# What's your religion?



## wizard (Sep 30, 2017)

I believe in a mixture of things. (Shintoism, Taoism, traditional African religion, Hinduism, etc.)


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## Soigne (Sep 30, 2017)

I don’t practice a religion.


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## Flare (Sep 30, 2017)

The religion I follow is Christianity.


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## Haskell (Sep 30, 2017)

I practice Pastafarianism.


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## Alolan_Apples (Sep 30, 2017)

I'm a Christian.


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## wizard (Sep 30, 2017)

Raskell said:


> I practice Pastafarianism.



So you worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster?


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## tae (Sep 30, 2017)

i don't have one.
every experience ive had w/ churches and people from churches has been ****ing hell.


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## xSuperMario64x (Sep 30, 2017)

I'm pretty sure my religion is Nintendo 64 since I worship my N64 on a daily basis lmao

But seriously, I don't practice religion. I was a Christian until I was around 13 years old and began to think for myself.


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## Bowie (Sep 30, 2017)

I'm a satanist.


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## Romaki (Sep 30, 2017)

I was raised catholic, I'd say atheist now if I'm being asked, but religion is not part of my life anymore.


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## Octaviian (Sep 30, 2017)

I stay far away from religion of any kind. The older I get, it starts to hit that it's just a manmade concept.
I was raised Christian but it caused so many problems growing up. Now that I'm older I've become a very spiritual person... but no religion.


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## Paxx (Sep 30, 2017)

Christian/Catholic. my whole family was raised into it, and i can say most of my relatives are catholic as well. there are times where i doubt some things, and begin thinking for myself, but im doing my best to have faith, and sticking to it. i still get closure from praying, especially when things get bad and i worry. i find it that it helps me a lot.


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## seliph (Sep 30, 2017)

Don't have one. I was raised in Christianity and fell faaaaaaaaaaar away from it.


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## Araie (Sep 30, 2017)

I don't have one really; my parents themselves never go to church or anything like that, nor forced any religion on me. The only sort of religious thing I do is sing at a church on Sundays, but I honestly don't even practice the religion of the church; I'm mainly just doing it for experience and because the people I sing and my director are pretty fun. ;D


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## That Marshal Fangirl (Sep 30, 2017)

Oh boy oh boy is this thread gonna cause arguments.  Anyway, I'm a Christian.


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## ali.di.magix (Oct 1, 2017)

I don't have a religion and I never will have one.


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## GreatUsername (Oct 1, 2017)

I guess I was kinda a Christian, raised in a _very_ christian family, but I don't really believe in any religion at this point. I see it as every religion being possible to be true, but the dilemma is that nobody can actually know what one is true in the afterlife and be alive at the same time, therefore making it impossible to know(paradox of death). I just try and live life the way that I'll enjoy, and alter it how I feel needed, trying to make the fullest out of life. Honestly, it's kind of a grey area for me, don't really believe in anything but don't really *not* believe in any religion, if that makes sense. As I believe that nothing is ever certain in life, life is always changing, I don't really want to pile all my life and effort into one faith only for it to turn out to be nothing in the end of it all. But hey, that's just my view, and everyone's entitled for their own


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## Ably.Saucey (Oct 1, 2017)

Christian. Baptist, specifically. Howdy.


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## 50m4ra (Oct 1, 2017)

ThatOneMarshalFangirl said:


> Oh boy oh boy is this thread gonna cause arguments.  Anyway, I'm a Christian.


That's what I was thinkin till I looked at comments.. not yet anyway...

I'm a Christian it _Reallllllllllllllllllllllllly _helps to be in a great church it does not help to be forced more church on Sunday ( I do church on Saturday then am forced to do it in on sunday morning and its Soo boring...... )


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## Warrior (Oct 1, 2017)

Atheist. Pretty much always have been. Family was christian, but I kinda thought that church was more like a harry potter fan club, that they're just discussing a work of fiction they like, not they think it's real, So I basically never believed any of the bible was real. Not that there's anything wrong with being religious, you do you.


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## Chicha (Oct 1, 2017)

I was raised Catholic, but I currently don't practice a religion. I remember going to Sunday school and getting very bored. The nuns didn't appreciate my questions as a child, lol. But honestly though, I felt like it wasn't for me; I don't agree with many of the church's views. I feel like there's many that are outdated and I never felt comfortable donating money. I'd rather donate clothes or food for those in need instead. After the rest of my siblings were born, we rarely went to church and eventually not at all due to our schedules. According to my parents, they felt like it wasn't necessary to be at church every Sunday in order to practice.

I don't judge anyone who does practice religion, though. You do you, I suppose. As long as people are respectful towards each other, I honestly don't care about what people's faiths are.


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## Lippysue (Oct 1, 2017)

I am a Buddhist. Many people say Buddhism is not a religion because we don't have a divine being of any kind. I think Buddhism is a philosophy, a way to live your life.


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## A spooky ghost! (Oct 1, 2017)

I am Catholic have not been to mass in ages because I have a fear of churches( it's a long story)&#55357;&#56842;


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## kylie32123 (Oct 1, 2017)

I am a Christian, I have been raised that way. My family and I really never go to church, but you can learn straight from the Bible at home, you dont need to go to church lol.


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## rbell2915 (Oct 1, 2017)

Christian. Sadly, I haven't been to church in a long time due to work, but I enjoy it.


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## usa-chan (Oct 1, 2017)

Since I'm Filipino, I've been raised as a Catholic. I literally spent ten years in a Catholic school, which wasn't that bad tbh. But now that I'm in a public school, I'm figuring things out myself, especially where religion stands in my life. And although the church is really outdated, there are some ideals that I stand strongly with.


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## moonford (Oct 1, 2017)

I identify as an Atheist, so I don't practice any religion.

Religion generally brings so much nastiness to the world.


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## Arckaniel (Oct 1, 2017)

I'm a Christian, specifically a Jehovah's Witness. If you have questions about our religion, feel free to visit our website: jw.org. You'll find answers there, feel free to ask me too though xD


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## cornimer (Oct 1, 2017)

I'm Christian, technically Catholic but I disagree with a lot of their values. So like I believe in God and that's an important part of my life but I don't really follow what the church says is right and wrong


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## dizzy bone (Oct 1, 2017)

My family is buddhist and my mom recently decided to become a christian lol. I would say I'm an atheist but I do participate in buddhist holidays and traditions just because we always do in my family/Cambodian culture. My parents would want to be buried with proper buddhist rituals as well as see me get married in a proper ceremony with monks and all that but I don't care so much about that stuff for myself.


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## Melchoir (Oct 1, 2017)

I would say I'm agnostic as I don't believe that God/a god is real but I couldn't tell you with 100% certainty that there isn't a possibility that there is a god. I study philosophy and religion so this is actually a really interesting topic for me.


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## N e s s (Oct 1, 2017)

Eh technically Buddhist but I never really considered that a religion + I don't practice it very much.


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## oath2order (Oct 1, 2017)

I'm an atheist.


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## moonford (Oct 1, 2017)

Although I would like to dive into Buddhist culture because I feel a warm aura around it, it's not a religion though. I know many people disagree with that statement.


