What was it that brought you to believe in what you do now?

[Kcnorwood]

I was not raised anything we lived in bad neighborhoods when I was a kid.
I would see people going to church & wondered if there was something I was missing.
Everyone always looked so happy. I thought to myself maybe they were a better class of people. I started going when I was about 14 & went for about 6 months, I realized that everything they were no better then I was. So I stopped going & went back when I was 19
I got involved in church for 2 years then I started noticing how it was a place to meet others & not much more & the more I studied the bible the less sense it made.
There was no balance in it, how could life come up from just one person?
Next was the bloodshed in the bible the more I learned the more I understood I didn’t wish to worship a God who had so much blood on his hands. Nor did I want to worship a God who seemed to look down on women.


I was not raised anything we lived in bad neighborhoods when I was a kid.
I would see people going to church & wondered if there was something I was missing.
Everyone always looked so happy. I thought to myself maybe they were a better class of people. I started going when I was about 14 & went for about 6 months, I realized that everything they were no better then I was. So I stopped going & went back when I was 19
I got involved in church for 2 years then I started noticing how it was a place to meet others & not much more & the more I studied the bible the less sense it made.
There was no balance in it, how could life come up from just one person?
Next was the bloodshed in the bible the more I learned the more I understood I didn’t wish to worship a God who had so much blood on his hands. Nor did I want to worship a God who seemed to look down on women. Year's later I came across Wicca no hate no blaming so mythical devil for making you do bad things.

 

[Random]

Dissatisfaction with Catholicism started me on course; then a developing interest in many types of mysticism in my late teens followed by 10 years of research into the subject. I am still a (freeform) practitioner, but no longer a Catholic: though I find that faith has played a strong role in shaping my moral and intellectual outlook.

 

[9harmony]

Looking back, I see how events throughout my life have led me to where i am now. It was like a vast tapestry with many missing sections, and through study and reflection these blank sections began to fill in one by one, now it's a glorious complete tapestry that encompasses all I've learned, connecting all sections with the rest. Pieces just started falling into place almost effortlessly once I realized what was happening.
I've found my home. It's awe-inspiring to me.

 

[MaddLlama]

Lots of thinking.

 

[dbakerman76]

Lots of soul searching and thinking. Its more of a return to what I've always been but didn't have a name for.

 

[Gentoo]

Rather than go into a long and probably boring story, I'll say this: realizing that Abrahamic religions were not the only religions out there.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I was raised in a very Christian household, but early on gained an interest in Native American spirituality. My dad was really into the martial arts, and that led me into some research on Eastern philosophy. These influences got all mashed together, and I became a Christian who practiced Zazen meditation within a medicine wheel.

When college came around, I was heavily exposed to Wicca, Druidism, and other forms of neo-Paganism. A string of philosophy classes broke down most of my traditional spiritual beliefs, and I went through a period of atheism that didn't work with me. I became fairly depressed (existential malaise I've heard it called). It was then that I realized that I still believed in God despite logical arguments against it, and it forced me to accept a kind of Cartesian Duality (though not exactly like Descartes') in which I could subjectively believe in various spiritual things even while admitting that objectively they may not exist.

So I took up the tools that my philosophy teacher had given me, and I forged anew my spirituality from an alloy of past beliefs that had personal meaning, and new ideas from various infuences and studies at the time. Being a rather creative guy, I decided that I would use imagination as well as logic to form this personal religion of mine.

It works well for me. It is constantly changing with new knowledge and wisdom, and this forum has been a godsend in my search.

 

[rocka21]

it was eleven years ago tomorrow, it was new years eve night. I was 22 years old, instead of going out to party that night , i went to a church for the "watch night" service. About 3000 people were in there praising God, and i felt the love and saw how happy they were. At some point in the service, i lifted my hands and began to weep, the presence of God filled my being, i can not describe with words. That night Jesus changed my life. the next week i read the bible every day, at the end of matthew, i began to weep because it was so REAL to me, it was not religion, but it was a god speaking to me. I was soon filled with the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues. eleven years later, i am still learning , growing, and my life has never been the same!

