Are you religious???

[Celestia*Shine]

I was raised Quaker, also known as the Religious Society of Friends. My family is an old Quaker family from Philadelphia that spans back many generations. I am always asked so many questions about Quakerism beacuse most people think that its similar to menonites, or amish. That is a common misconception, beacause Quakers are actually Christian and live just like anyone else. Mostly Quakers are extremely liberal, and my family is definately very liberal. Although it is a very wonderful religion, I dont' identify with it that strongly. My parents are both avid Quakers, however, I am not. Bet you never met a Quaker before, or maybe you have and you didn't know it!

[ZTAngel]

I am Jewish but I never grew up religious. We went to temple for the holidays and once in a while on shabbat but that was it. I never had a Bat Mitzfah.
Now that I'm older, I still do celebrate Hanukkah and all the other holidays but I don't go to temple. So, I'm really not religious.

[Jill1228]

Grew up Catholic, but I do not consider myself religious. I consider myself agnostic (much to my family's dismay)

[XOAlumXO]

My parents are very devout, and naturally they raised my siblings and me in a Catholic household.
Growing up in that environment has helped me in my faith. I love being Catholic and am very involved in lots of ministries at my church.

[GeekyPenguin]

Grew up in a lapsed Catholic household that sent me to Catholic schools and made me get confirmed.

I'm actually fairly religious, but I suck at attending Mass.

[Cluey]

Yes, I am religious.

I grew up attending church regularly and was involved with all sorts of church activities (Girls in Action, choir for many years, etc.). Even when I went off to college, I went to church because it was comforting to me.

Now, I'm trying to find a new home church, but whenever I visit somewhere, they want to throw me in a Sunday school class for "Singles" or get me to teach urchin kids Sunday school. I'm not alright with either of those choices, so I have taken to doing my own Bible studies on Sunday mornings.

I'll stop boring all of you now, though

[sugar and spice]

I'm not. My parents are a lapsed Catholic and a Methodist-turned-agnostic and they decided not to raise me or my sister with either of their religions. I went to church with my Catholic grandparents and Lutheran friends occasionally and even went to church camp one year but none of it really made sense to me when it came to actually believing it. I considered myself an atheist by the time I was 12 -- since then I've cycled through various stages of atheism, agnosticism and deism. I've yet to find any set of beliefs that appeals to me although these days they vary somewhere between agnosticism and deism.

[justamom]

I agree with most everyone-religion can get in the way.

My daughter says we may not be the most religious family, but we are a very spiritual family. That's as good an explanation as any.

Love thy neighbor as thyself! Kinda hard at times, but basically
says it all.

[honeychile]

I'm with those who are uncomfortable with the term "religious".

I'm a born again believer in Jesus Christ, and lean on Him a LOT!! I pray daily, try to worship (be in communion with Him) daily, and try to be a good witness for Him in my daily living. I suppose some people would call that "religious".


ps - I've know a few Quakers, and admire them. I just don't understand their non-acknowledging the book of Revelation, though.

[dekeguy]

Since you ask, I am a convinced Roman Catholic. I believe that my faith was founded by and upon Christ, has come to us in unbroken line of succession from the Apostles to the present day, and contains the whole truth as revealed in scripture and tradition. and that faith is nourished by active participation in the Sacraments. I believe the message of Christ revolves around forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption, and salvation. I am always happy to discuss my faith with anyone, but rather than try to shove my views on anyone I prefer to try and live my faith (no matter how ofter I fumble the attempt I still try to walk the walk and not only talk the talk) as my general statement of what I believe.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,
dekeguy

[RxyChrldr]

I am very religious as a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon). I grew up in a very Christian family and went from church to church even into college, trying to find the right place for me. I investigated many different denominations until I found the LDS church and truly found what I believe to be the absolute truth. I could almost put quotes around dekeguy's post and say ditto here, but the bottom line is that I know Christ is my savior and I do my best to live life like him ever second of every day!

[ThetaPrincess24]

I was raised Baptist. However, my senior year in high school I took it upon myself to find out about the "terrible" catholic church that I kept hearing so much about. So I attended a mass with some friends of mine that were catholic. I saw nothing wrong with it, what I had been told of the catholic church I found out was false as I saw for myself, and I rather enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much in fact I continued to go to mass every week with my friends. I even attended the youth group with them, and one even sponsored me in RCIA. That year at the Easter Vigil mass I was baptized, confirmed, and took my first communion. Very overwhelming and powerful experience and one I've never regretted. Unfortunately while I no longer attend mass as "religiously" as I once did, I do pray each day, I do read from my Bible, and do try to live a moral life to the best of my ability (to the best of my ability doenst mean that I am "holier than thou" and dont have my moments of sin because I certainly do). I also prefer to date other catholics as I am looking for that someone and I do intend to have a catholic wedding and raise my children in the catholic church, so whoever would have to be okay with that, eventhough most of my dad's side of the family and half of my mother's side of the family are in total disagreement..........(some even disowned me for leaving the Baptist church and joining the Catholic church but that's a separate story).

[GPhiLlama]

Seeker with atheist tendencies. I mainly stick with the unspoken atheist honor code. The core of it is to respect other's beliefs, institutions, and rituals.
That's one of the reasons that I'm an atheist, anyway. I have much respect for the ideals of the religion I was raised in (Catholicism), but I didn't accept them as my personal beliefs...refused to get confirmed.

[justamom]

I think it's so good that we (GCers) are honest about our beliefs and not trying to portray anything we don't believe in on this thread.

GPhiLlama , I have much more respect and understanding for people who are honest about their views than those who, for instance, would get confirmed because "it's the thing to do". You know there are a lot of young people who feel forced into it.

On the other hand there are people that would argue Confirmation gives you the added graces and this would have helped you in life.

Hypocrites come in all forms and religious hypocrites are the WORST! I applaud you for not mocking something (that means so much to many), by participating ONLY to appease others!

[jharb]

I was raised my my extremely catholic mom and my dad who would have been a priest except for my brother happening! My parents sent my brothers and I to catholic schools and whenever I go home I have to go to confession and mass. While I am at school I'm not very good about going to mass, but I do pray regularly and read the bible.

My mom really wants me to marry a nice catholic boy, but I'm currently dating just a regular christian (*GASP*...j/k). He's not very religious, so it works out well.

Although I don't agree with a lot of the tenets of the catholic church, I do consider myself a member.