Reasons for your Religion? - Comments

the power of justice That's how I felt for a long time. I'm in my last year of Catholic HS and I've gone from Catholic, to doubtful Catholic, to Agnostic. It's okay to have your doubts!
PanicSwitch I agree, the idea is a great one but none of us knows whether or not there really is a god. If heaven exists, that's great, but I can't say I'm sure there is one.
oksana Well that's great that you've reamined strong in your beliefs despite troubles, not many people can do that. Also it's good that no one is discriminating against you because of your sexuality and as a Christian. Hopefully things with God continue to work out for you :)

I'm Christian. My mom's catholic, so I've been lucky to go to a public school because even yesterday she asked again if I wanted to go to Christian school. The thing is, she's the same person who used to beat me up as a kid. So from growing up around catholicness and seen the same people living the opposite, I've had a lot to go on to have my doubts. But I'm a follower of Jesus Christ because it's working out for me. I pray multiple times a day and I have values. I am gay, but I have yet to come out totally and be completely rejected. I have a girlfriend and there are local friends and church leaders who know and don't tell anyone and believe me when I say the love is real. I'm not a Christian for anyone else. It's just an inseparable part of me and I am sure of God being real. Because God is love. To me, anyway.

I think the idea of religion is amazing, a God ruling over everybody, and the whole afterlife thing, but I believe it is just an idea. There is no proof of a "God". I was born and raised religious, but I'm seriously starting to doubt that there is a God.

I'm an unsure Christian. I was born and raised Christian and I go to a Catholic school and everything and I believe in God to an extent...but I don't know. I really don't know.

England's Dreaming I for one find Buddhism to be very interesting. Currently, I'm Agnostic but hey, religious beliefs change. I quite like that quote at the bottom, I think it's very true.
ReachingForTheStars I get what you mean. One question that really plagues my mind is....How is God here? I just don't understand how God "just was". How could he just exist? I don't understand. But perhaps that is because my mind is more scientific, I want proof. But I figure that's why a lot of us are skeptical

I'm between an Atheist and being agnostic. I don't believe we have any proof of God, whether or not he's an invisible man in the clouds. I don't have faith in a single person; I don't think that one man can accomplish the task of creating everything that humans and animals didn't.

I wasn't really raised anything. My mother is a Protestant but we never went to church and she never preached to us or anything.

My personal views don't fit into any organized religion. I'm part Buddhist, part deist, part pagan. I think Jesus Christ was a cool dude, but I'm not a big fan of Bible. I believe in an afterlife along with reincarnation. I don't think god intervene in people's lives.

In the words of the Dalai Lama, my true religion is kindness.

viva la dezza!- You don't have to explain any further, I get where you are coming from. Yeah, I agree that people shouldn't be condemned to hell or promised eternal life just because they believe in a certain being. You could believe in a god but be a terrible person and you could not believe in god and be an amazing person. It's not as cut and dry as it is sometimes perceived to be. I agree with you that people should go to a good place because they are good.
Airi-chan That's the reason why I'm an agnostic, I don't understand why God would let all of this suffering happen. Sure, I was taught that Jesus suffered and died for us and we should accept some pain for him, but why does there need to be so much war, sickness, depression, etc? It doesn't make sense to me either.
dru on the radio Well that's good that there's diversity!
Amethyst violet That's an interesting idea, that the world would be better without religion. I think in most cases it would be, but I think that some people have become better because they fear God or something like that. I could be wrong though. Well hey, you don't need a religion to be a good person, if you've got morals, that's what matters most, at least I think so.
The.Anonymous. One Well that's good that despite your doubts you still have faith :) I was Catholic but more recently I've lost that firm belief. I wish I had been able to hold onto it, or maybe I don't. I'm not sure exactly. However, I'd like to think that there is a God after all

Rotten- I see where you are coming from. I'm Agnostic as well, but more so Agnostic Christian. Honestly, I'm afraid to tell my parents that I'm Agnostic because I was raised Catholic and my parents would not be accepting of my different beliefs. I agree, I respect those who have different beliefs than I do, but it's not a big part of my life.
myoneandonly- I don't think it makes you any less of a Christian either. I was raised Catholic and up until this year I was a firm Catholic. I didn't go to church, and I didn't pray often, but I still believed in God and I wouldn't deny that I believed in front of anyone. As long as you're true to your belief I think that's all that matters :)
Reset- I agree with you, nobody should be bashing other people for their beliefs especially because every religion essentially is trying to teach you to be a good person. And even people who are atheists can be very good people, I know quite a few myself.
bellatrix lestrange- I think most people (including myself) are afraid of that as well. We don't want to build up our hopes on an amazing afterlife only to find out that there isn't one. Haha yeah, I respect other's beliefs but I just ask not to have beliefs shoved down my throat

