I think everyone would agree that Religion is a choice, its not inherent natural to who we are...

I'm interested in why one CHOOSES religon , why the particular one they are in and why one DOESN"T CHOOSE religion......

For those who do believe religion is 'natural' please address why......

Good thread SB! I choose not to call what I believe in religion, I think it is more like spirituality. The woud religion to me is more rules and such. I was lucky enough to have parents that let me choose. I am doing the same for my childern.

Thats interesting nova girl you said you were lucky enough to have parents that let you choose, can you elaborate...thankyou for the support

When I was in junior high my parents encouraged me to try different churches/religions. Though they didn't tlk to me about wicca, I did find after trying out different religions that I didn't believe in just one. But it is hard to go to a church and have someone tell you that what you feel in your heart is right or true is wrong. After high school I took a break from religion. Not until about 4-5 years ago did I find that Wicca is not the devil-worshipping path that I thought it was. It fit. My childern now know what my beliefs are and I answer their questions. I dion't hide it from them. I take them to different churches, just as my parents did me. I read to them about other spiritual paths. My son is very intrested in Native American paths and my daughter is loving Ancient Egypt. My husband is reading alot about Budda. I think this will teach my childern tolerance and when they are older they will feel more comfortable with their own path.

That is excellent Nova, i am doing something very similar with my kids, I agree i do think it teaches tolerance , good for you as always you are a joy to read........

I choose not to believe in any religion because, on examination, most of their claims are either unproveable or inaccurate. That wouldn't prevent me from believing in a kind of deist God, but if there are good natural explanations for events that do not require the intervention of a supernatural being, why even bother believing in one?

I and my Wife were raised Methodist and both of us had Sunday School teaching. But as adults we both became sceptical of the blind following parishioners have for their church leaders interpretations of God's Word. We are now Agnostic's and have raised our four kids to choose their own path. One is now Catholic , One Pentecostal , and the other two have no interest in the Spiritual. We will see how they develop.

Sounds like you give your childern a lot of support. I'm sure they are grateful for having open minded parents.

good point may i ask you said on examination MOST of the CLAIMS are either unprovable or inaccurate, could you expound on that thanks.....( what brings you to that awareness)

Very interesting why did you choose agnostic???????

Bad wording on my part; I should have said "all the claims I have examined so far have been either unproven or inaccurate." Basically, I have spent some serious time examining the basic historical and even scientific claims of the many religions that often lie at the heart of their beliefs. They've all turned up dubious.

Sorry about the wording; I hate speaking in absolutist terms, so I often add "generally" or "for the most part" to something I am saying.

when I was growing up my parents didnt really care whether I would go to church or believed or not in god or religion.
As I got older I got into much trouble and never cared of the outcome until one day I met an angel, she showed me how to read the bible and somehow she changed my life for the better. I knew right there and then that god saved me and I would be eternally grateful for him having mercy on someone like me,

I dont think I have a religion because there are so many But I do feel very spiritual now and know 100% that god exsists for he has really answered my prayers in many ways to simplest thing as me asking for a lady bug for a sick boy in the early part of winter in the snow and there it was I was so amazed that god answered such a simple prayer.....

Ever since I've know god & his angels are real, BUT just like there is good there is also more bad & The Devil & demons are real too and every day they influence people to do bad things..........

NO NO GB i was intested in your persepctive i understand that its your point of view, what lead you to the awareness if you don't mind answering......its interesting to me thanks.....

I believe religion is a choice.. and everyone has the right to their own choice of religion... or not to have a religion...

Oh.. Hello Irish
**Nxt waves**

Religion, as defined as an organization, is not inherently natural.

Religion, as defined in the broader context of belief in God, is natural - you don't choose to believe in god, gods, higher powers, you just believe.

But to answer your question, the main reason I attend a religious organization is to fellowship with other likeminded individual's. Its teachings closely reflect my beliefs, though we do disagree on occassion. I don't "need" to go to this organization - it's a business, like any other.

But like a yachting enthusiast will join a yachting club to meet other yacht lover's, or a football supporter will head out to the game on Saturday night to see thier team play, I attend this particular organization to meet up with people who have the same Love for God that I do.

That's just me though

Regards, PA

I'm not convinced that this is totally true. In many societies freedom of choice is not an option. The recent court case in Afghanistan where a man faced the death sentence for converting from Islam is a case in point.

But even in societies that allow freedom of religion it is not always so simple. The stronger the religious beliefs of the parents the more likely that the children will be brought uo learning only the religion of the parents. The difference between education and brain washing can be very small. Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

I was lucky to be brought up by parents that allowed me to chose. My mother was Methodist (I think), my father brought up Anglican but became a Spiritualist for a while before eventually becoming Agnostic. My sister became a Spiritualist and I am an Athiest.

A choice huh??? ok then Sheri and those who believe it's a choice..btw I am not nit picking lol. .Ahem...

