Zone1 Before or After

[Blues Man]

I have always wondered if people decide to believe that a god exists before or after they were exposed to any particular religion.

For example if a person ( let's say someone who is 18 and considered an adult) never heard god mentioned or never experienced any religious teaching would merely reading the OT, NT or the Koran instill belief?

If a person's very first exposure to gods or religion was attending Temple, Church or Mosque services, would that first service be enough to plant the belief of a god that would then be part of their life for as long as they live?

I think it is an interesting question because I know many people who have walked away from religion or changed a religion after they were raised into one.

Since religion is so ubiquitous in every society I think this would be a good topic.

 

[rightwinger]

I was raised Catholic and went to Church every Sunday until I was 18.
By the time I was 13-14 I realized that most of the stuff I was hearing sounded fake. Just no longer made sense

 

[Blues Man]

I was raised Catholic and went to Church every Sunday until I was 18.
By the time I was 13-14 I realized that most of the stuff I was hearing sounded fake. Just no longer made sense

Like most people who leave a religion.

But what about the proposed question?

 

[rightwinger]

Like most people who leave a religion.

But what about the proposed question?

If a person's very first exposure to gods or religion was attending Temple, Church or Mosque services, would that first service be enough to plant the belief of a god that would then be part of their life for as long as they live?

Of course not

To me, it was more about being afraid not to believe.
I went to please my mother and pretended I believed that stuff

Saying openly you don’t believe in God is one of the last bastions of religious persecution

 

[Blues Man]

If a person's very first exposure to gods or religion was attending Temple, Church or Mosque services, would that first service be enough to plant the belief of a god that would then be part of their life for as long as they live?

Of course not

Why not?

This is what religious people tell me. Or they say I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I read the bible that's why it didn't create some epiphany in my soul.

 

[pknopp]

Science has argued that a belief in a higher being is built into humans. How do we prove that? We can't with our limited knowledge.

The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired Into Our Genes - Nature Genetics

So the argument goes that someone that went into a church, mosque or whatever would simply be getting someone verifying what they already feel.

Just one argument.

 

[Mac-7]

I have always wondered if people decide to believe that a god exists before or after they were exposed to any particular religion.

For example if a person ( let's say someone who is 18 and considered an adult) never heard god mentioned or never experienced any religious teaching would merely reading the OT, NT or the Koran instill belief?

If a person's very first exposure to gods or religion was attending Temple, Church or Mosque services, would that first service be enough to plant the belief of a god that would then be part of their life for as long as they live?

I think it is an interesting question because I know many people who have walked away from religion or changed a religion after they were raised into one.

Since religion is so ubiquitous in every society I think this would be a good topic.

You post a lot of negative comments about God

Far more than Christians post trying to save your soul

 

[Blues Man]

You post a lot of negative comments about God

Far more than Christians post trying to save your soul

What exactly did I say that was negative? Saying I do not know if any gods exist is hardly negative, In fact I would say it is about as neutral as one can be.

I have said lots of negative things about religion though.

I am asking questions about people not gods

 

[debbiedowner]

I was raised Catholic and went to Church every Sunday until I was 18.
By the time I was 13-14 I realized that most of the stuff I was hearing sounded fake. Just no longer made sense

My mother was southern baptist, lived in Sweetwater, Tn and had 3 kids by a first marriage. Then moved north during WWII and married my father after he was discharged from military, he was Catholic. I guess at that time the women felt the kids would assume the roll of religion from father, so I was a Catholic and went to Catholic school until senior year. At school we had to go to church daily and then on Sunday's my mom would drop me and my brother off at church (she did not attend) and we went in one door and out the other side of church. In 9th grade had religion classes every day and it was that year a nun asked who felt like they were indoctrinated? I was the only one that raised their hand and after my answer got a swift hit on my shoulder's with a pointer.

They kicked me out at end of junior year and had to go to public for one year, but other that about 5 times since have not stepped foot into any church.

 

[debbiedowner]

I do believe in a higher power, maybe God who knows? I fell away because I have seen so many so called hateful christians believing in something really called hate.

