Religion  | Poll Results | Advocate.com

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Results for the following question: Do you still practice the same religion your family did when you were growing up?

Yes
 22.4%

No
 77.6%

Total Votes: 563

Comments:
These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Leona Ragil
No, because as I got older, I realized that I shouldn't have to comprimise my individuality for something that is "morally correct". Additionally, it wouldn't be morally correct to be something I'm not.

Anonymous
Atheist now, family catholic

Brian
Currently I do not practice any formal religion. I was born a Catholic, but the actions of the Catholic toward gay people have caused me to leave the church. Instead I try to live a good life, be kind and loving toward others, treat others with respect and kindness. I do to others as I would have them due unto me. Organized religion is responsible for so much pain, discrimination and ill treatment of those that do not hold with their "rules" that I feel no inclination to associate myself with any organized church. It is possible to live a decent spiritual life without setting foot in a church and for now that is what I prefer to do.

David Schultz
Once I was able to think for myself, following the religion of my youth -- or any religion designed to fool the masses into certain behaviors -- seemed ludicrous.

Anonymous
Many years ago I cured myself of Cathoholicism and since then I never have found any brand of religion that was nothing more than a fantasy that could be compared to a fairy tale.

dan smith
My Mother is an Atheist and Father was a Free Thinker. I've been a Buddhist for the last 56 years; I'm 64.

Anonymous
I grew up Presbyterian and am now serving as a Presbyterian minister.

Shelley Heather
While I believe in the basic ideal of Religion - love all - beyond that the ideals seem to be for self-preservation of the institution rather than the the good of the people. Today, Religion is used as the excuse to discriminate, to hate and even to kill others in the name of God. Rather, I identify as a Spiritualist. It fits me because it is all about love and taking responsibility for your own actions and not blaming God or another person or the devil. I believe we are all connected and we will thrive or destroy ourselves together. We have the choice, we have the power and it is up to all of us to stop all war, all hate all fear. Namaste'

MJ
Yes I do and I still love the Lutheran Church though I am not happy with some of its policies. However my faith in Jesus is sronger than my love for the Church

John Bosch
No, I don't practice that -- why have any connections to any group of people that is so massively hypocritical and hateful? They pick and chose what they want to believe in and the rest they drop to the wayside. God MADE me gay so how it that a "sin"? The only things that are "sins" are the things you make a conscience choice to do and I didn't make a choice to be gay no more than straight people decide to be straight. Jesus taught people to love one another so why do you hate me so much when you find out that I am gay?

Anonymous
We were athiests, and I am still.

Anonymous
I was raised Southern Baptist. Now I'm an atheist.

Ed Alvarez
I have recently returned to my Catholic faith after several years.

Dan in LB
No. Born and raised Mormon. Hard to stay involved in a church that is so vehemently opposed to who I am. Still painful for my parents. 22 years after coming out to them, then still think it's a phase. Oh well.

Anonymous
I now practise no religion - and life is so much better for making that choice.

Anonymous
raised Protestant, now atheist/secular humanist

Mark Thomas
I would never give a penny to the Catholic Church or to any other religion that is a pawn for the Republican party to deny gays/lesbians our equal civil rights. I'm now a Unitarian Universalist since that religion nationwide promotes equality for those born gay/lesbian including in the military and in same-sex marriage. Our minister is a partnered lesbian and both are celebrated throughout the congregation. Why support any organization that says we and are families are not equal?

scott murner
I was adopted into a Christian home and was an active member of the United Methodist Church through my college years. However, always attracted to high liturgy, openmindedness and tradition, I became an Episcopalian in 1990. For me it is the "perfect" chruch.

Nick
I was born and raised Catholic. Fortunately for me, religion has always been a positive force in my life. I've never felt alienated or abused by my faith. In fact, I felt even closer to God and the Church after I came out. I continue to practice Catholicism and feel that I have grown spiritualy because of it rather than inspite of it. Being Catholic is as much a part of me as being gay.

Anonymous
i can not support a group that opposes my identity. if your god made the imperfect me then god is imperfect.

