[bowhunter]

What type of religious backgrounds does everyone have?

I'm a Baptist. I lead worship at church, and love it.

[shortbus]

I grew up Baptist but converted to Lutheran sometime after I married my wife who grew up Lutheran. We attend Lutheran services mostly, but occasionally we will attend the Baptist Church here.

There are a lot of similarities and a lot of differences. I like the structure of the Lutheran Church, and it always bothered me a little that at the Baptist church I always felt like the preacher was preaching to everyone BUT the people that go every week. It was all about saving someone at the end of church, and don't take it the wrong way, that's obviously of the utmost importance, but I always kinda felt like, "why else are the rest of us here?" I'm here to worship, not to sit here while I listen to someone try and convince someone who isn't a Christian to become a Christian. I do feel like most Baptist sermons are more entertaining though.

I dislike the type of singing at the Lutheran Church but other than that, I prefer rest of the structure.

Sorry, I know you weren't asking for a big long answer.

[the professor]

My religious background, if you mean what faith was introduced and endorsed to me by immediate family and became my belif-system until my adolescence, was Roman Catholic. I felt fairly ardent from my youth until late teenage years. At that point I developed strong intellectual and philosophical doubts, and became fairly agnostic.

In the intermittent years, between college and adolescence, I varied from, what I consider now, a very unsophisticated athiesm, to a far more culturally benign secular humanism. That is where my beliefs rest now, unable to prove or disprove God, and certainly having no idea about his intents or desires. And that is based upon a careful reading of not only the Bible, but of the Hindu Upanishads, the Koran, the writings of Confuscious, an in-depth knowledge of ancient mythology, an in-depth knowlege of philosophy and theology, some knowledge of gnostic and occult theologies, that is, all of the major ideas and beliefs humankind has proposed from the ancient to the modern world (my anthropology is poor, so I won't admit to comprehending the prehistoric world that well, only in general terms.) It is even more based upon an excellent knowledge of human psychology, out facility to reason lgically and analytically, and out capability to imagine, from the damned to the divine and all in-between.

And all of this makes me love the outdoors even more so. Although I have no doubt there are many men of the currently most favored faith in the U.S., broadly Judeo-Christian (divided into a multiple of sects) who love the wild also. I have met them, reasoned with them, and they are good men.

[bowhunter]

Originally Posted by shortbus

I grew up Baptist but converted to Lutheran sometime after I married my wife who grew up Lutheran. We attend Lutheran services mostly, but occasionally we will attend the Baptist Church here.

There are a lot of similarities and a lot of differences. I like the structure of the Lutheran Church, and it always bothered me a little that at the Baptist church I always felt like the preacher was preaching to everyone BUT the people that go every week. It was all about saving someone at the end of church, and don't take it the wrong way, that's obviously of the utmost importance, but I always kinda felt like, "why else are the rest of us here?" I'm here to worship, not to sit here while I listen to someone try and convince someone who isn't a Christian to become a Christian. I do feel like most Baptist sermons are more entertaining though.

I dislike the type of singing at the Lutheran Church but other than that, I prefer rest of the structure.

Sorry, I know you weren't asking for a big long answer.

You just haven't found the right church. My pastor will usually try to take the scripture he's preaching on and put it into focus for everyone. And also Wednesday, and Sunday nights lean more towards bible Study. But God knows how to get your attention know matter where you're at.
And don't worry about that long answer. I like to get to know people. So the more we talk the more we'll know.

[bowhunter]

Originally Posted by the professor

My religious background, if you mean what faith was introduced and endorsed to me by immediate family and became my belif-system until my adolescence, was Roman Catholic. I felt fairly ardent from my youth until late teenage years. At that point I developed strong intellectual and philosophical doubts, and became fairly agnostic.

In the intermittent years, between college and adolescence, I varied from, what I consider now, a very unsophisticated athiesm, to a far more culturally benign secular humanism. That is where my beliefs rest now, unable to prove or disprove God, and certainly having no idea about his intents or desires. And that is based upon a careful reading of not only the Bible, but of the Hindu Upanishads, the Koran, the writings of Confuscious, an in-depth knowledge of ancient mythology, an in-depth knowlege of philosophy and theology, some knowledge of gnostic and occult theologies, that is, all of the major ideas and beliefs humankind has proposed from the ancient to the modern world (my anthropology is poor, so I won't admit to comprehending the prehistoric world that well, only in general terms.) It is even more based upon an excellent knowledge of human psychology, out facility to reason lgically and analytically, and out capability to imagine, from the damned to the divine and all in-between.

And all of this makes me love the outdoors even more so. Although I have no doubt there are many men of the currently most favored faith in the U.S., broadly Judeo-Christian (divided into a multiple of sects) who love the wild also. I have met them, reasoned with them, and they are good men.

Since your adolesence, have you ever thought about going to church anywhere. Just to see what all the fuss was about?

[D Winkler]

I was born and raised a Lutheran. My wife was raised a Baptist and is considering the crossover. We don't really find the time to attend as much as we should.

[birdman]

Raised Methodist and still Methodist. Babtizing my first child in a couple weeks. Wife sings in the praise and worship team and I play support role whenever possible. I have several good friends who followed a similar path as you professor. Their sanctuary is the outdoors. This is where they feel most connected with their higher power and draw upon their faith. I've found in talking with them they don't necessarily discount a God; however, they just don't subscribe to organized religous beliefs.

[Brian.Hama]

I was raised Unitarian Univeralist, but growing up in a small community controlled by an incredibly fundamental christian church I acquired something of a hatred for anything religious. As I matured, that hatred has simmered down significantly. None-the-less, it takes a considerable amount of self-control not to lash out at those trying to shove their beliefs down my throat. Long story, short: I don't believe in much that most would call religous, but as long as others keep their beliefs to themselves, good for them.

[thefallofman]

I am an Athiest, swear to God.

[bowhunter]

Originally Posted by Brian.Hama

I was raised Unitarian Univeralist, but growing up in a small community controlled by an incredibly fundamental christian church I acquired something of a hatred for anything religious. As I matured, that hatred has simmered down significantly. None-the-less, it takes a considerable amount of self-control not to lash out at those trying to shove their beliefs down my throat. Long story, short: I don't believe in much that most would call religous, but as long as others keep their beliefs to themselves, good for them.

Not trying to push any beleifs down your throat, I'm just curious as to what types of religious backgrounds we have on here.