Why are you religious?

[PennyKay]

Hi,

Simple question:

Why are you religious?

I am an atheist/agnostic and although I was bought up as a very liberal Christian, I denounced the faith in my adolescence. I am just curious as to what religion you believe in (if any), and why? Have you always been of that faith? Or is it a decision you've made later on in life?

All constructive responses welcome.

 

[rosends]

In a nutshell (I just happen to hit on this formulation this morning):

I believe because I believe and because I don't know how not to believe. If I didn't believe I wouldn't believe and there is no way I would believe.

I practice because I believe and my level of practice reflects my level of belief.

 

[StarryNightshade]

Why am I religious? It just makes more sense to me.

I know, probably not a satisfactory answer for most people.

 

[Quintessence]

Because I could not possibly be anything else. My brain seems hard-wired to ask the big questions of life and deeply probe around for multiple answers to them.

Also, my religion is hardly a "faith." It's a way of life and a practice.

 

[Rival]

I think Atheism seems logical on the surface, but if you drink deeper there are so many more levels to everything. I spent nigh on a year as an Atheist, because the arguments persuaded me. I had been a Christian fundie prior to this, but not really spiritual much, because I was too busy giving hellfire sermons. At the end of it, with Atheism, denying God seemed, to me, like denying everything in existence. You have to reach inwards and create a sense of God for yourself, not expect a white clad figure to appear in the sky one day.

God doesn't exist in any way in which we can comprehend, which is why, eventually, every Religion turns to myth and metaphor to describe it. Some folks have, in the past, preferred to refer to God as "Nothing" because of reasons such as this - God is within and without.

Humans always have the sense that they can do better, be better, reach enlightenment. We can only really do this when we shut out the material excesses, such as greed for food, lust for people, desire for possessions - these cloud our judgement - and focus on things like the transcendent, the meaning of life, overcoming fear of death, controlling out emotions and so on. I believe this is because this is a skill our Creator endowed us with in order to better be at peace with the world and find Him.

When we're at our lowest ebb all we have is prayer, and for some reason it comforts us...

 

[PennyKay]

Because I could not possibly be anything else. My brain seems hard-wired to ask the big questions of life and deeply probe around for multiple answers to them.

Also, my religion is hardly a "faith." It's a way of life and a practice.

I respect that you see it as a way of life and a practice, It is also by definition a faith though.

I understand that you wish to answer the big questions of life, but can I ask why you choose religion as your main way of doing so, rather than maybe science?

 

[Quintessence]

I respect that you see it as a way of life and a practice, It is also by definition a faith though.

It really isn't. Religion and faith are not synonymous. I understand that faith-based religions are all the rage in the United States, but not all religions are well-described by that, and for that reason, I object strongly to using them as synonyms.

I understand that you wish to answer the big questions of life, but can I ask why you choose religion as your main way of doing so, rather than maybe science?

What makes you think that I don't use the sciences as a main way of asking and answering the big questions of life? I'm a scientist by training. I am also religious. The sciences are quite literally the study of my gods. Not the only way to study them, but the major way I use to understand them. I also love a good story now and again, though, and there's no substitute for direct, personal experience.

 

[JRMcC]

I understand that you wish to answer the big questions of life, but can I ask why you choose religion as your main way of doing so, rather than maybe science?

Science can't answer all the "big questions" in life. It can't answer some of them, like "What's consciousness?" but it can't answer all of them. That's why people still use religion.

And when I saw science can't answer all of them I mean it never will be able to.

 

[Tarheeler]

Hi,

Simple question:

Why are you religious?

I am an atheist/agnostic and although I was bought up as a very liberal Christian, I denounced the faith in my adolescence. I am just curious as to what religion you believe in (if any), and why? Have you always been of that faith? Or is it a decision you've made later on in life?

All constructive responses welcome.

I'm religious because I believe in something greater than me. I've tried to not believe, and I've tried to ignore it, but neither worked for me.

As for my religion, I became a Jew several years ago. I was raised a Christian, but when I sat down and actually analyzed what I believed I couldn't honestly claim to be one. So I studied many different religions, and finally realized that Judaism filled all the little niches that had been empty for so long.

 

[Jainarayan]

I also have some inborn need to be associated with something greater than myself. At the very least I was once a deist. Mine, Ásatrú, is also not so much a religion as a way of life, an ideology. In another thread someone brought up the person Varga Vikernes. Many of his activities and beliefs are repugnant (not to mention criminal) and denounced by most modern Ásatrúar. However, there are a couple of quotes and ideas of his that do ring true for me and sum it up. I've heavily cherry-picked from the Wiki article Varg Vikernes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Well, I am not religious in any way, but I have a Pagan ideology and Pagan values. I believe in blood, soil and honour; family, homeland and hamingja; strength, traditions and courage." The "blood and soil" for me is not quite the same as for him; I reject the ethnic bias that is generally part of the "blood and soil" ideology.

This further sums it up for me:

Vikernes now embraces a "modern scientific worldview resting on a foundation made up of the Pagan values and ideals: loyalty, wisdom, courage, love, discipline, honesty, intelligence, beauty, responsibility, health and strength." ... "If it is supposed to serve a purpose Paganism needs to be an ideology, not a religion". ... religious myths should be turned to in areas where science has not yet achieved a complete understanding of the natural world—such as the origin of life and where we go after death, if anywhere at all.

