For the religious here. Why do you follow your religion?

[edhopper]

I'm not asking why you believe in God. (which has been asked here often.) But is there one main reason why you prescribe to the religion you follow and worship in.
I promise not to challenge or give a snarky retort. I ask fellow non-believers here to to the same.
I am curious and would like this thread to be one of information rather than debate.

[mdmc]

1. I read everyday, and go to church on Sundays

I read the daily sermon at www.stmary.org and I attend Mass at Saint Mary.
I live in a high poverty area and try to do what I can for the sick and the poor..

I also love to read about other religions and wisdom traditions.. I returned to the Catholic Church after studying Buddhism and the writings of the Dali Lama. I was born a Catholic and returned to the church after studying other religions, specifically Buddhism.

[edhopper]

4. Is there a main reason for this?

Is it about the divinity of Jesus? Is there a theological reason you didn't go with Buddhism, or is it philosophical?

[mdmc]

11. Yes

The more I read about Buddhism, the easier it was to realize that I would need an "authentic master" to help me move forward with my studies.
The more I searched out an authentic master, the more I was pushed back toward the Catholic Church.
The Dali Lama, over and over, encouraged me to return to the faith that I was raised in. The more I read, the more I was encouraged to return to my Catholic faith.

There is much I do not agree with within the Catholic dogma. But that is true for all wisdom traditions (in my case), with the exception of perhaps the Universalist Unitarians.

I continue to strive for the Divine. I study other wisdom traditions and try to learn as much as I can.

There is no dogma that I am fond of. I don't preach the divinity of Christ. I just try to follow his (and the Dali Lama's) example.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. We've gone from "churchy" to "non-church spiritual" - meaning that

the hypocrisy we've seen with churches (why are the church leaders so wealthy when so many parishioners are so poor - yet the leaders expect more and more?) (many people treat it as a social club, gets very inclusive/exclusive) drove us to handling it on our own - appreciating the beauty and wonder of nature, music, the arts - which makes it all feel much more real for us. We follow a religion (in principle, Christianity) because of its basic teachings, but find if you think too much about it, the holes in the logic become evident. I guess you could say we sense there is a greater good/greater order/greater being, but are open minded as to what.

[asjr]

3. Oh, how right you are. I am religious up to a point.

My religion is within me--not in a house of worship. I was brought up a Christian because my family was Christian. But scare tactics caused me to become Christian. All I learned about was a God who would strike me dead if I didn't follow the Bible and go to church every time the door was open. And at an early age that was effective. That still happens unfortunately. And the class of preachers and pastors has sadly gone astray.

[edhopper]

5. Do you not believe in the Bible?

Have you given up the theological tenets of Christianity?

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. I believe that there are useful teachings in the bible, but do not take it literally.

[mdmc]

12. I agree with that

:toast:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. It's impossible to take it literally if you actually study it

While participating in EFM (an Episcopal-sponsored study course for lay people), we had to read the entire book of Genesis. I had long known that there were two creation stories in Genesis, one after the other, but I found out that there were two versions of the Noah's Ark story as well.

Scholars have long known that Genesis has at least four authors.

[LiberalFighter]

6. When I did it was because it was family upbringing.

Indoctrination from an early age to believe that you didn't need evidence because it involved faith.

[MorningGlow]

7. My beliefs and practices help me live in harmony with the rest of creation

Expressing my beliefs (for me, in daily life) as a pagan makes my life easier, my existence smoother, my mind and soul more peaceful. Quite honestly, I can't imagine (can't remember) what it's like not to make every effort to be as spiritual and compassionate as I can (although I fail on a regular basis, having chosen to be born an Earth hoomin and all this time around).

Thanks, edhopper, for requesting abstention from snark on this thread--an actual conversation about beliefs would be a breath of fresh air here. :hi:

[Speck Tater]

8. Buddhism is about effective practices, not belief. As an atheist/agnostic Buddhist

I follow Buddhist meditation practices because they actually work to make my life happier and less stressful.

