Simple Question

[Taff Lafferty]

If your parents had practiced and had a different a different religion, do you think you would belong to that religion too?

[bluethread]

Had I been raised in a stable environment and had parents who took education seriously, I might have ended up as a Mormon(father's family), secular romantic(mother) or a secular pragmatist(step father). Growing up on my own in a world where these contrasts were so clear made for a difficult childhood, but helped me to develop acute reasoning skills. My mother's secular romanticism left her constantly frustrated. The secular pragmatism of my step father made him rather self centered. I did not know my father very much, but, his family was Mormon and I was sent there as a child. Since my family did not fit the Mormon mold and my brother asked too many questions, I was not well received there. Had they taken me more seriously and explained things well, I might not have left and researched things on my own. As it was, Mormonism was just too doctrinaire for me, secular romanticism too unstable and secular pragmatism too cold. Therefore, I adopted a belief system based on stability, responsibility and reason.

[Divine Insight]

If your parents had practiced and had a different a different religion, do you think you would belong to that religion too?

Absolutely.

I was born and raised into Christianity. And actually the church and family I was raised had a really decent view of Christianity. They were not the evangelical type. So I was bought up to be totally accepting and respecting of other people's faiths. We didn't even view atheists as doing anything "wrong". We always believed that being a decent person is far more important than believing in any particular dogma or even believing in God or Jesus.

If that was the only Christianity I had ever been exposed to I might still be a "Christian" today. Ironically is was other Christian views that were problematic. And of course, the Bible itself is extremely self-contradictory so I finally realized that the religion simply isn't true. Period.

It's hard to say how I might have reacted having been raised in another religion. Most religions are not unlike Christendom in the sense that they have widely varying beliefs between different sects and denominations. Having said that I think that if I had been raise by a very intelligent sect of Buddhism I might still be a Buddhist today.

I actually like a lot of things about Buddhism and I see no problem with it general.

One thing for certain, had I been raise into Buddhism my outlook on life would have been much better and more productive.

I think this is also true had I been born into Wicca, but then again, that would depend entirely on how my parents viewed the religion. Wicca can be viewed in so many different ways that it's basically impossible to pin it down to a single belief system.

I think also that had I been raised as an atheist from birth, especially if my parents were both scientists that would have probably been the best possible situation for me personally.

This is especially true if they weren't hardcore atheist "fundamentalist" proclaiming that the very idea of a God or a mystical essence to reality is absolute nonsense. For me, that view is basically "religion" in a sense.

But if they were "agnostic" atheists simply saying that they see no reason to believe that any gods exists, that would have been very cool.

In fact, I personally feel that agnosticism on the topic of a mystical essence to reality is the only honest position to take.

Having said that, I think it's perfectly legitimate to reject all of the Abrahamic religions as being utterly absurd and clearly nonsense. I see no need to be "agnostic" about the Bible because we can know for certain that it can't possibly be true as written. So there's no need to claim agnosticism toward the Bible. Pure outright rejection of it is perfectly rational.

[OnceConvinced]

If your parents had practiced and had a different a different religion, do you think you would belong to that religion too?

For sure. Because my parents taught me their religion (Christianity) was true. There were no other options given. I had to believe it and being a gullible child, I did. All other religions were deemed to be false, Atheists were evil and Evolution was a lie of the devil. There were no might bes or could bes. These were all facts that were drilled into me from an early age. So those beliefs were well cemented by the time I got to the age of reason.

If my parents had been Muslims, I'd be an ex-Muslim now, not an ex-Christian. (or horrors of horrors would still be a Muslim)

[David Henson]

[Replying to post 1 by Taff Lafferty]

I did. My parents were unbelieving. When I was studying with the JWs I invited my mom to a meeting and she became a baptized JW in good standing, and still is these many years later.

[wiploc]

If your parents had practiced and had a different a different religion, do you think you would belong to that religion too?

My parents were Christian, and I wanted to be too, but I never managed to figure out how to believe that stuff.

So my answer is no. If they had had some other religion, I probably wouldn't have believed that either.

[JehovahsWitness]

If your parents had practiced and had a different a different religion, do you think you would belong to that religion too?

Probably until I reached adulthood yes. As an adult I have a higher regard for spiritual Truth than cultural or religious tradition, so I believe I would have found my way to the faith I'm in now if I were bought in contact with it.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

[Taff Lafferty]

[Replying to post 7 by JehovahsWitness]

So if you would find your own way, Why do JW's need to proselytize ?

[ttruscott]

Either GOD saves us by HIS grace or HE does not. I think HE does. Our fate is set. HE redeems HIS sinful elect any way HE wants but HE does it.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 7 by JehovahsWitness]

So if you would find your own way, Why do JW's need to proselytize ?

If you read my comment carefully I said "if I were bought in contact with it". We bring the religion to like minded people and they get themselves inside. I think no matter were I would have been or what age, as soon as I learnt about this religion I would have investigated more and as soon as I investigated I would have seen it's merit. We preach so that people have the opportunity to do the above.

Also, it's a command from our leader.


JW