The Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[Azisien]

I'd take out an educated guess and say the vast majority practice the religion they grew up around, or a close one. Grew up in a Christian/Catholic environment, are probably Christian/Catholic. Grew up in a Muslim environment, are probably Muslim. Etc etc.

A smaller minority have probably more extensively researched many religions and made a decision on their preferred one.

[42PETUNIAS]

I'd also like to add an attachement to that question, is there anyone who follows a specific religion, (As in Islam or christianity, as opposed to agnosticism or something general like that) that they were raised with?

[Nique]

Anymore 'chirstianity' is kind of an obtuse label as well. There are many variations on it.

I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses... We don't preform infant baptism, but I was more or less raised as a Jehovah's Witness.

[42PETUNIAS]

I am curious, what, in your own words, does a Jehovah's witness believe?

[ZAKtheGeek]

So are you saying you're a Jehovah's Witness just because you were raised that way?

[42PETUNIAS]

I think "just" is putting it a little strongly. As happens more and more these days, people are gaining the ability to look past what they were raised as, and choose a religion that fits them. Nique is clearly an enlightened individual, so saying that he's "just" a jehovah's witness because that's how he was raised is an insult.

[ZAKtheGeek]

Hey, I'm just going by what's presented in the post.

[Nique]

I am curious, what, in your own words, does a Jehovah's witness believe?

Hm. Not sure how to answer that concisely...

I guess these would be some core concepts.

-That the Bible is the inspired word of God, and that it (not our belifes or 'leaders') is infalible.

-That 'Jehovah' is God's personal name (or, rather, it is the english version of the tetragramaton 'YHWH'), and that he wants us to use it in our worship.

-That Jehovah is a seperate, superior personality, from that of Jesus. That they are both induviduals, and that Jesus was a direct creation of God.

-That God's originol purpose for the earth, which was for it to be an eternal paradise/ utopian society for humans, still stands, and that God is working still towards this goal. Jesus sacrafice of his human life acts as a symbolic ransom for our own lives, allowing us as people unfit for such an environment in our current physical and moral state, to be brought in to this arrangement.

-We belive that the year 1914 marks the beginning of the 'time of the end', which is essentially the precursor to the more colorful events of the book of Revelation. After these events, the earth and humans will be restored to perfection (read this as relative perfection, not omnipotence. Basically; perfect health, no genetic defects, and agelessness, in a united society on a planet that isn't on the verge of blowing up/ being blown up)

-That humans do not possess an immortal soul, but rather, that they are souls (literally, breathers). This pretty much negates the idea that people would be tormented in a literal hell, making 'hades' or 'sheol' purely figurative. A metaphor for the state of complete inactivity, mental and otherwise, that ALL humans are subject to in death.

Just for clarification, I'm listing these right now ONLY to answer the posed question. I am more than happy to discuss why I belive these things, but I'm not trying to refute anyone else's belifes at this juncture. So, this isn't an argument at the moment... merely information about what I belive. Ok? ok.

So are you saying you're a Jehovah's Witness just because you were raised that way?

No, and I'm sorry I gave that impression. I do belive that I have been taught the truth - any questions I have had about my belifes have been satisfactorily answered, and I've never gotten mixed messages, about doctrine essepcially, from any publication or teaching that Jehovah's Witnesses have published or endorsed. So I conciously and intentionally developed a trust for this paticular organization. I got baptised when I was 15.

I did this keeping in mind that, even though I belive Jehovah's Witnesses are teaching truth and are being used by God, I was actually dedicating myself to God... not to the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. I identify myself as a part of this group now becuase I belive this is the organization God will be using until the earth is restored to paradise. I mean, the 1st centuary christians weren't called 'Jehovah's Witnesses' (although it is an appropriate title)... it was a different organization God was using for that time period.

Hopefully that makes sense. It's essentially the same thing as saying 'I am a Jehovah's Witness', but the above clarification is a matter of princeple - that God is firstplace, for me.

Nique is clearly an enlightened individual, so saying that he's "just" a jehovah's witness because that's how he was raised is an insult.

Thanks for that, but really it's ok. I can see how my comments were interpreted that way. I'm just glad I got a chance to clarify.

[ZAKtheGeek]

It seems like you misunderstood my question. When I was asking why you're a Jehovah's Witness, I meant more along the lines of why you believe in the various doctrines and claims of Jehovah's Witnesses, not why you identify yourself as one. You did write something that could be an answer to my question:

any questions I have had about my belifes have been satisfactorily answered, and I've never gotten mixed messages, about doctrine essepcially, from any publication or teaching that Jehovah's Witnesses have published or endorsed.

Is it? Do you feel, for example, that other faiths are inconsistent in their teachings, so you reject those? Or is there a different answer?

[LordBalmung18]

Let me jump in here for a second..i dunno if its a good idea but this seems like a time to share personal experience.

Im a christian. I cant say what sect of christian or whatever you wanna refert to it as, cause it doesnt have one. I heard a word for it once and cant remember it for the life of me.

I wasnt raised as what i am today. My childhood was spent as church of christ, which is primarily a southern thing and wont make much sense to anyone else. It takes a strict literal view of the bible, believeing that every word in there is true, and anything contradictory is explained by"Well..god said so. Shut up.:.

Needless to say i found church very dull growing up, and i did not enjoy my faith at all. It was forced on me, and to some degree my family is STILL trying to force that belief on me.

So during my teen years, i naturally rebelled. First i tried the obvious, doing tjhe opposite. I tried pagan religons, wicca, earth worship, all that crap. I learned a great many things, none of which can really be expressed without the person experiencing it for himself. Look into it if you never have, the knowledge is enlightening.

Then i tried the other obvious answer, belief in nothing. I took the world for what it is, nothing supernatural, just accepting the explanations i was given. That lasted a very short time, cause theres just too many events, too many feelings and moments that cant be explained by weather baloons and swamp[ gas(lawl).

So i took stock of everything around me. I researched all i could into the three major branches of western religon, all the eastern religons i could dig up dirt on, paganism, shamanism...you name it. I took all the information in at once and thought about what i should do.

And the answer finally came. I would be christian. After being read the (forgive mispellings, as these were read out loud to me cause i cant read the language)torah, koran, traditional bible as well as original hebrew of it, and nameless texts on 2-3 pagan religons and alot of stuff i cant even mispell on asian religons...i chose to be christian. Not catholic as is so popular, or baptist or methodist or any of the thousand other divided sects..but simply christian. I said i would read the bible, interpret is best i could, discuss it with other faithful people when i couldnt get past something difficult.

And guess what? I feel alot more fulfilled than i ever did before. Not in that gay, life turned around when i found god tv special kind of way..but kind of like..a sense of something finally clicking home. I found that something that fit specifically me.

And lo and behold, since ive done so my life has improved. I went from a using a disability as a crutch worthless lowlife..to someone whos trying to make something of himself. Im in college now..i have a wonderful girlfriend im trying desperately to go see..and overall my life is finally moving forward for the first time in 8 years. That is my faith. Thats what it means to me. Finding god has given me the strength to finally get back up after people beat me down.

Does that answer some questions?