 

[George-ananda]

I was raised Catholic, turned atheist and am now believe Advaita philosophy (non-dual Hinduism; God and creation are not-two). My first turning point was my interest in paranormal phenomena which convinced me that there are dramatically telling things beyond the reach of materialistic science. Secondly is my considered conclusion that the great spiritual masters/saints/holy men of the east have the most comprehensive understanding of the All and have delved deeper into the nature of reality than any other of man's wisdom traditions.

 

[Vinayaka]

If I knew what 'religious' meant, I might be able to answer it on some personal level.

 

[Quintessence]

If I knew what 'religious' meant, I might be able to answer it on some personal level.

I usually take it to mean someone who has a deep drive to craft meaningfulness in their lives through deep reflection about themselves, the world around them, and their relationships to various things. That's the heart of religion done right - an exercise in crafting meaningfulness in relation to our personal and cultural values. There's more to it than that, but that's the heart of it. Though it does seem the OP meant "religious" in a much narrower sense than this.

 

[Riverwolf]

Hi,

Simple question:

Why are you religious?

I am an atheist/agnostic and although I was bought up as a very liberal Christian, I denounced the faith in my adolescence. I am just curious as to what religion you believe in (if any), and why? Have you always been of that faith? Or is it a decision you've made later on in life?

All constructive responses welcome.

It's just my natural inclination.

I wasn't raised in any religion. I just naturally have polytheistic thinking and tendencies, so it's just being true to myself. Granted, I've only been following this specific religion (Heathenry/Asatru) for a few years.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I am a strong atheist, but I am religious also. Not all religious persons are bad and a whole lot of people are guided in their actions by religion and culture. I have a strong love for my culture and the ideas propounded in Hindu scriptures.I do not pray, I cherry pick, but I do label myself as religious and orthodox. Please note that my atheism is within the confines of Hinduism as it would be for a Buddhist.

 

[ThePainefulTruth]

Hi,

Simple question:

Why are you religious?

I am an atheist/agnostic and although I was bought up as a very liberal Christian, I denounced the faith in my adolescence. I am just curious as to what religion you believe in (if any), and why? Have you always been of that faith? Or is it a decision you've made later on in life?

All constructive responses welcome.

I believe cultures became religious in order to try to influence the gods in their favor via crops, war, nature etc. But individually I think death pushes us to seek answers and reassurance (however false) from whoever is good at demagoguing the issue. We rebel at doubt even if it is the only rational path.

 

[Muffled]

I was brought up Baptist before the churches became so liberal but it was not a strictly concervative church either. I believe I had a pre-disposition to religion from a previous life because I enjoyed relgious things and my brothers brought up the same way did not.

I had a falling away period after high school because I was mad at God for the evil in the world. Later in my youth God solved that problem by pointing out that I did evil things also and that I was part of the problem instead of part of the solution and as a result I had a change of heart (repentence).

I like to live my own life and was very self oreinted but found that as hard as a tried I couldn't control the events of my own life so I gave my life to Jesus believeing that only good would reesult and that has been the case although that did not mean that I escaped difficulty.

 

[Nakosis]

Hi,

Simple question:

Why are you religious?

I am an atheist/agnostic and although I was bought up as a very liberal Christian, I denounced the faith in my adolescence. I am just curious as to what religion you believe in (if any), and why? Have you always been of that faith? Or is it a decision you've made later on in life?

All constructive responses welcome.

I believe in existence.
Religion brings a lore, a colorful background to existing. You can create your own religion, however joining an existent group provides a sense of belonging you can't otherwise get. You have people to support you, watch your back, support the ideology of the lore you've chosen to accept.

I think we are happier as a social species and religion provides a structure with some authority for that social experience.

Atheism has no necessary structure or authority to support social interaction. You have freedom to do your own thing create your own meaning and purpose for life. However I wonder if that really leads to being happier.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I took the sacraments of Christ three years ago. So I believe in God as the spirit behind all life. I believe baptism cleans one of external sins. I believe it is important to repent of sins to be closer to God. I also believe to be a christian, you must be devoted to Christ and I had found that in the Church. I dont practice, but i will always believe Jesus spirit is alive and in the Eucharist. I was a Catholic, am an Catholic, and will always be a Catholic. People fall fro the Church but there are specific paper one must do to divorce oneself from the Church.

That said, I practice and believe in Mahayana Buddhism. I believe daily meditation is important and to see our clean nature we must meditate or however means our respective sects call us to get rid of suffering.

I am practice both buddhist and a folk practice of ancestral veneration.

I am just curious as to what religion you believe in (if any), and why?

Catholicism (I pay my respects to Jesus and my grandmothers by Mass and prayer)

Buddhism (I meditate and try to adhere Buddha's teachings)

Paganism (I venerate my passed family either by Mass or by pagan ceremony if I do not know their faith.)

Have you always been of that faith?

I wasnt raised religious. I was introduced to witchcraft first, then christianity. I learned about Buddhism latter and practiced with Nichiren sect, and started holistic living by seasons and moon cycles and honoring my ancestors the closer I come to my family living.

Its important that we have right speech, mindfulness, and behavior. It is also important to pay respects to your family who is your blood.

Or is it a decision you've made later on in life?

Later in life, gradual revelation rather than decision.

 

[Gambit]

Why are you religious?

I'm spiritual, not religious (not religious in the sense that I am not a member or any particular religion).