 

[DrWurm]

I've been agnostic for as long as I can remember. Even if I didn't actually know the term for some of those years. I've always been an inquisitive, scientific person. I never believed the bible because I'd never seen god. There was no proof that Jesus was the literal son of god besides a hodgepodge of people that were "told" by angels. At a very young age I could tell that the bible was an outdated fairy tale trying to describe the world without science. People say that the old testament shouldn't be taken literally. However, that clearly wasn't the intention of the writers.

Church was a horribly boring experience for me. Everyone was old. And the one motivation I suspected for their faith, death. They fear death as most people would. And so they went to feel secure. That's something I viewed as weakness. So one day I just refused to go. I actually like to quote House's perspective on faith: "Faith has to be earned." I cannot have faith in that which I do not know.

But, again, being scientific I was amazed in the world around me. The universe amazed me. The fact that atoms could form into organic matter and life was fantastic. Could there be a driving force that kept this moving? A reason that time proceeds without delay? If it was there, there'd be no way to prove it. It would be above the universe, existing without the concepts of time or space. Which means it is not something we could ever find evidence of.

Why am I not atheist? Because the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Just as you can never proove it is there, you can't prove it isn't. That's 100% unbiased science.

 

[rocka21]

A lot of the stories i am seeing here, are of people who were "RELIGIOUS" and were not satisfied. I feel you! Denominations can be boring, confusing, and with no power of the Holy Ghost ( no, spiritual gifts in operation), i don't think i would last a week.
to me, the " HOLY GHOST" made all the difference. I know must call us " holy rollers" or what not, but it i was to much of a sinner just to become religious. I would have been back at the club in about a week.

i can't stand to walk in a church that has the " spirit of religion" . it has that certain smell to it. it looks like an historical relic, dead, dry, and yes filled with old people waiting to go to heaven. When the Holy Ghost is not welcome, there it no " presence" there. it feels like they are reading a boring history book and not a living word.

no offence to anyone. Just my PERSONAL thoughts.

 

[Bishka]

What brought me to where I am now?

Soul-searching, educating myself about other faiths and beliefs. Not finding one that really fit me as much as the gospel of Christ did and the LDS Church. During about 5-7 years I went through different religions and faiths tryin to find what really fit me.

What really cemented it for me was an experience I had while on a pioneer treak. To feel the Spirit of the Lord confirm to me that I was in the right place and that I had the gospel in fron of my own eyes the entire time did it for me. I belong to the Lord's Church and I am happy with the Holy Spirit that I feel constantly, and with the love from my Father in heaven.

Don't think I didn't search. My studies brought me from Christianity to Jainism to Islam to Wiccan to Pagan to Buddhism to Taoism to Alien-Beliefs. I went through all At one time I ever considered my self a Buddhist Wiccan Mormon (Not really sure how that worked out..)

Another place that has helped me out if RF, I've grown stronger in my beliefs by being forced to confront them by all sorts of people and choose if I really believe in what is written in our doctrine.

 

[may]

This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. John 17;3 putting into pratice this verse has led me to where i am now , hopefully on the road to everlasting life. also this verse in Daniel 2;44 had a very big impact on me .
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite; Daniel 2;44 this is the kingdom that will bring peace to the earth and i want to shout about it and make it known . because bible prophecy ALWAYS comes true .

 

[Kcnorwood]

A lot of the stories i am seeing here, are of people who were "RELIGIOUS" and were not satisfied. I feel you! Denominations can be boring, confusing, and with no power of the Holy Ghost ( no, spiritual gifts in operation), i don't think i would last a week.
to me, the " HOLY GHOST" made all the difference. I know must call us " holy rollers" or what not, but it i was to much of a sinner just to become religious. I would have been back at the club in about a week.

i can't stand to walk in a church that has the " spirit of religion" . it has that certain smell to it. it looks like an historical relic, dead, dry, and yes filled with old people waiting to go to heaven. When the Holy Ghost is not welcome, there it no " presence" there. it feels like they are reading a boring history book and not a living word.

no offence to anyone. Just my PERSONAL thoughts.

