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 Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:27 pm
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arrow What was your religion before you chose to walk a Neopagan or alternative religious path?
My family was never really religous. Both my parents were raised Catholic and when I was born the church refused to baptize me unless they paid $1200 to them beforehand because my parents wern't yet married. My mother got really angry at the church, so we only went a few times afterwards (I faintly remember easter mass and such, and I went to church with my cousin like, twice because I had slept over. oh, and I attended CCD with my friend because I had slept over her house as well and decided to keep her company. That was fun because of the outrageous things they would discuss). My dad says he tried to show me God and such.. what a lie. The most he ever did was say, "hey you want to go to church?" and then i would say no and that would be that. And it's not like it woul dbe hard, there's a church in his backyard. But that's my father for you.
Anyways, my household really didn't have a religion, we don't talk about it much. But the kids (my younger siblings) seems to want to believe in a christian way, but that's because it's the only thing they've been exposed to.
arrow How do you reconcile with your previous religion? How do you feel towards it?
Towards Christianity? Well I think it's very two faced and those that say they believe in it rarely do and they do not follow what their religion says. It has a good face value, that you should be good in everything you do, but there are things that I just don't agree with and think are ridiculous. So I really think it's what you do with your faith.
arrow What similarities, if any, can you see between what your old religious practice was and what your new one is?
There's the treat others as you would want to be treated, and just a feeling of wanting better.
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Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:57 pm
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Quote: arrow What was your religion before you chose to walk a Neopagan or alternative religious path?
Roman Catholic. Well... sort of. My family's catholic. All my life I never held an interest in it. And when I was little on a couple occasions I'd say something to my mom or memere (gramma) like how a pet of mine that recently died would still be with me even after I died, or how I saw faeries and played with a small dragon in the creek (which I really did see) and they'd scare me saying "only people have souls and only we can go to heaven" and "seeing things like that will only bring you closer to the devil. Ask for his forgiveness."
Quote: arrow How do you reconcile with your previous religion? How do you feel towards it?
For a little while, they scared me out of seeing faeries and all most of the time. It angered my mom that I still believed in animals and plants and everything having souls. And it angered her when I'd talk to trees. By the time I was eleven, I realized that other people believe other things and what I saw to them wasn't wrong. (Which brought me to paganism a year later) I do feel resentment towards them to an extent for having me lose sight of the faeries for so long. I got it back while I was in middle school. And I lost it again in high school. Now I'm in the process of getting it back again. Anyway, I can't hate the people though who find it fits them. As long as they don't force it on me. I'll go to church only if my memere asks me to, which is hardly at all. And when I do, I use it as time to meditate, even through the aerobics of it. blaugh
Quote: arrow What similarities, if any, can you see between what your old religious practice was and what your new one is?
Well, I never really practiced catholicism. I was forced to go to CCD on sundays (basically sunday school with homework that I got in trouble for never doing in the whole eight years of it). And when I found out that it was a choice to be confirmed my eighth grade year and I told my mom I didn't want to be confirmed. She grounded me and forced me down the aisle to have that smelly oil smeared on my forehead. I guess I really only have a problem with my mom forcing something I didn't believe in on me. |
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:05 pm
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Interesting topic...
What was your religion before you chose to walk a Neopagan or alternative religious path?
My family is Christian (more specifically, Presbyterian) though they aren't devout or anything. It says on my personal profile that I am Presbyterian, though I was Atheist for four years, and then I became pagan about four years ago.
How do you reconcile with your previous religion? How do you feel towards it?
I used to believe in God, but after awhile, during my weekly religion classes at school, the teachers would discourage us asking questions about our faith, and when we did ask questions, they'd avoid them. I was confused at first, and then when I got older, I found that they would contradict themselves. I became a little disillusioned with Christianity (I think mainly due to the teachers, and not the actual religion) and soon I began to think about what I was following. I didn't really believe that one God created everything, nor did I really believe that there was one God who 'loved' us, while he let us suffer (some more than others) as punishment for the sins of two long gone people. I never really believed in heaven or hell, and I couldn't imagine that a God would send so many people to hell for so many things...my reasons sound silly, I know, but at the time, they were very important things to me.
I also had heaps of things happening in my life, and whenever I prayed, I felt that God wasn't hearing me. My life got worse, and in the end, I became an atheist. I felt that if I didn't believe in God, then I would be okay. However, even though I didn't really believe in it, the thought of being sent to hell still scared me. (The curse of ingrained beliefs)
I spent the next four years of being an atheist trying to clear up my own 'natural beliefs'- the beliefs that were not affected and influenced by what I'd been taught. I was introduced to Wicca by a friend in high school, and I instantly felt drawn to it. Even though I barely understood what Wicca was, the ties to nature and it's peaceful and tolerating nature were what drew me to paganism. It was so different from the teachings of the Church, and I began to learn more.
Now that I understand my beliefs more, I can look at Christianity without any of the anger I had when I was younger. In fact, I think about Christianity in a positive way. The way I see it, Christianity is like any religion. It may not be 'for me' (for lack of a better phrase) but it has been good for millions of other people. All religions have the good and not-so-good points, so I think that you should follow the path that best suits you.
What similarities, if any, can you see between what your old religious practice was and what your new one is?
Not really, but then again, I'm still new and inexperienced. However, one similarity I can see is that both religions encourage people to do good in their lives, which is something I believe in.
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:03 pm
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Starlock arrow What was your religion before you chose to walk a Neopagan or alternative religious path?