 

[Votto]

My mother was southern baptist, lived in Sweetwater, Tn and had 3 kids by a first marriage. Then moved north during WWII and married my father after he was discharged from military, he was Catholic. I guess at that time the women felt the kids would assume the roll of religion from father, so I was a Catholic and went to Catholic school until senior year. At school we had to go to church daily and then on Sunday's my mom would drop me and my brother off at church (she did not attend) and we went in one door and out the other side of church. In 9th grade had religion classes every day and it was that year a nun asked who felt like they were indoctrinated? I was the only one that raised their hand and after my answer got a swift hit on my shoulder's with a pointer.

They kicked me out at end of junior year and had to go to public for one year, but other that about 5 times since have not stepped foot into any church.

You think that is bad, I said that I was the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and the HIgh Priest threw me out of the Temple.

 

[debbiedowner]

You think that is bad, I said that I was the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and the HIgh Priest threw me out of the Temple.

View attachment 833471

Yep, all myself and 2 friends did was skip school the last day of a retreat (the school had once a year) and missed the so called papal blessing. Luckily, that was about a month before school let out for summer. The principal and very mean nun called each one of us into her office alone and asked me if I knew I committed a mortal sin by missing the papal blessing? I said "what the fuck is a papal blessing"? Slap that knocked me off my feet and she said don't return next year, you are banned.

My mother who had struggled to put us all through that catholic school with tuition was livid, more with the principal because of all the money she had put out.

Wondering about my old man? He was an alcoholic that at the end (before a mental institution) drank rubbing alcohol that ate his brain away when I was 10. Can't believe he lived in a VA domicilary until 91. If he had not been he would have ripped the principals head off literally.

 

[Dadoalex]

I have always wondered if people decide to believe that a god exists before or after they were exposed to any particular religion.

For example if a person ( let's say someone who is 18 and considered an adult) never heard god mentioned or never experienced any religious teaching would merely reading the OT, NT or the Koran instill belief?

If a person's very first exposure to gods or religion was attending Temple, Church or Mosque services, would that first service be enough to plant the belief of a god that would then be part of their life for as long as they live?

I think it is an interesting question because I know many people who have walked away from religion or changed a religion after they were raised into one.

Since religion is so ubiquitous in every society I think this would be a good topic.

Belief in the mythology of any religion requires indoctrination at an early age.

Consider the fairly well educated but religion free person in the OP...

Now tell him that
the universe was created in 6 days by some guy called "God"
"God" tortured his most ardent follower on a beer bet with the devil
Jesus fed a "multitude" with a single fish and load of bread
Mohammed moved a mountain...

Our example would, rightly, look at you like you're insane.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

I was raised Catholic and went to Church every Sunday until I was 18.
By the time I was 13-14 I realized that most of the stuff I was hearing sounded fake. Just no longer made sense

yep...honoring your parents, not murdering, not screwing your neighbor....etc...are not good advice

 

[rightwinger]

yep...honoring your parents, not murdering, not screwing your neighbor....etc...are not good advice

I did not need the Ten Commandments to know right from wrong.
Four of the ten are……You better worship me or else

I knew murder and stealing were wrong
I did have a really hot neighbor I would have screwed but I never got the chance. More of a covet thing

 

[BULLDOG]

yep...honoring your parents, not murdering, not screwing your neighbor....etc...are not good advice

It dosen't take religion to know the difference between right and wrong.

 

[Meriweather]

If a person's very first exposure to gods or religion was attending Temple, Church or Mosque services, would that first service be enough to plant the belief of a god that would then be part of their life for as long as they live?

No. Does listening to the State of the Union Address make someone a good citizen? If one cannot bring their active citizenship to the State of the Union Address, it is not likely it will teach them to be good citizen.

In the same way, if people cannot bring their daily life with them into to a place of worship, they are not likely to to include what is taught into their daily life.

 

[Meriweather]

Four of the ten are……You better worship me or else

Consider what the teenager decided that meant is not at all what the Hebrew and the original author meant. However, if you knew, I am smilingly confident you would be doing that without being told as well!

 

[Meriweather]

It dosen't take religion to know the difference between right and wrong.

It doesn't take a chef to know what is food and what is not. However, a good chef can sure make a difference in food.

 

[BULLDOG]

It doesn't take a chef to know what is food and what is not. However, a good chef can sure make a difference in food.

Odd choice for analogy, but a chef's hat is not required for a good meal. and is no guarantee of a better meal.