Are You A Christian Simply Because That's How You Were Raised?

Well said niceguyinhell. I think you pretty much hit the nail on the heads as to why the United Sates remains such a religious nation compared to other more developed countries. I don't know if people are just scared or if they really are brainwashed into being religious, but they need to realize that if they are simply going with the flow just to cover their *** and make sure that if the bible really is true that they don't go to hell then they are full of ****. They also need to realize that faith is not something to brag about, faith is belief without evidence, it is the epitome of gullibility and it is not a virtue it is a vice. why can't anyone just suck up their pride and say "I have no idea what happens when you die, nobody does, so I'll just try to live a good life and hope for the best"

When I read the comments to these things it makes me want to go and live in a commune.

I THOUGHT I was a christen till I was 32 years old and realized that I believed very little of what was in the bible and that was why I was always questioning most things. I didn't know threrwerebeliefs out there that were like mine until I got into Wicca and Paganism. I KNOW that Christ was one of the most enlightened MEN on Earth but he was a man. All of these religious books were written by men with an agenda. Repression and control. Women were too powerful at the time christianity came about and the men had to put a stop to that so they called the women witches and made it a crime to be anything but christen, going as far as to make up stories about Pagans and kill people for their beliefs. Some peopleactually still believe the stories about Pagans. Of course they never bother to take their heads out of the Bible or the Koran or whatever book some man wrote and talk to people of different beliefs or read history to find out what actually was going on back then. Don't get me wrong. I love men. I just know and have known since I was a child that men and women are both created equally and no one is "over" me or in charge of me, not even my mate. I also know that animals should be treated with respect as should the Earth and we are more like parasites that anything else as we give very little and take a lot. But with a book that tells men they are over everything, what do you expect? I beleive in a higher power, a Source, a Creator because I can't imagine this all being an accident, but the Truth is that no one really knows and believing in something because you are afraid of being seperated from the creator is a tactic of cults. Hell was orignally the myth of a Goddess that took care of the vikings after they died until they decided if they wanted to come back to earth or go on to Valhalla. Men truned Hell into a place of eternal damnation because it works as a control mechinism. I actually had a christen tell me that he was too afraid to not be a christen. How sad to let fear run your life. Since I went with MY beliefs, I have known peace, a connection with the planet and all of the living beingson it, and have not been plagued by guilt or fear. My life is spent loving, living and paying it forward. I always knew I was a good person, but in order to realize that, I had to stop pretending to be a christen. Believe me, it was a shock when I realized it. Didn't mean to write a book, but this is a big question that deserves a lot of thought and truthfullness. Namaste.

I think most people just grow up becoming whatever their parents tell them they already are. OR becoming the SHADOW of what their parents tell them they already are. Sometimes a kid can sense where the "holes" are and then they actualize what is in the "hole" and become something quite different from what the parents actually say, do, or "want"! In the end, kids will actualize the strongest TRUTH coming from their parents, whether that be stated, unstated, clear, or ambivalent.
I see this question as transcending anything specific, so somebody's specific religious (or non-religious) choice...has nothing particularly to do with it, as this applies to EVERYTHING in a person's life.

Mat. 22:14

No. I used to be. But when I was in Junior High School I met people who I would say were true Christians, people who had faith in Christ and I learned the truth.

I have been a Christian for fourteen years now and it is not because I was raised as a Christian but because I do believe that Jesus died and raised again to save me.

i am not a christian at ALL. i'm kind of glad that i wasn't really raised by people who were hardcore into religion because i think that by being all into your faith you are blinded by certain realities. i'm free. i like it.

I am a Christian because I have read the Bible and have "Faith" that Jesus is who he claims he is, that he died, was buried in a grave, and arose the third day and ascended back into heaven to sit at the right hand of his father God. I believe that if I remain true to my Christian faith that someday I will be in heaven.....the ultimate victory.

I was raised with an attitude that I was free to choose to believe whatever and however I wanted. I was about 16 when I started searching for something but I didn't know what I was searching for. I had read the Bible, Siddhartha, books written by Rabbis, and by athiests. I attended all kinds of churches and gatherings, but I could not find what I was searching for. Then I met some missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) who taught me their beliefs and gave me a Book of Mormon to read. I read it and was amazed.

It reminded me of when I was 11 years old and got glasses for the first time. I could look out the window and see individual leaves on the trees. Everything was so clear.

Reading the Book of Mormon made all the Bible stories I had read over the years very clear too. It was exciting - I felt like I had found the very thing I'd been looking for.
Things I believed but hadn't heard anyone validate those beliefs except these missionaries. I joined the church and have had many spiritual experiences that confirm to me that we do have a Father in Heaven who loves us very much. His son, Jesus Christ is our Savior and our elder brother. I am a Christian because I know these things are true.

I am a christian because of how I was raised and because Of the things I have witnessed, and we as parents need to guide our children to the right path by showing them our beliefs, but they have to make up their own minds, God gives us free choice, I am not a traditional christian and that bugs toe beegebers out of my mother, but I belive in god jesus and the holy spirit, I also belive the earth is my mother and we need to respect and take care of her, and no I'm no hippy, give me my chocolate and burriotos any time

No - I was raised Catholic but at university stopped practising. But then I thought about stuff a bit more seriously and came back to the Catholic Church. I didn't come back because I was raised Catholic, but because I believed everything the Church taught - it answered all of my questions better than any other religion out there.

I'm therefore a Christian because I believe in it's teachings.

No. I'm Wiccan because I was raised as a Christian.