Is anyone interested in participating in a little research?
Having not been able to find any studies on the internet on the subject, I'm interested in finding correlations between childhood teaching and adult religious expression.
If you'd like to take part, I'd like to know
1) what kind of religious teaching you received as a child 2) where you were at religion wise when you were a young adult (i.e. typically before having a family or settling down) 3) ditto, but when you were at the stage of having a family or settling down 4) ditto, but when you were in your senior years.
Obviously most of the participants on this forum aren't going to be talking about the last one.
Any data I compile will be anonymised and use to analyse trends.
1 - catholic indoctrination 2 - begining to question "my" beliefs/religion as a result of my own research 3 - realisation of the facts about the lies I'd been told & total rejection of religious teachings. 4 - TBC
Originally posted by Greenjack: 1 - catholic indoctrination 2 - begining to question "my" beliefs/religion as a result of my own research 3 - realisation of the facts about the lies I'd been told & total rejection of religious teachings. 4 - TBC
Originally posted by Greenjack: 1 - catholic indoctrination 2 - begining to question "my" beliefs/religion as a result of my own research 3 - realisation of the facts about the lies I'd been told & total rejection of religious teachings. 4 - TBC
OK, there's a bit more information I forgot to add - slightly more sensitive so feel free not to respond:
What's your highest level of education achieved, and how would you describe your cultural background?
Originally posted by Heselbine: Is anyone interested in participating in a little research?
Having not been able to find any studies on the internet on the subject, I'm interested in finding correlations between childhood teaching and adult religious expression.
If you'd like to take part, I'd like to know
1) what kind of religious teaching you received as a child
I've given you some of this before but I'm happy to help you out again.
Brought up in the Catholic faith; went to Catholic primary, grammar and secondary schools. Mother and father not devout by any means; more of a Christmas, baptism, funeral attendence type of catholics.
quote:
2) where you were at religion wise when you were a young adult (i.e. typically before having a family or settling down)
From about 15 to about 26 I was an atheist. I was convinced that all gods were conjured into existence by unsofisticated people trying to make sense of a confusing, complicated, extraordinary world/universe. I became convinced that science exposed and explained a world/universe that did not need a supernatural overseer. I deemed all religious institutions as merely a means to control people.
quote:
3) ditto, but when you were at the stage of having a family or settling down
From my mid 20's (which is when I got married) my assured atheism began to transform slowly, bit by bit to an agnosticism of sorts. If asked I would still have said I don't believe but privately my thoughts were that the wholely materialist reductionist view of the world/universe was less satisfying, less convincing. This continued after the birth of my son and daughter and then in February 2001 I attended a Cursillo weekend (basically a short course in Christianity) which allowed me to 'step out in faith' and accept the Christian message as true.
quote:
4) ditto, but when you were in your senior years.
At 44 I hope I have a way to go yet before I can answer that
Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much. Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
highest level of education - fellowship exam for the institute of biomedical sciences (currently equal to an MsC) Cultural background - working class white (if this is what you mean)
Originally posted by Greenjack: 1 - catholic indoctrination 2 - begining to question "my" beliefs/religion as a result of my own research 3 - realisation of the facts about the lies I'd been told & total rejection of religious teachings. 4 - TBC
OK, there's a bit more information I forgot to add - slightly more sensitive so feel free not to respond:
What's your highest level of education achieved, and how would you describe your cultural background?
Educated to A level. Working Class Irish.
Gender: Male
Politics: Socialist
Just thought I'd throw those in
Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much. Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Originally posted by Heselbine: 1) what kind of religious teaching you received as a child 2) where you were at religion wise when you were a young adult (i.e. typically before having a family or settling down) 3) ditto, but when you were at the stage of having a family or settling down 4) ditto, but when you were in your senior years.
1. almost none. just whatever you get in state schooling. i remember at junior school praying in assembly and i didn't know what to do (hands together, eyes closed stuff....)it was all pretty much meaningless ritual to me then (as was much of school, like milk monitoring, the tuck shop queue, and taking turns with the limited supply of hula hoops: just things you did at school for no particular reason)
2. atheist. don't remember ever 'deciding' that is what i was /am - but did realise that i was one as i had friends / relatives who were church / mosque / temple goers.
3. same. atheist.
4. haven't got there quite yet....
quote:
What's your highest level of education achieved, and how would you describe your cultural background?
um, i have 3 masters degrees....
i am mixed race (asian / english)
oh, and i'm a woman, right...
(despite being cast as a 'bloke' by BBM in the past , and as an unreconstructed chauvinist male on the Britz thread at the moment... )
1. Working - Middle class beginnings Normal school Always missed assembly, as it was boring. Choirboy at Parish church (Anglican) Didn't understand what it was all about. Mum and Dad both "believers" but not devout. So, all small "c" christians. Married in church, divorced, married, kids, family trouble. Attended church sporadically, still didn't understand it. 3."Coincidentally" went to evangelical church one day. It's a long story, but it became my "Joseph" moment. Started to understand what it was all about. Had a few biblical moments, prayers answered, etc. Came to faith age 42. Now 46.
Education Bsc Chemistry PhD Engineering Managing Director Still only a job away from working class, right?
1) what kind of religious teaching you received as a child Sunday school.
2) where you were at religion wise when you were a young adult (i.e. typically before having a family or settling down) Very, very respectful of it, but sceptical.
3) ditto, but when you were at the stage of having a family or settling down As 2.
4) ditto, but when you were in your senior years. Agnostic.
5) Highest level of education achieved, and how would you describe your cultural background? College. Working class youth -- now upper middle.
1) I went to sunday school briefly, and i sometimes went to church with my mum, and i did my first communion
2) I always believed in god until i was 13 when i started to question it all (my cat died) and after a short while i decided that i did believe in god, and since then ive been on a "journey" as a particularly whacky art teacher observed
3) Havent reached that stage yet
4) Havent reached that stage yet
Education : 11 GCSEs and 2 A levels, a BTEC NAT DIP and 11% short of passing a sound engineering diploma
Cultural background : Born in Tenerife, came here when i was 2
Isn't this nice? We're all sharing together. I feel like it's a meeting of Forum Posters Anonymous.
Since you're all sharing so nicely with me, I think it's fair I share with you. My background is about as vanilla as it can get I'm afraid.
1) bog-standard limp pseudo-christian teaching at school 2) converted to evangelical christianity at university 3) abandoned all faith at age 39 4) I'm only 40 now
Ph.D. White middle-class from working class in the previous generation
Originally posted by leafar: 2) I always believed in god until i was 13 when i started to question it all (my cat died)
aww. funnily enough, when our old lady cat died some years ago my atheist kids (under 8 at the time) made a card to be buried with her showing her skipping about chasing birds and fish in a beautiful garden and with the message 'have a lovely time in heaven' written along the bottom.
they never mentioned heaven before or since. but i think, in that moment, it was a nice idea.
)
)
though I think I recanted that. If not then I do now 
