JHamblin

Hello, everyone. I'm new to the forums here, but I wanted to ask a question and see what people's opinions were.

I'm an atheist who "deconverted" from (lapsed) Christianity a few years back. When I think about it, I was really an atheist for a long time without admitting it to myself.

Anyway, the process of deconversion makes a lot of sense to me. Going from belief to non-belief based on persuasive arguments and self-reflection seems natural.

How does the process of conversion make sense? I can understand coming to the conclusion that there is a god (or gods)... I've heard arguments like "the world is so beautiful it must have been created by god." (Not that I am convinced by such arguments.) So I can see being converted to *theism*. But how do you think people go that next step and sign up for a particular sect of religion. Why would someone become a Baptist or a Mormon or a Muslim as opposed to some other flavor of theism?

My feeling has always been that most theists subscribe to their particular sect because that's what they were taught by their parents. It makes me feel really bad for those kids, many of whom are brainwashed from birth and never get a chance to examine their beliefs objectively. But it's the conversion process that has me baffled.

Can anyone shed some light on this? (Be gentle, it's my first post!)

JH

demoninho

Well you made this far, welcome to II . Can't help you with your questions other than guess, being borne into atheism. But heard of some people getting a special feeling during a particalar service so that's the denomination they end up. (most were probably "shopping" anyway), or maybe it's just meeting the right people when you are right for it.

Regards,
A

excreationist

People might tell you how God turned their life around... that they were alcoholics and/or drug-abusers who led immoral lives...
You might feel an emptiness in your life and it might be fairly directionless and they say that maybe it is because you don't have God in your life...
Anyway, you'd feel a deep connection with what they're telling you... it would resonate with your feelings about things. Or you might feel jealous at the joy that Christians have and want some for yourself... (group hysteria can be contagious) So it would usually be for reasons that are attractive emotionally, rather than you rationally weighing up the pro's and con's in a rational way. Well I guess some people could become Christians due to Pascal's Wager, which is kind of a rational thing. (It doesn't involve the warm-fuzzy feelings)
It would be much easier for a deistic and/or superstitious person to be converted than a materialistic atheist though... the former would already have some belief in supernatural forces.

andy_d

People change their minds about all sorts of things

You're right, most people just stick with whatever religion they were given, but if you're talking about converts, then i'd say it simply feels right to them. A convert is simply someone who's found an idea that fits them.

I suppose in that sense you could say that a convert could well be better suited to a particular outlook than someone born into the religion, since the convert probably independently believed many of the fundamental principles even before they were converted.

Heathen Dawn

I converted to Orthodox Judaism (and since deconverted back) because it's the religion of my forefathers. There really was no other choice. Christianity and Islam are enemy religions as far as I was concerned. And I had been approached by Orthodox Jewish missionaries (they proselytise to secular Jews to make them religious - not to the Gentiles).

Conversion to a particular religion will depend, among other things, on the religion of missionaries approaching you. In the USA it's bound to be Christians. Few and far between are people who actually shop for a religion among so many alternatives. It also depends on personal inclination. Some people just "have the X mindset" for religion X.

Hopeful Monsters

I think often people convert because they�ve become emotionally lost, doubtful and feel adrift in some way.

Faith is something that appears stable, secure and most of all comforting - as well as a place where there�s other people to be found on a regular basis.

I�ve known of people who suffer a nervous breakdown and claim to have directly experienced a religious revelation - followed by conversion. Maybe that's where BACs come from (no reference to Rational BAC intended).

In Britain, there are many highly educated, intelligent people, who convert from Anglican faith (Church of England) to Roman Catholic (Evelyn Waugh, The Duchess of Kent and others, like politician Ann Widdecombe, and now there are rumours about Tony and Cherie Blair converting in this direction). This example of conversion is something which I don�t begin to fathom.

(to British iidb members � my apologies for any implication that Widdecombe is intelligent � )

JHamblin

Thanks for the replies. Many of you have explained how people come to "find god." I'm still wondering how people "find Methodism" or "find Catholicism."

I suppose that makes some kind of sense. One might go to a Catholic (or whatever) service, think "OK, this feels right" and then join up.

Do people here have the sense that people who convert generally are not those who vehemently proselytize their religion? Would the person who showed up at church one day and decided to join up then be the person shouting at the top of their lungs that their Truth is the one and only Truth (note annoying capital T's)? That's the part that baffles me.

Let me ask another question. I'm pretty much only familiar with Methodism and Catholicism (the religions of my father and mother), although I was never clear on most of the details. What are some of the more ridiculous or outlandish denomination-specific rites/beliefs that you are aware of? I'm thinking of, for example, the people who let themselves get bitten by snakes (Pentecostals?)... It seems pretty unlikely that a rational person would acquire this belief and not just be born/brainwashed into it. But I try to never underestimate how stupid people can be.

JH

HelenM

Probably, if they believe their conversion was profoundly life-changing.

Most people do urge others to try whatever they believe has been of great help to them.

If they are converted by coming to believe what a Methodist tells them, then they become a Methodist. If they're converted by coming to believe what a Catholic tells them, they become a Catholic. If they are converted by coming to share the beliefs of someone who says "You need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ" that will be how their define their faith and they may not be particularly attached to any 'denominational' label.

*sigh*

Helen

PaulPritchard

High church anglicanism isn't much different to catholicism, so converting from one to the other over a single issue (such as Ann Widdecome converting because she objected to women priests) isn't that much of a step.

As for the Blair rumour - my understanding is that Cherie is a Catholic and Tony is protestant. The rumour arose because the Blairs decided to send their kids to a catholic school.

Apology accepted

excreationist

Maybe they like how Catholicism is sticking to its traditions as far as things like gays are concerned (I think) rather than trying to stoop down to the decaying morality of society (and especially hollywood)..... They might also like things like confessions, the Pope, etc.

I think Pentacostals also believe in "speaking in tongues" where they believe that the Holy Spirit is actually possessing them and causing them to speak gibberish. Also there is the belief that the universe is as young as 6000 years old. That would mostly be based on believing the Bible more than scientists. (Though it isn't a denomination-specific thing)

They would normally take a little while to get that enthusiastic... at least a few days or hours I think - to read religious literature and obsess about God being in their lives and changing their worldview so that their life revolves around the God of that religion or denomination.... They may have felt lonely and unhappy for a long time, and this would make the world suddenly seem like a new place - they might feel optimistic - even enthusiastic about their life and this new discovery they've made.... maybe you've had a similar experience where you discovered a new kind of music or band that you think is great and you feel like telling the world about them...