TEENS: Do any of you wish you were more religious?

More religious? No. More spiritual? Yes. I've been raised very Christian my whole life. It's not like I've grown up in a Bible-thumping family that stands out in the rain to protest abortion and has family prayer time every night, but I did go to a Christian school for 10 years and my extended family is almost entirely Christian, with the possible exception of a person or two.

I believe in the basics of Christianity; the existence of the Triune God, God's grace as the only way of salvation, etc. I try not to have a pick-and-choose approach to my faith because honestly I just consider that cheap, but I have to say, there are some things I hold to a lot more than others.

For instance, the Bible says homosexuality is wrong and therefore I can't easily be 100% in support of it, but I do support gay marriage, if even for the sole fact that there is supposed to be a separation of church and state and therefore religious beliefs shouldn't interfere with people's rights. Besides, it's been proven that it's natural and why would God create it solely to condemn it? As for abortion, I don't support it, but I don't support banning it. I think there are better options and it should be used if and only if it was a young girl who was raped or it threatens the mother's health, but again, I don't think my beliefs should be able to stop others from doing something that is their right to do.

I'm kind of moving away from being religious... I go to church and pray, but at this point I think what's a lot more crucial to keeping my faith is spirituality. You know, focusing a lot more on faith itself than the "be a holy Christian" aspect of it.

Edit: From re-reading this, I realized how Christian it makes me sound. Which isn't to say that's odd, considering I am a Christian, but I just thought I should point out I swear, make sex jokes, and act like a normal (or, at least normal non-drinking/drug-doing) teenager just as much as anyone else.

Edit #2: I thought I should add this in as well after reading some of the other answers: there is definitely a lot of Christianity out there that has nothing to do with hating, bashing, or even opposing other groups. One key difference many non-religious people don't seem to understand is that between tolerance and acceptance. Whether right or wrong, many Christians don't accept certain groups or ideas. However, they remain tolerant. In other words, they won't support gay marriage, but are not in any way going to treat a homosexual differently than they would a heterosexual. At my grade school (which was a rather conservative denomination), nearly everyone had very conservative morals and I often thought (and occasionally still do), "these people need to get out more", but looking back, the teachers and even students were some of the most caring people I have ever met, who truly wanted nothing more than to share, as I'm sure more than one school pamphlet has put it, "God's love and hope". Whether what they believe was right or not, they aspired much more to the compassionate aspects of Christianity rather than the condemning ones.

"I was RAISED Baptist, by the way, but I broke away from religion when I was 11 - the way they threatened people made me sad. :(

4 minutes ago

@Chandler, you're right. Praise the lord, pass the ammunition. It just isn't fair. I really wish there WAS true Christianity. You know, the kind that teaches kindness, acceptance and forgiveness."

Just because some extremists of a religion act like that doesn't mean the rest of us are that way. That's like saying, "I don't want to be a Muslim anymore because of all the terrorist attacks they did to the US." or "I don't want to be a Catholic because of what the priests do to the little boys." Very ignorant statements. That's generalizing an entire group of people over what just a few did.

Remember, the minority (extremists) ALWAYS ruin it for the majority (regular people).

ADD:

"Because people who claim to be Christians don't act like them at all. They don't accept people and aren't open minded in the least."

That's a hypocritical statement. You are being close minded by not opening yourself to those Christians who DO treat people with respect.

Once again, don't generalize. There are always going to be people of ANY group who don't act as they should, but nobody is perfect. It's also unfair to believe that because someone is of a certain religion, say, Christian, that they should be PERFECT or ABOVE EVERYONE. We make mistakes too. It's okay to point them out, just don't link it with religion.

ADD:

"@Jane, it says in the bible that gays are going to hell, so why would Christian groups accept them?"

NO, it does NOT! Lol, sorry if I sound a little mad, I just get SO FRUSTRATED when I hear this mistruth being spread around.

If that was the case, then liars, cheaters, thieves, etc, would all go to hell. You can be gay and still be a Christian. I know plenty. Some Christians don't even believe that gay relationships are a sin because of the CONTEXT surrounding what the Bible says about gays. But even the ones who DO believe that are often still Christians. They just recognize that their sin is just like any other sin.

I've lied recently, but I'm not going to hell for it because I know Jesus. It's that simple. Your day to day actions don't determine if you go to hell, it's your relationship with Jesus that does. That's why I get SO mad at churches who kick out gay members (most don't do this, but I've heard of a handful). They are being hypocrites, because THEY TOO have sinned.

There is a true Christianity. It does teach kindness, acceptance, and forgiveness. (John 8:3-7)

I believe I am an imperfect human, therefore I have no authority to judge people. (Matthew 7:3)

I'm not religious. I'm relational.

The difference is I don't believe things that I do will buy me into Heaven, I believe having a relationship with Jesus will. (John 3:16)

I believe there is a God, I have seen His works all around me.

Edit: I've seen answers that suggest a Christian life is boring, strict, judgmental, etc. I have been a Christian for two years. They have been absolutely the best two years of my life. I don't miss out on anything fun because of it.

I'm so sorry you have gone to churches like that. They're a reality everywhere in the world that there are churches like that. I didn't realize how blessed I am to go to a loving church. (You can stand in front of a room of teenagers and tell them your "secret sin." Nobody judges anyone. We gather around and pray for each other. It can go on for two hours.)

"Well, there aren't any religious groups who say it's alright to be gay"

That's not true. There may be some sects of Christianity that are vocal about their opposition to homosexuality but that does not mean ALL religions reject them. You act as if Baptist are the only Christians and they speak for ALL religions of the world, which is extremely ignorant on your behalf.

That may not be what you were trying to say but it seems like you were implying that, correct me if I'm wrong.

EDIT: You're changing words, you said "Well, there aren't any religious groups who say it's alright to be gay" not"There are no major Christians sects who say it's alright to be gay" Hindus and Buddhist do not read the bible so their views on homosexuality are different.

No.

I used to be very religious, but I'm now an Atheist.

Went to a Church School, where we had to pray 3 times a day. I went to church 3 times a week, and went to Sunday School.

Only a few years ago when I took Theology in High School, did I begin to realise that my religion made no sense.

I feel a fool for wasting so much of my time.

I kind of...hate life...to be blunt.

So heaven is the thing I'm working towards. I try to be a good person, and in my head I really hate people who do bad things.

My family isn't really religious. For a while, when I was little, I thought God was the fairy god mother in Cinderella...that's a true story.

Anyway, yes. Since going to heaven, eventually, is my desperate last resort to happiness, I try not to screw up my theoretical relationship with God. Yea, I wish I was more religious...

Sorry if I sound whiney :/

I am Jewish, yes that is the religion that I was raised into. I am religious: had a bat mitzvah, go to the occasional service and believe in most of rules/laws. I don't want to be any more religious though, that would make me orthodox and I don't believe that much.

I'm also Agnostic. I'm in a mixed-religion family so we never do anything religious. I don't have an interest in being more religious because this is what I personally believe. I have nothing against other religions, but I think it's fine to be non-religious. You don't need religion to have faith. :)

Nooooo!!!!

Raised "Christian" and was forced to go to church.

Now, I'm atheist! :)

Honestly, things are so much easier when you don't have to worry about what you're doing "wrong" and when you don't have to think about if you're going against a commandment. Why would you want to force yourself to judge people when all the world really needs is some peace and love? <3 (I'm a lowkey hippie too ;)) haha.

I'm Catholic and I don't go to church. I love and believe in God, and I pray on my own sometimes. I do want to go to church, but I'm not sure how my parents would feel about it because we're not a very religious family in general.