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How big a part does religion play in your life?
Here's a Sociology paper I did at the beginning of the school year to show my answer. How about you?
“The Part That
Religion Plays In My Life”
Growing up, I was always taught about God, whether it was at church and Sunday school every week, or my father reading to me when I was very young. Everything I was told was done so with such conviction that I totally accepted it, without ever doubting its truthfulness. Then as I grew older and became subject to other people’s views and beliefs, I began to ask the people around me if it was all true. Of course I was told it was, but the fact that I went to church was actually the reason that I now don’t believe in God. I greatly resented my parents for making me give up every Sunday morning to sit and be bored out of my mind, the only reason they gave for it being that it would make me a better person. However, considering I never paid attention in church or didn’t understand what was being said because I was so young, I doubt if I learnt anything at all.
When I was younger my entire family went along, but as my brother and sister got older, they were given the choice to go or stay home, and they unsurprisingly chose to stay clear of church. Even my mum stopped going, and finally, when I was 13, my dad gave in to my demands and stopped forcing me to go. I didn’t care if God existed or not, I was just ecstatic that I didn’t have to sit bored every Sunday morning. I suppose I still believed in God, but I kept it entirely to myself, the same way I’d hidden the fact that I went to church from all my friends. I’m not sure when it happened, but now I’m not sure whether I believe or not. If asked I say I don’t, but if I’m truthful I will say I’m not sure.
Now, aged 17, religion plays a smaller part in my life than ever before. Only my dad goes to church, and I sleep in until 2pm on a Sunday. My ever-decreasing distant family still believe in God, as originally all my family was from the countryside where there is a church in every town, which people attend. Where my dad grew up, church was a big part of everyone’s lives, so it was no surprise he felt the same way when we were growing up. After all, we had a Methodist church just at the top of our street. When his brother died, the funeral was held at the church my uncle had gone to with his children. When my grandmother died, her funeral was at the church my dad had grown up going to. All the funerals at our family have been religious, with the different priests knowing them all personally, unlike a lot of funerals nowadays. All the children in the Rumney family are christened, myself included. I’ve actually attended one or two myself.
In Religious Studies in the first few years of high school, I knew more than anyone in the class about Christianity, showing that I had learnt something after all. Assemblies bored me greatly, as the highly religious Miss Whitfield and Mr Cockburn went on and on about the Lord and how great he was. The only person who could make it semi-interesting was Mr Priestly, but the actual message was lost on many students, in favour of his comedy.
So I was given a Christian upbringing, but it backfired and I resent my dad and the church for boring me so much. You always hear of death row inmates discovering Jesus and the like, having never gone to church in their lives. Funny how that’s the exact opposite of what happened to me.
I’m still confused on my own beliefs. I don’t wear a cross around my neck because I think it’s a bit pointless if I don’t believe in God, something my friends don’t understand. If someone starts an argument about whether any religions are real or not, I will usually side with the people who don’t believe, as the doubt in my head is very small as to whether I believe or not.
So religion should really play a large part in my life, but due to my own decisions of not going to church etc, it isn’t. I pretty much sit on the fence when it comes to whether God exists or not, although if I do believe in him, shouldn’t I be going to church every Sunday and reading the bible and changing my lifestyle to fit the way God tells us to live? So technically I’m going to hell anyway, if the bible is correct. So really, I probably don’t believe in God, because I don’t try to live by anyone’s rules except my own. Totally basing my life on something that could easily be a load of nonsense written by some guy who got bored one day two thousand years ago seems like a pretty unintelligent thing to do, so I’d rather not. I’d rather live my life the way I’ve been doing for the last two or three years and not have to worry about burning in hell or not when I die. I don’t know what happens when we die, but when you think that people believe they’ll be going to heaven because it was written in a book, it makes you wonder. I believe more in UFOs than I do in going to heaven. Just because it was written, doesn’t make it true. God may exist, but I don’t believe anything at all in the bible. In my opinion it was just written by some people who sat down and decided to write a book. I doubt they knew people would be basing their very existence on their collection of short stories. Other religions are now learnt about in history, but as fiction, not fact, such as the Rome gods, Norse mythology etc. It’s only a matter of time until people look back at Christianity and laugh.
