Exploring Religions

[fernweh]

I was raised in a Christian household and it’s really the only
Religion I have been exposed to. H and I have traveled some to countries that predominantly practice other religions but it hasn’t been for a religious immersive experience.

Anyway, I considered myself Christian for most of my life until I would say the past 5-ish years. I really started questioning and recently decided I consider myself atheist.

Once I started considering myself atheist it made me wonder - if there is no heaven/hell what happens to our ‘life force’ once we die which made me start considering the idea of reincarnation. In trying to find some information on that I found that reincarnation actually has roots in several religions. Which really intrigued me - because just because I don’t believe in a
Christian religion doesn’t mean I wouldn’t believe in something else that I just haven’t been exposed to.

I don’t want to start reading a bunch of different religious texts. I guess what I am looking for is a book that gives information on different religions so I can get a general concept and see if there is anything that I am studying deeper.

Does anyone have recommendations on books or other resources?

[fernweh]

Also if you got through all that thanks for reading!

[erbear]

I use this website in my class: www.worldreligionsforkids.com/

[fryjack2]

I was raised Muslim with one Muslim parent and one Christian parent. I wanted to convert to Judaism as a child and into early adulthood.

I am an atheist, but appreciate parts of buddhism. I don't believe in a heaven or hell, but that we all live on in various ways-our ashes/bodies mesh with the soil that helps grow the apple tree which helps the purify the air and feed people and animals, etc. as a very simplified example.

H was raised in a very Catholic household and considers himself a humanist.

Even just googling different religions can give you insight into one that may be intriguing to explore further.

[basilosaurus]

I was raised Christian but am atheist/humanist. I probably was that from age 8 as that's when I started getting kicked out of Sunday school for asking too many questions. They sent me to sit with my dad in formal church service

I'm personally quite fine with thinking we die and get recycled back into the dirt. My life force is just gone. I'm fine with thinking about that with my loved ones who've died, too.

I agree that Buddhism might be a nice thing for you to explore. There's a book with a cover I can picture but cannot remember the name. It has 4 pictures on it, I think all plants? (it's been awhile) that helped on my journey. It's probably Buddhist due to the 4 paths. Probably someone else knows what I'm referencing as it's pretty popular. My brain is farting right now.

In college I sought out a world religions book. It didn't help me find one (therapy was really what I wanted, but religion promised that kind of help. And failed), but it did teach me about different traditions. I was raised in a pretty ecumenical world, so I was pretty well versed, but maybe that's a good start for you?

[georgeglass]

I have and love this book - www.amazon.com/Worlds-Religions-Great-Wisdom-Traditions/dp/0062508113

My only "complaint" is that it's written so beautifully that I would actually get distracted by how much I liked a phrase. #nerd.

[leahcar]

I took some world religion classes in college for similar reasons. Hearing others’ perspectives and experiences actually did help me firm up my own feelings on it. Maybe look into auditing a class?

Unitarian Universalist churches have a very loose belief system that’s mostly about respect. They often have extensive texts available about different religions though and it’s common to find different religions present within their ranks. If you’re looking for the community aspect of church while you search, they can also be helpful there.

[Jalapeñomel]

I went to a Jesuit college, so I had to take lots of different religion classes. It solidified that I'm an atheist. LOL

[erbear]

Also wanted to add that I grew up pretty agnostic -- mom is Jewish, Dad is Catholic but neither really practices so we dabbled in both. I have taught in a Quaker school for 20 years and Quakerism is something I really feel fits my vibe in a way no other religious tradition ever has.

[W.T.Faulkner]

Oct 23, 2024 6:52:46 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

I went to a Jesuit college, so I had to take lots of different religion classes. It solidified that I'm an atheist. LOL

I went to a Jesuit college, absolutely love the Jesuits to this day, and left the Church in adulthood because Jesuit and Catholic felt like two separate things. Those Jesuits are always stirring shit up. lol

[meanie]

I don't have a book suggestion (the one georgeglass linked looks pretty awesome) but it sounds like you are looking to research belief systems vs organized religions. From what I know of the most common belief systems (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism), there is a lot of overlap between the core principals.

[mommyatty]

For anything like this, I head to the children’s section of a library or bookstore. By “like this” I mean when I want a concise explanation of a large, overwhelming subject. Then I can drill down into what I really want to know and get grown up books about those subjects.

[livinitup]

Oct 23, 2024 9:20:59 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

Oct 23, 2024 6:52:46 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

I went to a Jesuit college, so I had to take lots of different religion classes. It solidified that I'm an atheist. LOL

I went to a Jesuit college, absolutely love the Jesuits to this day, and left the Church in adulthood because Jesuit and Catholic felt like two separate things. Those Jesuits are always stirring shit up. lol

Indeed I always qualify being raised Catholic with ‘but Jesuit educated’.

(I should leave it there but … I had such hopes when Pope Francis was picked for pontiff.)

[basilosaurus]

The 4 agreements! That was the book. I read it over 20 years ago so I don't know what I'd think of it now. It was an Oprah book club selection iirc, hence it being incredibly popular.