Why do you practice your religion or lack there of?

[ALifetimeToWaitFor...]

People practice religion for several reasons. Many people throughout the world follow a religion simply because it is part of the heritage of their culture, tribe, or family. Religion gives many people a feeling of security because they believe that a divine power watches over them. These people often ask the power for help or protection. Numerous people follow a religion because it promises them salvation and either happiness or the chance to improve themselves in a life after death. For many people, religion brings a sense of individual fulfillment and gives meaning to life. In addition, religion provides answers to such questions as What is the purpose of life? What is the final destiny of a person? What is the difference between right and wrong? and What are one's obligations to other people? Finally, many people follow a religion to enjoy a sense of kinship with their fellow believers.

For which reason/s have you chosen your religion/s and what if anything do you ask of your god or higher power? Or why are you an atheist?

 

[Angama]

I don't practive religion because I don't understand it fully. I had a recent epiphany that lead me away from the belief that "everything is matter". I say belief because it is rather obvious to me that our mind can go beyond that. We'll see where this takes me.

AA

 

[jonny]

People practice religion for several reasons. Many people throughout the world follow a religion simply because it is part of the heritage of their culture, tribe, or family. Religion gives many people a feeling of security because they believe that a divine power watches over them. These people often ask the power for help or protection. Numerous people follow a religion because it promises them salvation and either happiness or the chance to improve themselves in a life after death. For many people, religion brings a sense of individual fulfillment and gives meaning to life. In addition, religion provides answers to such questions as What is the purpose of life? What is the final destiny of a person? What is the difference between right and wrong? and What are one's obligations to other people? Finally, many people follow a religion to enjoy a sense of kinship with their fellow believers.

For which reason/s have you chosen your religion/s and what if anything do you ask of your god or higher power?

All of the above.

 

[Green Gaia]

Well, there's lots of reasons I follow the religion I do... but I suppose it all comes back to the fact that UU makes sense to me in a way that other religions didn't. That's not to say that I don't see sense and truth in other religions, but not as completely as I do in UU.

 

[Faint]

Because what reason is there to live if not happiness?

 

[Darkdale]

Because, I don't believe in the currently accepted worldview.

 

[ALifetimeToWaitFor...]

And what religion are you?

 

[Katzpur]

I don't practive religion because I don't understand it fully. I had a recent epiphany that lead me away from the belief that "everything is matter".

Would you explain what you mean by "everything is matter"?

 

[Zephyr]

I first became aware of my religion after a good sized dose of mescaline from a san pedro cactus. I got the same vision from some amanita muscaria mushrooms and 5-meo-AMT. I also got a similar vision from a high dose of DXM. It might seem crazy, but I follow my gut, and my gut says that I should follow my drug-induced visions.

 

[standing_alone]

Well, my now "lack of religion" BUT not lack of spirituality comes from being raised in a conservative sect of Christianity. Since the church only tolerated conservative views, and I am rather progressive, as well as a homosexual, (plus my belief in the Christian god was ever decreasing - I used to be a very religious Christian), I felt rather unwelcome in that sect of the Christian faith. I noticed much hypocracy in the Christian churches I encountered (I know that corruption isn't always the rule) and lost my faith in Christianity over a year ago. I now believe in being a good person and treating people with dignity, respect, and equality - although, I know (as I've been scolded), my screen name may suggest otherwise. Well, of any church I ever visited, a Unitarian Universalist church was the best, so maybe I will get into that further down the road. Right now, I just believe in trying to be as good as a person as I can possibly be.

 

[standing_alone]

Note: My statement of a UU church being the "best" should be translated into being the "most welcoming and most in line to my beliefs of the churches I've explored." I think it could come off wrong. Sorry.

 

[jewscout]

because the world view of judaism and it's views on G-d fall in line with my own.
it just feels right.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Like JW said, it just feels right. I don't like the daytime, or light, that much, so why should I be of a religion like Christianity that puts a strong emphasise on "comming into the light."

 

[James the Persian]

Because I believe Orthodoxy to be the Truth. I also, to be bluntly honest, find that it is far more internally consistent than the Protestant flavour of Christianity I grew up in.

James

 

[Ormiston]

I have no religion because I don't believe any other man/woman, alive now or in the past, can explain the unknown any better than I can; ie. none of us has the answers. It's completely out of my control now, my skepticism in religion. I couldn't force myself to pray or worship any god(s).

 

[Green Gaia]

... I don't believe any other man/woman, alive now or in the past, can explain the unknown any better than I can; ie. none of us has the answers. .... I couldn't force myself to pray or worship any god(s).

You sound like a UU.

 

[Ormiston]

You sound like a UU.

An atheist in UU clothing? I've been meaning to do some research thanks to Lilithu, but I'm so damn lazy that I haven't gotten around to it yet. Maybe today....hmmmm

 

[Green Gaia]

An atheist in UU clothing?

What is a Unitarian Universalist?

An atheist with children.


Ok, sorry for getting off topic....

 

[Ernestine]

People practice religion because inherently they all have a need to know God, to worship and to please him. There are many things that we can go without in life but when we lack spiritually that is when we are most lost, unfulfilled.

 

[Green Gaia]

People practice religion because inherently they all have a need to know God, to worship and to please him.

Then what of religions that do not have a god to worship or please? Buddhism, for example. So obviously that is not why all people practice religion.