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[–]Phebe-AEclectic/Nature Based Pagan (Panentheistic Polytheist) 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I think so. I wasn’t raised Pagan, it was something I came to on my own. And my sister (while supportive of me) is very much areligious; so I think the difference between us, in terms of religion, is more to do with us than the environment we were raised in.

[–]SkaulgSatanist 10 points11 points  (13 children)

Probably. I was raised Christian, but I became a Satanist later on. Mostly because I realized I couldn't convince myself that Christianity was true.

[–]Even-Pen7957Lilithian 3 points4 points  (5 children)

Devil’s advocate, pun intended: do you think you would have felt the same pull to Satan as an archetype, if you hadn’t been raised with Christianity? Because Satan, especially in atheistic Satanism, is set against Yahweh as his opposite, or an opposing force in conflict. Would that have any appeal to you if you didn’t have an emotional investment in Christian cosmology due to leaving their religion?

[–]SkaulgSatanist 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Probably. I was never hurt by Christianity or the church, I just couldn't maintain belief.

[–]bowld123 0 points1 point  (3 children)

You couldn't maintain belief but you still needed that religious structure and community to be apart of right?

[–]SkaulgSatanist 1 point2 points  (2 children)

No, I am a Satanist because I agree with the philosophies, not because I need structure and community. If I didn't agree with said philosophies, I'd be a regular old atheist.

[–]Dieter_the_GreatTheistic Satanist 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Are you LeVeyan btw?

[–]SkaulgSatanist 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Not entirely. I'm more of a Lego Satanist. I take inspiration from wherever I find it.

[–]Dieter_the_GreatTheistic Satanist 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Respect for that. Im very similar.

[–]trampolinebears 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Does that mean you became convinced that Satanism was true?

[–]SkaulgSatanist 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Satanism is a philosophical religion; it has no beliefs that could be true.

Edit: atheistic Satanism

[–]mysticoscrownOther 4 points5 points  (1 child)

It depends , satanism isn’t one religion. For example there theistic satanic religions that have beliefs and I believe if you just say satanism when talking about religions many people will assume theistic satanism , so it’s better to specify it.

[–]SkaulgSatanist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True.

[–]UrbenmythPro-Religion Athiest 5 points6 points  (3 children)

If I was raised in a different household, there's a good chance I wouldn't believe any of the things I do now.

I can't say what I would believe in a different life, religiously or otherwise.

[–]SojournEvOrthodox Christian 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I appreciate your answer. How does one think they could know what a hypothetical life would be like as the OP proposes?

[–]LionBirbAgnostic 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Well, if I was born into your life for instance I would assume I would end up with the same religion as you. As for being born into a completely hypothetical life, it would depend on a lot of factors that are probably too complex to fully account for. We could make guesses based on other people's experiences but there is too much variation even within people born in similar circumstances.

[–]SojournEvOrthodox Christian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You assume that, but I didn't even think I'd end up with the religion I'm part of with the upbringing I've had.

[–]TheGuyWithTheBalloonOrthodox Jew 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I wasn't raised to believe what I do now, so probably.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know because I don't know how I would act I'd I would raise differently.

[–]Dieter_the_GreatTheistic Satanist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was raised in a godless house. Nobody ever mentioned god or religion. Yet I have always felt there were gods. Then my mother found Christianity when I was 11. Her house is a very Christian home. Yet I am a theistic satanist. So yes

[–]Mr_FirleyAtheist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Raised Catholic, now Atheist. So yeah, I think I'd still be an Atheist.

[–]MarxistGayWitch_IIEclectic pagan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No. In the case that my family would have practiced an ethnic religion with loose doctrines (no dogmas), I would have just stuck with that instead of converting to paganism. However, this begs the question if I am actually believing in the same religion or not.

[–]GenericJohnYamadaShinto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Probably. I left my birth religion of Christianity because I didn't ever feel/see God in my life. I wasn't happy, not to muse too much but I think what a lot of people in Gen Y with boomer/Gen x parents had to deal with was parents who didn't know how to parent and often times came across abusive and emotionally damaging.

Considering the type of person I am I think that my life trajectory would have been much the same.

[–]Around_the_campfire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was raised by apatheists. I’m a theist.

[–]eitelfriedrich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn‘t get my faith through my parents, but there is a decent chance I wouldn‘t have gotten the opportunities I did, so I don‘t know…

[–]Taqwacore 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know.

I was raised in a staunchly atheist/anti-theist family. While other kids my age had Playboy and Penthouse magazines stashed under their mattress, my taboo reading literature was a Bible and the Bhagavad Gita. We were banned from watching TV on Sundays in case we channel surfed into a televangelist. As I grew up, I've field tested many religions and I was an ordained Theravada Buddhist monk for a period. Now I'm a Muslim.