So, I don’t think about God at all during a typical day. The only part religion plays in my life is when I tell my dad to turn down his organ because his religious music is annoying me. Whether or not I believe in some higher life form is irrelevant, because I don’t believe in Christianity, never mind the hundreds of other religions.
Andrew Rumney 13JF
Here's a Sociology paper I did at the beginning of the school year to show my answer. How about you?
“The Part That
Religion Plays In My Life”
Growing up, I was always taught about God, whether it was at church and Sunday school every week, or my father reading to me when I was very young. Everything I was told was done so with such conviction that I totally accepted it, without ever doubting its truthfulness. Then as I grew older and became subject to other people’s views and beliefs, I began to ask the people around me if it was all true. Of course I was told it was, but the fact that I went to church was actually the reason that I now don’t believe in God. I greatly resented my parents for making me give up every Sunday morning to sit and be bored out of my mind, the only reason they gave for it being that it would make me a better person. However, considering I never paid attention in church or didn’t understand what was being said because I was so young, I doubt if I learnt anything at all.
When I was younger my entire family went along, but as my brother and sister got older, they were given the choice to go or stay home, and they unsurprisingly chose to stay clear of church. Even my mum stopped going, and finally, when I was 13, my dad gave in to my demands and stopped forcing me to go. I didn’t care if God existed or not, I was just ecstatic that I didn’t have to sit bored every Sunday morning. I suppose I still believed in God, but I kept it entirely to myself, the same way I’d hidden the fact that I went to church from all my friends. I’m not sure when it happened, but now I’m not sure whether I believe or not. If asked I say I don’t, but if I’m truthful I will say I’m not sure.
Now, aged 17, religion plays a smaller part in my life than ever before. Only my dad goes to church, and I sleep in until 2pm on a Sunday. My ever-decreasing distant family still believe in God, as originally all my family was from the countryside where there is a church in every town, which people attend. Where my dad grew up, church was a big part of everyone’s lives, so it was no surprise he felt the same way when we were growing up. After all, we had a Methodist church just at the top of our street. When his brother died, the funeral was held at the church my uncle had gone to with his children. When my grandmother died, her funeral was at the church my dad had grown up going to. All the funerals at our family have been religious, with the different priests knowing them all personally, unlike a lot of funerals nowadays. All the children in the Rumney family are christened, myself included. I’ve actually attended one or two myself.
In Religious Studies in the first few years of high school, I knew more than anyone in the class about Christianity, showing that I had learnt something after all. Assemblies bored me greatly, as the highly religious Miss Whitfield and Mr Cockburn went on and on about the Lord and how great he was. The only person who could make it semi-interesting was Mr Priestly, but the actual message was lost on many students, in favour of his comedy.
So I was given a Christian upbringing, but it backfired and I resent my dad and the church for boring me so much. You always hear of death row inmates discovering Jesus and the like, having never gone to church in their lives. Funny how that’s the exact opposite of what happened to me.
I’m still confused on my own beliefs. I don’t wear a cross around my neck because I think it’s a bit pointless if I don’t believe in God, something my friends don’t understand. If someone starts an argument about whether any religions are real or not, I will usually side with the people who don’t believe, as the doubt in my head is very small as to whether I believe or not.
So religion should really play a large part in my life, but due to my own decisions of not going to church etc, it isn’t. I pretty much sit on the fence when it comes to whether God exists or not, although if I do believe in him, shouldn’t I be going to church every Sunday and reading the bible and changing my lifestyle to fit the way God tells us to live? So technically I’m going to hell anyway, if the bible is correct. So really, I probably don’t believe in God, because I don’t try to live by anyone’s rules except my own. Totally basing my life on something that could easily be a load of nonsense written by some guy who got bored one day two thousand years ago seems like a pretty unintelligent thing to do, so I’d rather not. I’d rather live my life the way I’ve been doing for the last two or three years and not have to worry about burning in hell or not when I die. I don’t know what happens when we die, but when you think that people believe they’ll be going to heaven because it was written in a book, it makes you wonder. I believe more in UFOs than I do in going to heaven. Just because it was written, doesn’t make it true. God may exist, but I don’t believe anything at all in the bible. In my opinion it was just written by some people who sat down and decided to write a book. I doubt they knew people would be basing their very existence on their collection of short stories. Other religions are now learnt about in history, but as fiction, not fact, such as the Rome gods, Norse mythology etc. It’s only a matter of time until people look back at Christianity and laugh.