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## DoctorGallifrey (Oct 4, 2017)

Full blown atheist


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## DJStarstryker (Oct 4, 2017)

Athiest. I really don't care what others believe in, but I personally don't believe in any religion.


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## Arjh (Oct 4, 2017)

Atheist.

If someone want to believe in religion I have no problem with that but really hate it when they through it in your face and tell you how to live your own life.


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## Weiland (Oct 4, 2017)

I don't know. I just have my own beliefs, I guess. I believe in going to another dimension of earth in the afterlife and living another life. I don't think that's a religion??


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## satine (Oct 4, 2017)

Christian.


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## Twisterheart (Oct 4, 2017)

Christian


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## mitfy (Oct 4, 2017)

my family is christian, but i'm personally agnostic


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## glover (Oct 4, 2017)

I'm a muslim. ALLAHU AKBHAR


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## Goshi (Oct 5, 2017)

Satanist.


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## Hyoon (Oct 5, 2017)

My family is mostly Christian or Buddhist. I was forced to go to church when I was young but I didn't care for religion. I don't believe in a higher power or anything so atheist.


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## Soraru (Oct 5, 2017)

Shinto, and Buddhist. (Although Shinto and Buddhism aren't religions.) Shinto is rather a "way of life" culture along with a respect for earth and inanimate objects. Buddhism is a "philosophy of life" to be moral, enlightened, and aware of others.


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## Hopeless Opus (Oct 5, 2017)

catholicism


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## Bellxis (Oct 5, 2017)

i don't really practice organised religion but i suppose i'm spiritual? my mum is the same as she was raised irish catholic and despised it, so whilst we don't attend church or special religious ceremonies we ~~believe in a higher power~~


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## ~Unicorn~ (Oct 5, 2017)

Unicornism. We stab humans with our majestic horns as tradition, and our rainbow poop scares the demons away.


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## DarkDesertFox (Oct 5, 2017)

Not to start an argument here but I don't really understand why people will move away from Christianity for being forced to go to church or having bad church experiences. Lots of kids were forced to go to church. When I was younger I _hated_ going to church. They had us stand and sing so many of these songs I'd be counting down the side until it was over and I was just really bored with how they spread the word. It didn't affect me wanting to be a Christian because church isn't the defining factor of Christianity. Actually, way later in life we found this church that has a Christian rock band sing, a funny pastor who spreads the word in more modern context, and just an overall way better atmosphere. There are other options out there to choose from for church.


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## Vizionari (Oct 5, 2017)

Both my family and I are atheist


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## WordKnight (Oct 5, 2017)

I'm not religious...I used to be when I was little because my parents were. Then I started to think about it and realized it just wasn't for me. Obviously my "friend" tried to convert me back and I wasn't to thrilled about that.


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## namiieco (Oct 5, 2017)

I'm not religious. It was never a part of my life and whether I believe in a God or not doesn't really concern me. I guess I'm neutral. I don't really care for that kind of stuff, I'd rather just live my life.


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## Corrie (Oct 5, 2017)

I don't follow any religion but I am spiritual.


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## wizard (Oct 5, 2017)

DarkDesertFox said:


> Not to start an argument here but I don't really understand why people will move away from Christianity for being forced to go to church or having bad church experiences. Lots of kids were forced to go to church. When I was younger I _hated_ going to church. They had us stand and sing so many of these songs I'd be counting down the side until it was over and I was just really bored with how they spread the word. It didn't affect me wanting to be a Christian because church isn't the defining factor of Christianity. Actually, way later in life we found this church that has a Christian rock band sing, a funny pastor who spreads the word in more modern context, and just an overall way better atmosphere. There are other options out there to choose from for church.



I don't think that's what the atheists/people who converted away were trying to say, but I could be wrong. I hated going to church when I was little and I still do, but that was never a reason for me becoming an atheist (I'm not an atheist anymore), I was just an atheist because I just felt that there was no god or anything like that.


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## Mink777 (Oct 5, 2017)

Bowie said:


> I'm a satanist.



I hope you're kidding.


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## easpa (Oct 5, 2017)

Grew up in a Catholic household but I guess I'm agnostic myself.


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## Soigne (Oct 5, 2017)

DarkDesertFox said:


> Not to start an argument here but I don't really understand why people will move away from Christianity for being forced to go to church or having bad church experiences. Lots of kids were forced to go to church. When I was younger I _hated_ going to church. They had us stand and sing so many of these songs I'd be counting down the side until it was over and I was just really bored with how they spread the word. It didn't affect me wanting to be a Christian because church isn't the defining factor of Christianity. Actually, way later in life we found this church that has a Christian rock band sing, a funny pastor who spreads the word in more modern context, and just an overall way better atmosphere. There are other options out there to choose from for church.



Let’s see, being forced into a southern baptist church my entire childhood & constantly listening to a stream of homophobic and racist remarks for almost two decades...being told I am going to hell because I’m gay...listening to people say that we should murder gay people... yeah, actually. I think that pretty much sums up why I hate church & Christianity. I know my experience with church isn’t normal, but it’s enough for me to know there is no god. Not a loving one, that’s for sure.

I just reread this and I'm not trying to be hostile. I just think it's a little weird to say people shouldn't discount a religion when they've had bad experiences with it. That's like if I said I hated seafood but was still encouraged to try more seafood because I haven't experienced everything. My prior experience with seafood will stand in that I do not like seafood.


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## wizard (Oct 5, 2017)

Soigne said:


> Let’s see, being forced into a southern baptist church my entire childhood & constantly listening to a stream of homophobic and racist remarks for almost two decades...being told I am going to hell because I’m gay...listening to people say that we should murder gay people... yeah, actually. I think that pretty much sums up why I hate church & Christianity. I know my experience with church isn’t normal, but it’s enough for me to know there is no god. Not a loving one, that’s for sure.



I don't understand why people think homosexuals are going to hell. What's so different about it from other sins? Saying gays are going to hell is like saying if you swear you're going to hell. If you're gay but you also murder a bunch of people, you're going to hell, if you're gay but you're a really good person, you're going to heaven. I've also saw a video on YouTube which was saying that the bible doesn't really say that homosexuals in general are going to hell or that it's a sin, but saying that it's a sin when you do it as a ritual, saying that because Israel at the time was surrounded by pagans who practiced homosexuality as a ritual, practicing it as a ritual was a sin because it was pagan. I think the video was called What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality.
Here's the video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=leIcLYj3I3U


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## Sunnybone (Oct 5, 2017)

I'm an Arcadic Luciferian which is really just a fancy way of saying Scientific Satanist. I don't really believe in like... mystical stuff like miracles or magic powers, and a lot of the crap Anton Lavey wrote in the Satanic Bible rubbed me the wrong way (he dunks on asexuals for one thing), but the idea of Lucifer as a symbol of intellect and I guess like, hunger for knowledge, is interesting to me. I don't really practice and I don't usually tell people because I either wind up with really edgy pretentious "we're so much better than all those fools following Abrahamic religions!!" Satanists, or I get people literally asking me if I sacrifice animals or drink blood.