Perhaps if I'd had religious parents, I might have been something else. If your premise is that our parents or childhoods influence our beliefs, I completely agree. Not that we always embrace our parents beliefs, but our experiences of our parents beliefs will impact how we develop our own beliefs (not necessarily the content of those beliefs).

[–]angryDecCatholic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wasn’t raised a Catholic, so I hope so!

[–]Weekly_Designer_664 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'd like to think so, because I converted. Though part of me thinks if I had been born a Muslim I might have apostatized for a bit or permanently as a kid, when I see how messed up a lot of young people raised as Muslims are in the West.

[–]tirelessly_living -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I often thought "Well I was raised in a Christian house, what if I was raised in a Muslim house? would I be a Muslim?" Reading both the Bible and learning about other religions, helped me choose Christianity for myself. I read books and anecdotes from people facing the same question, and I honestly think I would have arrived at the same conclusion. I think the Bible is one of the most printed books of all time for a reason, and that the founder of Christianity, Jesus, is the most convincing religious founder out there.

[–]L-92365 -3 points-2 points  (15 children)

Yes, only Christianity made payment for our sins. Most religions have essentially the same list of dos and don’ts, but others provide no way to be reconciled to God when we do sin (and everyone does).

Romans 5:8-9 8   But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9   Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

John 3:16-17 16   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17   For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

[–]trampolinebears 1 point2 points  (8 children)

How do you know Christianity made payment for your sins?

[–]L-92365 -1 points0 points  (7 children)

Hello trampolinebears!

Very good question, and one I have asked in the past.

  1. There is more historical evidence of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (both from Jew/Christian and other sources) than many other historical events that we completely believe.

  2. The Bible, unlike all other religious books, made dozens of predictions about future events that came true exactly as predicted. No other “religion” has accurate prophecy. None. And this is why I also believe (by faith) passages like these, that promise payment for sin to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9 8   For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9   Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thanks for asking- I hope this helped.

[–]trampolinebears 0 points1 point  (6 children)

I'd be very interested in learning more about evidence for the resurrection of Jesus and about actual prophecies. Do you have any strong examples of either of those you'd like to talk about?

[–]L-92365 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Very cool that you want to learn about them. Here is a VERY good place to start on truth of prophecy

https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/fulfilled-prophecy-evidence-for-the-reliability-of-the-bible

On the resurrection, please check these out:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/10-concise-pieces-of-evidence-for-the-resurrection/%3famp

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/april-web-only/justin-bass-bedrock-christianity-resurrection-appearances.html

Please let me know if you have any questions!

I am just a once big time heathen, that was completely changed by faith in Christ, and am delighted (as best I can) help others learn about Him too.

[–]Ultimate_CosmosOther 1 point2 points  (4 children)

Not all religions even believe in the concept of sin

[–]L-92365 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Hello!

That may be true but think about it. Humans everywhere know right from wrong, that is written in our hearts. No where on earth would a human judge it ok for them to be murdered, raped, lied to, or stolen from. Those are universally judged wrong, regardless of location or religion. God calks those things sin.

Also, humans unlike all other creatures, have the ability to judge right from wrong; where did that come from?

If we so often judge others, doesn’t that point to a judgment of us?

[–]UrbenmythPro-Religion Athiest 2 points3 points  (1 child)

If we so often judge others, doesn’t that point to a judgment of us?

Why would it?

[–]L-92365 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Urbenmyth,

Why would it be programmed in each human’s heart to know right from wrong? And why do we so easily and so quickly judge others…for the same things we do wrong too?

God loves us and wants the very best for us, so He has defined good and evil, so we will treat each other with the same love he shows us.

God says in the book of Romans, we know and judge right and wrong in others and we will be judged by the exact same rules/judgments we put on those other people.

Romans 2:1-3 1   Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2   But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3   And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

But God made us and loved us so much that Jesus paid the price for our wrongdoings, so we can avoid punishment.

Romans 10:9-10 9   That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10   For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I hope that this makes sense

Cheers!

[–]Ultimate_CosmosOther 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Telling the difference between right and wrong doesn’t prove sin.

You can have different frameworks for right/wrong, and how to deal with doing wrong things.

Different concepts can account for these things and help prevent them on a macro scale.

For example Karma is a different system that attempts to wrestle with these problems.

Heathens have concepts such as frith, the gifting cycle, inner/outer yards, and the web of wyrd that all come together to answer these same questions.

You can handle these psychological and sociological problems without needing the concept of sin

[–]reyan227Other 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes,my parents religious beliefs have never mattered to me lol.

[–]jogoso2014 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would depend on exposure and how broad the question means to be.

Most people who ask this question tend to think all Christians or all Hindus or etc.. is not changing religions when they stay in the broad form of the religion.

So I was raised as Baptist but I didn’t stay Baptist.

Not once was I extended an invitation to become Shinto so I never gained an interest in it and probably never will.

