty]

16. my mom decided when I was 12, we'd all start going to church

Catholic church. Her old pal. After a year of CCD (I got extra CCD for telling her I was really Jewish), we were forced to be baptised. So I don't think I was ever Catholic, or 'raised' catholic, and since I did not truly consent (not consenting would involve punishment) I think the baptism is null and void. Just like the 'baptism by proxy' the Mormons have most likely done to me.

Now I am a practicing agnostic. :eyes: I am not sure what I believe in, but I might as well believe in something. If there is nothing there, well no harm no foul. If there is something, I am not pissing it off by not believing.

[CAcyclist]

34. You have to be confirmed to still be a Catholic

You have to go through a ceremony called confirmation , in order to completely join as a Catholic - ususally done when you're in high school - it was just prior to that ceremony that I decided I was atheist - I just couldn't go through with that ceremony because I knew that I didn't believe in any higher being.Catholic kids don't have any choice about baptism or first communion, but they do about confirmation.


Oh, yeah, and my mom, in order to get married for the second time in the catholic church after she divorced my dad, had her previous marriage annulled. So that makes me a bastard in the eyes of the church. It's all about the money now for the Catholic church.

[LDS Jock]

56. Mormons only baptize by proxy for the dead

so unless you are writing this post with the help of a Ouija board, no baptism by proxy has been done for you.

[kokomo]

Liberal Disciples of Christ to Anglo-Catholic to R Catholic, then atheism.

So much intermarriage in my family we have everything from Disciples (aka known as The Christian Church) to Roman Catholics, Lutherans Jews, Buddhists, Baptists, Unitarians, Methodists, a few atheists, and ONE Assembly of God. All have been raised in some church or other but then allowed freedom to choose at maturity. We never argue religion, but since most are Republican, things get very touchy at election time. This year is the worst. I have been voting since the early 60's and never seen such division in this nation.

[PleadTheFirst]

17. Raised Catholic. Now vaguely agnostic.

I was raised very strict RC, and attended Catholic school through high school. But as soon as I got old enough to start asking questions, I found I was dissatisfied with the "because we said so" answers I would receive.

These days I'm comfortable with the feeling that there is something more than the here-and-now, but as long as I live my life as a decent person, I'm not particularly concerned with figuring out what happens in the here after. I'll find out eventually. ;)

[likesmountains 52]

18. raised Unitarian

in the 1950s..don't attend church now but consider myself to have a strong spiritual center and strong social conscience. I do recall being jealous of my grade school pals who got to go to communion!

[Lady Effingbroke]

20. Nominal Methodist ==> Apathetic.

Or sometimes just pathetic; it depends on what day it is.

[flamingyouth]

21. I was sent to a series of vacation Bible schools as a child

But I think my parents were asked to never bring me back, because it was always a different church each summer.

Questions like, "Why are there no dinosaurs in the Bible?" and "Why was it bad to eat from the Tree of Knowledge?" coming from a first-grader probably frustrated them somewhat.

I'm now a solitary Witch who enjoys studying Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions.

[bloodyjack]

27. if I may ask, which schools of buddhism/hinduism?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

22. Raised liberal Lutheran, now liberal Episcopalian

with high church leanings but not uptight about it.

[johnnie]

23. Raised Catholic

I am now a mutt. I have a spiritual side, but it isn't one certain line of beliefs. I know there is something more than what we see.

[samplegirl]

24. Raised a Strict Catholic

Attended Catholic schools my whole life and then sent my daughter
to catholic shcools till tenth grade. The politics in any Church
is just way to much for me.
So i havent been to church in 7 years. I am spiritual and I believe
that I will not be judged on how many times i attend church, but rather on my deeds and judgement in everyday life. Worship goes
way further than belonging to any church.

[CAcyclist]

25. Catholic now atheist

I was raised in a very religious household and went to Catholic school until junior high. I became an atheist in high school. Lots of people get very uncomfortable with me saying I'm an atheist and try to convince me I am actually agnostic. Nooooo, I'm definitely atheistic.

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. Raised a Catholic...still a Catholic...although I worry about some of my

fellow parishoners. :hi:

[NoPasaran]

28. Raised Catholic

Now a recovering Catholic

[camero]

29. Went to all the churches

With the exception of the Unitarian Church. I've pretty much rejected organized religion but read myself and try to act according to what Christ taught. Also MLK and Gandhi.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

30. Grew up Baptist...Currently converting to Catholicism.

[TroubleMan]

32. Raised Catholic, now I'm a non-denominational Christian

I'm leaning toward Unitarian, but I just don't trust organized religion anymore.

Too many "religious leaders" have an agenda, often it's incompatible with my beliefs.

Once you go beyond love God, love thy neighbor, and love thyself, all the rest is just bullshit. Those three tenants (all based in love) are the real teachings of Jesus, not the other lies I've seen spewing out of the mouths of those claiming to represent him.

For now, I'll just worship on my own.

(on edit) Oops, forgot about forgiveness, which is part of the original three but it's important enough to mention separately.

