Post by edwina on May 4, 2009 22:16:28 GMT -5
Hi all!
I've been lurking on this blog/these boards for quite some time now, and haven't gotten around to participating in the conversation yet. I was drawn here by the Salon article and haven't left! There's so much to read and absorb that by the time I've done all that I have to return to real life/work/whatever instead of taking the time to craft a comment. Even so, I'm eager to join the conversation as I'm fascinated by what drives people to join and leave extreme religious sects. In fact, I'm fascinated by what drives people in general, so I feel drawn to a blog and forum about 2 women's choices and thought processes throughout their lives.
Like a few others here, I'm a feminist and an agnostic. I went to church as a child but my parents weren't particularly devout; in fact, I'm sure my dad is not religious at all and my mom believes in something but she isn't zealous. I was quite religious until around the age of 20 (I'm now 30), when I realized I couldn't be a Christian anymore. I had two fundamental reasons for this change of heart (although there were others): First of all, I trusted my own sense of right and wrong more than I trusted the bible - and since the bible contradicted many of my own instincts I had to make a choice. I felt I couldn't go around cherry-picking my beliefs and making up my own religion as I went along. Secondly, I didn't feel I had adequate reason to believe Christianity was any more valid than any other major religion just because I'd been raised in that tradition. I tried to learn as much as possible about other faiths in order to make a more informed decision, but I never found any reason to value one faith above the other. I was drawn to Buddhism for a while for the intellectual aspects, and I still stand by the benefits of meditation (with plenty of social and scientific studies to support it), but I'm not so sure about the more mystical aspects (reincarnation, nirvana, etc). So, I went agnostic and have been happy with that decision ever since. I'm growing closer to atheism lately, in fact, because a close friend just de-converted after years of being a faithful Christian and we've been having many conversations about religion, faith, reality, science, culture and belief.
Anyway, that's my story, and I can't wait to engage with this group!
I've been lurking on this blog/these boards for quite some time now, and haven't gotten around to participating in the conversation yet. I was drawn here by the Salon article and haven't left! There's so much to read and absorb that by the time I've done all that I have to return to real life/work/whatever instead of taking the time to craft a comment. Even so, I'm eager to join the conversation as I'm fascinated by what drives people to join and leave extreme religious sects. In fact, I'm fascinated by what drives people in general, so I feel drawn to a blog and forum about 2 women's choices and thought processes throughout their lives.
Like a few others here, I'm a feminist and an agnostic. I went to church as a child but my parents weren't particularly devout; in fact, I'm sure my dad is not religious at all and my mom believes in something but she isn't zealous. I was quite religious until around the age of 20 (I'm now 30), when I realized I couldn't be a Christian anymore. I had two fundamental reasons for this change of heart (although there were others): First of all, I trusted my own sense of right and wrong more than I trusted the bible - and since the bible contradicted many of my own instincts I had to make a choice. I felt I couldn't go around cherry-picking my beliefs and making up my own religion as I went along. Secondly, I didn't feel I had adequate reason to believe Christianity was any more valid than any other major religion just because I'd been raised in that tradition. I tried to learn as much as possible about other faiths in order to make a more informed decision, but I never found any reason to value one faith above the other. I was drawn to Buddhism for a while for the intellectual aspects, and I still stand by the benefits of meditation (with plenty of social and scientific studies to support it), but I'm not so sure about the more mystical aspects (reincarnation, nirvana, etc). So, I went agnostic and have been happy with that decision ever since. I'm growing closer to atheism lately, in fact, because a close friend just de-converted after years of being a faithful Christian and we've been having many conversations about religion, faith, reality, science, culture and belief.
Anyway, that's my story, and I can't wait to engage with this group!