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## kelpy (Oct 6, 2017)

*loosely*..... ........ *whispers*
_christian_
jk but yea i believe that one god made us n **** cause i like to think theres more love to it ahah


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## Greys0n (Oct 6, 2017)

atheist, no religion is interesting for me anyway


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## meo (Oct 6, 2017)

I would say I lean heavily towards Buddhism. However, I have not taken refuge at this time as I still feel there's still some deeper understandings I would like before taking that step. I'd want to explore some things first through temple guidance that I currently can only explore on my own right now since we are not close to a temple. While I do get to see temple, it's not often enough for me to experience what I feel I need. Eventually though, we will be moving and will be closer.
To many, I probably appear formally as already Buddhist because I do follow teachings, worship, etc but I don't feel I really need to label it right now and I don't want to claim a label until I feel fully comfortable in it.


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## visibleghost (Oct 6, 2017)

i'm an atheist and always have been. my parents are a bit christian i think (????? not super religious but they got married in a church, all their kids are baptised and my three siblings all got a confirmation (?? wikipedia says that lutheran confirmation is called affirmation of baptism but idk how to use that in a sentence).) when i was younger my parents would teach me christian stories snd prayers sometimes and my dad was brought up in a family that was fairly active in the pentecostal church so some religion things are important to him. idk if they actually believe in the bible or god, they don't talk about it much but i think it's i portant for them culturally and they like the idea of an afterlife

i have always felt really awkward with religion and been uncomfortable in churches so idk ive never really been a Fan


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## deSPIRIA (Oct 8, 2017)

deist


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## DarkDesertFox (Oct 8, 2017)

Soigne said:


> Let?s see, being forced into a southern baptist church my entire childhood & constantly listening to a stream of homophobic and racist remarks for almost two decades...being told I am going to hell because I?m gay...listening to people say that we should murder gay people... yeah, actually. I think that pretty much sums up why I hate church & Christianity. I know my experience with church isn?t normal, but it?s enough for me to know there is no god. Not a loving one, that?s for sure.
> 
> I just reread this and I'm not trying to be hostile. I just think it's a little weird to say people shouldn't discount a religion when they've had bad experiences with it. That's like if I said I hated seafood but was still encouraged to try more seafood because I haven't experienced everything. My prior experience with seafood will stand in that I do not like seafood.



Well, sorry you've had such a bad experience but those don't really sound like Christian people to me. The whole point is love your neighbor as you love yourself. Sexuality shouldn't affect that at all. I personally don't know the answer as to why homosexuality has so much emphasis put on as a terrible sin when there are other sins out there that are really horrible. Okay, well let's say you try a slice of pizza at Donatos and you develop a sense of dislike for pizza. However, you decide to give it a second chance and try it at another place like Dominos which uses a different recipe and you discover you actually enjoy it. That's like with church. There's different ones out there both good and bad and I'm basically just saying don't let one speak for all.


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## nintendofan85 (Oct 8, 2017)

I'm a Christian.

- - - Post Merge - - -



DarkDesertFox said:


> Well, sorry you've had such a bad experience but those don't really sound like Christian people to me. The whole point is love your neighbor as you love yourself. Sexuality shouldn't affect that at all. I personally don't know the answer as to why homosexuality has so much emphasis put on as a terrible sin when there are other sins out there that are really horrible. Okay, well let's say you try a slice of pizza at Donatos and you develop a sense of dislike for pizza. However, you decide to give it a second chance and try it at another place like Dominos which uses a different recipe and you discover you actually enjoy it. That's like with church. There's different ones out there both good and bad and I'm basically just saying don't let one speak for all.



I'm bisexual and a Christian, and I personally don't believe my sexuality cancels out my faith. Just my two cents.


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## Mary (Oct 8, 2017)

Soigne said:


> Let?s see, being forced into a southern baptist church my entire childhood & constantly listening to a stream of homophobic and racist remarks for almost two decades...being told I am going to hell because I?m gay...listening to people say that we should murder gay people... yeah, actually. I think that pretty much sums up why I hate church & Christianity. I know my experience with church isn?t normal, but it?s enough for me to know there is no god. Not a loving one, that?s for sure.
> 
> I just reread this and I'm not trying to be hostile. I just think it's a little weird to say people shouldn't discount a religion when they've had bad experiences with it. That's like if I said I hated seafood but was still encouraged to try more seafood because I haven't experienced everything. My prior experience with seafood will stand in that I do not like seafood.


Perks of living where we live </3


I'm not religious. I went to a catholic school and there I met some of the most self-righteous, hateful people I have ever met. That's not to say that religious people can't be kind, I just don't think being religious has any bearing on whether a person is kind. I've met nice religious people and nice atheists, as well as mean religious people and mean atheists.


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## Envy (Oct 8, 2017)

I do not have a religion. I never found a reason to believe in any deity or religion, and no religious services have ever been enjoyable to me in the least.


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## gravitycrossing (Oct 8, 2017)

I'm...


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## MishMeesh (Oct 8, 2017)

I'm a pantheist.


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## Sunnybone (Oct 8, 2017)

DarkDesertFox said:


> Well, sorry you've had such a bad experience but those don't really sound like Christian people to me. The whole point is love your neighbor as you love yourself. Sexuality shouldn't affect that at all. I personally don't know the answer as to why homosexuality has so much emphasis put on as a terrible sin when there are other sins out there that are really horrible. Okay, well let's say you try a slice of pizza at Donatos and you develop a sense of dislike for pizza. However, you decide to give it a second chance and try it at another place like Dominos which uses a different recipe and you discover you actually enjoy it. That's like with church. There's different ones out there both good and bad and I'm basically just saying don't let one speak for all.



Unfortunately the problem with this is that in some areas, ALL of the churches are this way. Of course these people aren't being properly Christian or actually following the things Jesus said (love thy neighbor), but that doesn't stop them from calling themselves Christian or thinking that they are *being* good Christians. The town I grew up in was small and in the southern US, and you couldn't go five minutes down the road without seeing a church. My family didn't go to church, which meant that in some ways I was socially othered. My high school teachers knew 90% of my classmates from church, we had a church rally twice a year on our soccer field, etc etc. I was once told by a classmate that she thought I was going to go to hell because I didn't go to church and liked to wear black clothing?? When my parents go divorced my younger brother lived with his dad and his dad's girlfriend, who made him go to a Baptist church where they actively spouted homophobic rhetoric. Your analogy falls apart if you consider that some people live in an area where ALL the "pizza" places suck.

(I'm not trying to be hostile, either, I just have strong feelings about this. The older I've gotten the easier it is for me, personally, to separate actual Christians from a large majority of American "Christians" who only use the parts of the bible that suit their homophobic/xenophobic/racist views and ignore the parts that don't support them, but I know a LOT of people who were very negatively affected by church growing up purely because there *wasn't* a "better" church available)


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## Apriiil (Oct 8, 2017)

I am Jewish, but i'm agnostic about it. I really don't know what to believe in. I have been considering going back to synagogue lately but I just don't have the time.


