Childhood Religion Vs. Now

[Aasimar]

Heyas, I was just kind of curious as to how many people here on the forums are still the same religion they grew up with. Please post with more detail (i.e. Conservative Jew as a child, Reform Jew today, Pentecostal child, Episcopelian today, Jew -> Christian, etc.)
I'll start.

I was raised as a Pentecostal in the First Assembly of God church in Lake Elsinore, California. My family at one point became Jehovah's witness, but I was too young to remember much of that. We later became Non-Denominations (Elsinore Valley Friends Church as I recall) and at age 14 I became Agnostic. At age 23 I determined my understanding of the term was incorrect and re termed myself Atheist.

 

[BucephalusBB]

I have converted from christian to atheist somewhere between 12 and 16 I guess.. Back then I wasn't so interrested in philosophy/religion/etc so you could also say I was a non-theist in the meanwhile..

 

[Engyo]

Raised as a Christian Scientist, became atheist/agnostic, then became Buddhist. I've stuck with my Buddhist practice for over half my life now, so I think this is it.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Please note that a question in the poll needs updated: the Baha'i Faith is also Abrahamic!

Bruce

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Grew up Southern Baptist and now nobody knows what the hell I am.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I started out as an Anglican and via Baptist Methodist and Congregational returned to Anglican.
I have always had a soft spot for Carmelite Catholics.

 

[Fluffy]

I am not the same religion as I was in my childhood nor was my childhood religion the religion I was raised in.

I was not raised in any religion and decided to follow Christianity until I was about 14/15. My parents are atheist and I am now atheist.

 

[Zephyr]

Grew up Southern Baptist and now nobody knows what the hell I am.

You're our daddy, and that's enough.

I was raised Christian, converted to Islam for a bit, then left for Asatru.

 

[MoonWater]

I was raised methodist Christian and became agnostic around the time I entered high school. I started to create my own beliefs only to find that much of what I believed could be found in Paganism and became a Pagan. I have recently added some elements of Zen Buddhism to my faith. And now I am an Eclectic-Buddha-Pagan.

 

[ChrisP]

Raised in the Church of Christ, I was never baptised. Am now... not agnostic, not atheist, but also not a believer in the all seeing adjudicator of my life...

Sitting comfortably between Taoism and thinking too much...

 

[ayani]

Please note that a question in the poll needs updated: the Baha'i Faith is also Abrahamic!

Bruce

true, this.

i was raised Lutheran, drifted away from faith for a few years, later identified as Buddhist, Quaker, and now as Muslim... with some Quaker and universalist influences still strong. but i'd say if i identify with any organized body of faith right now, it's Islam.

 

[Smoke]

On my mother's side, I was a sixth-generation Methodist and a descendant of Methodist ministers, and I was brought up in the Methodist Church. During the summer I attended the United Church of Christ with my paternal grandmother. My paternal grandfather was Roman Catholic but never went to Mass. I loved church and Sunday School as long as I can remember, especially Sunday School.

I used to feel sorry for the Jehovah's Witnesses, because it seemed nobody ever invited them in, so as a child I'd invite them in and listen to them, and they'd give me books and copies of Awake! and The Watchtower, all of which I'd avidly read. It used to bug my mother.

From the time I was eleven or twelve, I attended any and every church I could get to -- Baptist, Presbyterian, non-denominational, Pentecostal, Catholic, Christian Scientist, Church of Christ, and Lutheran.

I joined the Church of Christ while in high school and almost simultaneously became charismatic, which was frowned on in the Church of Christ. I eventually picked the Charismatic Movement over the Church of Christ.

I joined the Episcopal Church while in college, and then converted to Eastern Orthodoxy the year I graduated from college.

Renounced Christianity, became an atheist, and became a convinced Friend (in that order) at the age of 45, two years ago.

I've also been interested in Eastern religions -- especially Buddhism and Taoism -- since I was in my twenties, but never felt the need to join any of them.
I find neo-paganism intriguing, especially Nordic/German/English heathenism, but again, never felt the need to join.

 

[SERVANTOFSET]

I was raised C of E but in the last few years I have become a Devil Worshipper although it was really the Dawkinsian aetheist arguments that turned me against Christianity. While I have nothing against Muslims, I have aslo become increasingly Islamosceptic aswell. I do worry about what would have happened if I had just accepted what I was taught from birth though.

 

[ChristineES]

My answer may be somewhat misleading. My mother raised me with no religion, as when I was a child she was an atheist (she is a Christian now). I have a strange memory--when I was about 8, some girls I walked to school with were talking about what church they went to, one said she was Catholic and the other said she was some sort of protestant (can't remember which), they asked me and I didn't know what to say, as we never went to church that I remember, except to the Kingdom Hall with our Jehovah's Witness next door neighbors once or twice. I think I made up an answer.
My mother, although non-religious, never said anything bad about religions. She seemed to like Buddhist ideals. She always told me that Jesus was just "a good man". She did not like TV preachers at all, though.

I wasn't exactly an atheist or an agnostic as a child, and I certainly wasn't a Christian either, I just didn't know what to believe. When I was about 17, I found a New Testament, read it all in one day and decided to follow Yeshua (Jesus). I didn't go to Church until later (it was a Baptist Church).

 

[Mike182]

i have converted from an Abrahamic religion to a non Abrahamic religion.

interesting poll by the way

 

[Yes Man]

Was a non-specific Christian for the longest time. I became agnostic when I was about 16.

 

[Pariah]

Born and raised in a Hindu household, with a father far less interested with religion than he was with the intricacies and provability of science. Although, now, with a much wider of understanding of philosophical beliefs, he would quite easily classify as a deist with ritual and ontological underpinnings within Hinduism.

After our move, my mother assigned my sister and I to Hindu "Saturday School" which allowed us exposure into the Indian community, an assimilation of South Indian and North Indian Advaita Vedanta tradition. Our branch of Hinduism could never be considered fundamentalist - it was quite perfect and to this day have no complaints about the organization - it provided friends, philosophy, community, cultural events, and fun.

During these years, I grew increasingly interested in my roots and my faith grew. I look back now and wonder whether or not I actually had more faith then, than do I now, because of my scientific upbringing, no doubt. Now, I consider it the side-effect of a true Hindu upbringing - Hindu scripture consistently places knowledge of the Divine through meditation and yoga higher than faith. Faith in Hinduism is secondary to wisdom - a dharmic life (a dutiful life of virtue) considered to be the essence of its vision. Or at least that's how I viewed it.

I left Balavihar (as our school was called) only because there is no branch available on my college campus, but I cannot say for certain I am a Hindu any longer, but a proud believe in that heritage. You could call me a Hindu nationalist - a defender of Hindu everything simply because it is my heritage, as an extension of my identity, but I will leave my faith to the Devas (Gods). Should I believe, I will leave it to them for any salvation that may be necessary. Meditation will work out the transformative experiences. Mystic would work well, working under the definition that mysticism is a neverending path, rather than a dense forest with a light at the end of a thicket.

Because of my intense pride for my ancient culture, visits to temples and heritage sites evoke far greater spiritual experiences than ever achieved during meditation. I never feel tempted to ascribe such emotions to the Devas, but I would certainly leave it in their hands when I die.

 

[eudaimonia]

I was a Catholic as a child, but I gradually gained rational enlightenment and glided into atheism and philosophy.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Aasimar]

Please note that a question in the poll needs updated: the Baha'i Faith is also Abrahamic!

Bruce

I'd update but I'm too dumb to figure out how, just choose Abrahamic if you feel that's what you fit

 

[groovyable]

Well i was raised as an Anglican, then a friend of mine (whom is a born again) invited me to his Methodist church yet i ask questions and they had blind faith so i left the church then i progressed to JWism... now im just confused and looking into Krishna Consciousness, JW and Buddhism.I just don't know which path to take..if any.