Brought up religious

[Kristofski]

I've been thinking about people who've been brought up in a strict christian way and then turn to paganism. I didn't have a religious upbringing (we had prayers and hymns and things at school, but I never took it seriously) so I find it quite interesting to hear about other people's experiances.

Alot of people on here seem to talk about being christian when they were younger but knowing it "wasn't quite right" or something like that, then moved onto wicca when they discoverd it. Something I've been wondering about is if people choose different types of paths if they've been brought up in a strongly religious setting or not?

My theory is that they would be more inclined to paths with set traditions and practices, for example a specific branch of Wicca, as this is how they are used to worshiping, rather than something more "freestyle". Personally, I don't follow any tradition at all and put my beliefs and practices together through what feels right to me personally.

I'd be interested to know people's views on this. All in the name of science of course
Kristofski xx

[Dreamy Mermaid]

I was n't exactly brought up as a strict Christian because my mum is Catholic, my dad is Protestant and neither of them go to church regularly or even own a Bible. I had a mixed faith of Catholicism and practising magic until two years ago when I was converted into Christianity but in hindsight I was manipulated or brainwashed because I never wanted to stop praying to Mary but I was told that praying to her was idolatry and that I would go to hell if I continued doing it. I was also told that the horoscope and Harry Potter is of the devil. So, after having practised magic since I was 14 and reading the Harry Potter books and praying to Mary every night I had to put these ways behind me and follow what Christians told me was the right path, which was following Jesus and everything according to the Bible which Christians regard as the infallible word of God.

But I am not prepared to diss Christianity as a whole because I think that it has some wonderful teachings among other teachings that I don't agree with. I was browsing on the net and this wiccan guy was saying he believes that Gods and Goddesses feed on our believing in them. That is what powers them and keeps them alive. I think I agree with that because many times I felt the presence and power of Yahweh God but at the same time my horoscope has been incredible accurate at times. I am still at the early stages in exploring my real beliefs after having been brainwashed but I like the idea of mixing and matching different belief systems according to what your own intuition and heart leads you to believe in.

[Addalaide]

*warning*...long...sorry.

I guess explaning my situation whould make it make more sence, 16 mounths after i was born my mom had my brother, was like like 2 mounths premature, and extreamly ill, so she had to be with him 24/7 tell he died when i was 8. So i was always with my father or grandparents because my mom had my brother, but sundays where the days i had to go to church always, the rest of the week we didnt do anything, i never remeber reading the bible and mom always made church out like we had to do it even if we didnt want to and "I whould thank her latter".

I never really got into church tell was was in 5th or 6th grade and then i became the, churchy bookworm , i always read the bible, i whent to every church camp, ever sunday, evey bible study, every church event i was invited to i whould go to, i wanted the feeling of something so bad i tryed so hard to get it, but never felt full or content, like my glass was always half full no matter what i filled it with it never was full. About, 9th or 10th grade is when it clicked, i have tryed so hard and nothing has come from it, i dont belive in this god anymore. Thats when i "rebelled" as my mother puts it. witch is i guess the time we all start to, maby i was a little late, but i just hated the idea of church because once i found my own clothing style ( yeah i just where jeans and a black teeshirt always, with boots nothing fancy) the intire church that had loved me and welcomed me, hates me, because i was "one of thouse kids". I hated the fact that my clothing chaged the way people saw me, and i dont think its the right thing for them to walk up to me and tell me i was going to hell because i have flames on my chirt or something.But my mom tryed as hard as she could to keep me from makeing her look bad, she forbid me from makeing my hair a 2 shades darker ( black my hair is like really really close to jet black ) or dye it anything but lighter brown, i wasnt alowed to where necklases with black beads, i wasnt alowed to skip church on sunday or wednesday. And She signed me up for evey church event and made me go. Seriusly she even signed me up to be a teacher at VBS one year, then one day i mentiond to the VBS directer i never wanted to do it my mother signed me up for it and my mom made me go appolagise to her and tell her i did want to sign up i was just mad at her that day. ( sorry i have issues with how my mom maks herself look good by makeing her kids do things to make her looks good ) Ok i think you all get the general picture i didnt mean to go on as much as i did.

Once i turned 17 i new that i wanted to know about the other religions, and my fionce told me that he whould encorage me and help me find the one for me ( yeah i have been dateing him sence i was 16). When i was a kid my mom refused to allow me to learn about any other religion but christianity because "The other ones dont matter there going to hell anyways". So between the ages 17-18 i started to read about the other religions. I started to practice about 3 or 4 mounths after i turned 17, but i didnt consider my year and a day tell august 18th the day after my birthday because tell i was 18 i wasnt alowed to worship what i wanted the way i wanted.

So yeah sorry thats super long and is more of a story of my life than my religion, but thats why and how it happend

[sarah_20]

I wasn't brought up in a religious household at all...i occasionally went to church with my grandparents, and always on christmas eve (its a tradition with me and my grandma), but it was never a big deal. I've never really understood most religions, a lot of it just never made sense. Thats why I follow the path I follow now...because it just makes sense. I think thats why a lot of people decide to follow their own paths instead of the path they were brought up with simply because to them anyway...it just makes more sense...and feels more natural.

[Raine]

I wasn't brought up in a strict religious family. My dad is Pagan and my mum is Athiest. I followed Paganism, not because my dad is but because I felt like it was the path for me, it felt to me like it was calling me to that path. My sister is also a Pagan but I don't think my brother has a religion, which is fine because that is up to him.

My dad is fine with me being Pagan because he is Pagan himself and my mum doesn't know that I'm Pagan because I don't see her after my parents got divorced because I live with my dad and step mum and I'm happier like that.

Blessed Be!

[Addalaide]

My dad was Athiest tell 2 years ago. But me and my fionce have talked about it, and we wont pressure our kids into any religion. I will tellthem i am pagan and there daddy is Athiest ( unless things change befor then ) but we will encorage them to find there path, and i will probly invite them into rituals and things, but i hope i never make them feel like thay have to. But i will probly teach them about all the religions when i think there of age to understand that some people dont belive in the same god/ess as others do.