So, I don’t think about God at all during a typical day. The only part religion plays in my life is when I tell my dad to turn down his organ because his religious music is annoying me. Whether or not I believe in some higher life form is irrelevant, because I don’t believe in Christianity, never mind the hundreds of other religions.
Andrew Rumney 13JF
Page:
Two years ago in Religous Education which I was forced to go to...
There was a paper and a question was my personal opinion on religion...
I got given the paper back and it said that section was wrong... thats right my own opinion is wrong and I was asked for my opinion...
Bloody School.
There was a paper and a question was my personal opinion on religion...
I got given the paper back and it said that section was wrong... thats right my own opinion is wrong and I was asked for my opinion...
Bloody School.
Religion plays no part in my life whatsoever.
I do not need an instruction manual or a set of idealogical rules to govern my existence.
If you believe, good for you, hope it works out for you.
Just not my thing.
I do not need an instruction manual or a set of idealogical rules to govern my existence.
If you believe, good for you, hope it works out for you.
Just not my thing.
what's 'relgion'?
;-)
Anyway... the way I see it many religions are built on good morals, but basically those in power (eg. the Pope) and others will abuse this power. I mean where does the Pope live? Not exactly a humble existance is it? And who paid for it? Those people who sacrificed some of their wealth, to help spread the word of God (who or whatever 'God' may be, assuming he/she/it even exists) and their money is instead used to make sure the Pope has a comfortable life. I'm sure there are other examples in other religions. And just think... how many religious wars have their been? From stuff in the middle east, to Northern Ireland religion has been a source of conflict for centuries, and it doesn't seem to be stopping. Now you can put this down to people misinterprating their religion, but what makes them willing to die for their cause is their belief.
I remember posting about this in FOG Prime, because I was so annoyed that people insist that 'evil' video games make some people kill others, when religion, something widely accepted as good and holy has killed of literally millions!
Basically, all religions seem to be telling you what to do. Some people insist that non-believers are 'taking the easy way out' in not believing their actions will have any effect when they die, but I say they are taking an easy way out, believing that anything DOES happen when you die. I would love to believe that when I die I'll go to some great place for the rest of eternity, but I won't. I'll die. That'll be the end of it as far as I'm concerned. You may believe in an after life, but in my mind there is no doubt. Death is death. No turning back, no escape from it. I only hope when I go, I'll have experienced much of what I wish to.
Anyway, I think I may have strayed a bit from the point, but I just don't buy that some all powerful being(s) control everything. I believe we create our own fates and destinies (although circumstance will often play a large part too) but I just don't buy that some almighty is there.
;-)
Anyway... the way I see it many religions are built on good morals, but basically those in power (eg. the Pope) and others will abuse this power. I mean where does the Pope live? Not exactly a humble existance is it? And who paid for it? Those people who sacrificed some of their wealth, to help spread the word of God (who or whatever 'God' may be, assuming he/she/it even exists) and their money is instead used to make sure the Pope has a comfortable life. I'm sure there are other examples in other religions. And just think... how many religious wars have their been? From stuff in the middle east, to Northern Ireland religion has been a source of conflict for centuries, and it doesn't seem to be stopping. Now you can put this down to people misinterprating their religion, but what makes them willing to die for their cause is their belief.
I remember posting about this in FOG Prime, because I was so annoyed that people insist that 'evil' video games make some people kill others, when religion, something widely accepted as good and holy has killed of literally millions!
