why are you the religion that you are?

Im christian because I beileve in jesus

To me religion seems to be cultural.

I get into enough trouble on here for my political views. I think I'll stay out of religion.

I'm Catholic - by choice. Not because I was born into a Catholic family. It seems to fit what I was looking for. I like the fact that I can go to any Catholic church anywhere in the world and feel at home. I don't try to force my belief on anyone and don't want anyone pushing theirs on me. And that's all I've got to say about that!

Interesting subject matter, Peter...
I was raised Lutheran, then Catholic, investigated Judaism, Mormonism, and many other Christian religions.
My conclusion thus far is Taoism or Buddhism, as far as the closest to my own beliefs, along with Gaia and Native American traditions, a kind of "Universal" thinker, with no illusions of Hell or Heaven. If I hadn't been born in America, I probably wouldn't have had access to any "choices" in religious preference.

I'm closer to being a Catholic than anything else because my parents were Catholic. However, I love the metaphysical which goes completely against everything my parents tried to teach me. If the love of the metaphysical in the United States has some link to why I am the way I am, I don't know much about it.

I was raised Episcopalian (High Episcopal, closest to Catholic). I still prefer it to others. However, I find myself leaning less and less to organized religion. I live with my deep beliefs.......

I am with TK, I am American Indian and my beliefs are mixed, not with christian or catholic however. I have studied several and gone to some but remain a person of life and no thought of heaven or hell.
But I do agree somewhat that where one lives makes a difference. And as TK stated living in US one can access many references.
Interesting article Peter, are you thinking of writing another book?

I left Christianity because of the misogyny of the church to study Dianic wicca. That was too far on the other side, so I now list myself as "more spiritual than religious." I think that all paths can lead to enlightement and at-one-ment with ALL THAT IS, whatever that it.

I'm a Pagan because I'm not any of the other religions lol. Truth is every where and I just kinda take it where I find it. Catholicism and other Christian religions, Buddhism, Zen, Tao, Shambala Warrior, Lakota Tradition, Wicca, Nature...
If I'd been born in ancient Ireland I wouldn't have been running Towards St. Patrick though, lol, quite the opposite direction! I am a child of the Earth and I don't know where they'll put me when I'm done with this life, but I sure hope I don't have to come back here!

..
U wishing ya laughter

I do like that in the U.S. we are open to information. I was raised in a closed up bubble of a Bible school for 9 years but as soon as I hit High School, the world opened up. The most exotic thing then was liberals and Mormons, but yeck, you gotta start exotic somewhere.

I'm an Episcopalian by baptism and confirmation...because my parents forced me to go to church every Sunday. Once I turned 15 and left home; I turned my back on oragnized religion. I'm more agnostic than anything and don't believe much of what any religion preaches other than "Do unto others".

Good point and yes I think we stick to what we know or were raised with being the most comfortable etc. The beauty of the U.S. though is the freedom to believe or not to believe etc. I am not saying that the U.S. is without prejudice because obviously it is not, but we have rights many other countries do not have. I joked with someone on gather about Heaven's front desk like o.k. now Hindu's go to the soul reassignment area to find out if you get promoted or demoted and Baptists I know you think you should be first but you must not cut in line. etc.

((( It's in the heart Peter...it's in there..what you are)))

I began where my parents started me, in the Catholic church and journeyed on from there. As I grow older, I become less concerned with conforming to cultural norms and more concerned that my religion or spirituality brings positive experiences to my life. I've written about the journey in a series of articles called "Spirit Journey," the first of which can be found here.
These articles address the teachings of A Course in Miracles, which is my most recent spiritual path. In some ways, I feel I have outgrown the need for organized religion.

Religion is too man made. All it does is reflect the insecurities of humans and often even the customs and mores of the time. If you're gonna get spiritual, I say go to the source and leave all the man-made rules out of it. I say connect rather than get points for belonging to a club.

I was raised in my stepmother's Southern Baptist denominination,but like Rob grew away from my faith once I left home. Although I tend to be cynical about organized religion,I have not totally excluded God from my life. Faith is the foundation from which moral judgements are made;it gives your life direction and purpose. Without it you might as well not exist.

I am a child of the Universe.. Started out Southern BAptist as a young child ,, moved to Lutheran church as a pret-een and from there I checked out any and all --
I believe - but not in a building or any specific book.. i am a child of the universe....

