What is your religion? And why do you believe in your religion?

[chongjasmine]

I am curious. What is your religion? Are you a christian, buddhist, taoist, hindu or muslim? Or perhaps you are an atheist? Why do you believe the way you do?

For me, I am a christian. But I am not always a christian.

I used to be a taoist, yet I wondered about God. God, in my view, is too big to be contained in the idols taoist worship. So I pray to Him in my confusion, to reveal who He is to me, and where He comes from.

Somehow, I started to believe that He is omnipotent and call Him the unknown God. I give up on my taoist beliefs, and started to pray to this unknown God. I asked Him which religion He came from, and somehow was 99% sure that He came from the christian faith, after reading a children's bible which my aunt lent to me. The christian God, who was above everything, sounded like the unknown God I am praying to.

On one occasion, a classmate of mine wanted to be a christian but she did not want to listen to a christian's opinions about God, as she believed a christian will be bias and will tell her to believe in the christian God. Knowing I am a non-christian, she asked me my opinions about God. So I told her my views, that I am 99% sure that the christian God is real. She became a christian, and not long later, brought the person who converted her to my school.

That person convinced me to be a christian, and on that day, I asked Jesus to come into my life and be my saviour and I become a christian.

Since becoming a christian, there are some ups and some downs in my life. But I never regret my decision. That is my story, about how I come to believe in my religion. What about yours?

[StormWolf]

I was raised a Methodist, but seeing how the majority of "Christians" around me live their lives, I have doubts.

[Fragile Bird]

<runs in, sees they haven't been around very long, runs out before the stuff starts flying>

:p

[all swedes are racist]

Well, I call myself a Satanist, but honestly, I really only observe the holidays...

[Stubby]

I'm an agnostic atheist. My reasons for accepting this position have been explained here in detail before. Mainly, it's because I see no reason to believe in the existence of god(s).

[Disturber of Peace]

I always remained atheist (like we are all born).

I am very glad that i was rational enough early on, before any notable coercion or persuasion came. I am thankful to my family and childhood friends that a stronger coercion or persuasion never really came, for i may not have been as ready as i think and would end up more conflicted, biased, etc.

I never liked the idea of God(s) as something i would adopt personally.

I was baptised but that is as far as i went with the ceremonies. Except that time, i only visited temples as a tourist.

As everyone, i do not know that god exists nor completely exclude that some sentinent being made the universe(s) (although the latter would not make the universe(s) more simple, as first comes to mind to most, but vastly more complicated). I suppose this puts me, but also everyone else here, under the pointles, political label of agnosticism. Yes, everyone is an agnostic theist or agnostic atheist.

What matters is wether you believe in God or not.

I do not.

Personally, while it is amusing to throw around the idea of God around, i think it is pretty irrelevant.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

I was born and raised a Greek Orthodox.

I still am a Greek Orthodox because I want or need to believe in something more powerful that myself. I don't know if it's weird or funny.

[baxus]

i was baptised as a serbian orthodox, but have never been much of a believer.

i'm agnostic and admit the influence of the church as a cultural institution, but other than that i pretty much think of them as a bunch of con artists.

[Grand Moff Mithrandir]

Since becoming a christian, there are some ups and some downs in my life. But I never regret my decision.

That is it, isn't it. To never look back once you've taken the decision to give your life over to Him. You will be faced with many obstacles, some of which will rock you to the core, but standing firm in your faith will get you through.

I was raised in the Apostolic Faith Mission. However I wasn't always a firm believer in The Lord. I've had numerous ups and downs in my life and I've made a lot of mistakes, but the one thing I don't regret is my decision to give myself over to Him.

[Hereward]

I'm an Anglican atheist. I should be a bishop really.

[The Grey Wolf]

I'm a Muslim. Sunni to be specific. Have been since I was born.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

I always remained atheist (like we are all born).

Do we?

That is it, isn't it. To never look back once you've taken the decision to give your life over to Him. You will be faced with many obstacles, some of which will rock you to the core, but standing firm in your faith will get you through.

I was raised in the Apostolic Faith Mission. However I wasn't always a firm believer in The Lord. I've had numerous ups and downs in my life and I've made a lot of mistakes, but the one thing I don't regret is my decision to give myself over to Him.

Since becoming a christian, there are some ups and some downs in my life. But I never regret my decision. That is my story, about how I come to believe in my religion. What about yours?

:agree: with both. From my point of view my religion and my beliefs always helped me with my downs.

[lacuna]

What Stubby said.

[broken one]

Atheist on warpath. :fencing: Baptized roman catholic.

Somehow I could never believe in spirits, immortal soul, great architect etc. Maybe because I always loved dinosaurs :dunno:

[baxus]

Do we?

if i were to say that every baby is born knowing a language, what would your reaction be?

now connect that and the fact that concept of religion is significantly more complex than the concept of language and you'll get the answer to your question ;)

[broken one]

What baxus said. I cannot recall EVER believing.

[Essan]

I'd like to be a athiest.....

..... but that would mean not believing in myself :lol:

[Jon's Queen Consort]

if i were to say that every baby is born knowing a language, what would your reaction be?

now connect that and the fact that concept of religion is significantly more complex than the concept of language and you'll get the answer to your question ;)

You right, silly me. It's all about family and culture.

[peterbound]

In before the lock

[MisterOJ]

First, welcome to the forum, chongjasmine.

Since you're new, I'd point you out this the Christian discussion thread, that might be of interest to you. These general religion threads tend to get heated and usually never wind up the way the OP intends. But that thread is sort of a "safe haven" for Christian (and general religion too) discussion that I have really enjoyed. Even though it's not been that active lately.

As for myself, I am a Christian. I was raised in a fairly conservative Southern Baptist church. Then I lost my way for quite a few years that I spent questioning my faith. In the past 3-4 years, I have found that my faith in God never really went away - it was more my faith in God's people that I had lost. But now I like to think I am a bit older and (hopefully) wiser and I have a different perspective than I did in my 20s. I'm a member of the Presbyterian (USA) church nowadays and have found a renewed faith in my Christian brothers and sisters there. I've also come to see how the myriad of different denominations are all part of God's family and part of His plan for us.