If you could have chosen your religion ?

If you could have chosen your religion ?

Francis2004

#1Jun 28th, 2009

When you were born, if you had been given the choice, do you think it would have been preferable to chose you religion or have it assigned to you as it probably was.

We are all born to parents of a certain faith and therefore all fall within a certain denomination when born. Many of us have had mixed marriages and now have children of multiple faiths that seem uncertain which one is best. In my case I was Roman Catholic and my wife was Church of England but as both of us believed in God but not our Churches we left it to our children to decide what path to take later on in life.

Even an Atheist is born with a religion in his family tree at some point. So feel free to join in..

Does this redefine my belief in God and to those in a Church make me evil. Probably and in their eyes I will probably go to hell. But if God is all loving as I was told he was as a child and how hard I have been worked to be a good person to help so many fellow humans, why would a Church going Hypocrite make it to heaven and not me for my slightly different belief.

So would you have rather picked your religion on the day you were born ?

Cannuck

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

So would you have rather picked your religion on the day you were born ?

I think you do, you just might not realize it or accept it until later in life.

missile

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

At that stage of my life, I wouldn't have been qualified to select anything

,but if it was 6 years old or so..probably would have selected the Jewish faith for its history and ceremonies.

betseygirl

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Cannuck

I think you do, you just might not realize it or accept it until later in life.

I agree with you. Yes your parents/family follow whatever they believe and you are raised to that. But, as you grow you start to find what makes sense to you and you tend to keep what you believe or break away from it to follow what seems to make it work for you. I was raised with one catholic parent and one athiest. I know...it's strange. I was raised Catholic and I am still Catholic. It's not that I was forced to believe in God, I just found that I believe that God will bring me to salvation.

Francis2004

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Yes I realize people can change religions later on in life..

That is not the subject in question..

When I was born and baptized Catholic I had no choice in the matter. My parent did not give me or ask my opinion.. Hence until I was old enough I was a Catholic by birth parent choice..

If you had the choice would you rather pick ?

mt_pockets1000

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

If you are able to make such a choice at birth that would imply you are able to reason. i don't think a baby is able to make such important decisions so early in life. When you are born you are at the mercy of your parents and their belief system. They instill their values and thoughts straight to your mind. You have a choice as you grow older to cast aside or embrace these values. It's tougher to cast them aside after years of indoctrination. They tried with me but at 7 years old I was simply going through the motions to please my parents. At 17 I had completely turned my back on the Catholic Church, much to the chagrin of my parents. The freedom was enlightening and almost spiritual. I was finally able to study the world without constraints.

talloola

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

I'm glad I was born a catholic, and went to catholic school, received all the sacraments, and had lots of early catholic education, because it made it easy
for me to walk away at about 12.
If I had no early religious training, I would have known nothing about it. It saved
me lots time later on, as I didn't have to learn a religion.
There is nothing to learn being an atheist, one just doesn't believe in god, not
much more to it than that, it's not a religion, it's just the other side of those
who believe.
So, at 12 I began to move away and it didn't take long to become very comfortable
in my new skin, and I haven't looked back since.
As a little girl I was in awe of the catholic education/church, a little afraid, very
obedient, and moved through those years like a little robot, doing what I was told.
But, it is never a waste of time to 'learn' anything, because I can be who I am
now, and also know who I was, and why, learning is always valuable.
Because of the catholic church, I can be a solid atheist, with no regrets.

Last edited by talloola; Jun 28th, 2009 at 04:30 PM..

Cannuck

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

Yes I realize people can change religions later on in life..

That is not the subject in question..

When I was born and baptized Catholic I had no choice in the matter. My parent did not give me or ask my opinion.. Hence until I was old enough I was a Catholic by birth parent choice..

If you had the choice would you rather pick ?

I was never of my parents religion. Just because I was baptized and went to their church doesn't mean it was "my" religion. I never believed in it.

Francis2004

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

I'm glad I was born a catholic, and went to catholic school, received all the sacraments, and had lots of early catholic education, because it made it easy
for me to walk away at about 12.
If I had no early religious training, I would have known nothing about it. It saved
me lots time later on, as I didn't have to learn a religion.
There is nothing to learn being an atheist, one just doesn't believe in god, not
much more to it than that, it's not a religion, it's just the other side of those
who believe.
So, at 12 I began to move away and it didn't take long to become very comfortable
in my new skin, and I haven't looed back since.

Thanks talloola, sounds like you and I had similar upbringings..

talloola

#10

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

Thanks talloola, sounds like you and I had similar upbringings..

I edited, then added a little more to my original post.

betseygirl

#11

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

Yes I realize people can change religions later on in life..

That is not the subject in question..