Anonymous
I was raised Roman Catholic, but am really turned off by the hypocrisy and intolerance of most organized religions. I prefer to follow a spiritual path and try to do right by others and be a good useful person with a close relationship with a higher power of my own understanding. I don't need a group of fellow human beings telling me what I need to believe in to achieve happiness and salvation.

Phill
I was raised Catholic and after coming out never felt like I was wanted. Although now I attend a Religious Science Church I find myself following certain traditions of the Catholic faith like Lent.

Anonymous
I don't trust reaigion.

Anonymous
Most of my family still goes to church, event the gay people in my family lolz. But, i was brought up a Catholic and now not a catholic. I believe in a different religion and still practice it since i was younger.

Anonymous
I don't personally practice any religion at this point in my life, especially the same religion I was raised on.

CAROLINE McMASTER, FLORIDA
No! What's ON the Earth (not above it) is what I believe in. FACTS are FACTS!

Anonymous
Raised Southern Baptist I am now attending a UCC church that is open and afirmming

Jack D. Blythw
No way. It took many years, but I am now a reformed Southern Baptist. I could never go back to that shame inducing institution.

Anonymous
I'm happy to announce that I am a recovering catholic!! I made it through the guilt and hateful feelings of self-loathing that were created by growing up in catholic schools. There is a level of personal hatred that needs to be exhibited by being a "good" catholic. Once I figured out that I didn't have to be another "fervent" follower I let go and became truly spiritual. Now I love myself and my family even though they still practice that religion. Aurelio in Miami

Richard T. Nolan
Both age 71, my partner of 52 years and I are New England "cradle Episcopalians" - by choice, not habit. Although we dislike the current liturgical/ceremonial excesses and New Agey elements that have squeezed out simpler forms of worship and parish life, we continue to worship regularly during these retirement years in a very gay-friendly church in Lake Worth, Florida. Our parents, who had excellent marriages, included my Roman Catholic father - the other three being Episcopalians. My health being iffy at this point, we have already filed our funeral services with our FL parish. By the way, we are especially proud of the Episcopal Church's evolution on gay issues.

peter morris
for me. I am a catholic and while the church does not recognize gay rights, I believe in the spirituality of going to Mass and reflecting on all the great things that have been part of my life so far. I believe in God and Jesus Christ and try to live my life in their image.

Jim
You got to be kidding!? I was raised in a fundementalist, born-again, Souther Baptist home and small town in the South! How could any self respecting Gay person remain a part of that! It would be like being a Jewish Nazi. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Kevin
Unfortunately, ALL religion is the same...they all teach HATE and brainwash all their followers into believing that extreme hatred is OK.

Joseph A. Krasinski
Having been raised in the Roman Catholic Church, I joined the much more progressive Episcopal church at the age of 18. Despite current rancor, the Episcopal Church is, for the most part, open and affirming. I was ordained in the Church 25 years ago. Though I wish we would "move" faster, progress is being made in leaps and bounds.

Anonymous
Didn't change religions, just don't go to church to watch the hypocrisy in person.

Anonymous
I feel that following organized religion is the refuge of the weak-minded and uneducated. How can someone feel that there is a "being" that sits up in the clouds, watching us and deciding if we're doing good or bad things, and punishing us or rewarding us accordingly? That falls in the same category of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. And then there are those who will send money to morons who claim that New Orleans was destroyed by god's hand in Hurricane Katrina because of the sin of homosexuality. Thank you, but I'll stick with my atheism.

Anonymous
don't go to church but I do pray

Ben Guess
I'm still a Christian, but I left the conservative United Methodist church of my youth to find a gay-affirming home in the United Church of Christ.

David
Yes and no. I consider myself a Christian, as I believe Christ is the Son of God. However, I have an interesting blend of earth (pegan) and buddhist religous symbolism, ideas and beliefs intermixed as I grow spiritually.

