Why are you religious?

[Apone]

It's kind of amazing just how many religious people are on this board, and I'm kind of interested in hearing why you are that way. I'm not completely sure how to make a poll, but the options are:

A) My family has always been religious.
B) My friends are religious.
C) My family and friends have always been religious, and I live in an area with a lot of religious people.
D) Something happened to me that caused me to become religious.

Thanks.

 

[barbad0s]

D

with C as a factor that made me more comfortable with exploring it in myself

though deep down, i think i'll always feel agnostic.

 

[AKM]

D. If you want details, just ask.

 

[the]

No reason.

 

[InTheParentheses]

Aside from the fact that I refuse to associate myself with the word "religious," I'm going to pick the unlisted option D.

"We love Him because He first loved us."

 

[bionic]

I'm not religious, I'm spiritual.

 

[mochi]

Because I'm cool.

And D).

 

[jyrffw54]

I'm not religious, I'm spiritual.

^

 

[Flavus Aquila]

Two reasons:
E) Without the structure of religion, I know that whatever spirituality I might have would become become esoteric, self-seeking, closed and unchallenged externally.
F) I actually think articles of faith my religion proposes are true.

 

[James]

D) When I was young I accepted what I was taught, my family were Christan but didn't go to church. My father was an engineer and encouraged me to study.

I like the Freeman Dyson take on it, " the more I look at the world, the more I think someone knew we were coming".

As I've gotten older, the more I studied physics and mathematics the more I realised how mysterious our world is. Even "the big bang theory" was a term coined as a joke. I don't dismiss science but I think the history of it shows that we are constantly learning that what was thought to be known for certain, was either wrong or only partly right.

 

[Jennine]

I do not believe in any gods, especially not the god of the Bible.

 

[MindYourHead]

I do not believe in any gods, especially not the god of the Bible.

That's quite the first post! lol. Welcome!

I was brought up Lutheran. I do believe, but am not a church going person, nor one to push my beliefs on others.
Live and let live is how I was brought up.

 

[Kmal]

I'm not religious, I'm spiritual.

^ without a system to describe spirituality, it's unable to be transferred to other people, much less be expanded. not that you should let that system define you in any way though. therein lies the problem for a few people, the stigma of being a retarded, close minded christian who believes a zombie jesus will literally raise you from the dead so you can live forever with God on earth. most of the people making fun of the religion have not understood what its trying to say, they saw it at an incomplete face value and gave it no more thought. it shouldnt define you, but help you and your personal life.

Two reasons:
E) Without the structure of religion, I know that whatever spirituality I might have would become become esoteric, self-seeking, closed and unchallenged externally.
F) I actually think articles of faith my religion proposes are true.

well said. i like the idea that religions are training wheels for spirituality, teaching you how to go further on your own.

 

[Glenn]

Hi Folks... This is my first venture into the forum... I am in the spiritual but not religious camp. I agree that religion can be helpful for people just starting to look at a deeper meaning to this physical existence we find ourselves in. The main problem with religion I see is that they were all created by the egos of men. From direct experience i know that God is nothing but a pure feeling of unconditional love.

 

[bionic]

^ without a system to describe spirituality, it's unable to be transferred to other people, much less be expanded. not that you should let that system define you in any way though. therein lies the problem for a few people, the stigma of being a retarded, close minded christian who believes a zombie jesus will literally raise you from the dead so you can live forever with God on earth. most of the people making fun of the religion have not understood it what its trying to say, they saw it at an incomplete face value and gave it no more thought. it shouldnt define you, but help you and your personal life.

I was stating that I am a spiritual person. I was NOT looking for your opinion nor do I care for it. Keep your thoughts to yourself.

 

[Kmal]

I was stating that I am a spiritual person. I was NOT looking for your opinion nor do I care for it. Keep your thoughts to yourself.

thankfully that post wasnt just for you. hope you have a good day.

 

[bionic]

thankfully that post wasnt just for you. hope you have a good day.

I understand what you are saying in forms on consistent logic and the correlations between your thoughts... but what I found very offensive was when you made the unwarranted assertion of "Therein lies the problem for a few people, the stigma of being a retarded, close minded christian who believes a zombie jesus will literally raise you from the dead so you can live forever with God on earth."

That's very rude to say about others that are religious and you're stimulating a stereotype further by discussing it. I'm sure you could've made your point with a better choice of words.

 

[Barnabas]

I was stating that I am a spiritual person. I was NOT looking for your opinion nor do I care for it. Keep your thoughts to yourself.

Keep you thoughts to yourself..... on a public forum........ wouldn't that just make us a public

 

[bionic]

Keep you thoughts to yourself..... on a public forum........ wouldn't that just make us a public

You're going off topic.

 

[Barnabas]

You're going off topic.

And your obviously upset, but let's go down this road anyway. What do you mean that your spiritual and not religious? what do you mean by spiritual and what do you mean by religious?