Does religion choose us or do we choose religion?

Please. The greatest predictor for a child's religion as an adult is the religion of his/her parents. It's obvious it's human influence that has the greatest effect on someone's religion. After all, a religion is just a type of 'club', and humans' social instincts are basically the only reason religions have survived to begin with. I don't 'retain' the religion I was brought up with at all. I've completely renounced it. So how do you explain that?

We are born with the religion we have for life I'm sorry but I'm a little baffled by this...how can you be BORN with a religion...or do you mean born INTO a religion due to what your parents follow? Either way I disagree...I wasnt BORN with religion..I choose my path I think that if one was born with their religion and changed it later on in life they would find themselves a little off kilter for lack of a better way of putting it..

Honestly I think that we choose our religion. Just because we are born to a specific religion dosnt mean that it is right. If after studying the religin of your birth you are not fully comfortable with it then you have the right to reasrch and learn about others and choos one from that.

Hi warrenbrown, That is a very good question, but I think you are right. People can change of course but most never do. If someone is raised in a certain religion, and is taught to follow that path, it is highly unlikely that they will change. Blessings.

Interesting question. I believe that religion is forced upon those who believe. Don't get me wrong, I am a true believer and this came of my own free will once I was old enough. The reason I say it is forced is because when children are born into religion, the go to church, mass, synagogue or temple with their parents and have no say otherwise. Typically, the child retains this religion because it has been a part of their lives. Now and then some people tend to choose a different path, but that is not the majority. I grew up Christian and I still am. Only by choice now.

We choose our religion and to me its a very personal decision which need not involve the majority.I grew up in a christain family and a place where 98% were christains so then i never had a flicker of thought as to why i was a christain as i had not experineced what other religion was like until few yrs back and i have remained to my old faith. we are born into a religion that our families follow but as we mature i think its a personal choice as to what one choose to believe.