Anonymous
Mankind has created gods to explain things beyond his ken and witch doctors, shamans, priests and other so-called holy men and women found they could control people by claiming to know how to appease these gods through imposing guilt on their clan, tribe, community or nation. The holy ones claim that they are the only ones to remove punishment for offenses against the gods, chiefs, kings or other tyrants if they are paid or enslave themselves to the support of the religion. Those who look to gods for salvation, help or gain, no longer rely on their own abilities and intelligence to provide these goals or needs. Also there is the delusion of life after death and this has been a force of religion for untold millennia. There is no proof that gods ever existed other than fanciful supposition that created the concept. That is the function of a human mind, to conceive. What wonders can Man's mind conceive when unfettered by fallacy of religion. Man's mind conceived right and wrong, not any gods. Man's mind conceived art and the appreciation of man's beauty, not gods. Fear of the unknown allows so called holy men to foist their drivel onto those who have given into their fear. Grab your fear and face it. No one is going to get out of this alive. When it is over, there is nothing. Enjoy it while you can. Lover yourself and your fellow man.

Rev. Brendan Hadash
I grew up Catholic and now am happy that I am a Unitarian Universalist which accepts and affirms gays & lesbians.

Anonymous
I no longer believe in religion.

Jake
My folks were into scientology now they are involved with Buddhism. I don't follow a religion specifically, but I am very spiritual and would lean towards Buddhism more than anything.

Suzan Cooke
They tried to indoctrinate me into the Catholic lie. There is no god

Anonymous
Yes and no. I still am an evangelical Christian, but I found an affirming and inclusive church where I can be myself with my partner.

Bob
i was raised a Roman Catholic, found it to have too many holes in its logic and too politically involved and did not concentrate on spiritual needs...more concerned with their pushing 'their way or the highway' ... bad news...i could go to some of the fundamental evangelicals if i wanted that.

Patrick
You can't change people's opinions and attitudes from the outside. You have to challenge their misconceptions, not through confrontation, but by being yourself.

Anonymous
I consider myself non-denomination now

Jim
I have not practiced any religion for many years..I believe religion is the root of all evil...

Anonymous
Thomas Roberts is such a mess and will never work in the news industry again. Why would your magazines publish all his lies, not one thing he says is true. Atlanta

Anonymous
I have freed myself from religion!

Dave
My denomination has chosen to accept all people, it has always stayed at the forefront of social change. There has always been congrigations on both sides of the racial devide. I remeber our congrigations were integrated without much notice, only acceptance. I remeber gay couples attending in the 70's they weren't "out" but all knew and most accepted. I am sure that there are conservative congrigations but the intolerence is not preached from the top down. I have friends who have been performing comitment ceremonies for over 20 years in their churches.

Hiro
I come from a nominally Buddhist background (I am of Japanese ancestry), but these days I consider myself to be a freethinker. I accept ideas from many different faiths, since I don't believe that any one religion has the monopoly on truth anyway. I don't trust organized religion because it always seemed to me that it spent more time telling people what to do rather than exploring humanity's spiritual nature. One of my friends is a lesbian who was raised a Roman Catholic. She left the church in her 20's and is now a Wiccan.

Anonymous
I have grown out of religion. Thank god

Anonymous
I was raised in Reform Judaism, but stopped going to Sunday School, etc, when I was in my mid-teens, though I have never stopped considering myself Jewish. My husband is Presbyterian; we were married in my temple by my rabbi; his minister would not perform an interfaith ceremony. Our kids have been raised both Jewish and Presbyterian to appease both families and give the kids a sense of both their heritages. They were neither christened or named in either religion. We celebrate religious holidays with the appropriate side of the family. About 10 years ago we spent 5 weeks in Israel; it was amazing for all of us. If the kids, now in college, have to choose only one religion to cite, they call themselves Jewish. They seem to like being a minority where we live. I will die a Jew. My husband remains Presbyterian.

Hugh
Yea, go to the same 'church' but wonder if I believe so strongly as some of appear to do. But I still attend for disciple sake more than "believe".

geoff
thinking of switching from baptist to episcopalian. but can't find resources to locate the right episcopal church in my area.

Kenny
No organized religious affiliation. I do however consider myself culturally a secular Christain. That means I am versed in the litany of the demomination I was raised in; had a very good church youth group comparative religion education; and took several religion courses in college (60's death of God type thing). Secular Christian.