[getoffmytrain]

33. Father is Jewish

mother is Baptist... raised attending services of both religions... the only religion that has vaguely appealed to me is Zen Buddhism, but I do not consider myself Buddhist.

[doubleplusgood]

35. raised Catholic

..but never REALLY believed in it, always had doubts; am now atheist. My mother never really was a gung-ho Catholic, just thought that kids were supposed to be brought up in SOME religion, to conform with societal expectations.

[Spider Jerusalem]

36. Never indoctrinated and have no religion, so no.

[ProgressiveDave]

37. raised as a Lutheran- Missouri Synod(the "show-me" synod)...

now a born-again atheist.

[SarahB]

38. Methodist- Catholic- Methodist- ????

I was born Methodist (mom was Methodist), but not baptized at the time since my dad was an atheist brought up Southern Baptist. We went on and off to a Methodist church until I was 7 or 8. Then, because of public school problems in our district, I was sent to a Catholic school and my mom learned a few things and liked it. She studied and converted under material which now the church finds too liberal and is banned. I went to Catholic schools, but still went to Methodist services at times with my grandparents.

I married an Irish Catholic and we baptized the children and were holiday Catholics for years. Then a few years back, I said, "I want something more. This doesn't feel right." We tried Unitarian, but I was ready for that yet- he was though (he's now dabbling in Buddhism which is pretty cool). Then we went to a Methodist church. At the time, the pastor was liberal and I liked the feel, so we went. As time passed, a new pastor came in and the feel of it changed (maybe me, but probably both) and we haven't gone in a few months. I just was basically going through the motions in the last year I was going there.

We may head back to the Unitarian place. Maybe just not together though. Life is in transition right now. I definitely have beliefs, but I have trouble reconciling those beliefs with traditional Christian dogma as I'm open enough to consider many possible truths in unison.

How's that for wordy? :D

[skygazer]

40. Raised a lukewarm Episcopalian

Dad's family was Presbyterian but he switched to the Episcopal Church when his minister preached to vote against Goldwater. Mom was Catholic but went to Dad's church for some reason - never made sense as she was much more religious than he was.

My five older brothers and sisters all went to Confirmation and all that jazz but they got tired when it got to me and stopped attending church regularly. So I was never confirmed.

It all sounded extremely suspect to me anyway so I lapsed into agnosticism where I stay. I don't necessarily believe there is a god (or more) and I don't necessarily believe there isn't. Religion, in my mind (and by "religion" I mean organized sects) is based on fear anyway. Fear of the unknown, of death mainly but also wondering where we came from.

I just figure I'll know when I'm dead and I'm going to do that no matter what I believe.

[Penndems]

41. I was raised as a Southern Methodist

Went to Baptist and interdenominational churches for a while, then gravitated back to my home church.

I like being a Methodist. Very cool religion.

[Blue_Tires]

42. Baptist to Buddhism

[Philostopher]

43. My indoctrinated religion left me.

After spending 20 years in a mainstream Protestant church that taught things like helping the poor and needy, being forgiving and not judgmental, that sort of thing ... this toxic minister moved into the church and started the usual stuff we're all hearing evangelicals say now.

It was the day he said to me, when I mentioned I was studying Eastern philosophy in college, "yeah, Buddhism is interesting. It's a shame all those people will burn in hell," that I started really listening closely to what was coming out of his mouth.

Not long after that, I dropped out of college before my degree, got married and moved to a couple of different places with my first husband, who was in the Air Force. I read the bible more the next couple of years than I had since the first time through all the stuff, as a kid, and I also read 'The Three Pillars Of Zen,' 'Baghavad Gita' and the 'Tao Te Ching,' and realized what the church of my youth had become was far too restrictive for me.

So, like you, I consider myself agnostic. It has as much to do with believing nobody's going to tailor a religion to suit me as it does thinking there's no possibility of a higher power in the universe -- I just don't agree with any one religion's vision of it, anymore. I don't believe in a literal interpretation of hell, as I was raised to believe, and I'm not sure I believe there's an afterlife. I don't know if there is or not, and though many religious people, both devout and casual, seem to have a problem with this when I say it -- I'm quite comfortable with the ambiguity.

Mr. Nownow and I have discussed attending some Unitarian meetings -- as much because he was raised completely without church or religious guidance, and he sometimes is baffled by 'things Christian' that come out of people's mouths. I've told him studying it as an academic pursuit would probably give him some insight. Religion is interesting, even if you're agnostic.

[Philosophy]

45. Raised Presbyterian, now atheist

My parents were never really strict about it, in fact my father only went to church with us on Christmas and Easter. In high school I realized we were only being religious enough it to "fit it" in our conservative small town, and since I didn't fit it anyway I didn't see the point of continuing the charade.

[Kat45]

46. Raised Catholic, now Congregational (UCC)

I stopped going to church in college, then didn't go to church for years. Sometime in my forties, I started becoming more spiritual, then I joined a Congregational church a few years ago. My pastor has the same opinion of bush as I do. He often preaches about social justice.