Basically, all religions seem to be telling you what to do. Some people insist that non-believers are 'taking the easy way out' in not believing their actions will have any effect when they die, but I say they are taking an easy way out, believing that anything DOES happen when you die. I would love to believe that when I die I'll go to some great place for the rest of eternity, but I won't. I'll die. That'll be the end of it as far as I'm concerned. You may believe in an after life, but in my mind there is no doubt. Death is death. No turning back, no escape from it. I only hope when I go, I'll have experienced much of what I wish to.
Anyway, I think I may have strayed a bit from the point, but I just don't buy that some all powerful being(s) control everything. I believe we create our own fates and destinies (although circumstance will often play a large part too) but I just don't buy that some almighty is there.
The way I see it is this:
First off the stories in the bible were never intended to be taken literally, they were stories that were used to prove points. I think they call them 'parables' but i never listen in RS anyway so i don't really care.
Secondly the stories about Jesus are most probably incorrect and exaggerated as the first of the gospels to be written was thirty years after his death and were a mix of many writings.
Jesus did 'exist' according to Roman records anyway but that doesn't prove anything except the fact that he lived for a bit, I don't think they even say if he was crucified.
The bible is also the only book that has all these events in and was copied and re-copied many times meaning that each different copy was different.
Religion is all about controlling the way people think. When the missionaries came over here to convert us they changed popular pagan festivals into christian ones instead.
Christmas-Festival of the Sun, jesus was born in about february anyway, Easter-buns were traditionally eaten on this day, the missionaries put crosses on them, Halloween-A night to ward off evil spirits, given new name All saints day.
Church is really, really boring, does anyone under the age of thirty actually 'enjoy' going; does it make you laugh? does it make you feel that you're doing something for your future? or are you just following the crowd?
I was brought up a christian and well i hate the faith. Don't think i'm being racist now, but i just don't like the way it is done and people would call me an atheist because I don't have a religion but I still believe in a creative force(even though I go to a CofE school ;D) which personally i think is racist.
I don't care what anyone believes, as long as it doesn't affect me directly.
And remember: Belief is Human, Religion is controllign those beliefs.
First off the stories in the bible were never intended to be taken literally, they were stories that were used to prove points. I think they call them 'parables' but i never listen in RS anyway so i don't really care.
Secondly the stories about Jesus are most probably incorrect and exaggerated as the first of the gospels to be written was thirty years after his death and were a mix of many writings.
Jesus did 'exist' according to Roman records anyway but that doesn't prove anything except the fact that he lived for a bit, I don't think they even say if he was crucified.
The bible is also the only book that has all these events in and was copied and re-copied many times meaning that each different copy was different.
Religion is all about controlling the way people think. When the missionaries came over here to convert us they changed popular pagan festivals into christian ones instead.
Christmas-Festival of the Sun, jesus was born in about february anyway, Easter-buns were traditionally eaten on this day, the missionaries put crosses on them, Halloween-A night to ward off evil spirits, given new name All saints day.
Church is really, really boring, does anyone under the age of thirty actually 'enjoy' going; does it make you laugh? does it make you feel that you're doing something for your future? or are you just following the crowd?
I was brought up a christian and well i hate the faith. Don't think i'm being racist now, but i just don't like the way it is done and people would call me an atheist because I don't have a religion but I still believe in a creative force(even though I go to a CofE school ;D) which personally i think is racist.
I don't care what anyone believes, as long as it doesn't affect me directly.
And remember: Belief is Human, Religion is controllign those beliefs.
How big a part does religion play in your life?
Here's a Sociology paper I did at the beginning of the school year to show my answer. How about you?
“The Part That
Religion Plays In My Life”
Growing up, I was always taught about God, whether it was at church and Sunday school every week, or my father reading to me when I was very young. Everything I was told was done so with such conviction that I totally accepted it, without ever doubting its truthfulness. Then as I grew older and became subject to other people’s views and beliefs, I began to ask the people around me if it was all true. Of course I was told it was, but the fact that I went to church was actually the reason that I now don’t believe in God. I greatly resented my parents for making me give up every Sunday morning to sit and be bored out of my mind, the only reason they gave for it being that it would make me a better person. However, considering I never paid attention in church or didn’t understand what was being said because I was so young, I doubt if I learnt anything at all.
