How Did You Decide Which Religion To Follow?

[naomi24]

Leading on from Goodlife’s ‘Atheists: When Will You Finally See The Light?’ thread, most atheists reach their conclusions through analysis and a process of elimination, so how thoroughly did you investigate all the other religions before finally deciding that one of them was right – and what convinced you?

[beso]

I only follow religions that make sense. It is a very short list.

[andy-hughes]

I haven't investigated any religions, simply because I don't feel the need for the comfort of a 'God' to look after me here, and to go to when I die.

When I die, that's it - I can live with that.

[RATTER15]

I chose mine when I found out I could be ordained for just $20

http://www.venganza.org/ordination/

Result!!!

[OILhead]

I think that there is something in people that either leads them to want/need/have a propensity to believe or not - and I have never for one second felt the need to believe in some higher power or anything like that. So while I have some knowledge and understanding of other faiths, largely through travel and living abroad, I have not investigated deeply, as fundamentally I know I have no need or urge to find a religion or god.

[chakka35]

I know, naomi, that your question is not aimed at the likes of me but, just to shove my oar in for a second, surely the vast majority of religious people automatically adopt, because they are brought up in, the religion of the culture in which they live.

[mikey4444]

I am mystified here. If someone is an atheist, why would they be looking at religions, with a view to taking them up ? Surely you are an atheist because you have decided that you do not believe in the supernatural, so what difference would it make which religion you investigated ?

I can, with effort, just about understand why an agnostic might still be searching, although I have never really believed that agnostics exist, other than that they people who are too lazy or stupid to make their minds up one way or another.

[mikey4444]

Perhaps something that people need to take into account is jam.

Jam, I hear you say ?

Yes, Jam. All religions promise more jam in the future, but few promise more jam today. Go with the ones that give you more jam NOW !

[Kiki-frog]

My Rastafarian colleague loves jammin' - does that help?

[craft1948]

I follow the religion I was brought up in. I had the wonderful Mormons round the other day and in an effort to get rid I told them I was RC. One said that he used to be a roman catholic before converting, to which I replied he couldn't have been a very good one............

[boxtops]

I decided which religion NOT to follow when I realised that all the stuff in the Bible is but a story. It doesn't put me off singing Christmas Carols at the moment, though - I just hum through some of the bits I don't agree with. A good story's a good story, after all.

[redman41]

Religion is not for me naomi24 !
It causes too much strife in the World considering it's a Fairy tale anyway

[RATTER15]

Mikey, I think you will find that Naomi was actually asking that question to the religious followers. Naomi does talk about Atheists at the beginning of her post but then goes on to enquire of the religious, well that's how I read it anyway.

[keyplus90]

I was born a Muslim and I was a Muslim on the basis of that until I was 26 years old. After that when I came to England I saw people from all of the religions and the ones with no religion at all. I looked at the basis of their belief and I thought with open heart and studied all of the different beliefs including a belief called atheism. I spoke to the people of different religions and to the people who left their religion for another religion especially the people who left or entered into my own religion, I looked upon the reasons behind why the left it if they did and why they accepted or entered into it. I cleared all of my own doubts about my own religion, I faced questions (thanks to few AB friends) that created doubts in my mind dew to the lack of knowledge, and I looked for the answers. In the end I found that Al,Hamdu Lillah (Thanks to Almighty) that he put me on the right religion right from the beginning.

[LazyGun]

Its a good question. I would be very interested in seeing how many of those that have faith are now following a faith different to the one they were brought up in.

[idiosyncrasy]

//It causes too much strife in the World//

I would agree with this. That is why I do not belong to one of the mainstream religions. I used to be C of E, my father was an RC and had it not been for the war he would have become a priest. However, the war changed all that and since then he never went to church again except for funerals, weddings & christenings. But he did not become an atheist he still believed in God.

But I do read the Bible, regardless of what translation it may be, and I endeavour to follow its principles.

Because of that, I would not participate in war, nor would I support any war effort. The churches do just that, their walls are decorated with the flags of the various elements involved in warfare so how do they equate their actions with the words found at Titus 1 v 16: They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

For works read: blessing the armies as they go to fight, endorsing the glorification of war, allowing the abuse of children by their priests, and condoning homosexuality.

[sandyRoe]

I had a beatific vision of the rightful Patron Saint of Ireland. "Put aside your sinful ways, Sandy", she said to me. "Go out into the highways and byways and proclaim the truth of the bible to all and sundry".
I'm still trying to convert someone here in R&S before I chance the wider world.

[The Builder]

As with most of us, I was brought up in the good old C of E.
It didn't take though.

I've always been far more interested in religions that advocate a certain "lifestyle" rather than one reliant on devotion to a deity.

I take no stand on this, but I find the broad tenets of Buddhism interest me a lot. Reading up on Western Secular Buddhism, I do find a great deal of it relevant to me.

I'm no expert or devotee, but I do relish the investigation.

[naomi24]

Chakka, //surely the vast majority of religious people automatically adopt, because they are brought up in, the religion of the culture in which they live.//

Indeed, and sadly, most people don’t question that - but some who aren’t raised with religion subsequently seek it, and then there are the converts – those who abandon their ‘cultural’ religion in favour of another. My question is just how much research do they do before making a choice? For example, how much does a potential convert, say, from Christianity know about Islam, or a Muslim about Christianity, and how, without a reasonable amount of research, can any of them be sure that their eventual choice is right? Goodlife is one such convert. I can’t help thinking that had the Mormons beaten the JWs to his door, he’d be preaching Mormonism to us now.

Mikey, Sorry. Perhaps my question isn’t clear. Ratter is right. I’m talking about people of religion – not atheists. Since Goodlife asked ‘When will atheists see the light?’, I’m wondering how and when the religious decide they’ve ‘seen the light’.

Keyplus, //I….studied all of the different beliefs//

That can’t be true. Not so long ago you thought alcohol was banned to Christians, when in fact it’s crucial to what might be considered Christianity’s most important ritual.

[Baldric]

I read everything written by the Brothers Grimm and their ilk and found nothing of interest!

[mikey4444]

I must have read your post wrongly naomi...apologies ! But you know my stance by now when it comes to religions. More atheists is what the world needs, not more religious people !

But my comments about jam still stand ! Could be marmalade of course.