Renouncing / Changing Religion

[misscherry]

Just wondering if anyone here has renounced or changed their religion, and why? What religion did you change from/to? Interested in other people's experiences.

[MallyJ]

Brought up in the Catholic faith (even wanted to be a nun as a child!) and left that in my mid to late teens. The more I thought about it the more ridiculous it seemed to me. I have, for many years now considered myself an atheist. As the years have gone on the more ridiculous religion seems to me to be......I don't need the threat of going to hell for eternity to make me considerate of others for example.

[mikey4444]

MissC....I was brought up as a Catholic, and went to Catholic Schools in the 1950's and 1960's. But when I got to about 17/18, I decided that I couldn't believe anymore in what I saw to be just a collection of infantile, far-fetched fairy tales.

I no longer have any belief in any religion any more.

I am not sure if my experience has been of any help to you !

[anthro-nerd]

Not sure if it's the same... but I was christened, and then confirmed as a child and then kind of lost my faith. But in recent years I've identified much more strongly with my faith and I pray now too. Something I had never previously even considered. It suddenly just became very natural and clear to me... I wish I had an explanation for you!

[EDDIE51]

I don't think anyone formally leaves a religion they just stop attending church or start going to a different one.

[mikey4444]

Eddie....I did !

[naomi24]

Mikey, what did you do to 'formally' leave your religion?

To answer the question - which is a very good one and one I don't remember being asked here before - studying the bible taught me to abandon religion.

I'd be very interested in hearing from people who have actually changed from one religion to another.

[nailit]

I became a Christian (of the 'born again' type) when I was about 15/16 years old. I was an avid reader (still am) and read the bible from cover to cover and many parts of it multiple times. Also read numerous Christian books. By my early 20's I could no longer identify as a Christian. The Bible as a 'Holy' book sickened me despite trying to defend it and reading dozens of books on apologetics. The Bible offended my intelligence, morals and reasoning. After leaving Christianity I looked into numerous belief systems. Today I identify as an atheist but remain open to possibilities :-)

[mikey4444]

Naomi....I formally left, in the same way as anyone else would.....I stopped going to church and celebrating Mass.

Consequently, I also stopped receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist.

[Islay]

So you just stopped attending church then!

[Mamyalynne]

My Mother converted to RC in 1950/51 in order to marry my Dad - there was no need for her to do this as no pressure was applied.

She told me much later (of course) she found the Roman Catholic way much more beguiling than what she had been used to.

As a covert, she sometimes came over a bit pious, my Dad would just smile sweetly.

[atalanta]

I really wanted to believe, because church people seemed to be the sort of person I would have liked to be, and I wanted to join in, but my brain kept saying " come off it, you can't believe that ".

[EDDIE51]

mikey, that's just what I said. You simply stopped going.
A church is not like a members club where you have to renew your membership every year to remain a member.
You will be welcome back any time if you choose to go.

[mikey4444]

I am not sure how anyone becomes a "formal" Member of a Church in the first place ? In my Catholic Church, the Priest never asked for membership cards at the door....anyone could wander in and take part in a Mass, if that is what they wanted to do.

Misscherry asked if anyone had renounced a religion, and that is exactly what I did.

[albaqwerty]

sometimes the converts are worse than those who grew up in whichever faith they grew up in.

[Islay]

No mikey you said you formally left when there is no such thing!

[vetuste_ennemi]

//I am not sure how anyone becomes a "formal" Member of a Church//

Haven't heard of baptism and confirmation, then, Mikey?

You an ex RC boy and all.

[vetuste_ennemi]

I think they're called sacraments.

[ummmm]

I was brought up a Catholic and am now an Atheist.

[Baldric]

Where does 'formal' come into 'I just stopped going to Church'

[Mamyalynne]

Did you ceremoniously rip up your documents Mikey?

I still have mine.