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## nintendofan85 (Oct 8, 2017)

Sunnybone said:


> Unfortunately the problem with this is that in some areas, ALL of the churches are this way. Of course these people aren't being properly Christian or actually following the things Jesus said (love thy neighbor), but that doesn't stop them from calling themselves Christian or thinking that they are *being* good Christians. The town I grew up in was small and in the southern US, and you couldn't go five minutes down the road without seeing a church. My family didn't go to church, which meant that in some ways I was socially othered. My high school teachers knew 90% of my classmates from church, we had a church rally twice a year on our soccer field, etc etc. I was once told by a classmate that she thought I was going to go to hell because I didn't go to church and liked to wear black clothing?? When my parents go divorced my younger brother lived with his dad and his dad's girlfriend, who made him go to a Baptist church where they actively spouted homophobic rhetoric. Your analogy falls apart if you consider that some people live in an area where ALL the "pizza" places suck.
> 
> (I'm not trying to be hostile, either, I just have strong feelings about this. The older I've gotten the easier it is for me, personally, to separate actual Christians from a large majority of American "Christians" who only use the parts of the bible that suit their homophobic/xenophobic/racist views and ignore the parts that don't support them, but I know a LOT of people who were very negatively affected by church growing up purely because there *wasn't* a "better" church available)



I definitely agree that these issues exist. However, I firmly believe that LGBT people can still be Christians, as I am both myself.


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## Soigne (Oct 8, 2017)

That may be the case for some but I've had too many bad experiences to ever put up with religion again.


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## ririsoup (Oct 9, 2017)

nintendofan85 said:


> I definitely agree that these issues exist. However, I firmly believe that LGBT people can still be Christians, as I am both myself.



i think the point wasn't that you can't be LGBT and be christian. But rather that some people have had horrible experiences that have turned them away from faith, and i think that's a respectable decision. As is any decision one wants to make for their own religion or lack there of.


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## wizard (Oct 9, 2017)

Sunnybone said:


> Unfortunately the problem with this is that in some areas, ALL of the churches are this way. Of course these people aren't being properly Christian or actually following the things Jesus said (love thy neighbor), but that doesn't stop them from calling themselves Christian or thinking that they are *being* good Christians. The town I grew up in was small and in the southern US, and you couldn't go five minutes down the road without seeing a church. My family didn't go to church, which meant that in some ways I was socially othered. My high school teachers knew 90% of my classmates from church, we had a church rally twice a year on our soccer field, etc etc. I was once told by a classmate that she thought I was going to go to hell because I didn't go to church and liked to wear black clothing?? When my parents go divorced my younger brother lived with his dad and his dad's girlfriend, who made him go to a Baptist church where they actively spouted homophobic rhetoric. Your analogy falls apart if you consider that some people live in an area where ALL the "pizza" places suck.
> 
> (I'm not trying to be hostile, either, I just have strong feelings about this. The older I've gotten the easier it is for me, personally, to separate actual Christians from a large majority of American "Christians" who only use the parts of the bible that suit their homophobic/xenophobic/racist views and ignore the parts that don't support them, but I know a LOT of people who were very negatively affected by church growing up purely because there *wasn't* a "better" church available)



I agree with this. Something I really want to say though is that I don't get why they think God hates gay people and people of non-white ancestry, when Christianity was and still is a Jewish religion (by Jewish I mean from Israel and first practiced by ethnic Jews). They honestly probably think Jesus was actually white (when he wasn't, he was a Jew). Also, the bible never says that God hates gay people, it just says it's a sin, the bible says he loves everyone. The racist Christians are probably the ones going to hell. Also saying that being gay is a sin is probably just a misinterpretation or mistranslation into English. I seriously need to learn Biblical Hebrew and read the Hebrew Bible, because it's probably very different to the English bible.


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## DarkDesertFox (Oct 9, 2017)

Sunnybone said:


> Unfortunately the problem with this is that in some areas, ALL of the churches are this way. Of course these people aren't being properly Christian or actually following the things Jesus said (love thy neighbor), but that doesn't stop them from calling themselves Christian or thinking that they are *being* good Christians. The town I grew up in was small and in the southern US, and you couldn't go five minutes down the road without seeing a church. My family didn't go to church, which meant that in some ways I was socially othered. My high school teachers knew 90% of my classmates from church, we had a church rally twice a year on our soccer field, etc etc. I was once told by a classmate that she thought I was going to go to hell because I didn't go to church and liked to wear black clothing?? When my parents go divorced my younger brother lived with his dad and his dad's girlfriend, who made him go to a Baptist church where they actively spouted homophobic rhetoric. Your analogy falls apart if you consider that some people live in an area where ALL the "pizza" places suck.
> 
> (I'm not trying to be hostile, either, I just have strong feelings about this. The older I've gotten the easier it is for me, personally, to separate actual Christians from a large majority of American "Christians" who only use the parts of the bible that suit their homophobic/xenophobic/racist views and ignore the parts that don't support them, but I know a LOT of people who were very negatively affected by church growing up purely because there *wasn't* a "better" church available)



No, I understand. Sometimes the availability of a good church may not be nearby. Going back on what I originally said in my first post though, church isn't the defining factor of Christianity. That's why I would say if church isn't an option that someone learn Jesus' ways by themselves. There are plenty of resources available both online whether it be Christian forums, videos (my church posts their church sessions online), or books/articles to read about it. That's if they wanted to give Christianity a second chance. I don't believe in shoving a religion down someone's throat. They should seek it on their own.


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## Damniel (Oct 9, 2017)

Raised catholic but haven’t been to church in a while :/


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## Bowie (Oct 9, 2017)

Just realised I didn't answer this seriously.

Uh, I guess I'm an atheist. I'm actually very spiritual, and I believe in spirits and the afterlife and all that sort of stuff. My beliefs sway more towards Buddhism, though, which I know isn't a religion.

Religion causes way more trouble than its worth, in my eyes, and I think the world would be better off if people were to just believe in the god-like powers of human beings and togetherness, and the overwhelming power of love (which comes in so many different, disregarded forms).


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## mayortiffany (Oct 9, 2017)

Not religious, although I do understand the importance of faith for some people. For them, their God exists and their religious organization is something that's important to them. 

I grew up in a city (and province) that is largely non-religious, although people practice many religions here, so there wasn't any pressure to join a church. British Columbia, the province where I live, is actually one of the most secular provinces/territories in Canada, right after the Yukon. When I was little, I didn't realize that in many other places in the world, there is one dominant religion that influences everyone's lives, because there wasn't really one religion that was dominant where I lived. Lots of people are Christian, but there is also a large Jewish population and many people who are Sikh, plus many others who have no religion at all, so I grew up surrounded by people who had lots of different beliefs.


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## Strawberryllama (Oct 9, 2017)

I'm Lutheran.


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## wizard (Oct 15, 2017)

mayortiffany said:


> Not religious, although I do understand the importance of faith for some people. For them, their God exists and their religious organization is something that's important to them.
> 
> I grew up in a city (and province) that is largely non-religious, although people practice many religions here, so there wasn't any pressure to join a church. British Columbia, the province where I live, is actually one of the most secular provinces/territories in Canada, right after the Yukon. When I was little, I didn't realize that in many other places in the world, there is one dominant religion that influences everyone's lives, because there wasn't really one religion that was dominant where I lived. Lots of people are Christian, but there is also a large Jewish population and many people who are Sikh, plus many others who have no religion at all, so I grew up surrounded by people who had lots of different beliefs.