When I was born and baptized Catholic I had no choice in the matter. My parent did not give me or ask my opinion.. Hence until I was old enough I was a Catholic by birth parent choice..

If you had the choice would you rather pick ?

No I would not rather pick...because if you are raised as Christian or Athiest or whatever...you grow up learning and know a way of belief. Once you were raised following one you know if it's something you agree with and then you can go on to make your decision from there whether it's for you or something you don't believe at all.

karrie

#12

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

I guess that in order to care which one I was born into, I would have to view them as fundamentally different, and I really don't.

Cliffy

#13

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

I would have preferred to not be indoctrinated into any religion. It would be much better for each individual to find their own way home. This process would not even begin, naturally, until a person is about 25 years old.

Personally, I was brought up catholic but began to see the hypocracy early on. By the time I was 18 I was in total rebellion with religion in general and god in particular. My dad and I had many a shouting match over my rejection of "his" church. We spent two decades not even talking to each other.

It culminated when I rejected society all together and moved out into the forest at 27. There I had a different experience of the divine, one that can only come with living in and being part of the natural life process. We live in an artificial environment. Our towns and cities are disconnected from the natural world. We have lost our connection and that is why we are destroying it.

To me religion is part of that process. It believes in artificial deities, artificial ways of relating to creation. That is why I have such a strong affinity to the ancient traditions of the aboriginal peoples. I have lived as they did, with creation, not in opposition to it.

darkbeaver

#14

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

We should never let the walls of a church keep us from god.

VanIsle

#15

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

When you were born, if you had been given the choice, do you think it would have been preferable to chose you religion or have it assigned to you as it probably was.

We are all born to parents of a certain faith and therefore all fall within a certain denomination when born. Many of us have had mixed marriages and now have children of multiple faiths that seem uncertain which one is best. In my case I was Roman Catholic and my wife was Church of England but as both of us believed in God but not our Churches we left it to our children to decide what path to take later on in life.

Even an Atheist is born with a religion in his family tree at some point. So feel free to join in..

Does this redefine my belief in God and to those in a Church make me evil. Probably and in their eyes I will probably go to hell. But if God is all loving as I was told he was as a child and how hard I have been worked to be a good person to help so many fellow humans, why would a Church going Hypocrite make it to heaven and not me for my slightly different belief.

So would you have rather picked your religion on the day you were born ?

Sorry my friend. I don't believe you. I have seen you defend God. Somewhere in your heart you know He exists. We all get angry with God from time to time but that's okay. Wasn't it a song by Roger Whittaker that stated "I don't believe that Heaven waits for only those who congregate"? I think all God really expects of you is to be a good person. The frauds are the ones who are in trouble. I think there is a good reason so many catholics turn away from the church. Nearly all non-believers I have met, have had catholic roots. My Mom was raised a Catholic but from what I've heard about her Dad - I doubt she spent much time in church if ever. My Dad said he was an Anglican but he seemed to follow the Christian Science beliefs (to a point). He read a bible everyday. My sister and I were just talking about that. She always thought it was a regular bible and I always thought it was a special Christian Science bible. I'll never know and it doesn't matter. All I really learned was that both my parents believed in God and wanted all of us to as well.
Hubby and I got baptized together in a church of our choice. One of our sons did the same when he was ready in a church of his choice. The other has never been baptized. He is a good person and he will have his place in heaven. I expect that I'll shake hands with SJP there one day.

Tonington

#16

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

When you were born, if you had been given the choice, do you think it would have been preferable to chose you religion or have it assigned to you as it probably was.

...

So would you have rather picked your religion on the day you were born ?

If I could have chose my religion on my first day out of the womb, it would have been something like HflskahfvsagfjasDghl aawlfhlkGHKL HDGIOISM

or the even more popular *cough gurgle WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

Francis2004

#17

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by VanIsle

Sorry my friend. I don't believe you. I have seen you defend God. Somewhere in your heart you know He exists. We all get angry with God from time to time but that's okay. Wasn't it a song by Roger Whittaker that stated "I don't believe that Heaven waits for only those who congregate"? I think all God really expects of you is to be a good person. The frauds are the ones who are in trouble. I think there is a good reason so many catholics turn away from the church. Nearly all non-believers I have met, have had catholic roots. My Mom was raised a Catholic but from what I've heard about her Dad - I doubt she spent much time in church if ever. My Dad said he was an Anglican but he seemed to follow the Christian Science beliefs (to a point). He read a bible everyday. My sister and I were just talking about that. She always thought it was a regular bible and I always thought it was a special Christian Science bible. I'll never know and it doesn't matter. All I really learned was that both my parents believed in God and wanted all of us to as well.
Hubby and I got baptized together in a church of our choice. One of our sons did the same when he was ready in a church of his choice. The other has never been baptized. He is a good person and he will have his place in heaven. I expect that I'll shake hands with SJP there one day.
Quote has been trimmed, See full post:

What do you mean you do not believe me when I say "but as both of us believed in God but not our Churches"?

