No matter what your religion or beliefs are someone influenced or introduced you to it.  Who was that person and what happened that made you believe in what you believe?
206108
My school RI teacher when I was 11. She told me (what iv ealready printed a few times on this site, i just feel i should share it) that religion is like a mountain with God at the top. There are many paths up that mountain, each looking different, but theyre all just part of the same mountain. Hows that for influence on a developing mind?
366640
Yep.  My parents.  Not that they were all that religious to begin with, but they did take me to church when I was younger.  When I told my mother I didn't believe in god, she said she was disapointed.  When I told her I was an atheist, she said 'people don't like atheists'.  Now she's pretty much agnostic, after seeing my reasoning.  About the same with my father, but then, he's not as talkative.\n\nAnd I definitely helped my last boyfriend let go of god.
332265
I believe in God and I believe in Jesus and his works...the bible was written by man and had hidden agendas of the age. I believe there are many many many religions and theyre all "right" for the person choosing to believe them. The answers lie within your heart. Every person has the right to believe what they feel is best for them. People who try to change others beliefs are often insecure about thier own.
44395
He is a man who believes something very strongly. Whether or not what he believes is wrong is not up to us. How he goes about enforcing his beliefs is something he will take up with his maker.
311667
I've mixed and matched. The Greek pantheon, the Celts and a few here and there that I've learned about. I think it's a matter of the subject - a God/Goddess will speak/reach out to you depending on what you are going through.\n\nOr you can be reading about many different Gods/Godesses and suddenly you are drawn to one even though it may be different from the pantheons you usually work with.\n\nI don't think it's a matter of who believe in as much as it matters that you believe.
212453
I was raised as a Christian, because my Dad is a Lutheran pastor.  I follow the Bible explicitly, but I do study other religions in order to better debate with people.
574576
I believe in God just not the bible, how dare anyone claim to know what God thinks, I have more respect for God, there are hundreds of archaeological finds proving that the bible that exists was put into place by church hierarchy that had ulterior motives for including and not including what THEY wanted in the bible, only someone who had ALL the original texts and could read them in the original language that they were written in would have a good understanding of what the ancient religious leaders had in mind, and who's to say they were God inspired, insane asylums are full of people who hear God
43216
As an atheist, I have tried to grasp how believers in a god can actually believe. Many religious people have deemed this annoying and respond with hostility because their faith comes under question. And contrary to what people above me have said, we DO have beliefs. Just different (which to some people means none at all). I believe in science and proven fact. I have discussed my beliefs, and come under attack, because if people of faith can understand where I stand, they can further help me understand where THEY stand.
659581
My not believing in god comes from me. I was raised to think, believe whatever I wanted. I was exposed through my life to most religions, beliefs, sciences, and theories. After looking at all, I chose. I used logic, and observations to make my decision, atheism was the choice. I came into life a clean mind with no beliefs, and over time made my own, but only after many years. Most of the theories I believe are my own, and I am the only one who believes them. The only influence on my beliefs is me, my thought.
1874
Ok let me put this in practical manner. I don't know about others but I believe on God because God given me a second chance in life. If I'm alive today it is because of God's wish. It was horrible accident and no hope was left but you know god makes some sort of magic and you start to believe in supreme power. I think until and unless you don't face problem in life (until some miracle happens), you will not get idea about God, IMPO. I'm also agree with Lady Xia.
467771
ANYONE can be called, the choice is up to us. However, we must believe and if we truly believe then we will follow the commands He set down for us. Belief takes more then intellectual knowledge, belief is action and knowledge working together. Simply acknowledging God is not belief, even Satan and his demons believe there is a God and that Jesus is His Son. You believe by hearing the Word, Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.\n\nJeremiah 29:11-14 \n11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.\n\nMany claim to be Christians and many think they are, but only a small amount truly are Christians. When you truly seek God with your heart and you follow His commands then you will understand.\nLuke 10:22-25 (New International Version)\n 22"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." \n23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."\nI am reading the same Bible I was reading before I became a true Christian, but it is vastly different when I read the words. It is as if the missing pieces to a puzzle have been returned, or someone who needs to wear glasses finally gets a pair and puts them on.
658702
I have to agree with you. I have argued with my mother in law on countless occasions about this. Everyone believes in something. I do believe there is a superior existence , I do not, however follow any specific religion. In any religion there is always some kind higher existence. There is no TRUE fact proven (in any religion) on what and or who is right. I find people tend to quote things from the bible but don't actually know what they're talking about. And to those who believe that everyone should have a faith, I do. I believe there is something, or someone who will show us our true religion, everyone, as a whole. I apologize if I have offended anyone. That was not my intention.
554735
I think it does sharpen your beliefs when someone challenges them. Sometimes the anger that people show is insecurity in what they believe. They don't know how to answer a question someone asks them and so they lash out at the person for even asking.  When people ask what I believe it also helps me to examine what I believe and creates a dialog between the two of us.
432081
I believe in a unconditionally Loving Creator (All Thing/God).\nI beleive Jesus walked the Earth, all over, as it is even in our cultural spiritual teachings and thats not Christian or Islam it is Ancient cultural.\nWe are here to remember who we are and that is we are of the All Thing (God/Creator).. \nI believe this because this feels true to me within. Like any other person who practices something.. because it feel right to them.
386826
None of them. \nI am not impressed with a god who forces me to believe under threats. \nI'm not impressed with the word "love" because it's used in so many contexts that how am I to know if he loves me in a caring way or if he loves me in the same way some people love marshmallows?\nI'm not impressed with the given good things stuff because both believers and non-believers alike have good things and nasty things in life. \n\nHere's what impresses me: a person who can love people and treat them good. You ask them why and they tell you that they want to be good people and believing in God has helped them to be that way. They do this without giving unasked-for sermons. It's exactly that approach that has encouraged me to believe.
564336
Apologize profusely for not believing, but I would plead my case and explain that all that I have done in my life would add up to the same. And that in all cases I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who stands by their religion. I learned a long time ago that nothing should change the way you feel about your convictions, not even angels, because the evil one can disguise himself as an angel of light.
365660
at a younger age, yeah, it was because i was "taught."  at this age, 44, it's because logically there is no other explanation out there....the big bang...well, where did that come from?  nobody has actually DISPROVEN the existence of God to me just yet.  i practice wicca, which is a totally subjective and personal religion for me.  i choose my "church" and my "altar" and my time for reverance to God and all that He has created.  i believe because it is logical and makes sense.  yes, i believe in Jesus Christ as well, based on facts that have been submitted that prove He existed as well.  i can't cite the sources at the moment, but my desert years gave me the faith i needed.  hope this helped!  blessed be!