Religion as an adult choice

[thedouglenz]

I come from a very strict long lineage of french roman catholics (up here in Manitoba being french matters, it's basically a recipe for being staunch religious). However despite my extended family being extremely religious my immediate family (mom and dad with us kids) never attended church or anything religious beyond family events. Both my brother and I became hard atheists. Yet most of my family is strict catholic.

As someone who came up in that atmosphere my philosophy has always been that people deserve their own right to choose what they believe in. However I have NEVER known a SINGLE person that has chosen religion from being agnostic or atheist as an adult that can actually make their own decisions. The only religious people I know were indoctrinated since they were under 2 years old to believe in god. And I've known countless people that have turned away from religion in their teens and as a adult.

So the question I pose is whether is if everyone was raised in a secular environment would religion even exist? I fully believe in people's right to choose, if they want to believe in a god they have that right. IF they choose that as a full developed person. NOT having it shoved down their throats as children.

The choice of having or not having a personal religion is as silly as a person needing to make the critical decision in adulthood whether to worship the gods of Greek mythology or not. People should know that they can study and read the various bibles or religious books without devoting their life to any particular one.

Personally, I read Jack and the Beanstalk when I was younger. It would have been silly of me to have to make the decision, when I became an adult, whether I was going to believe that a clumsy giant lived in a castle up in the clouds that might enjoy me for dinner should I ever decide to plant magic beans and climb up there myself out of curiosity and subsequent greed for treasure.