I truly believe in God and no one will change my belief in him.

That said no one will change my belief of what I have seen in the various Churches I have attended. The interpretation of the bible is somewhat left to the priest /pastor in his sermon and there many underlying messages that have often turned me off the message being told.

I am reminded of the days when in Quebec they used to state in sermons at election time that the congregation should "always remember that Heaven is BLUE and Hell is RED".

Francis2004

#18

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Tonington

If I could have chose my religion on my first day out of the womb, it would have been something like HflskahfvsagfjasDghl aawlfhlkGHKL HDGIOISM

or the even more popular *cough gurgle WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

I knew that would come up..

Not the right context but still funny..

taxslave

#19

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Since I grew up in a logging camp we didn't have much access to churches. The camp was about 12 miles from town and a bunch of evangelical types came out and did a sunday school thing for us heathen bush rats and a sort of church deal for adults. No idea what religion they were. Lucky for me none of it stuck. I don't believe that god as they explained it exists and don't much care. I know I am a better person than a lot of bible thumpers that I have met over the years so if there is a heaven I got a good shot at it. If not I haven't lost any thing either. My wife believes in spirits and higher power but not like the organized religion thing,more like the ancient Celts. I don't understand that much either. I view religion as a crutch just like drugs and alcohol. Mostly I think it is because there has been far too much blood shed over who has the one true religion and the hot line to god.

Cliffy

#20

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

I always thought a hot line was to an escort agency where you order room service.

darkbeaver

#21

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Francis2004

What do you mean you do not believe me when I say "but as both of us believed in God but not our Churches"?

I truly believe in God and no one will change my belief in him.

That said no one will change my belief of what I have seen in the various Churches I have attended. The interpretation of the bible is somewhat left to the priest /pastor in his sermon and there many underlying messages that have often turned me off the message being told.

I am reminded of the days when in Quebec they used to state in sermons at election time that the congregation should "always remember that Heaven is BLUE and Hell is RED".

Untill you accept the one true god she will exercise patience and nurture you on the road to salvation. I hope she can save you from your patriarchal ways.

Francis2004

#22

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by darkbeaver

Untill you accept the one true god she will exercise patience and nurture you on the road to salvation. I hope she can save you from your patriarchal ways.

Perhaps she already has..

Cliffy

#23

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

At this point, salvation would be if the escort service called me up and offered their services for free!

Francis2004

#24

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

At this point, salvation would be if the escort service called me up and offered their services for free!

Sorry wrong location for escort services

darkbeaver

#25

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 28th, 2009

Wouldn't that be a miracle? halaluja

talloola

#26

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 29th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by betseygirl

No I would not rather pick...because if you are raised as Christian or Athiest or whatever...you grow up learning and know a way of belief. Once you were raised following one you know if it's something you agree with and then you can go on to make your decision from there whether it's for you or something you don't believe at all.

One is born a non believer, and if no one ever taught them about god and religions, they would never believe, because they would not know.
I encouraged my 4 daughters to learn about god and religions as they grew up
so they would understand and be able to make a knowledgeable decision one
day for themselves.
No one, even a parent should push their beliefs onto their children or anyone
else, it is a personal choice, and each one should learn, then make their choice.
When we were asked all the questions that children normally ask, concerning
god and religion, we 'walked the fence', and made sure we didn't try to sway
them one way or another.
One daughter is very spiritual and believes in god. We all love each other.

Cliffy

#27

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 29th, 2009

Telling kids about god and the consequences of not doing as you are ordered is tantamount to child abuse. Putting the fear of god into little kids is cruel and a sick control game that parents pull on their kids. It has nothing to do with religion or god. Its about domination, scaring the little buggers into doing and acting like you want them to. Perverted in my opinion.

talloola

#28

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 29th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

Telling kids about god and the consequences of not doing as you are ordered is tantamount to child abuse. Putting the fear of god into little kids is cruel and a sick control game that parents pull on their kids. It has nothing to do with religion or god. Its about domination, scaring the little buggers into doing and acting like you want them to. Perverted in my opinion.

Yes, I agree, I can truly relate those feelings of obedience and fear to my own
childhood, (not by my parents, but by the nuns and priests), and the words
in the catachisms, and confessions, and guilt. My parents just thought they
were doing what they were suppose to do, for my own good, they really didn't
push and prod me one way or the other, they just did what their parents did.

Trex

#29

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 29th, 2009

Golf

YukonJack

#30

Re: If you could have chosen your religion ?

Jun 29th, 2009

I would still be a Roman Catholic.

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