I wish it was more diverse in religion here. Here we have a big Christian majority (mostly catholic), and I think that the second biggest would probably be Buddhism, but that would be a very small minority. Most of the immigrants we get here come from Catholic places. The largest Asian population is probably Cambodian, which is a small minority. We are very diverse in culture and ethnicity, but not diverse at all in religion. When it's not very diverse in religion, no one knows anything about other religions, and assume their religion is definatly true/fact, which it's not (It's a possibility though). I'm probably one of very few in this city who knows about other religions and considers converting to one of them.


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## wizard (Jan 10, 2018)

Bump


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## Loubelle (Jan 10, 2018)

I'm Christian  (Non-denominational)


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## Bowie (Jan 10, 2018)

Atheist. I have a lot of faith in spirituality, though. I just don't believe in any particular religion.


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## G0DFlesh_88 (Jan 10, 2018)

To quote the late and great Jimi Hendrix:


> Music is my religion.


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## Anactoria (Jan 10, 2018)

Atheist, though semi-Buddhist without a commitment to rebirth/any form of scripture.


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## piichinu (Jan 10, 2018)

im catholic, i follow it out of tradition, and i barely practice it same with the rest of my family. we dont really go to church or any of that


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## Kamzitty (Jan 10, 2018)

I grew up a Christian, but as time went by I started to notice my VERY religious mother's odd, hypocritical, and ignorant ways. When questioned about the things she said and ways she acted, everything was blamed on God so I soon realized she was full of crap lol. 
I don't have anything against Christians or religion, but my mother's supposed "Christian way" of life drove me from believing in any type of God. I am now an atheist after being Christian for over 16-17 years.


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## TheGhostOfAC-lessPast (Jan 10, 2018)

I am an unintentional Pastafarian. When I was 13, I accidentally used Holy Pasta Sauce instead of Uncle John's Chunky Three-Cheese Sensation pasta sauce.  No regrets.

All hail the Flying Spaghetti Monster!


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## Alienfish (Jan 11, 2018)

G0DFlesh_88 said:


> To quote the late and great Jimi Hendrix:



Pretty much.

On the other hand, atheist? I'm open to spiritual things and such but yeah I don't believe in random fantasy books of any kind.


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## Diancie (Jan 11, 2018)

I am a Hindu.


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## thisistian (Jan 11, 2018)

None


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## primandimproper (Jan 11, 2018)

I am a Universal Unitarian. That means I believe all paths lead to the same God/Goddess and that you can learn lessons from every religion. I celebrate the Christian holidays, though, because those are the ones I grew up with, although I guess Halloween (AKA Samhein) is really a Pagan holiday. *Shrugs* 

I just do my own thing and try to get along with everyone.


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## KaydeeKrunk (Jan 12, 2018)

I am a Secular Witch. I am not a heavy practicer, so sometimes I just tell people I am "spiritual."


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## leahhhhaaaaa (Jan 12, 2018)

I?m a Jedi


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## Kuu_ (Jan 13, 2018)

Atheist, agnostic or apatheist. It's a little mix of the three I feel, first I don't believe that there is an actual God watching over us and expecting us to pray for him "or else..!!", then for me religion is not THE right path to use, and overall I don't really give a damn.

Live you life ! Do you best to stay positive ! That's all, really.


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## pinkcotton (Jan 14, 2018)

I'm a Christian.


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## Balverine (Jan 14, 2018)

Imma non-denominational christian
I used to be involved with a baptist church, but then I realized how bigoted and close-minded everyone there was so now I avoid associating with baptists whatsoever lol


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## squidpops (Jan 15, 2018)

None, I'm atheist.


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## Elov (Jan 15, 2018)

I'm an atheist boi.


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## michealsmells (Jan 15, 2018)

I'm personally agnostic. I have specific beliefs for myself but don't follow any scripture. Plus, I'm not against any God existing, I'd just rather have proof than blindly believe.


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## Imbri (Jan 15, 2018)

I'm an Eclectic Witch, because I'm self-taught, rather than being part of a Tradition or group. Over the years, I've borrowed bits and pieces from things I've read/studied to take what makes sense to me. I don't cast often; it's more who I am than what I do, if that makes sense.


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## SpatialSilence (Jan 15, 2018)

I'm a Christian


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## chamsae (Jan 16, 2018)

i dont believe in anything lol


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## John Wick (Jan 16, 2018)

I think I'd spontaneously combust, if I walked into a church...


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## Joy (Jan 18, 2018)

I'm a Christian


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## Rhapsody (Jan 24, 2018)

I'm an atheist. Pretty much always have been.


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## duckykate (Jan 24, 2018)

raised christian but now i'm an agnostic atheist


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## Cheren (Jan 25, 2018)

I'm a nihilist, so I don't practice or adhere to any religion.


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## Katelyn (Jan 25, 2018)

Agnostic, I believe in something I just don't know _what_ lol


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## Cheshire (Jan 25, 2018)

I'm a Pastafarian, I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Ramen.


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## Buttonsy (Jan 25, 2018)

I don't really practice a specific religion, I'm open to the concept but right now I'm ultimately non-religious. I practice witchcraft but for me, it's more about the connection between myself and the world around me than myself and a higher power.


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## Locket (Jan 25, 2018)

I'm atheist/agnostic. I don't really believe in a "god"

If you believe in a god or a few, I don't really care. I've been discriminated for not going to church and I don't want others to feel that way, so I don't care just as long as you're nice.


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## hamster (Jan 26, 2018)

uhh, i'd say i'm agnostic


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## acnh.eclipse (Oct 22, 2021)

The best I can say right now is Hindu (more specific vaishnava)’ ive had a long hard look at religion after I had my baby, and I wanted to be 100% of my religious identity before raising my child in any religion. I used to be Buddhist, but I recently made the change to Hinduism. I’ve learnt to accept that I am a covert to a different religions, and I go to a Mandir. I’m so happy to have learnt about my beliefs and start practicing them.


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## Croconaw (Oct 22, 2021)

I’d say something along the lines of agnostic.


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## Beanz (Oct 22, 2021)

i’m catholic, i was baptized and i have done all the required sacraments like confirmation. my parents sent me to a lutheran preschool, then i went to a catholic k-8 school and now i go to a catholic high school. even though my parents have payed for a catholic education, i don’t think i would consider my family very religious. my dad is an atheist and most of my immediate family are non-practicing catholics. we don’t go to church very often, only during christmas and easter. i don’t consider myself that religious and i sort of had an emotional traumatic experience with catholicism (don’t worry it’s nothing abusive or sexual) im 100% better now and that’s a different story.


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## windloft (Oct 23, 2021)

it's ... really hard for me to say per se? if i have to boil it down, i'm an agnostic with some christian leanings : i've never went to church and never seriously prayed, but i believe there may be a higher being somewhere.


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## moo_nieu (Oct 23, 2021)

none but i do appreciate teachings/values from many religions and try to live my life in a positive and loving way. there are a lot of aspects of different religions that feel very real to me, but i dont feel compelled to choose a single one to follow if that makes since


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## Romaki (Oct 23, 2021)

I was raised catholic or whatever and did everything including having bible lessons in school, but I was never a believer. It's just a tradition of "be good, like when Jesus stood up for outcasts", but I do find the topic somewhat interesting. Like just the history of the bible as a book and how translations and different centuries influenced and changed it. But I put logic before belief, I'm kind because I want to be and all that. But I wish I believed in any kind of afterlife, the thought of non-existence is so bleak.


