Belief - repost

[andrewducker]

Question three was borked. Rewritten to actually cover all the bases, and not be internally contradictory. Apologies to the 7 people who already filled it in!

[Poll #1427776]

Comments

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

It would have been more instructive if you'd narrowed this down to adult life. Most kids believe in a god, because they're taught to.

[andrewducker]

You're dating yourself there. We're now beyond the tipping point where most parents don't believe in God.

I was never taught to believe in God as a child...

[cdave]

My parents were both lapsed, and didn't bring me up as Christian, but didn't not if that makes sense. I went to CofE schools, and the occasional cousin's christening, so pretty much beleived in Christ by default until I was an adult.

I think Steve's poll would be interesting.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Cheers.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Quite possibly. I was born in the Middle Ages 1960, after all.

But my initial point remains valid, I would argue.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

For that statement alone, you should feel blessed that you live in the UK.

[matgb]

Possibly--but I got myself transferred from the local CofE to a further away secular school when was 7, in large part because I couldn't stick the religiosity.

Ergo, from the age of 7, I know I've not believed, before that doesn't really count.

[red-phil.livejournal.com]

Believe in god is one thing.
How many kids adhere to a belief system?

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Sorry, how is "I believe in.." not a belief system?

What I'm asking for is the poll to exclude those childhood beliefs burned into us by society/parents/whatever.

[red-phil.livejournal.com]

I mean that there is a difference between believing in what a religion teaches and practicing its rites and rules.

Most children do not follow the full set of rites and rules of a religion until they are past a given age. In some religions that age is marked by a ritual. In others it is not.

[xquiq.livejournal.com]

I agree with this.

I deliberately excluded the time where my mother's decrees that God would listen & related admonishments held any weight.

I know I was formally questioning religion when I was 'trained' for my first communion aged 7. I know I have not believed since.

The previous period I do not remember my beliefs, but don't think it's hugely relevant as I may have also believed in the Tooth Fairy.