What about those who are born and baptized int oa religion/faith and are made follow that religion for many years by strict religious parents and are too afraid to stand up and say - I don't want to go to church no more" ... is that a choice??? I think not

Ah but you still have a choice, now granted most will take the path of least resistance (and I can understand why, most people don't want to be killed or become an outcast), but that in and of itself is a choice.

Not really...I know lots of people who where raised by deep religious parents that would have torn their kids appart if they dared to skip church...so they really didn't have a choice..they went out of FEAR I should know my dad told me that if he skipped church at all sick or not..he was beaten for it he was too scared to say NO...but when he got a lot older he was able to move out and drop religion aolltogether now that was choice and a wise one at that

It is a choice. In a sense though I think its natural sometimes to cling on to something external or to search for something external to fill voids or answer questions as to why we are here and who we are. Sometimes the search leads to religion but ultimately I believe it is a choice to follow a path.

To believe that there is some truth in histories compiled by many different people, many for no profit, many who died because of it, under both the threat and protections of nations seems far more natural and far more logical to me than people believing some channeled work by a single individual for profit, such as say the Seth series of channeled books.

I was allowed to choose also. My mother was a karma believing Cayceite and my step-father a scorned filled atheist. I am a Christian.

BEC'S ma you brought in a aspect that is a consideration for many , many kids will be disowned if they choose to follow the truth they find inside ..wy do you think that is Bec and it seems that is a common occurance in religons.......one worth exploring.....maybe a thread as always a berri good observation lol

I don't think it's right to drum fear into kids and force them into following a religion...its abuse if you ask me

I lived beside a christian family the Rodgers they where nick named the holy terrors..they where rather violent yet went to church 4 times a week and the father would have been one of these preachers that stood out with his fellow christians with a mic and preached..but at the same time would have beat up his wife and kids and forced them to be christian..hard core christians....IMO he went the wrong way about it

Being a christian is not supposed to be like that..he abused it...religion is not meant to be feared but htose that live by it hard core will make others live in fear of it

Good grief how often does this go on i wonder??????To some degree or another...this is a thread all its own berri

You can find this same type in every belief system and some who even bring in political activist groups and politcal parties demanding their families and friends believe as they do.

My parents came to my home for christmas for a month very religous and very politial, they did not push there beleifs on us but they gave my step sister grief becasue she chose to be luthern not chtholic after years of shunning and fighting and emotional manipulation to be catholic, my mom said this was required of her being a catholic, I haven't noticed this behavior in NB's i can't think of one case.....but that doesn't mean ther aren't' any..generally those that are in philosphys that are tolerant of others tolerate others paths easier those that are told there is ony one path generally stand for that........perception creates behavior.....Like i have said i have known amazing religious people but its becasue they see the philosophy as metaphorical not literal......

As an Atheist I can understand why the very religious would bring their children up without being given a choice (I don't necessarily believe it's right, but I do understand it). Any decent parent wants to protect their children. If you believe your child has an immortal soul then to protect this would be at least as important as protecting their physical well-being.

However can someone that has only ever known one road truly say they have chosen the correct one?

So lets say momma and daddy take you to church every Sunday and you go. You go because you respect your parents do you not- wouldn't you want your child to respect you?

But let us say that you have told your parents you disagree with the doctrines of the church- and they say well you still live in my house and must abide by my rules. So what would you say- disrespect your parents and tell them screw you while you do as you please.

But most parents would not totally disrespect a child or teen who tells them the truth. If a child really does not agree and has valid reasons would not they understnad trully?

Lets say they understand- but you are still only 10 yrs old?

What would you do while they are at church- you still have togo for you are too young to stay home unattended too.

pardon me for my lack of religious knowledge (i worship Zeus after all( but what is the difference between agnostic and atheist?

all religions are false... none are real, there is no God as described in any of these religions, so why do we defend them so passionatley? why have so many innocent people died because of these ridiculous religions? it is absurd

An agnostic acknowledges the possibility that there might be a god/higher power somewhere. An atheist completely denies the existence of such beings. In practice, there's not really that much difference, come to think of it......

Regards, PA

Religion is a choice of course- but some have an upbringing that severely limits or even gives them no choice at all...Example is my dad is Muslim and he assums i am muslim. Now to a certain extent i am a muslim...I chose to become a Unitarian. Thats basically one that holds belief in the 3 abrahamic faiths as one- infact i believe God is the God of all religions- he doesnt play favourites with anyone- he cares about our thoughts and more importantly our actions. This faith gives me great feeling in acknowledging God is great- his creations are amazing- and we are all his children- this only leaves me to believe that being a Good person is one of the most important things in this life- and God is good. So a good person is one on one with God.

I believe that it's your choice to what kind of religion you will believe in. Likewise in having religion or not.