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## Merielle (Oct 23, 2021)

I'm not very religious personally, though I have some spiritual beliefs, so probably agnostic or something along those lines.  I'm relatively skeptic of a lot of supernatural occurrences, and I do believe that most things have a natural explanation, but uh, emphasis on the _most_ part.  I also try to live my life in such a way that I don't anger the Fair Folk, nor gain their interest, _juuust_ to be safe.


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## Bluebellie (Oct 23, 2021)

I don’t practice religion. I didn’t really grow up in a religious environment. My mom and dad do practice but it was never really enforced it on my brother and I. They have their own beliefs but they don’t really go to church or anything. I think they are Catholic? I know I was baptized twice, which I find funny since I don’t believe in any of that.

I do respect how religion is important to others though.

I guess if I had a religion, it be the belief to be your very best to others.


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## Chris (Oct 23, 2021)

I'm a Christian (despite the currently demonic avatar). I was attending church every Sunday up until a couple of months ago, but I tend to spend half of every week in another city now so it's not always practical.


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## Midoriya (Oct 23, 2021)

I’m a Christian.  However, I don’t believe in pushing your beliefs onto others or making them uncomfortable about it.  If someone is curious about my beliefs or has a question, I will answer it for them (I’ve already made a lengthy post about this topic in the past, so I’ll keep this one short).

Would be interesting to see where everyone on the forum falls with a poll…


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## FrogslimeOfficial (Oct 25, 2021)

Agnostic er something
Not saying there _is _a god or gods, but not necessarily saying there _isn't. _I think the concept of a pantheon of gods, especially flawed ones, is pretty cool actually. 
Yeah so if there is some sort of deity I'd imagine them to be pretty chill mostly


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## Croconaw (Oct 25, 2021)

Midoriya said:


> Would be interesting to see where everyone on the forum falls with a poll…


I’d be interested to see the poll. I imagine it to be pretty diverse honestly. I can’t imagine there’d be any religious arguments or drama arising from this. Don’t know if it’d be feasible to make a duplicate religion thread just to add a poll to it, although it’d be interesting to see.


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## maria110 (Oct 25, 2021)

I was raised catholic but don't practice anything now. I'm indecisive.


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## Autumn247 (Oct 25, 2021)

I'm Catholic, I went through RCIA to become Catholic a few years ago.  I wasn't raised with any particular religion, my mom was Catholic but she wasn't really a practicing Catholic.  So I decided to go through RCIA as an adult.  That's the process of religious education class, converting, being baptized, and confirmed.


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## Stikki (Oct 25, 2021)

Heh, bit of a can of worms, but I'll try...

I think the best way I can describe myself is spiritual Christian? I'm not too fond of any sort of religious doctrine controlled by other humans, especially as there's been a lot of abuse of power stories emerging. My bf was horrendously abused at school by the priests or vicars (not sure of the titles) who ran the school (private school in the uk). This turned him off religion completely and I get that. My story is longer and different. 

I was born into a largely atheist family and I mean VERY atheist. My dad hates religion, but I remember how uncomfortable I used to feel when he went off on one of his angry rants about it. I was afraid of my dad's violent temper, so would never dare say this. I wasn't Christened/Baptised, even as a baby and still haven't been. We never went to church as a family, unless my school choir was singing there maybe and even then my dad would be unlikely to show. For reasons I will never understand, my mum sent me to Catholic pre-school and then Church of England primary school. The pre-school was run by nuns and the primary school run by a headmaster who later left to become a Baptist minister, so he was very religious. But he was a truly lovely, kind and understanding man and I think I took a lot of my guidance from him in that respect. 

When I was a troubled teen, an older man sort of took me and a bunch of other kids under his wing. We all lived in abusive homes, so we would've clung to any adult willing to provide us shelter (and cigs and alcohol) and "look out for us". Unfortunately he was also abusive, just not in the ways we had to deal with at home, at least not at first. He manipulated us all, often turning us against each other. He was sexually abusive, particularly to my best friend (14 at the time) and thought it was appropriate to hit us for "talking to boys in the park". I still have a scar on my chest where he burned me with a cigarette, though I am unsure if it was accidental to be fair. It hardly matters anyway, because a few years later he did the worst thing possible - savagely murdered my best friend and her toddler son (whom he fathered). I will never ever get over that. But in terms of religion, he would psychologically scare us with interpretations (particularly Revelations) about how we would all be going to hell. I did reach out to a vicar about it who wrote me a nice letter, giving a better explanation of things. I am grateful he did that. Just wish my friend had escaped too.

I was then kinda loosely Christian? When I had left home I began attending church on Sunday. It became harder after I moved elsewhere and so much bad stuff happened that I think my faith waivered. But I did still believe and would go to church occasionally.

Then I met a man who later became my husband. He was Muslim. At first it seemed this was fine as Muslim men are allowed to marry Christian women. But just before marriage, his family began putting pressure on me to convert to Islam. It felt so wrong and hurt me deeply that they wouldn't understand or respect my wishes to not do this, because it felt wrong to me. I was accused of being racist (they were Pakistani), disrespecting their culture and told the wedding would have to be called off unless I converted. I wasn't disrespectful at all, ever. I made sure to dress how they preferred around them and stood up for them against actual hate from groups like the EDL, who were a big problem here at that time. I had zero intention of ever pushing my own faith on my husband and was fully respectful of his faith. I ended up relenting and converting though, which I did in front of an Imam, in a language I don't understand with tears running down my face. I never really got over it. The marriage didn't last, cos why would it? But I felt horrible for so long and still do kinda, though we've been separated for a couple of years and officially divorced now and my life is a lot better than it was. This is not to say every Muslim community behaves like they did. A good friend of mine is also a Muslim, but far more liberal and wouldn't push it on anyone else. I wouldn't ever be disrespectful to Islam, it's just not my personal belief.

I feel now I am back to openly leaning towards my heart  which leans towards Christianity, but on a more spiritual level atm. I am yet to find any sort of church I would feel completely ok in (and it hasn't been possible with covid anyway), but then someone once said to me that he'd rather be on his motorbike thinking about God than in church thinking about his bike. I think that makes sense to me.

Jesus was a great guy right? I mean we could ALL learn from him. Kindness towards others, even those who you may disapprove of is HARD at times, but he showed it was possible time and time again, so when people say how "all religion is horrible" I don't think that's fair or true. Some people take things the wrong way and misinterpret things, but they're to be ignored.

I have toyed with the idea of God being more of a force than a person and maybe that force is LOVE. We all seek love. We all seek salvation through love. Maybe God is love and it's bigger than we can imagine? I hope that makes sense. I used to be afraid of never feeling that, but I realised there was someone who absolutely loved me unconditionally - my son. Now imagine that love is an element of God; that's how I feel.

I hope this all makes sense. Thanks for reading it if you did, I hope I didn't upset or offend anyone x


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## MiniPocketWorld (Oct 26, 2021)

I am Christian but I don't follow an organized religion. I fall under the Nondenominational Sect of Protestantism. 
Basically just read your religious texts and do your best in life, be kind to others, and build your relationship between you and God.


