Have you ever converted to a different religion?

[Paradise359]

Originally posted by aephi alum
Henry VIII ... he wanted to get divorced and the Pope wouldn't let him.

The Anglican Church is almost-but-not-quite the same as the Episcopal Church, if my understanding is correct.

You are absolutely correct!

[Bella Pearl 08]

Can anyone tell me their experience with the Quaker religion?

[_Opi_]

Well I haven't converted into a different religion but I'm thinking of changing the sect that I belong to. I did alot of growing up and trying to get all my questions answered about different issues and I came to realize that I just want to a be a muslim practicing Islam - with no particular sect. I don't really feel that its necessary to belong to a sect anymore.

[Gorilla Tom]

I don't know that I have changed, but I have incorporated a lot of Buddhist thought into my own personal philosophies. Let's say that I am a "student of Buddhism". The former LA Lakers/Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson wrote a book called Sacred Hoops, and in it he described how he has embraced Zen Buddhism, particularly the practice of meditation. Both of his parents were Pentecostal ministers, so he has that as his roots. Kind of an interesting combination.

I was raised Roman Catholic, but very early on began to question a lot of the things that I was supposed to be taking as "gospel" (pun intended!). My wife was raised a Baptist, and when we married and started a family, we felt like we should get back into something, so we found a compromise in the Episcopal church. Still, there was a lot in Christianity that I was still not comfortable with.

Rather than bore you with all the details, let's just say that my spritual journey ultimately lead me to Buddhism. At it's core, Buddhism is really more a philosophy than a religion. The historical Buddha is not considred a god. "Buddha" means "enlightened" and the Buddha was just a man who found his answers. Buddhism is attractive to me because it's logical. The basic tenets of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, made sense to me. Like Coach Jackson, I still have Christian roots that I don't think I would ever want to sever completely, but I have embraced a lot of Buddhist thought and practice; for example meditation, trying harder to be "aware", letting go of attachments to things that are impermanent, and practicing loving-kindness with all beings.

You probably got more than you wanted to know, but the question was out there, so I tried to answer it.

[SummerChild]

Originally posted by Ideal08
Then I got to college and met a guy who is a Hebrew Israelite. All these years, he and I have communicated and debated each other, or even just listened, about religion. I don't know a lot about it, but he's sending me stuff in the mail about it soon. After having the conversation with him, I just wondered how many people actually covert to different religions or even denominations. I am SO grounded in my faith that at times it's hard for me to even THINK about the idea of another religion. But I like to learn about them, still: how they are the same and how they are different. It's just really interesting

Skee Wee Soror!
Nice topic. My parents are Israelites and I was actually raised in this way but now do not consider myself to be a follower of any religion. It was very tough being raised this way as the entire US is basically Christian - no Halloween parties, no Christmas (or Christmas gifts), no Easter, no pork (so I was a tiny child trying to figure out whether I could eat the lunch at school b/c I didn't know whether it had pork or pork products such as lard in it). It was also kind of rough in high school b/c I made the pom pom and flag teams (b/c I was fly like that - LOL) but had to quit both b/c the Sabbath would go from Friday night to Saturday night which is of course when all of the basketball (pom pom performances) and football (flag team performances) would occur.

When I got older, I began to think of things more spiritually and really found that I did not believe that it mattered what day of the week you worshipped or what name you called your Higher Being by, that G-D looks at your heart, and all of the other formalistic rules of different religions was really less important. As a result, I can go and worship G-D at church, at a temple, at a mosque b/c at base to me, everyone is basically saying the same thing. So I converted from being an Israelite to not being in any religion. These days I work on getting my heart right and communing with G-D and that's it.

SC

[KSigkid]

My change was a somewhat small one, from Catholicism to Episcopal. I made the change a couple of years ago, although I'm not confirmed yet. My fiancee and I will be married in an Episcopal church, and that's where we go every week.

[TheEpitome1920]

My family is a religious hodge podge. Both of my parents are Muslim. I have a brother who is an Israelite, a sister who is Christian and my stepmother is Jewish.

After a lot of searching and praying I was Baptized 2 Sundays ago. I have never felt better about my life or my future. My path to Christianity has been a long time in the making and I know that its where God wants me to be.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I suppose you could call me non-denominational. I suppose I am a Christian. I believe in God, but I do not believe in organized-religion.
I was however, christened in the United Church of Canada. My mother is a non-practicing catholic, my father is Lutheran and my grandmother, aunt (dad's sister) and her family are baptist. There are many things I do not agree with that are written in the bible, which is why I don't generally identify my self as a Christian.
I have thought about converting/practicing Buddhism, but again, I don't really believe in organized-religion, no matter what religion.
I tend to agree more with the Buddhist teachings and if I were to convert, that would probably it. I do try to read all that I can about it.