If you weren't your current religion, which one would you be?

If you weren't your current religion, which one would you be? For the sake of this question, Buddism, athism and agnostisism all count.

I wouldn't be anything other than Agnostic and I'm not close-minded, obviously.

My advice is to be yourself, free from from the bondage, shackles & chains that surround you when you involve in any religious belief. Religion with all it's rituals, beliefs, are all commercial establishments, that put fear into you by talking about heaven , hell, devil etc, just to extract money, and put fear so that it is impossable for you to lead a life without fear guilt & freedom. Be your own judge. Do what you think is right , to hell what others say, and only think of today, forget about the past and the future.
Darryl

I'm born again Christian. I used to be Wiccan. I guess it counts that I've already made the change.

atheism and agnostocism are not religions.

If I could be any religion? Rastafarian.

Like Jimahl said, atheism is not a religion. Atheism is lack of any religion. I heard one guy say that if atheism is a religion than health is a dissease.

The single biggest factor in what worldview you are is your environment. If your parents believe a certain religion than chances are you will adopt that one. There is also your culture; we are likely to embrace the religion of our culture.

Most people raised in a devout Christian household will be Christian just like those raised in Muslim or Hindu households generally end up Muslim or Hindu. This is the reason why deciding on who gets saved based on what religion they follow is silly. The most devout Christian likely would be a different religion had they been raised by a household with a different worldview. This makes salvation mainly a roll of the dice.

All that said our own temperment has a bit to do with it as well. Even though I've been an atheism since I was 12 I found myself drawn to certain religious ideas and certain religions. I've always admired the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and the Baha'I faith. Quakers were early supporters of ending slavery, ending the death penalty, prison reform, equality, and women's sufferage. I always liked the Baha'I teaching of unity and universal brotherhood. If I were raised such that I didn't have the intellectual independance to embrace atheism but I was dissatirsfied with the religion I was indoctrinated with I likely would have gravitated to one of these religions.

'I heard one guy say that if atheism is a religion than health is a dissease.'

I have also heard that if atheism is a religion, than not playing any instrument makes you a musician.

I am so glad I was born into a religion that I can believe for myself. Each person if they were to wake up and come to terms with theirselves they would know why they're in the church they're in. In my church there isn't a lot of room luke-warm people so it's usually either in or out. Not because of other people for the most part but just that if you arn't in it for you, you'll find it hard to live there. I had a time when I was a teenager living in my parents house where I was only in the church because I couldn't leave. That didn't last long, I was forced to pray at the alter and do or not do other things according to how my parents thought I should be saved and safe. Of course now I do agree with their ends but not their means. I had to choose for myself what I believed and thank God that I had it so easy because I was in a church that had the truth (sadly there's some that don't). ... If you always have a pure heart and keep trying to get closer to him at all times he will lead you the right way (though you may not like it and it wont be easy). God places people in churches if they are truly searving him, not the other way around. ... Check out the book of Acts for some interesting reading; Acts 2

'I've always admired the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) '

A long time ago I went to a Quaker service and it was unlike anthing I'd experienced growing up. The seats are arranged in a square formation, so everyone is facing everyone else. People can get up throughout the service, share thoughts, prayers, hymns and songs, speeches, announcements, and whatever else. It's sort of a democratic church service, if that makes sense.

And, as you said, the Quakers are far more concerned with issues of social injustice than with doctrines and dogma. So I guess I've always found them appealing too. However, while I'd be glad to work alongside them in most of their endeavors, I do not share their spiritual views at this point in my life.

The other religious view I'm interested in is Deism, such as the Unitarian Universalists. Deists do not believe in holy books, divine revelation, miracle working, or any type of revelated religion. They view all of this as being created by humans and a corruption of true 'religion' which they see simply as the human ability to reason and discover truth. Also, the deist concept of God is more along the lines of a higher power, but which is something each person must discover for themselves, rather than a specific deity that intervenes in the natural world. Deist views are not, therefore, incompatible with the Big Bang and evolution. However, given my current doubt in the existence of a higher power, I would have difficulty believing such a thing could be realized. Most Deists would say there's nothing wrong with that, though, and would be more interested in discussing views rather than condemning me to hellfire.

Both my sister-in-law and her husband are both atheists and attend a 'U U' church. If there was anything I could attend, it would be that. They never discuss dogma other than academically. Not through worship.

My family all they have been christian my grandparents my mom and dad so, I don't know if I were in other religion.

mjax1979, what you went to was an 'unprogramed meeting.' At these anyone who is moved to speak can do so. There are rules for the meeting Friends understand but they can seem inscrutable to outsiders. There are also programmed meetings that are more conventional where one person preaches. In general the Liberal branch of the RSOF has mainly unprogrammed meetings while the more conservative branch has programmed ones.

I read quite a bit about Deism myself. One of the first books I read on my own (not for school) was Thomas Paine's _The_Age_of_Reason_. Deists believe in a God that reveals itself through nature rather than through books.

I always thought that the difference between a Deist or Pantheist and an atheist is that the atheist applies Occham's razor and the other two don't.

Jimahl> I have also heard that if atheism is a religion, than not playing any instrument makes you a musician.

My dad might think the later is true. He says that when he was a lad that every time in choir when he just moved his lips but didn't sing his choirmaster told him he was singing much better.

If I wasn't LDS which is my current religion, I'd be Atheist.
The reason why I say that, because since people love disrespecting the LDS faith, I'd probably think that Heavenly Father wouldn't exist.
Also, if I was Atheist, I'd sin and believe in going to hell.

Confucianism

Guys, I am fully aware athism and agnosticsm aren't religions, but they are belief systems, so maybe the question should've read ' What belief system would you rather be?'.

'In general the Liberal branch of the RSOF has mainly unprogrammed meetings while the more conservative branch has programmed ones.'

I see, thanks for the insight! I attended this meeting at a time when I was still seeking answers through religion, but no longer part of the denomination I was raised with. If nothing else, it gave me some experience with a group that many people out there talk about, but few seem to take the time and understand.

That's interesting what you said about deism, pantheism and atheism. Those two strands of theism are more appealing to me, but as you say they certainly don't offer the simpler explanation. I suppose my interest in them right now is purely philosophical.

'They never discuss dogma other than academically.'

In other words, a person can actually become smarter after attending church! Sounds like my kinda place. I have a friend from high school who became a you U, and she has some really good things to say about the existence of a supreme deity. Can't say she's convinced me, but it did give me food for thought!

OH...MY...GOD!!

if I wasnt following my current religion ie islam...OMG I wud be the most LOST person everrr*cries*...THANK GOD IM MUSLIM

I dun think I wud be following any religion...thank god for islam

this question TOTALLY freaked me out...hahah

later!

Buddist?