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## _Donut_ (Oct 26, 2021)

I was raised as a Christian and did all the things that came with it. However, I've never really cared for religions in particular, as kids we just went to church and did the things because we lived in a mostly Christian country and that's just what people did... . My parents (mostly my dad) are still "religious" but don't go to church anymore. Now that I'm older, they don't really care that much anymore what I choose to believe or do, which I like.

In general, I respect every single religion and believes people have (as long as you don't hurt other people) BUT I myself don't believe in any of it anymore. I also don't like being called an "atheist" because I say I don't believe in a god. Like...why should I be grouped in anything? A baby that comes into this world doesn't know any of these religions or words, it's taught to them by their parents/region/upbringing so it's not natural to be classified into a particular "religious group", it's man-made. I know religion for many people is something to "make sense of our world, to have meaning" (even lots of scientists are religious in a sense), but I find science, the universe, etc. very comforting and interesting already, I'm very much okay with knowing I get a limited amount on this planet and will stop to live at some point, that's what gives my life meaning, it's amazing and extremely lucky how I was born as a human on this planet and giving the chance to live life, love, explore, etc. So I'm just going through life making the best of it and living the way I want to.

So again, I respect each and every believe but It's just not something I'm personally interested in or want to persue.


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## Millysaurusrexjr (Oct 26, 2021)

Somewhat raised Catholic (very rarely was made to go to church and I went to a public school) and now I am an agnostic atheist!


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## tomatospooks666 (Nov 5, 2021)

except for a few practices, like nighttime prayers and the like, i wasn't really raised with the expectation that i'd follow christianity or any other religion. i was never really a devout believer or anything, but i pretty much fell out of any sort of faith in the church aspect when i'd seen and heard some of the stuff that the church has said and done, specifically to lgbt+ people and any non-believing groups.

like, i clearly remember a conversation with an ex friend wherein they found out i was never baptized and insisted i needed to be baptized or else i wouldn't get into heaven. and in my mind, i could only think "why would a kind and just god cast good people into eternal damnation just for not being baptized? or not believing? would a firefighter who saves lives daily be cast into hell anyway because they don't believe? while bad people get off scot-free because they're devout? how is that fair?" and combined with some existentialism ended up turning me away from the religion.

currently agnostic, and while i want to avoid getting into any church groups i'm still open to the idea of some sort of power(s) being just beyond what our eyes can perceive. more occult stuff, like wiccanism and satanism, are topics i'm somewhat curious about learning about.


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## MadisonBristol (Nov 5, 2021)

Agnostic, though I usually say I'm Jewish. Raised Jewish and Protestant.


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## imorileo (Nov 5, 2021)

I’m a born-again Christian!  But I like thinking of my Christianity as more of a personal relationship with God rather than a set of rules I have to follow (or a set of rules I expect other people to follow!) I think I just strive to live like Jesus and try my best to be a good person. ^___^


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## deSPIRIA (Nov 13, 2021)

deSPIRIA said:


> deist



4 years later this doesnt really describe it. I was raised non-religiously but i did go to a CoE school and sunday school at one point but even then i wasnt super convinced. I am a spiritual person and also interested in occultism but only as like a spectator. As much as i would like to believe there is a god(s) or magic in the world or an afterlife out there it's never been in me to truly think they exist. I am open to the idea though


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## ams (Nov 13, 2021)

I’m not religious. My dad was the son of a Mennonite pastor and at age 12 when you choose to be baptized he was the only one of 12 children to reject the religion and choose not to be baptized into his father’s church. I’m so thankful to have been raised by him.
In terms of belief in god I’m agnostic, but I’m atheist when it comes to the god of the bible. I don’t believe in a god who killed every first born child in Egypt unless there was lamb blood smeared on the door, or a god that commanded Moses to lead the Israelites to murder the Midianites and keep their virgin women as sex slaves. But I don’t entirely reject the idea of god in general.


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## Chris (Nov 13, 2021)

Midoriya said:


> Would be interesting to see where everyone on the forum falls with a poll…





Croconaw said:


> I’d be interested to see the poll. I imagine it to be pretty diverse honestly. I can’t imagine there’d be any religious arguments or drama arising from this. Don’t know if it’d be feasible to make a duplicate religion thread just to add a poll to it, although it’d be interesting to see.



This thread is rather old and the OP no longer comes online. If anyone wishes to make a new thread with a poll I can close this one.


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## JulianSG16 (Nov 14, 2021)

I lost my faith when I was 8 years old. Checked all the usual places I might have left it, in the couch cushions and the like. Never did find it.
Looked around in my teen years at Buddhism, but it never really worked out.
Religion and Spiritualism can be neat, but they're just not a part of my life.


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## princess.looking.for.frog (Nov 14, 2021)

I’m Christian but I don‘t call it a religion because Christianity isn’t a religion for me, it is a relationship.


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## Blueskyy (Nov 14, 2021)

I grew up in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Did all I needed to as an adolescent like awkward confirmation classes where you were pretty much separated into your own small group every Wednesday. It was basically middle school for the evening, only the focus was God and stuff.

Anyway fast forward 6-7 years…

My friend and I sang praise team in the more modern, contemporary late morning service. We were both just into music and would play guitar and sing together my senior year of high school in 2008.

The pastor told my friend that it should be reconsidered that she be in front of the congregation singing when she got engaged to be married to her longtime girlfriend.

Our families left the church and I haven’t been back to church except for family stuff like Christmas or deaths. I spend my Sundays sleeping, doing my newsletter for work, and being with my kitten. God understands.


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## k e r f u f f l e (Nov 22, 2021)

I'm a Christian. I've been one my whole life, but I accepted the Holy Spirit at my first revival when I was thirteen. My family and I used to go to church, but many of the churches in our area have kinda gone the wrong direction.

God and Christ have given me purpose in areas of my life where I would've been totally lost.


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## ~Kilza~ (Nov 25, 2021)

I'm not religious at all. Never have been, never will be. I don't care too much about whether or not somebody is religious, since it is important to respect other people's religious beliefs even if we don't believe in the same thing. That said, there are two things when it comes to religion that I don't want people to do: I don't want people to try and force their religion on me, and I don't want somebody to use religion as an excuse for unacceptable behaviour.


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## maria110 (Nov 25, 2021)

I was raised Catholic but I don't go to church or follow a religion anymore.  



~Kilza~ said:


> I'm not religious at all. Never have been, never will be. I don't care too much about whether or not somebody is religious, since it is important to respect other people's religious beliefs even if we don't believe in the same thing. That said, there are two things when it comes to religion that I don't want people to do: I don't want people to try and force their religion on me, and I don't want somebody to use religion as an excuse for unacceptable behaviour.



I agree with this.  To me, the separation of church and state is really important. I don't want to live in a theocracy.


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## ChocoPie22 (Nov 29, 2021)

I dont follow a religion, but I am Agnostic.


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## !_Nxmillia_! (May 3, 2022)

Christian


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## Neb (May 8, 2022)

I'm agnostic. I don't know if there's a higher power, but I do think there are scientific truths that haven't been found yet. 