Religion is a choice because no matter what religion you've grown up with, in the end you'll still have or practice the religion you want or if not or if parents does'nt allow you to change your religion, i'm pretty sure that you will still believe what you chose to believe in even having different religion 'coz religion just like what the others say is like an organization believing in something the same as what they do believe in. It doesn't matter that much anyway as long as your religion does not require you to do something that you really don't think is right or acceptable.

Rambo i see you have connected to your atheist roots lol Agnostic is one who beleives in something but doesn't know what that something is, an athiest doesn' beelive in a religious God or diety, its not to say they don't beleive somehting just not religions austere portrayal of dietys.....Zeus huh??????

Are you sure about that, Sheri? Atheism, I thought, is complete non-belief in any form of God or higher power.

Atheism - without God, denying God. Disbelief in, or denial of, the existence of a God
Atheist - 1. One who denies or disbelieves the existence of a God! 2. One who denies God morally.

(taken from the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary)

Just trying to clarify. Thanks

Regards, PA

Well being as how i was a Athiest once It was actually a transition out of religious constructs a reflective repose. I said an atheiest doesn't belive in diety's gods, your term higher powers super beings demons sky buddys. But in order to say you beleive in nothing you beleive in something just not dietys......

I guess that makes sense. I was a little confused, since zeus is (was) a god, that would mean they are not Atheist.

See what I'm saying?

Regards, PA

Rambo is kidding around , Its his humour few get him...... he is an athiest....

I think these definitions from the Paperback Oxford English Dictionary make the differences between agnosticism and atheism clearer:

agnostic a person who belifves one cannot know whether or not God exists.

atheism the belief that God does not exist.

I like that definition!

PA..... Good find

Actually I think a better definition of atheism is simply the lack of a belief in God. There are two kinds of atheism. Weak atheism and strong atheism. Weak atheists, like myself, simply do not believe in God. Strong atheists totally deny the existence of a God.

Anyway, I do not have a religion mainly because I don't think any of them have it right. When I look at all the countless religions on the planet, all of which say they are right, I can't help but feel that none of them are right. Also, books like the bible are very obviously mythology and not meant to be taken literally at all. And here is the biggest reason. When I look up at all of those stars strewn throughout the night sky, I cannot comprehend how we could possibly be so important in the eyes of any "God." We are just a tiny spec of dust, a grain of sand on a vast beach.

I was actually raised catholic, and believed it up until I was 11. At that point I just laughed the bible off as a bunch of rediculous stories. So I have been a catholic, a christian, a new-ager, and an atheist. I am a lot happier as an atheist. The knowlege that we are sentinent beings in a grand and magnificent universe is the only meaning of life I need. The universe itself is my God, I don't need to believe in anything higher. With this knowledge I have a sense of morality. I respect all living things, as we are all in this together.

That fact that I will die and cease to exist forever does not get me down, I actually like the thought. The fact that my remains will be recycled back into nature and become soil, grass, plants, and trees is just as comforting as a conscious afterlife in my opinion. My spirituality is earth-based and as strong as any religious person's. I could probably best be defined as a spiritual atheist or a pantheist. So with my lack of belief comes a philosophy that, in my opinion, is a lot more comforting than any religion i've seen.

Well, what originally led to me to the skeptical, non-believing state of mind was that when I was around 12 or 13, I was a bit of book nerd. I read a lot, particularly on biology, history, and the sciences, which led me to belief in evolution (not faith, since my belief is founded in reason). I was in a state of limbo where I was drifting between a theistic evolutionist and a moderate Mormon when, about 3 or 4 years later, after having read some, and having read accounts about my native religion which made the truthfulness of it (and all christianity) dubious, I thought," What the heck am I doing by still clinging to bits?"

So I let it go. I've also had some opportunity to learn about philosophy, and a lot on debating. These helped me a lot in examining other faith's claims, and supernatural claims in general.

thankyou GB great post for those that will thionk its great becasue we agree isn't quite waht I mena what stands out to me is your willingness to investigate and explore and define your own truth thas wht comes across in your post... IN my world how does one have an opinion when the only reference is the bible, its someone elses opinion....lol



Very good read skeptic thanks


Merged posts. Instead of double posting please use the edit feature. Also I have removed unnecessary quotes- Daughter of the Nine Moons

Religion & spirituality is always a choice. A child may not be able to chose to go to church or not, but they can still chose to believe what they are taught there or not.

I was raised a casual Lutheran: church every Sunday and the basic bible stories & moral lessons put forth by Christianity.

My current beliefs are influenced by what I learned before (aren't they all?) but have grown as I have learned about other belief systems, the world at large, and paid attention to myself. In my opinion, religion is a human construct, spirituality is something that comes out of your spirit. If you are a non-believer (and by that I do not mean non-Christian but one who does not believe in any spirit/soul etc.) then you have no spirituality. And that is just fine.

Great post Ramster..there are some that are not given a choice

I like how you say - God loves all..at least you wernt taught to tell others they are SO WRONG..good for you Ram the man