I was raised a United Methodist but I choose not to attend at this stage in my life. I am pretty freethinking about how I worship which is exactly what the United Methodist church teaches you. I believe you do not need to attend formal services to be a 'good' Christian or a good person for that matter!

I am that I am

I was raised by a Christian mother and a Wicaan father. I'm a Christian, although I don't really like what word means anymore. I prefer disciple if Christ. I have seen amazing things done in Christ's name, by His power. In my life, in the lives of others. Seeing what I've seen, knowing what I know to be true about myself, I couldn't be anything else. I've studied other religions in depth and nothing compares.

Very thoughtful article, Peter. I guess I beleive that the majority of people stay in the religion they were raised in. Bad experiences may cause others to question and look for answers elsewhere.

I was rasied Methodist. During my hippie phase, and for a very long time after, I was an agnostic. Then on July 15, 1975 I had a life altering experience that changed my character, life and every essence of my being. I know I am a Christian. When someone says they are a Christian, I take it to mean that. According to scripture, John 3:16, you must be born again. No matter what nationality, culture, religion one is, it is important to know who we each are and that we are accountable for our own actions before God. I'm sure, the author, Christopher Hitchens would love to debate me.

I was raised Christian but always felt something was - wrong. Even as a child I was unhappy in it. Felt like a square peg in a round hole. Oh, I believed in and still believe in God. And that Jesus existed isn't in doubt to me. But the way that Christianity was taught, the way Christians act, left me feeling out in the cold.

Now that a midocondrial(sp?) DNA test shows that my maternal ancestry is Jewish (which is interesting in and of itself as being Jewish is both a religion and an ethnic group, you can be athiest and still be Jewish so long as you can prove maternal ancestry) - well, it seems to explain a lot. I don't know that I'd turn my back on what I was raised in, or that I can, but I am learning more about the faith of my ancestors. What they felt was nessasary to turn their backs on in order to survive. (Grandma always said both her side and grandpa's side of the family left Russia and changed their names, repeatedly, to escape persecution, we just never knew what kind until now.) It's given me a better sense of balance.

For as long as I can remember, despite what my own parents tried to teach me, I never believed in one true religion. I believed as long as you're a good person - you don't kill, rape, deal drugs, etc - you could get into Heaven even if you don't believe in God at all. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's what I feel in my heart of hearts.

In the end, I don't know if I'm any real "religion" as people understand it as all. I'm Jewish by blood and DNA. I'm Christian by how I was raised. I'm weird by nature.

Meet Dreaming Lioness

I am in the same boat as Quinn. I chose to be Pagan because I love the earth and want to help heal her. Would I be Pagan in the middle east? Probably not openly, because I am a smart cookie and don't feel ready to be killed for my beliefs. The smart believer knows when to sing praises and when to cover their butt. That goes for any religion.
I see the connectedness of all religions, so I think they are all beautiful in their own way :)

I was raised a Fundamentalist Baptist. I went to Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. I quit the church when I was 19. I was disgusted with the politics then and I'm still disgusted. Church is for worship and I think politics in church is blasphemy. I still have my faith in Christ.

I fit your criteria! I am Catholic because that is what I was born

I was raised (more or less) Catholic and I'm still (more or less) Catholic as a result :-)

My parents actually taught me that I could choose a religion for myself when I got to be an adult. I have a lot to say on the subject of spirituality (no doubt it will soon be a gather article, or seven or eight!), but I especially enjoyed Lynn's comment above: "My preacher does not dictate what I believe, he dictates what he believes." I, too, believe that each of us can relate to the divine directly. We don't need an organized religion to force us to believe something. (Well, Mom & Dad, what do you think of that choice?)

Excellent thought-provoking questions, Peter.

catholic

Good Question, check out my posts on similar topics (What's in a Religion part I and II)

God is omnipotente, omnisciente and good!
God could not be the three things.
If he will be omnipotente and omnisciente, then it has knowledge of the evil all and power to finish with it, still thus does not make it. It is not good.
If omnipotente will be and good, then it has to be able to extingir the evil and wants to make it, therefore it is good. But it does not know how much badly it exists.
If omnisciente will be and good, then it knows all of the evil and wants to change it. But this eliminates the possibility of being omnipotente, therefore if it it was eradicated the evil.

1 god created the logical man
2 gods wants that man uses logic
3 gods dos not wants that man venerate god
4 religious people are enemy of god

that explaines explaines the west islam and china