[ZombieHorde]

13. Most Buddhists sects believe in literal reincarnation. To not believe in literal reincarnation in

Buddhism is fringe. Many Buddhist sects hold other supernatural beliefs as well, such as spirits. Buddhism is about different things to different people.

[Speck Tater]

14. True. Each culture has layered on it's own superstitions. But...

read Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor. He has scoured the earliest and most authentic Buddhist documents from the Pali Canon and argues that all the superstitions of the various sects have no basis in what the Buddha taught.

As for reincarnation, read Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation by Ian Stevenson, M.D. published by University of Virgina. Reincarnation can neither be proved nor disproved, but the evidence is interesting enough that Dr. Stevenson concludes that to believe in reincarnation, while not completely justified, is not completely irrational either. Even arch skeptic Carl Sagan included Dr. Stevenson's work on children's spontaneous recall of past lives as among the three paranormal claims that warranted more serious consideration.

[YankeyMCC]

36. I don't know about most

In the Zen traditions I'm familiar with literal reincarnation is at best as either irrelevant or interpreted as rebirth and strongly connected with the teaching of codependent arising of the self. We are reborn each moment.

Buddhism in the west is developing it's own traditions and beliefs in much the way Buddhism has always done moving westward across Asia and now across the Pacific. There continues to be debate and discussion about what traditions should or shouldn't be shed or continued, the literal belief in reincarnation being one of those topics.

So perhaps worldwide there may be a majority of Buddhist who believe in littoral reincarnation, although I'm not sure that's true, I suspect in the West (America and Europe) it is likely to not be a majority.

[GliderGuider]

9. I'm not "religious" exactly, but I do have a practice.

I was a hard-nosed atheist for 56 years, until I realized it wasn't working for me. Trying to hold the line on an essentially materialistic, dualist philosophy was causing me a lot of suffering. So I looked into the causes of suffering, and a couple of years later I'm well on my way to being a Buddhist of some sort.

On the psychological side, my meditation practice has helped me become less reactive, to stop thinking that everything the rest of the world does is about me. As a result I feel less anger and resistance, more patience and compassion, and more generosity with my time, feelings, effort and material possessions.

On the spiritual side, it turns out I was a bit of a mystic all along. Having a sense of a personal connection to the Absolute makes me feel like a significant part of a larger significant Whole. That awareness that I "belong" in this life/universe/reality brings with it feelings of peace, reverence and connection that translate into both my worldly attitudes and my behaviour.

My practice makes me more fully human in all the good senses of that word.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. I believe that no human religion can understand the totality of the

force behind the universe but that each one is an extended allegory.

After being raised Lutheran, I drifted over to the Episcopal Church for a couple of reasons: 1) The Episcopalians are more single-friendly, which is a natural extension of being gay-friendly. Lutherans are so family-oriented that a single person can feel left out. 2) I like formal liturgies and traditions, and the Episcopalians have maintained this better than the Lutherans. 3) The Episcopalians don't care, for the most part, if your beliefs are a bit unorthodox. Witness Bishop Spong.

Why do I affiliate with a formal religion at all? Because there's strength in numbers. We do things that would be difficult to do alone, such as organizing food and clothing programs for the needy, form Habitat for Humanity teams, send relief teams to the Gulf Coast after Katrina, or other charitable activities. We support one another emotionally and spiritually and often have a lot of. In my particular parish, the sense of community is tremendous, and this is due to leaders who emphasize this. My parish also provides opportunities for learning about our religion and others.

[dschis]

23. I agree

But I'm still trying to find mine

[kwassa]

17. I follow my religion because I like ritual and I like history, right now.

Different things appealed to me before, and this is what appeals to me know.

I am Episcopalian, which carries with it the history of Christian ritual and tradition. I am not very attached to any formal concept of religion, they are all paths to the the same goal. I enjoy meditative and contemplative practices regardless of the religion of origin. I have been influenced by Eastern religious practices, and spent years in a metaphysical church that taught me how to meditate and gave me a stronger connection with the divine.

[Critters2]

18. I'm a Girardian Christian. I believe religion should make the world peaceful,

and followers merciful and kind. I also believe all people choose (knowingly or not) a mimetic model for their lives. I've chosen Jesus as my model, because I believe his teachings can transform the world,and free us from conflict and scapegoating.