For me there was more to it. The more I read about the history of christiany the more I disliked it, not to mention the way some of them seem to force thire set of belifes on other. Anything they could not understand they called evil, they would blindly believe anything the pastor told them too.

 

[MaddLlama]

For me there was more to it. The more I read about the history of christiany the more I disliked it, not to mention the way some of them seem to force thire set of belifes on other. Anything they could not understand they called evil, they would blindly believe anything the pastor told them too.

So, you became Pagan just because it's beliefs were in some ways antithetical to Christianity?

 

[Gentoo]

That's not a really good reason to be in a religion, if you ask me (which you didn't, so feel free to ignore)

 

[Kcnorwood]

Not all Christians act this way...it be like saying ALL PAGANS worship the devil and dance around naked. That latter sentance is absurd, because all pagans do not do those things; just as not ALL Christians act the way you've pointed out.

Now whos not reading ALL the post?? I said SOME


For me there was more to it. The more I read about the history of christiany the more I disliked it, not to mention the way SOME of them seem to force thire set of belifes on other. Anything they could not understand they called evil, they would blindly believe anything the pastor told them too.

Geesh

 

[AllMantra]

The area of North Carolina that I inhabit is fairly conservative, and in many cases intolerance of non-Christian religion is considered appropriate. I was instructed by some family and friends that the True Religion was Christianity, and the only influences I had through the age of 16 were Protestants, some very loving, some quite narrow minded. It was around that time in my journey that I was enrolled at a boarding school, and had the pleasure of studying Buddhism, as well as living with a couple devout Muslims from Egypt, an experience that opened my eyes for the first time that people all over the world were basically alike, regardless of nationality or belief system. My personal life, despite such positive experiences, had been on a downward spiral, and was in shambles. I had began abusing drugs prior to enrolling to the school, which combined with some mental "issues" led me to embrace a very angry atheistic outlook (this is not intended to be a derogatory comment aimed at atheism, for I am not at all opposed to such views). I remained a very miserable atheist for three years (from 17 to 20), until resorting to a 12 step program that helped me to form my own understanding of a higher power, which in turn has helped me to find a way of life that enables me to be more peaceful with myself and those around me. Today I am receptive to any Religious or Spiritual tradition, though I don't claim a single one, and don't follow another soul, just my own intuition.

 

[Kcnorwood]

There is nothing wrong with christiany or any others belifes, however it does become personal to me when ( like others) are attacked for beliveing in something different.

I expect it's the same for everyone else to.

 

[anders]

It has been a very gradual process. For many years, I could defend most anything in my Lutheran belief system. I think my first - not really a problem, but clear questioning of established views, was when I got indignant about the way Judas was viewed.

If Jesus had to die to become our Saviour, and Judas was instrumental in bringing it about, shouldn't we regard Judas as the benefactor to humanity?

I had a stroke six years ago. I recovered remarkably fast and well. I thanked God for that, instead of asking why the (whatever) I had the stroke.

What didn't repair itself gave me a disability pension. I started Religious studies, mainly because of my fascination with religions originating in India. But now I had to academically and critically look at my views of my own religion as well. As I saw it, evidence accumulated rapidly that there was no credible foundation for the claims of any religion.

I had during my Lutheran period thought that the doctrine of transubstantiation was crazy. Bread is bread and wine is wine, and ne'er the twain will transform, I thought. "Everybody" said that the Eucharist was a case of remembrance. One of the final turning points was when I read in the Symbolic Books that I was supposed to believe in consubstantiation - bread and wine were still there, but the flesh and blood of Christ had crept in there as well. I couldn't accept that.

So, now I'm an atheist, just (quoting Annie get your gun) doing what comes naturally - which fits Philosophical Daoism pretty well.

 

[†Lilithâ€]

A need to break free and grow, so to speak. I feel much better about myself now, much higher self-esteem, etc.