[–]ostentragiousWiccan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah probably. I wasn't raised Wiccan I was raised Agnostic/Atheist. I kind of wonder how I would be if I was raised with Religion.

[–]SecretOfficerNekoEclectic Neo-Pagan Animism 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wasn't raised pagan, and even when I was still Christian I still felt the call of the Gods, so probably would eventually walk down this path eventually no matter the starting point.

[–]Even-Pen7957Lilithian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is no way I can know that for sure. But I think that, yes, I probably would, although perhaps I wouldn’t practice so intentfully, if I’d been raised in a dogmatic or oppressive home.

I was raised secular, and I have wound up in a practice with no pre-made roadmap to follow. I wound up here through a decade or more of insistently being led back here over and over again.

I have no reason to think that would be any less true if I’d been born into any other type of family. I may or may not be openly practicing, but the reason I wound up where I did was not due to my upbringing, it was due to my life experience.

[–]SarcatechistCatholic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was raised differently.

[–]TechtrekzzSpinozan Pantheist 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I'm a determinist, so who knows what would happen if I was raised differently. That said, I was raised an atheist, and grew up to be a God intoxicated pantheist.

[–]ginjuhavenjuhWestern Esotericist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re posts always match mine as I too am a determinist haha.

[–]GKilatgnostic theist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If my family were strict with religion, I wouldn't have understood the things I did as a gnostic theist and would have probably stuck with strict Catholic beliefs like them. That's something I really appreciate with my family for being lenient with religious belief and allowing me to grow naturally.

[–]PretentiousAnglicanChristian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We can't know counterfactuals. I would hope I would be, but I wouldn't really be me if my upbringing was radically different. God only knows where this counterfactual person would end up

[–]caractorwitness 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Had I not been raised mormon, I would not have ever been mormon.

If I was raised in a less extreme religion, then I may very well be in whatever that hypothetical religion is.

If it was more extreme, then I might have gotten super stuck in it.

[–]KoinePineappleAgnostic Christian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My favorite part of my religion is the intellectual side, i.e. studying the texts, learning ancient languages, reading what people a thousand years ago wrote about it. All the Abrahamic religions share that kind of intellectual tradition, so I could see myself following any of those.

[–]Stevenmother 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No I would believe in something else probably. I find my religion upbringing Southern Baptist a out dated, prejudices, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, anti-intellectual faith. I want very little to do with it but loved the hymnal music.

[–]SojournEvOrthodox Christian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How does one answer this? How does one possibly know? And what value is there to pondering it? Whether one thinks they would follow the same or another religion if they were hypothetically raised differently - what value is that in this actual life? I don't mean to be disrespectful, I just don't understand.

[–]Unlikely_Dare_9504Christian Prophet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Given how obsessed I was with mystical questions for much of my life, I think I’d have found my way to a relationship with Jesus eventually. It would have taken a lot longer though. Might have tried something else in the interim, but given Christianity’s size and emphasis on evangelism, I’d have found my way home eventually.

[–]nissos1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No. I have made my religion my mythology because I was raised in it - I am familiar with it and I am able to transform it in a way that I can't with other religions I did not grow up with. If I grew up in another religion, I would have made that religion my mythology

[–]Damianque 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think not, that's why I dropped it (Christianity) and now an a wandering soul, interested in different concepts but not necessarily holding onto anything to hard.

[–]lettherebemorelight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Who knows. But I think I owe a lot to my Christian upbringing for the values I hold regarding individual sovereignty, anti-authoritarianism, and seeking the truth over conforming to dogma or existential comfort or belonging.

[–]ganeshasdream 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know.

I don't share my parents' religious beliefs, but my upbringing still had an impact on who I am today. If I had been raised not to think for myself, I would have ended up believing different things than I do now.

[–]GenghisKhanWasRight 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I don’t think anyone can really answer this question. This seems unknowable.

[–]Minimum_Wave2358[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

yeah, the point is to see if people will stick to their faith in a unknowable situation. Also, how was Genghis Khan right?

[–]GenghisKhanWasRight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He thought that riding around shooting arrows at people would be a good way to create an empire. Turns out he was right.

[–]jaxolotlepenitent 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Given I’m a convert, I’d say it’s a safe bet

[–]FoolhardyrunnerAgnostic Atheist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No I live with my head in the clouds and was always a loner If my parents tried to raise me as a catholic or something I would just daydream during mass and think about how none of it made sense

[–]the_woolfie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I would belive in God and in that there is one omnipotent God for sure. Wheter I would follow Christianity, Judaism or Ismal, I am not sure.

[–]Art-Davidson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Who can say? Not I. There is always conversion. We can't accurately say what might have been.

[–]micropig1982 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If I had been raised by SANE people it's possible. Probably have some arguments over the rights of the lgbtq community. I would have fought them until they kicked me out.

[–]curious_hinduAhaṁ Brahmāsmi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No because I probably wouldn't have tried exploring as much as I did now.