[Meshuga]

19. I dig the tradition and ethical teachings

I feel very comfortable with the components of Judaism (ethics, spirituality, and peoplehood) so that is the path I take.

• Jewish ethics is something I identify with and I see it useful as a personal guide. It might not be the best universal guide but it is the best fit for me.



• Being part of the community and giving continuity to the tradition is something I enjoy.



• I am also comfortable with the spirituality given what is explained in the tradition. For example, somewhere in the Talmud God is attributed with saying something like, "I would rather see my children abandon me as long as they follow my mitzvot because, through good deeds, they will eventually find me." I like this approach.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

28. "I desire mercy and not sacrifice"

Yes, there's a lot of emphasis on social and economic justice, especially in the later prophets.

The God of the Hebrew Scriptures isn't all wrath and smiting.

[Meshuga]

29. Yes, and Reform Judaism, for example, gives emphasis to social justice...

...claiming to follow the ethical teachings of the Hebrew prophets where religious ritual was secondary to what is seen as virtues such as, feeling for those who are suffering, kindness to the needy, benevolence, desire for peace, justice, learning to do good, and humility.

But Rabbinic literature is a huge component that has other depictions of God and other mutations of Jewish thought. Biblical Judaism (based on a written Torah) pretty much died with the fall of the temple. Pharisaic/Rabbinical Judaism, that made Torah open ended with a twofold law, survived giving more focus to the development of this open ended law.

All the "wrath and smiting" of the God in the Hebrew Bible are seen in Rabbinic Literature, for example, as the degree on importance of a specific law. Torah is viewed as having 70 facets and you see a different one each time you read it. In other words, it is not a literal book of beliefs. Hebrew scripture shows its major characters challenging an angry God trying to talk God out of smiting people. And that is used to show in the tradition how questioning is very important.

[edhopper]

20. It seems most of the respondents

have chosen a religion here for it's moral or ethical teachings, or as a life pathway.
Do I have that right that they don't believe in the theological underpinnings of their church? (Not that they don't believe in God in some form.)
So no one here is saying they are following the only way to God. which pretty much every religion says in it's dogma.

[Meshuga]

21. I don't think all religion think they are the only way to god

I don't believe Judaism says it is the only way to god. Conversion is not required and the more religious the group gets the more it seems to consider it to be taboo for a non-Jew to follow Jewish practice.

I don't think Judaism requires certain belief either. The non-definition of what god is in Judaism allows different god ideas that varies from a personal god to an idea that someone could consider to be non-theistic.

But it does not really matter because the focus is on the practice rather than belief.

[Critters2]

25. A rabbi friend of mine says Jews are united in practice, not in theology. nt

[Meshuga]

30. We are geared toward survival

We are about folkways and continuity of these folkways. As my own rabbi put it in one of his articles that, "Jews have always used words such as legacy, heirship, patrimony, ancestry, birthright and inheritance" as opposed to having a salvation message.

We are about living meaningful Jewish lives as our part of working toward this continuity. The emancipation of Jews in the West brought the emergence of several movements that differ on how to live a meaningful Jewish life in this "new" scenario. And we affiliate to a movement that we identify most and we think that can provide us with a meaningful Jewish life.

Orthodox Jews have problems with non-orthodox Jews not because of belief but because they see non-Orthodox movements as not following all Jewish practices according to Jewish law. Their fear is that non-Orthodox Judaism is killing Judaism but in reality non-Orthodox Judaism provides an alternative so Jews can stick with Judaism rather than abandoning Judaism altogether.

[Critters2]

24. I'm UCC. We don't say ours is the only way to God. nt

[MorningGlow]

34. Neither do we (witch/pagan) n/t

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. My denomination has always emphasized the "three-legged stool" of

Scripture, tradition, and reason. That's why, for example, the majority came around to allowing GLBT ordination. Scripture was ambiguous, tradition was anti, but reason (and experience) said that being GLBT was a natural human variation and not a sin.

There's a tremendous range of theology and practice within the Episcopal Church, the unifying principle being the rituals in the Book of Common Prayer.