As a child I was raised unitarian universalist. I believed in heaven and hell for awhile, but that slowly faded away. I attended church and Sunday School weekly until I was about 12. After that I lost interest and quit. I went once when I was 18, but I felt no real connection. In fact, the only connection I still have are the moral guidelines. We weren't told to follow any specific religious stories, but we were told a set of beliefs on how to treat other people. I still practice those to this day.

I have a few religious friends. I completely respect their beliefs and I can see the beauty in them.


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## slzzpz (Jul 26, 2022)

Grew up Catholic, so I have Catholic beliefs.


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## Franny (Jul 26, 2022)

atheist. my entire family was catholic as heck growing up and i've never subscribed to the notion of religion. i do support my religious friends though :3


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## tiffanistarr (Jul 26, 2022)

I believe I am a Humanist. I don’t know about any god or afterlife, but I do FIRMLY believe that prayer is useless, relying on a “book” or a “spiritual being” to just be a decent human is mental, following the rules of text that’s been rewritten tons of time is not for me. 

I grew up in two churches. My grandfather worked for a Methodist church and I spent many of my younger years at that church. All the time. Hung out with friends there, did camp there, went to youth group there, had sleep overs there. I had my own key to the place. Some of my best memories are at that church. However, i never attended service. 

Every sunday we were made to go to the Catholic church for mass. I remember being so freaked out and detested the whole experience. I also one time, stole the whole plate of communion crackers and ate them before service. When I attended my first communion ceremony I remember saying “eww” when they offered me to drink that nasty wine after all the people before me.

After service on Sunday the priest would come and eat dinner with my grandparents… Every sunday…. I remember questioning every single thing they taught me at vacation bible school camp, sunday school classes, everything. I never believed it.

That being said the padre was amazing! He was a sweet man who my family was close to. He gifted us some amazing relics and some amazing beautiful rosaries hand blessed by the Pope. That priest was seriously awesome. He never tried to push me into the beliefs and was very open to discussion and different opinions. 

Eventually I was old enough to make the choice in my teen years to not go to church and of course I skipped, because I didn’t believe in any of it. I would occasionally go with friends to their churches and it always freaked me out. 

Evangelical people truly terrify me. I’ve worked with one in my adult life recently and it was an awful experience. I don’t mind people who are religious and I really don’t care… However evangelical people tend to give their opinions and push their beliefs and that terrifies me. 

If religion is your thing that’s cool just don’t push it on me. I don’t care and it’s none of my business so don’t make it my business.


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## LadyDestani (Jul 26, 2022)

I'm agnostic bordering on atheism. I believe there is still so much that humans have yet to learn. I don't think we're anywhere close to knowing everything, so I can't say with any certainty one way or another whether there may be 'higher powers' somewhere out in this vast universe.

Do I believe that humans are the most advanced life forms in all existence? I think it's unlikely. Do I believe there is a single being who created us and everything else in the universe, who listens to our prayers and cares about our humble little lives? Again, I think it's very unlikely.

I was raised as a Christian and went to church regularly during my childhood. I 'believed' because I didn't know there was an option, but I always found myself questioning everything. The biblical stories didn't make sense to me and some of the things my pastors and Sunday School teachers said just flat out horrified me. As a teenager, I started exploring religion. I tried different churches, researched different beliefs from the ones I was raised with. But nothing fit. It never felt right.

Once I gave up my 'beliefs' that had never truly been mine to begin with, it felt very freeing for me. I find far more comfort in believing that when I die I will cease to exist than I ever did believing in Heaven. It's a nice concept and I understand why it's comforting for many, but it's not for me. I don't have a problem being good just for the sake of it. I don't need a reward or the threat of punishment to keep me in line.

I don't judge others for their beliefs. If their religion provides them with solace and makes them happy, then that's all that matters.

I just don't like any religion pushing their beliefs on others.


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## tiffanistarr (Jul 26, 2022)

LadyDestani said:


> I'm agnostic bordering on atheism. I believe there is still so much that humans have yet to learn. I don't think we're anywhere close to knowing everything, so I can't say with any certainty one way or another whether there may be 'higher powers' somewhere out in this vast universe.
> 
> Do I believe that humans are the most advanced life forms in all existence? I think it's unlikely. Do I believe there is a single being who created us and everything else in the universe, who listens to our prayers and cares about our humble little lives? Again, I think it's very unlikely.
> 
> ...


I had a very similar experience. I questioned everything and never let my elders, parents, or authoritative church figures influence me. To me, it’s not about doing good on earth so i can have a “good” afterlife. It’s being and doing good on earth because that is what is right and what is needed for the future generations. Like, for me I don’t believe the way to fix a massive issue is by praying about it or “giving it to god.” That will never fix the issues we face in todays world. Organized religion really muddies things and bogs it down. That’s why separation of church and state is so important. We’re like two steps away from a freaky handmaids tale situation in the US and it’s kinda scary. 

I can believe and kinda see why when people say they have their own personal relationship with god or jesus or whoever. The thing I can’t wrap my mind around is organized religion, different sects, different denominations. It’s all too much and it really just splits people apart. 

So many people have died to die to religion extremists and I think there needs to be a huge overhaul on the whole checks and balances system in every facet of government, due
to the excessive religious brought into our everyday lives without consent. 

I’m glad I’m not alone on the forced to go to church but could never quite fall for the trap! It’s nice to see others trying to figure it out. It’s a hard line for me to juggle sometimes. In my experience and what I’ve learned and read about is that religion is a weapon of mass destruction. It’s used for war, profit, trafficking of kids, so much of it is rooted in racism and colonization.  Also like how y’all not paying taxes??? I work in banking and the amount of churches who tried to get PPP loans when the covid lock downs were bad was baffling. Like, you want the tax money of citizens to pay for y’all? no pass the plate around and let the cards fall where they fall. 

I have so many thoughts on religion specifically christianity because that’s what i grew up around. It’s hard to express them though because the judgement can be so overwhelming. 

Also if jesus was a real dude, he was probably black or at least very dark just saying white jesus is not a thing.


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## Shawna (Aug 5, 2022)

I used to think I was a Christian, but back in 2015, I realized I was an atheist. I just believe religion is a man-made thing and causes things like war and whatnot.


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## Asarena (Aug 5, 2022)

I consider myself agnostic. My family is Christian, so I considered myself Christian as a child, but then I moved on to being agnostic when I was in middle or high school.


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## drowningfairies (Aug 11, 2022)

I am Pagan.


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## Moonlight. (Aug 11, 2022)

i have somewhat identified as an episcopal christian (mainly because of how welcoming that section of christianity is) for years but i would like to branch out and "try out" other religions to see if they fit what i believe better, if any of that even makes sense lol. 

religion has always been complicated for me, i think i do believe in something after death, it's just hard to place what i actually _believe_ tbh


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## moonbyu (Aug 11, 2022)

a few years ago, i would have had a solid answer: christian (or catholic, i went to a catholic school and church but my family converted as soon as i left that school).
but now?? no clue.
i don't think "atheist" fits me, nor does "agnostic". i do believe in God, or at least other divine beings and such. i hold some christian + catholic beliefs. i also hold some beliefs from other different religions.


i guess i'll find something someday. until then..


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