Religious or Non- religious

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Are you part of a religion or not? Explain why you're religious/non-religious .

I don't attend Church because I feel like a pariah there. When I was a kid, I had good experiences in Church but now it just seems like Christians are standoffish and rude in Church, the opposite of what Jesus wanted IMO. Then they come knocking on doors either asking me to join them or leaving brochures on my screen door handle. One time I answered the door for one. She saw me and didn't seem to like me much. She just quickly invited me to their church, left a flier in my hand and abruptly left. I mean, what's the point? I am sure Jesus would be more genuine and friendlier. He wouldn't rush off. I guess I expect Christians to be like Jesus which they are not capable, for the most part. If I can find some Christians who are like Jesus, I will go to their church, but so far, I have not.

I'm agnostic.

I am non-religious. I am currently Agnostic and I am an ex-Christian. The reason I stopped believing in my old religion is I could not understand at all how a god could love all humans, but still torture them for eternity all because they didn't have faith. Once I lost my old religion, I then realized something else that I didn't ever think of before. If an omniscient being creates beings that it knows are going to Hell, long before ever creating them, but creates them anyway, then it's not a merciful being. This would also mean there is no such thing as free will and that salvation is just a sham.

I could just imagine a cruel god like that, sending a false Messiah to Earth to die what would be a painful death, but this false Messiah could be unable to feel any pain at all. I could easily imagine a cruel god who loves itself more than anything it creates doing what it needs to make its worshipers believe it loves them when it does not, and then torturing all of the other souls who refuse to worship. Luckily there never was a Christ, because if there was, I do not know what I would do. I could not possibly pretend to love a being that knows all of my thoughts, when it is that evil.

Yes I am a Christian part of the Proestant reformation I go to a Church called Hopewell United Methdoist Church. I have been religious since I was 7 years old being religious is apart of my. Culture and most of my family is religious

<--- Not religious.

I'm not religious, mostly because of a non-religious upbringing, and I also believe that science > religion.

I usually tell people I'm religious, but I'm likely not religious in a strict sense. By that I mean I don't place a lot of importance on creeds, ritual, or other overtly religious activities as part of my spiritual life. Many people who claim to be religious will get involved in ritualistic or formalized worship, being active in those kinds of things for their own sake. There are SOME things I do, like regularly reading the Bible. But I read the Bible to help keep my faith more in the forefront of my mind and try to improve my knowledge and understanding of what being a Christian is all about. I don't think that reading the Bible makes me "more saved" or "more holy" though. I do it because I love it so much. I don't get hung up on creeds, like I said, but I do like that the Nicene Creed succinctly sums up what I think is the whole of Christian faith. So if someone were to ask me what I specifically believe, I'd point to the Nicene Creed.

I'm not opposed to organized religion either. I'm a Southern Baptist, and I've always felt that corporate worship is important, i.e. strength in numbers. I'm also active in music ministry. Music ability has always been a big part of who I am, so I'm thrilled to say church isn't JUST worship for me, but also part of my work. I'm fortunate to be in a church that pays me for what I do--the same gig in other churches is often volunteer. But I'd do it for free if I had to. I've even given some thought to quitting this job and moving to a mission-status church, do this gig for free, and just watch a new congregation grow. That would, sadly, involve getting a "day job." But if circumstances worked out favorably, I'd definitely do it.

I just don't like organized religion when the people involved place too much importance in the ritual or pattern of it rather than focussing on worshipping from the heart. I see that a lot, and I can readily understand why a lot of people become turned off to religion as a whole because of it.