When I was younger my entire family went along, but as my brother and sister got older, they were given the choice to go or stay home, and they unsurprisingly chose to stay clear of church. Even my mum stopped going, and finally, when I was 13, my dad gave in to my demands and stopped forcing me to go. I didn’t care if God existed or not, I was just ecstatic that I didn’t have to sit bored every Sunday morning. I suppose I still believed in God, but I kept it entirely to myself, the same way I’d hidden the fact that I went to church from all my friends. I’m not sure when it happened, but now I’m not sure whether I believe or not. If asked I say I don’t, but if I’m truthful I will say I’m not sure.
Now, aged 17, religion plays a smaller part in my life than ever before. Only my dad goes to church, and I sleep in until 2pm on a Sunday. My ever-decreasing distant family still believe in God, as originally all my family was from the countryside where there is a church in every town, which people attend. Where my dad grew up, church was a big part of everyone’s lives, so it was no surprise he felt the same way when we were growing up. After all, we had a Methodist church just at the top of our street. When his brother died, the funeral was held at the church my uncle had gone to with his children. When my grandmother died, her funeral was at the church my dad had grown up going to. All the funerals at our family have been religious, with the different priests knowing them all personally, unlike a lot of funerals nowadays. All the children in the Rumney family are christened, myself included. I’ve actually attended one or two myself.
In Religious Studies in the first few years of high school, I knew more than anyone in the class about Christianity, showing that I had learnt something after all. Assemblies bored me greatly, as the highly religious Miss Whitfield and Mr Cockburn went on and on about the Lord and how great he was. The only person who could make it semi-interesting was Mr Priestly, but the actual message was lost on many students, in favour of his comedy.
So I was given a Christian upbringing, but it backfired and I resent my dad and the church for boring me so much. You always hear of death row inmates discovering Jesus and the like, having never gone to church in their lives. Funny how that’s the exact opposite of what happened to me.
I’m still confused on my own beliefs. I don’t wear a cross around my neck because I think it’s a bit pointless if I don’t believe in God, something my friends don’t understand. If someone starts an argument about whether any religions are real or not, I will usually side with the people who don’t believe, as the doubt in my head is very small as to whether I believe or not.
So religion should really play a large part in my life, but due to my own decisions of not going to church etc, it isn’t. I pretty much sit on the fence when it comes to whether God exists or not, although if I do believe in him, shouldn’t I be going to church every Sunday and reading the bible and changing my lifestyle to fit the way God tells us to live? So technically I’m going to hell anyway, if the bible is correct. So really, I probably don’t believe in God, because I don’t try to live by anyone’s rules except my own. Totally basing my life on something that could easily be a load of nonsense written by some guy who got bored one day two thousand years ago seems like a pretty unintelligent thing to do, so I’d rather not. I’d rather live my life the way I’ve been doing for the last two or three years and not have to worry about burning in hell or not when I die. I don’t know what happens when we die, but when you think that people believe they’ll be going to heaven because it was written in a book, it makes you wonder. I believe more in UFOs than I do in going to heaven. Just because it was written, doesn’t make it true. God may exist, but I don’t believe anything at all in the bible. In my opinion it was just written by some people who sat down and decided to write a book. I doubt they knew people would be basing their very existence on their collection of short stories. Other religions are now learnt about in history, but as fiction, not fact, such as the Rome gods, Norse mythology etc. It’s only a matter of time until people look back at Christianity and laugh.
So, I don’t think about God at all during a typical day. The only part religion plays in my life is when I tell my dad to turn down his organ because his religious music is annoying me. Whether or not I believe in some higher life form is irrelevant, because I don’t believe in Christianity, never mind the hundreds of other religions.
Andrew Rumney 13JF
Here's a Sociology paper I did at the beginning of the school year to show my answer. How about you?