[Seabiscuit]

47. I was brought up as an "indoctrinated" Catholic

I just got rid of the "indoctrinated" part. My many years have taught me of the countless follies of organized religions, yet I remain very spiritual inside. I occasionally visit the church of my origins for sentimental reasons (I never liked any of the other ceremonies, and I really miss the latin version of the Mass) but today my life and my sense of responsibility to the world I find myself living in is my "religion".

Which is just one of countless reasons I'm voting Kerry/Edwards.

[onebigbadwulf]

48. Raised catholic - now an atheist agnostic christian deist

if you can figure out what that means I'll give you a pat on the back.

[barb162]

49. raised catholic, became deist and think Catholic is still closest

to what religion should be about except I can't stand the way the Catholics church works (male dominated, etc)

[the Princess]

50. Yes indeed

I was raised baptist - became a born again pentacostal in my early 20's and now - well I consider myself pagan. I do not believe in the big old meany in the sky who judges our every move. LOL

[Reverend_Smitty]

51. I was raised Catholic...

but I would consider myself an agnostic today. I still go to church on Christmas and Easter, just to cover my bases...plus I think the Catholic liturgy is a beautiful service

[Tweed]

52. Catholic, still Catholic

Best religion there is

[CO Liberal]

58. If You've Never Known Another.....

...how can you be so sure???? :shrug:

[CO Liberal]

53. I Was Raised Catholic

I was even an altar boy. Eventually, I decided the Church's teachings made no sense, so I left in the Mid '70s.

Today, I'm not really not sure HOW I would be catagorized. I believe there IS a higher power, but it's beyond human capability to understand it, or to know whether it's male, female or what. I believe that the Bible is NOT the "Word og "God" - I believe that it's fiction - and bad fiction at that, written by delusional men who THOUGHT they were "divinely inslired".

[redqueen]

54. Yes

Raised Catholic, then atheist, then dabbled in Buddhism, then Paganism, now agnostic. :)

[Dzimbowicz]

55. Raised Episcopalian

but have been Agnostic since I was a teen.

[Book Lover]

57. They tried, but their brainwashing failed

Raised Italian Queens Catholic; I am now an atheist. I personally reject the idea of spirituality - I just don't get it, and have no desire to.

[Misunderestimator]

59. Episcopalian first, then Church of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian

while my father found his way to wherever he was going... I'm somewhere between agnostic and atheist now... but like you, am spiritual in my own way. True ethics and compassion mean more to me than being of any faith.

[arwalden]

60. Raised Baptist and Methodist... Became Atheist At Age 27...

... I was a little slow on the uptake... sometimes it just takes folks a little bit longer to come to their senses.

-- Allen

[CO Liberal]

61. As Henny Youngman Once Said....

"I used to me an athiest, but I gave it up. They have no holidays!"

:-)

[arwalden]

62. Oh... But I Do Delight In The Nostalgic Trappings Of Christmastime

... the trees, the lights, the holly, food, mistletoe, Santa, food, gifts, food, visiting, food, parties, wine, food.

[CO Liberal]

70. Well, Since Most Of Them Have Pagan Origins...

...go to it!!!

:-)

[Nikia]

63. I've pretty much been Christian of one type or another

I was raised as a small child in both UCC and Methodist churches. My grandfathers were atheist leaning agnostics who tolerated their wives' spirituality and desire to raise their families religiously. My grandmothers both had converted from the religion of their childhoods, but didn't exactly have mainline beliefs of their churches because of that and they are deeply spiritual. My parents went to church but really weren't believers until my late teens. I joined a Fundamentalist church in my early teens after considering a wide variety of religions. I don't have a church right now, but I don't feel that makes me any less of a Christian. I read the Bible at an early age and been spiritual. Then, as is now, I ponder what is proper theology: proper worship, a proper view of God and Christ, proper morality and ethical living, and all sorts of questions. Is it even proper to think that I might be able to grasp the answers or even the questions? I think that God loves me anyway and perhaps that is all I need to know.

[Mike Niendorff]

64. Yes.

Raised insanely fundie, figured out what a crock it was in my late teens / early 20's, and am now somewhere in the zone between athiest and agnostic.


MDN

[Technowitch]

65. Former Roman Catholic, now Wiccan

And as far as belief in an afterlife goes, the term "agnostic" applies -- meaning I don't know what's there, but I hope there's something because otherwise it's a hell of a waste of sentience and experience.

I'm very spiritual though, and have seen entirely too many instances of what could only be considered 'magic' or 'miracles' to believe in a wholly 'rational' universe.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

66. hindu...atheist

[dancing kali]

67. Raised Irish Catholic

became a witch around 1970. I'm still a witch and have adopted some Buddhist and Shinto leanings as well over the intervening years.

[Biased Liberal Media]

68. I was raised Christian (well, born-again) and am now Atheist

I am spiritual but not religious myself. I don't believe in god but I do believe in an afterllife and karma.

[ldf]

69. raised in a southern,

very strict, but not quite evangelical, church of christ. (they are not all liberal.)

hit teen years, started questioning.

been atheist ever since. quite proud of it, actually.

[Ilsa]

71. Yep. Raised Southern Baptist. Now a non-practicing Presbyterian. n/t