[Bad Thoughts]

41. Why equate religion with theism?

It's not like atheism and irreligion are the same thing.

[JerseygirlCT]

22. Well, I think the largest part is simply how I was raised

I'm pretty sure that had I been raised in a different tradition, I'd be following that one.

Beyond that, having been raised in one pretty liturgical church (RCC), I feel comfortable and comforted with the nearly identical one practiced in my church of choice now (Episcopalian). The ritual is lovely and soothing at the same time. The Episcopal church also suited because there's an emphasis on personal discernment - we don't ask people to check their brains at the door.

I do think religion is a man-made construct, useful for people in their search for relationship with God and with others. I do not think any one religion is therefore "it". But for me, this fits nicely.

[conscious evolution]

27. I was indoctrinated from birth to be a christian

Then I saw thru the lies and spent the next several years being dragged kicking and screaming to church against my will.When I was old enough I walked away from it and never looked back.

[harun]

31. I believe creation needs a creator.

So I follow my religion because it was defined by the Creator and an example of its implementation in daily life was also given, recorded, and conveyed to subsequent generations.

I don't follow a church, institutions or the people around me. I try to follow what God has defined as a way to live that is in compliance with the dignity shown to me by my Creator and the dignity I should afford others. Of course I fall short of that often, but that is what I strive for.

So to the question, "one main reason you prescribe", I would say...

I feel it is the best way I can thank God for creating me and the best way to bear witness to the reality of the Universe.

[Silent3]

32. Setting aside the circular logic of "creation need(ing) a creator"...

...you suddenly make a leap from that supposed logic of why there is A creator to talking about THE creator.

You're not really answering the OP if you don't explain why you believe one particular version of many possible creators is THE creator. Why choose, say, the God of the Christian Bible (you can consider that just an example, but I'm guessing that's the one you have in mind) over Zeus or Odin or Ra?

What makes you think one holy book or oral tradition trumps another, one being The True Word, the other being myths or lies?

[harun]

35. The OP is asking about following a religion, not about belief.

I'm a Muslim so I believe in the God of the Jews, the God of the Christians and the God of the Muslims. That would be the one God (deity) that created the Universe.

In terms of the Holy Books: Gospel's, Psalms, Old Testament, Qur'an etc. I don't feel one trumps another but the Qur'an is the latest and most intact. So I personally put more faith in it but have no problem with people who disagree with that. I know plenty of Muslims who really like reading Psalms and do read it often. The Gospel's today, (in my opinion), are biographies of Jesus. So if one is looking for that type of thing, that is there for them.

[Silent3]

37. Choosing a religion is a matter of belief

The OP set aside only belief in God, not all kinds of belief. As I see it, that means the existence of some sort of God is being set aside and taken as a given, but asking about why you choose a particular religion is very much related to what you believe about God, the nature of God, what you think your God wants or expects of humans, etc.

It does not automatically follow from belief in a creator deity that such a deity would instruct humans to write holy books or scriptures, and it certainly doesn't follow that the holy books in the Abrahamic tradition are truly divinely inspired.

[Braulio]

38. I don't know about you, but I get turned on by animal sacrifice

I like the idea of putting a cow on a rock slab, cutting its throat, and then BBQing it. It's so intense, makes me feel like one of the ancient Hebrews doing their thing at the Temple in Jerusalem.

[Meshuga]

39. I don't get turned on by that but

I like a nice steak.

Let me know when the practice of sacrifices return to the temple mount in Jerusalem and I will bring the BBQ sauce. :-)

Since you don't mind you can be the shochet and I can do the cooking.

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[Laura902]

40. WERE NOT SMART ENOUGH

I dont believe the human race is intelligent enough on it own
to ever truly understand either way. I'm not religious but
just like everyone else ill find out in the end. Lets leave it
to that.

[LAGC]

42. Or you won't find out...

If there is nothing after this life, after all...

[rd_kent]

43. No, YOU are not smart enough.

I'm plenty smart enough to know.

[Laura902]

44. Thats the thinking of most people who dont pay attention to the hypocrisy of their religion