“The Part That
Religion Plays In My Life”
Growing up, I was always taught about God, whether it was at church and Sunday school every week, or my father reading to me when I was very young. Everything I was told was done so with such conviction that I totally accepted it, without ever doubting its truthfulness. Then as I grew older and became subject to other people’s views and beliefs, I began to ask the people around me if it was all true. Of course I was told it was, but the fact that I went to church was actually the reason that I now don’t believe in God. I greatly resented my parents for making me give up every Sunday morning to sit and be bored out of my mind, the only reason they gave for it being that it would make me a better person. However, considering I never paid attention in church or didn’t understand what was being said because I was so young, I doubt if I learnt anything at all.
When I was younger my entire family went along, but as my brother and sister got older, they were given the choice to go or stay home, and they unsurprisingly chose to stay clear of church. Even my mum stopped going, and finally, when I was 13, my dad gave in to my demands and stopped forcing me to go. I didn’t care if God existed or not, I was just ecstatic that I didn’t have to sit bored every Sunday morning. I suppose I still believed in God, but I kept it entirely to myself, the same way I’d hidden the fact that I went to church from all my friends. I’m not sure when it happened, but now I’m not sure whether I believe or not. If asked I say I don’t, but if I’m truthful I will say I’m not sure.
Now, aged 17, religion plays a smaller part in my life than ever before. Only my dad goes to church, and I sleep in until 2pm on a Sunday. My ever-decreasing distant family still believe in God, as originally all my family was from the countryside where there is a church in every town, which people attend. Where my dad grew up, church was a big part of everyone’s lives, so it was no surprise he felt the same way when we were growing up. After all, we had a Methodist church just at the top of our street. When his brother died, the funeral was held at the church my uncle had gone to with his children. When my grandmother died, her funeral was at the church my dad had grown up going to. All the funerals at our family have been religious, with the different priests knowing them all personally, unlike a lot of funerals nowadays. All the children in the Rumney family are christened, myself included. I’ve actually attended one or two myself.
In Religious Studies in the first few years of high school, I knew more than anyone in the class about Christianity, showing that I had learnt something after all. Assemblies bored me greatly, as the highly religious Miss Whitfield and Mr Cockburn went on and on about the Lord and how great he was. The only person who could make it semi-interesting was Mr Priestly, but the actual message was lost on many students, in favour of his comedy.
So I was given a Christian upbringing, but it backfired and I resent my dad and the church for boring me so much. You always hear of death row inmates discovering Jesus and the like, having never gone to church in their lives. Funny how that’s the exact opposite of what happened to me.
I’m still confused on my own beliefs. I don’t wear a cross around my neck because I think it’s a bit pointless if I don’t believe in God, something my friends don’t understand. If someone starts an argument about whether any religions are real or not, I will usually side with the people who don’t believe, as the doubt in my head is very small as to whether I believe or not.
So religion should really play a large part in my life, but due to my own decisions of not going to church etc, it isn’t. I pretty much sit on the fence when it comes to whether God exists or not, although if I do believe in him, shouldn’t I be going to church every Sunday and reading the bible and changing my lifestyle to fit the way God tells us to live? So technically I’m going to hell anyway, if the bible is correct. So really, I probably don’t believe in God, because I don’t try to live by anyone’s rules except my own. Totally basing my life on something that could easily be a load of nonsense written by some guy who got bored one day two thousand years ago seems like a pretty unintelligent thing to do, so I’d rather not. I’d rather live my life the way I’ve been doing for the last two or three years and not have to worry about burning in hell or not when I die. I don’t know what happens when we die, but when you think that people believe they’ll be going to heaven because it was written in a book, it makes you wonder. I believe more in UFOs than I do in going to heaven. Just because it was written, doesn’t make it true. God may exist, but I don’t believe anything at all in the bible. In my opinion it was just written by some people who sat down and decided to write a book. I doubt they knew people would be basing their very existence on their collection of short stories. Other religions are now learnt about in history, but as fiction, not fact, such as the Rome gods, Norse mythology etc. It’s only a matter of time until people look back at Christianity and laugh.
So, I don’t think about God at all during a typical day. The only part religion plays in my life is when I tell my dad to turn down his organ because his religious music is annoying me. Whether or not I believe in some higher life form is irrelevant, because I don’t believe in Christianity, never mind the hundreds of other religions.
Andrew Rumney 13JF
Page: