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For religious "switchers"
- Thread starter Orbit
- Start date
I know some folks on RF are itching to know.
I didn't switch since I suddenly came to the conclusion that Judaism/Noachidism is false, not at all. I'm not here now to diss Judaism or regret the time I spent with it, no, never. I love Judaism and will always hold it in the highest respect, but since I could not convert and as being a Noachide was taking a toll on my mental health, I had to change. Noachidism is too lonely, too anti-social, lacks rituals, prayers etc., stuff that I need in a religion. It was incredibly hard for me to leave, as I still consider it true and I'm not generally a person who ditches truth for social practicality, but as I was on the verge of taking my own life I had to change.
Noachidism is not a religion at all and I was seeking a religion, not just a set of beliefs with nothing else attached - especially not one with no other followers, really. It was unworkable for me, socially, mentally and emotionally. After four years I was just exhausted. As I said though, I have nothing against Judaism and am keeping all my Jewish stuff (I've even considered buying another Chumash w/ commentary!) So, sorry folks, I'm not suddenly switching teams
I didn't switch since I suddenly came to the conclusion that Judaism/Noachidism is false, not at all. I'm not here now to diss Judaism or regret the time I spent with it, no, never. I love Judaism and will always hold it in the highest respect, but since I could not convert and as being a Noachide was taking a toll on my mental health, I had to change. Noachidism is too lonely, too anti-social, lacks rituals, prayers etc., stuff that I need in a religion. It was incredibly hard for me to leave, as I still consider it true and I'm not generally a person who ditches truth for social practicality, but as I was on the verge of taking my own life I had to change.
Noachidism is not a religion at all and I was seeking a religion, not just a set of beliefs with nothing else attached - especially not one with no other followers, really. It was unworkable for me, socially, mentally and emotionally. After four years I was just exhausted. As I said though, I have nothing against Judaism and am keeping all my Jewish stuff (I've even considered buying another Chumash w/ commentary!) So, sorry folks, I'm not suddenly switching teams
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Heyo
Veteran Member
Since I never was religious, I have never switched religion. But if you include having found that I mislabelled myself and corrected that (from agnostic atheist to Agnostic), then, yes, I have changed my religion (label).
(And I think every believer must have changed religion at least once from ignorant atheist/apatheist to believer, though most won't remember.)
LightofTruth
Well-Known Member
Does switching denominations count as switching religions?
Kept getting pushed around by "God".
Gargovic Malkav
Well-Known Member
Does changing from atheism to monotheism count?
I definitely think so
Orbit
I'm a planet
For the purposes of the discussion, I would say yes,
Orbit
I'm a planet
I would say yes,
Gargovic Malkav
Well-Known Member
I definitely think so
Since Orbit is the host of this thread, I will vote yes if she sees it that way too.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I think its smart. That means people are waking up from delusions.
LightofTruth
Well-Known Member
I would think so too.
I put my religion as "Scripture" because there are many thousand Christian denominations who can't seem to agree on what the Scripture says and teaches even though they have the same Scriptures and base their religion on those same Scriptures.
I switched from the religion I was born into in my late teens. I switched from that religion in my early 30s.
But I wasn't on RF at any of those times.
But I wasn't on RF at any of those times.
I've switched several religions, and I have been considering switching to druidry as well lately.
The vast majority of my life has been spent as a christian, and who I was as a person was defined by my faith. In my meandering away from that path, it's been getting less and less that way. Now, spirituality and even religion has become more of a tool to utilize for me.
Each spiritual path I've taken since then has shone a light on various aspects of myself that I never knew were there before. It's a very useful thing in better understanding myself.
At the moment I'm a naturalist and an atheist, and this will probably be the way I am for the forseeable future - even if I do involve myself with other spiritual and religious paths.
The vast majority of my life has been spent as a christian, and who I was as a person was defined by my faith. In my meandering away from that path, it's been getting less and less that way. Now, spirituality and even religion has become more of a tool to utilize for me.
Each spiritual path I've taken since then has shone a light on various aspects of myself that I never knew were there before. It's a very useful thing in better understanding myself.
At the moment I'm a naturalist and an atheist, and this will probably be the way I am for the forseeable future - even if I do involve myself with other spiritual and religious paths.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I know some folks on RF are itching to know.
I didn't switch since I suddenly came to the conclusion that Judaism/Noachidism is false, not at all. I'm not here now to diss Judaism or regret the time I spent with it, no, never. I love Judaism and will always hold it in the highest respect, but since I could not convert and as being a Noachide was taking a toll on my mental health, I had to change. Noachidism is too lonely, too anti-social, lacks rituals, prayers etc., stuff that I need in a religion. It was incredibly hard for me to leave, as I still consider it true and I'm not generally a person who ditches truth for social practicality, but as I was on the verge of taking my own life I had to change.
Noachidism is not a religion at all and I was seeking a religion, not just a set of beliefs with nothing else attached - especially not one with no other followers, really. It was unworkable for me, socially, mentally and emotionally. After four years I was just exhausted. As I said though, I have nothing against Judaism and am keeping all my Jewish stuff (I've even considered buying another Chumash w/ commentary!) So, sorry folks, I'm not suddenly switching teams
I'm not asking this that you change back. I was wondering if you could talk to a Rabbi (if thats appropriate)?
I know you can't fully participate in some rituals (assuming you're not Jewish) but Im sure there may be a way to practice in part?
Not where I live. I live in a small village in a non-metropolitan county. There are no Jewish centres for miles (we're talking a train journey or two). In this country the only two main Jewish areas are in Manchester and London and I'm nowhere near either.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Yes/no.
1. In atheist (don't believe deities exist).
2. I practiced Nichiren Buddhism (still hold beliefs but no long chant and gave away my Gohonzon)
3. Was catholic but left cause of number one...not limited to
4. Im interested in a religion like Rival cause of things I already believe though the lady I spoke with and without a grandparent it's quite hard to start. Will get a reading once COVID restrictions lift up.
I'm very very particular with "finding" a religion because I don't like the idea of searching and don't want to waste people's time.
RF gave some insights but because I don't have christian values, they are mostly if interest but nothing more.
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I do at times because I'm often confused about what I want to do with my life and what kind of person I want to be. It may have to do with me having borderline personality disorder to an extent, which can cause issues with being able to identify what your values are. Other than that, it's because I read and ponder things a lot that I argue with myself over religions and sometimes argue myself out of them.
But really, it's mostly been between Christianity and Greek polytheism for me, with some exploration of other things.
But really, it's mostly been between Christianity and Greek polytheism for me, with some exploration of other things.
I "switched" from atheism long before I joined RF. I went from ignoring anything religious to accepting that there was something more than the ordinarily perceivable physical world.
That started a search for a spiritual path. I did not see significant value in exoteric religion but wanted to find a teacher and a frame-of-reference to orient my life around.
During that time of search I did a lot of reading and visited a couple of Buddhist centers. From visiting Trungpa's Vermont center, I took away a sense of how tuned into people a place can be because they had a work time when people worked on whatever bothered them. Was the floor dirty and did it bother you? Then wash it. Even as a guest, I had something assigned to me.
Visiting Philip Kapleau's Zen center introduced me to how groups in the West needed to manifest teaching in a Western manner. Rather than begging as they would in India, they picked up trash.
So I was guided by using both my head and 'heart'.
That started a search for a spiritual path. I did not see significant value in exoteric religion but wanted to find a teacher and a frame-of-reference to orient my life around.
During that time of search I did a lot of reading and visited a couple of Buddhist centers. From visiting Trungpa's Vermont center, I took away a sense of how tuned into people a place can be because they had a work time when people worked on whatever bothered them. Was the floor dirty and did it bother you? Then wash it. Even as a guest, I had something assigned to me.
Visiting Philip Kapleau's Zen center introduced me to how groups in the West needed to manifest teaching in a Western manner. Rather than begging as they would in India, they picked up trash.
So I was guided by using both my head and 'heart'.
Sort of kind of not really?
I never really know how to answer, because it's not so simple or black-and-white. With how I understand religion - as an all-encompassing way of life that expresses who and what one is, as well as one's relationships and obligations - that's not something you can just "switch" like some electric light. Religion is a long process, that develops and changes over time. At times, dramatic life experiences can make for some more rapid changes, yes.
I would say a "switch" was flicked, for example, when I was a kid and Sunday school didn't agree with me. I was barely Christian for any length of time and at an age so young it feels disingenuous to claim that I ever was one even though I have that cultural background. I would also say a "switch" was flicked in college when I went from being a petulant atheist who thought all religion and theism was stupid to actually studying it and realizing neither religion nor theism was stupid. And perhaps a "switch" was flicked when I learned Unitarian Universalism existed, and that this more organized, non-dogmatic religion could easily layer on top of the Paganism I had discovered also existed. But all of these instances were an extension of who and what I was, so "switch" is... well, it's not how I'd tell the story. I am what I am. I cannot "switch" what I am.
I never really know how to answer, because it's not so simple or black-and-white. With how I understand religion - as an all-encompassing way of life that expresses who and what one is, as well as one's relationships and obligations - that's not something you can just "switch" like some electric light. Religion is a long process, that develops and changes over time. At times, dramatic life experiences can make for some more rapid changes, yes.
I would say a "switch" was flicked, for example, when I was a kid and Sunday school didn't agree with me. I was barely Christian for any length of time and at an age so young it feels disingenuous to claim that I ever was one even though I have that cultural background. I would also say a "switch" was flicked in college when I went from being a petulant atheist who thought all religion and theism was stupid to actually studying it and realizing neither religion nor theism was stupid. And perhaps a "switch" was flicked when I learned Unitarian Universalism existed, and that this more organized, non-dogmatic religion could easily layer on top of the Paganism I had discovered also existed. But all of these instances were an extension of who and what I was, so "switch" is... well, it's not how I'd tell the story. I am what I am. I cannot "switch" what I am.