I'm a Christian, although, I do have doubts and confusions. But isn't that what this world is about? Without doubt, you have no faith or religion at all. Even the most holy people have stopped and thought about why they were going to church, or why they are reading the bible. This just makes me feel like, well there is a reason to keep going on with religion. It's a gamble at times, but when you believe something, you will always end up right back into it's arms. In my case that would be God. :)

I was baptized Catholic. I became Atheist 11 years ago. I can't believe in something that has no real evidence to support it.
I think this world would have been a much better place if no religion was ever brought about.

There are thousands of religions out there claiming different things. Some real people and real things to not so believable ideas..
There is no way all are right, but very real to believe all are wrong.

But if someone needs any of this to be a good person etc.. then by all means believe in it.

I personally do not. I live my life following the laws put in place by the country (most of them anyway..) and my morals.

Do things always go right and happy? not a chance.

Anyway.. that's my reasons. If someone disagrees then so be it.

I was raised a Christian. i guess that's why i believe it, although my beliefs are very different than my dad and stepmom's. my family is incredibly diverse as far as faith goes.

I don't really like claiming a religious label, but I guess I'd be considered an Agnostic leaning more towards Atheism. I don't really believe that a god exists because when I look at the world and see all the bad, I can't help but wonder how a god could let this happen. The idea of a god also seems highly illogical to me, it never made any sense.

There are times though that I do think there's a higher power out there so that's sort of why I consider myself an agnostic... But I guess after typing this I seem more like an atheist. I don't know. >.<

I'm a bit of a skeptic, honestly. My parents brought me up as a devout Methodist, but I found that the people that went there were not very kind to me or any one else, and when they showed kindness, it was really rough around the edges and so fake. I couldn't take it. I began to realize that why would I want to be Christian if they acted so fake and hateful all the time? I slowly just moved away from it, and this Sunday will be the anniversary of my real separation from the church. I don't regret leaving the church, and I don't regret not believing in God for so long. I only regret that my parents don't realize how much I feel they waste on the church and the biddings of a single god. And perhaps I'm wrong, and I'm going to go to hell, but I don't think I care much. I have different beliefs, where people should be able to live the way they want, and if they're good they should go to a good place, not based solely on their religion.

Sigh. I don't know how to explain it, honestly.

I guess I'm agnostic, but leaning more towards atheist. The only reason for that is, I'm afraid I'm wrong and what will happen when I die, although I'm not really afraid of death. But, if there is a God he was never really there for me, plus I like scientific facts.

But, and I feel this is important to say, I have nothing against catholics. Aha, as long as they don't try to shove religion down my throat, that is. But, I wouldn't do that to anyone either.

I'm an atheist. But the word always seems to make people cautious and/or hostile. I don't wish to attack people because they believe in something. I do, however, oftentimes find certain practices and or statements that a religious person might make to defend their religion a little ridiculous or contradictory.

"God is real because he wrote the bible" for instance, kind of makes me want to live on a different planet.

Also, I detest when people use their god and/or respective religion to bash others and their choices. Or when they use their religion as an excuse to say or do terrible things.

I was raised an atheist, but I have been given plenty of free rein when it comes to being myself. I have looked into religion a few times, but I have never seriously considered becoming Christian, Catholic, etc.

hmmm.. you ask very good questions. When I was younger I was Christian...or at least thats what I called it. I went to church every sunday, went to youth group, did the whole shabang. But then I moved and i stopped going but I still believe in god and heaven, but i dont feel like that makes me any less of a Christian....so I feel like my religion is kind of my own in a way. I dont really follow any one standard. I just do what feels right to me...if that makes sense lol

I guess I'm kind of agnostic, but I don't know why. I think it's because I don't want to be wrong and I don't want to know if God is real or what happens when we die. I think religion is very confusing and I prefer not to deal with it. It's not very important to me, it's just kind of there in my mind.