How much do you think soceity effects religious beliefs? (Buddhists, America, church)

[breakaway]

Most people in US are Christian...most people in the middle east are Muslim....most people in other countries are Hindhus or Buddhists etc etc

Do you really think this is a coincidence? Soceity/Family/Friends seems to have such a huge factor in what religion a person becomes.

[JeepGirl118]

No such thing as coincidence.

[ADVentive]

I think that the presence of societal norms is very important to religion. I think that the more prevalent your ideas are in society, the less likely you are to seriously question them. On the other hand, I also think that if you are part of a minority community, that you may feel more strongly tied to your ideas because you see your community as special in being different from the mainstream, like a subculture.

[jabogitlu]

I agree with ADVentive. I think the topic of the thread should be reversed: Religious belief affects society. The majority of people in the US aren't American because they're Christian, they're Christian because they're American.

(As an aside, pardon my use of the adjective "American." It's a little vague and inclusive, but United Statesian is a little clunky.)

[Art R]

Originally Posted by breakaway

Most people in US are Christian...most people in the middle east are Muslim....most people in other countries are Hindhus or Buddhists etc etc

Do you really think this is a coincidence? Soceity/Family/Friends seems to have such a huge factor in what religion a person becomes.

Where you are born is probably the biggest factor in what religion you practice. If you are a Christian in the US you would probably be a Hindu in India. Family also has a major impact. Most Christians I know where raised in the main branch that they are members of. Most people do not wait until they are adults to investigate religion and decide which one, if any, they will select. Their parents make that decision for them at a very early age.

[MontanaGuy]

I started a thread awhile back that was basically asking the same question. I've seen a map of the US that breaks the nation into areas where certain religions tend to dominate and it's amazing how there are sharp boundaries where one influential religion ends and another begins all over the country. Our upbringing and family and social network is without a doubt the reason that people choose their religion. People feel the need to belong and be part of a community and base their choice of religion for that reason.

[FL_TN_Nana]

I agree that family influences us greatly in what religion or denomination of that religion we choose. I've looked into others, but keep coming back to what I most agree with, and what I most agree with is what I grew up in.

[aiangel_writer]

Well, I believe one has to go all the way back to the Bible to see where things began. If we take Ishmael and Isaac we will see a division of regions and culture and belief and how this affects society in today's Middle East. Christians in US came from England after being persecuted. England was dominated by the RCC church which I think prevailed after the crusades but don't quote me on that.

So, religious belief has always played a vital role in society.

[Miss Blue]

Since most of the early settlers supposedly came to this country, because they were christians looking for a place where they could practice their belief without fear of persecution, yes I would say that that is why this country is mostly christian. I think family history has the biggest influence on a persons decision as to what branch of christianity(meaning denomination or nonden...)that a person chooses. If a certain religion can be traced back a few generations, then it is likely that most of that future generations will worship the same way. I was born and raised in Ohio, and most of my family on mom's side were Catholic, they lived in Springfield which at that time was predominately Catholic. Then we moved to a small town in Wilmington, and it was predominately Quaker, at that time and some of the families could trace their religious roots generarions back..When we came to Kentucky over thirty years ago we found that the religions here were more fundamental. Baptists, Church of God , Pentacostal, etc and they also could trace their religion back generations. However the country has become so mobil now that we now are prettyy much of what Icall a potpouri of religions everywhere.