I was raised Protestant. We went to church every ow and then, but my parents were really religious. Then in 6th grade, a group of friends introduced me to the idea that there was more then one deity. It felt so right to me. I was scared back into Christianity in 7th grade, but soon I came back to Wicca/Neopaganism. (I still don't know what I am yet.)
Starlock arrow How do you reconcile with your previous religion? How do you feel towards it?
I hate the fact that my mom likes to insult what I believe, and I hate the fact that I'm not allowed to practice it until I'm 18.
Starlock arrow What similarities, if any, can you see between what your old religious practice was and what your new one is? |
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 10:06 am
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:54 pm
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Hmmmm I have no idea why I didn't jump on this one earlier. Ah well, I'm here now ^_^ Starlock arrow What was your religion before you chose to walk a Neopagan or alternative religious path?
I was born and raised Roman Catholic, but I began to question that in 6th grade and came to find that was not my path fairly Quickly. By 8th, when I first found Paganism, I was very clearly not Christian, though not anything else yet either, just exploring. I'm not sure whether that makes me a Roman Catholic convert or an agnostic convert. Its not so much that I didn't believe in anything or was questioning my beliefs, I was looking for a religion that was preaching what I already believed in my own mind.
Starlock arrow How do you reconcile with your previous religion? How do you feel towards it?
Initially I was bitter and resentful. Now, I hold nothing but respect for the Roman Catholic religion. It is a beautiful faith that I am glad I'm well versed in. I am glad that many people gain spiritual satifaction from the religion and yet I'm still glad that there was a path more appropriate for me to follow.
Starlock arrow What similarities, if any, can you see between what your old religious practice was and what your new one is?
Well the focus on helping others is still prominate. Also my strong focus on healing and growing is something I think I carried over from Roman Catholism.
The concept that a eutopia (sp) or a "Kingdom of God" can be acheive here on earth and it is something we should strive for, is carried over. I don't call it a Kingdom of God and my idea of what would be eutopia (sp) is completely different, but hey the core idea is probably fundimentally Christian.
The idea that any information about my beliefs should be freely given out and not kept secret is pretty Christian I'd say. And my belief that if one thinks something is going the wrong way one has an obligation to stand up and say so, is also a really Catholic Jesus kind of thing (even if it isn't already done).
My strong feminist views (equal, different sometimes, but always equal not better or lesser) weren't fulfilled in the Roman Catholic structure so I think that this really colored what I was looking for in a religion.
My belief that people should be able to seek compensation worthy of the service they provide including spiritual or information generated is pretty contrary to the whole priesthood in Christianity. My thoughts on living in the moment is "earth based" instead of "sky based" heavenly reward in Christianity.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head though ^_^
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Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:44 am
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I was raised "Catholic" but I seem to think maybe I had a different sect of it or something because anytime I've talked with other Catholics I've been labeled as blasphomist.
So I grew up going to mass and such but the stories we learned were bit different. And I don't remember ever having to do bible studies. At church we were told the creation story of Adam and Eve, and later in the evening (we always had religious studies of a different kind at my grandpa's house after church on sundays) We would also learn about the creation story but with the added effect of "Lilith" as the first woman, and eventually the serpant.
Anyway, we also had alters to "Mary" around the house, but they weren't the popular "Virgin de Guadalupe" stereotype that they usually sell in Christian Gift Stores. She was alwasy a more homely, humanly, if you will, earthy statue. She was definately more shapely and thick than the clothed statue of the colorful mary, and was dressed in simple plain cloth. usually of a neutral/cream/tan color. In one statue her hair was covered in a white cloth, and in the other statue she had long thick curly brown hair. Usually carying roses, and was pregnant.
Now later that kind of image is what I still have in my head as the Earthly Goddess of all life.
We practiced the "Rosicrusian" probably more so than we did the bible. Unfortunatly by oath I'm not aloud to teach others the Rosicrucian. ((That and the fact that I never finished mine >__> stressed )) At it's basis, it's kind of like a Catholic form of witchcraft. We learned different energy tecniques, various forms of petitions and prayer, as long as "New Age" concepts such as cleansing, exorcism, and scrying within gemstones and reflective serfaces such as water or glass.
So yeah sweatdrop I kind of grew up with a mix philosophy on religion. I used to attend St. Phillip Nary's in Cleveland. But I haven't been there since my Grandfather Died.
I don't really hold anger or angst toward my "old" religion, in fact I still hold alot of concepts I learned then, with me today. But I find it unsafe almost, to call myself catholic (1. because I don't really study or follow catholic dogma) and 2. because I've found that alot of other catholics I've met dont' follow anything even remotely close to what I learned as a child.
I do remember however, going to this thing called Awanas, kind of like a Baptist Bible Study for kids. When I was in grade school, I'd go on wednesday night with my neighbors. And after a few sessions I didn't want to go anymore. They were really really scary. And it seemed like one of the main themes was "No matter what you do your going to hell." Which was kind of weird. "Not through deeds of good work but through faith in jesus as your savior will you transcend into heaven" or something like that. But they were just scary, they made it seem like, If I didn't memorize my bible lines and if I didn't pay my "dues" everyweek then I was guilty of sin and would be sentenced to hell.
-_-; Scary.
But I hold no grudge. That's there belief. I never objected, I just stopped going. (which I guess was kind of an objection within itself, but oh well)
Wow sweatdrop ok, I'm done rambling now. See what I mean when I say my scattered brain just kind of wanders off, lol.
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