In response to Julia's question about changing beliefs

Do you think it is possible for people to change their views about religion completely, or do they always still slightly hold onto the ideas that they were raised with, even if such a thing seems unconscious?


I love that Julia shared her personal experience. It really illustrated what we talked about in class regarding what it takes for a person to alter their beliefs. The reason is different for each individual. To explain where I am coming from when responding to her question, I will share some personal experiences too. I have also grown up in a close church community and I have come to form close bonds with these people, many of which were at my baptism. I have grown up in my church and have gone through many forms of experiences. I come from a family, as I believe I have mentioned before on my blog, where my father is not religious and my mother is. I grew up going to church with my mother and gradually formed my own path, even though I am still working on that one. I always struggled with accepting everything I heard from the services as well as my mother. I have always believed in God and when it comes down to it, I always will. This is where Julia's question hit me. I thought about myself personally. I know I will always believe in God because I have grown in to a person who came from a religious background and who now is comfortable with their faith. This too is a personal decision, that will vary from person to person. I have had times in the past where I felt that going to church was just an act that I had to put on. When I was younger I could not wait for it to be over and I often would skip out on Sunday school accompanied by my best friend and partner in crime. I had a much better time playing Xena Warrior Princess in the church costume closet in the basement, while my mother (unaware that I was not in the classroom) sat in the choir loft. Since then I have grown a lot as a person, especially regarding my religious views. I have met people who have changed how I look at my faith. I am figuring out who I am and what I believe. I still struggle at times and I still have questions that I want answered or at least want to understand better. These thoughts bring me to the question I will raise.


Question: Do you think kids should be "forced" to attend church? What age do you think a person can truly begin to understand religion and develop their own thoughts about what they want to believe?