Conversion to religion
Discussion
It's often said that people only have religious belief due to having had a religious upbringing.
Is this true?
Does anyone know of anyone who has converted to a religion despite never having had any religious upbringing or influences in their youth? If there are people I can't imagine there are many.
Actual religion though; not Star Wars fans geeks who claim to be Jedis or radical athiests who follow the flying spaghetti monster.
Is this true?
Does anyone know of anyone who has converted to a religion despite never having had any religious upbringing or influences in their youth? If there are people I can't imagine there are many.
Actual religion though; not Star Wars fans geeks who claim to be Jedis or radical athiests who follow the flying spaghetti monster.
Loads of people find religion in adulthood. I would imagine tens of thousands in the UK alone are born again Christians. (I think it's called) The Alpha course is hugely popular and successful. Finding Islam in adulthood is hardly an un-heard of phenomenon either. I imagine other faiths receive late entrants in similar fashions, too.
AJL308 said:
It's often said that people only have religious belief due to having had a religious upbringing.
Is this true?
Does anyone know of anyone who has converted to a religion despite never having had any religious upbringing or influences in their youth? If there are people I can't imagine there are many.
.
No, it's not exclusively true. Is this true?
Does anyone know of anyone who has converted to a religion despite never having had any religious upbringing or influences in their youth? If there are people I can't imagine there are many.
.
If you don't imagine that there are many adult converts, you probably are mistaken.
One of the 7.7 London bombers was a normal teenager that a mate of mine taught. Not religious as a kid, liked football and his mates, radicalised as a young adult, blew up a bus in the name of religion.
scenario8 said:
Loads of people find religion in adulthood. I would imagine tens of thousands in the UK alone are born again Christians. (I think it's called) The Alpha course is hugely popular and successful. Finding Islam in adulthood is hardly an un-heard of phenomenon either. I imagine other faiths receive late entrants in similar fashions, too.
But how many do so with no previous religious influence at all? Being a 'born again' christian means essentially going back to Christianity, I think?Yes, people find Islam in adulthood but, again, how many come to it from a completely non-religious upbringing?
battered said:
No, it's not exclusively true.
If you don't imagine that there are many adult converts, you probably are mistaken.
One of the 7.7 London bombers was a normal teenager that a mate of mine taught. Not religious as a kid, liked football and his mates, radicalised as a young adult, blew up a bus in the name of religion.
Did he have a totally non-religious upbringing though? No influence of religion at home at any time?If you don't imagine that there are many adult converts, you probably are mistaken.
One of the 7.7 London bombers was a normal teenager that a mate of mine taught. Not religious as a kid, liked football and his mates, radicalised as a young adult, blew up a bus in the name of religion.
kowalski655 said:
AJL308 said:
...
Actual religion though; not Star Wars fans geeks who claim to be Jedis or radical athiests who follow the flying spaghetti monster.
Both of those have just as much sense in them as any other religionActual religion though; not Star Wars fans geeks who claim to be Jedis or radical athiests who follow the flying spaghetti monster.
FredClogs said:
Lots of people find religion in adulthood, I know of at least half a dozen.
Never underestimate the power of a mid life crisis (and I mean that in the psychoanalyst sense not the MX5 and touch sister in laws tit at a Family bbq sense.)
I'd say it's also possible when your parents pass away or other close family it helps the grief and gives you hope (weather a hope you might feel down may or may not really exist it's a sense of warmth)Never underestimate the power of a mid life crisis (and I mean that in the psychoanalyst sense not the MX5 and touch sister in laws tit at a Family bbq sense.)
AJL308 said:
But how many do so with no previous religious influence at all? Being a 'born again' christian means essentially going back to Christianity, I think?
Yes, people find Islam in adulthood but, again, how many come to it from a completely non-religious upbringing?
There isn't a place or culture on earth where some form of religion or other isn't prevalent in society, so your question is sort of moot, we're all brought up with a cultural awareness and appreciation of religion, whether we are heavily involved in the practice or not, no one lives until their 45th birthday with no awareness of religion and then suddenly puts on a orange robe and starts dancing the Hari Krishna...Yes, people find Islam in adulthood but, again, how many come to it from a completely non-religious upbringing?
If you genuinly want to know exact figures and precise number you're going to have to do a little more work other than asking questions on a motoring forum...
Here's 900 people who found religion towards the end of their lives... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown
Edited by FredClogs on Monday 25th July 21:51
I'm not sure what point you are trying to make, to be honest. If you want to define "no previous religious influence at all" in any way approaching literally then I imagine yes, you are right. Well done. You've won on the Internet. I imagine it would be practically impossible for any human (beyond a tiny handful cases of terrible sadness) not to be exposed to any religious influences at all prior to adulthood.
For most sensible people the concept of finding faith in adulthood is a relatively common occurance.
For most sensible people the concept of finding faith in adulthood is a relatively common occurance.
Christ knows (sic) how I've been drawn into a thread about religion but it is too tempting to focus on older people becoming more religious as they age. This is, of course a widely held belief but Christianity in the UK has been very successful in recent years in "recruiting" teens and twenty somethings as well. Islam too.
I don't doubt astronomical numbers of Americans in recent decades have only started taking Christianity seriously in their adulthood. Christianity has been a mega growth industry in recent decades.
I don't doubt astronomical numbers of Americans in recent decades have only started taking Christianity seriously in their adulthood. Christianity has been a mega growth industry in recent decades.
AJL308 said:
battered said:
No, it's not exclusively true.
If you don't imagine that there are many adult converts, you probably are mistaken.
One of the 7.7 London bombers was a normal teenager that a mate of mine taught. Not religious as a kid, liked football and his mates, radicalised as a young adult, blew up a bus in the name of religion.
Did he have a totally non-religious upbringing though? No influence of religion at home at any time?If you don't imagine that there are many adult converts, you probably are mistaken.
One of the 7.7 London bombers was a normal teenager that a mate of mine taught. Not religious as a kid, liked football and his mates, radicalised as a young adult, blew up a bus in the name of religion.
There was a report, some years ago now, about conversions to a religion in adulthood compared to those who were brought up in a religion.
Fanaticism is more common in the former. Can't remember the figures.
Adult conversion included 'born again' types.
Some conversion were by way of the religious groups who go out to attract the lonely youngsters and those just arriving in a new town, perhaps running away.
We used to move on the blokes hanging around for obvious specific purposes but the religious we left alone. I felt it odd to be that discriminating. Either way you were buggered.
You could go up to a kid who had been approached by those who were after youngsters for sexual purposes and tell them what the future would hold but never did it for the religious lot. Having your body messed with was seen as bad whereas having your mind twisted was not.
Fanaticism is more common in the former. Can't remember the figures.
Adult conversion included 'born again' types.
Some conversion were by way of the religious groups who go out to attract the lonely youngsters and those just arriving in a new town, perhaps running away.
We used to move on the blokes hanging around for obvious specific purposes but the religious we left alone. I felt it odd to be that discriminating. Either way you were buggered.
You could go up to a kid who had been approached by those who were after youngsters for sexual purposes and tell them what the future would hold but never did it for the religious lot. Having your body messed with was seen as bad whereas having your mind twisted was not.
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