Anonymous
I left the Roman Catholic Church years ago and was fortunate enough to find the Anglican Catholic Church which has all the ritual, music, etc. which I love without the anti-gay bigotry. I can recommend it to anyone looking for a tradtional home

Anonymous
Catholicism is one of the most homophobic religions out there. I have no interest in participating in any religion which would treat me as a second-class citizen

Richard in Kansas City
I'm now 70 years old. I left the church of my youth when I was 28 years old. That was the year I met my wonderful life partner of 42 years. I'm still recovering from the horrors of 14 years of Roman Catholic education. Now I am a member of the American Humanist Association and the Freedom From Religion Foundation and happy as I can be!

Anonymous
No, but neither do they.

Pema Dundop
No, my father was a Catholic and my mother was a Methodist, and when I was born I was to be baptsized a Catholic but that was changed when my paternal grandmother left town for the summer. After that, I did not receive any religious training in being a Methodist and my paternal grandmother attempted to turn me into a Catholic. It all served to make me an atheist and, since 1992, a Buddhist.

Michael
I had to find my own way in religion and am very happy with my choice.

Jason
NO!! I have no intention of practicing their fundamentalist religious ideas. Unfortunately, most of the US is still stuck in the 1950's. I have left their hateful ways when I was still a teen, and I have been more centered and happy with my spiritual self.

Jack Lowell
When my partner's father died, I was impressed how his religion handled death. I ended up converting to Judaism. It meant two years of study with the rabbi but I have found what I have been looking for all my life. We go to a Reform Temple and they accept us as a gay couple, in fact will perform a wedding for us, even thought the state does not recognize it, the temple will.

Jeff Chang
I'm still Christian but now I practice a different form... Universal Unitarianism. This religion is more accepting of the diverse group of people that make up the world.

OB
I give thanks for the Tibetan teachers who brought Buddhism to us, in spite of great hardship and loss of country, culture and family. I can now make sense of my relgion of origin by listening to the words of Jesus with Buddhist ears.

Bob Green
My family realized about 35 years ago that most organized religions are organized to take money and build themselves into even bigger corporations. Most Churches are godless.

Anonymous
Thank God I became atheist and so did most of my family. As an older italian prover goes: "God save me from your followers!"

Anonymous
Please - I was raised in a Southern Baptist church.

Anonymous
I don't practice any religion.

Anonymous
No, my family is Roman Catholic and I don't feel welcome in that church.

Laurie Gibson
I'm still a Christian but I have grown much more liberal in my faith than how I was raised in the evangelical church of my youth.

Anonymous
my family isn't religious but my girlfriend is so I've gotten into going to Mass with her (yeah, she's Roman Catholic).

Anonymous
I am a recovering Catholic

Anonymous
went from Roman Catholic to atheist

Anonymous
I'm no longer active in church and my beliefs have kind of warped, but we still identify as the same religion. I think it is better now for me and my mom because we both kindly debate positions and learn from each other. Although, my minister mom will still sneak one in at the end of the convo.

Anonymous
nope. i was raised mormon. religion in general scares me now.

Anonymous
My Husband left the Catholic church and joined our UCC First Congregational Church of Randolph, MA

RandomGayAgnostic
I was raised Methodist. Fortunately, I was also raised by an english teacher who instilled critical reading skills in her children at a young age, which led me to actually read the Bible at the age of 13 and leave it behind. In the 24 years since then, almost nothing I've heard out of religious leaders actually corresponds to what the Bible says. I can't blindly follow a religion like that.

Cheryl
My family raised me as a Southern Baptist Fundamentalist. Most of my family have now come away from these stringent judgment teachings. I have always been very contemporary in my beliefs since I refused to attend this church at the age of 9. I think my forward feelings have helped my family be more open as well.

Tahj Mitchell
I have my issues with it but I'm trying to learn more about it

Anonymous
my family does not practice any religion, so I do not practice any religion.

Anonymous
As I finished college in the mid-1970's I became convinced that the Catholic Church was only concerned with its view of philosophical consistency and of enforcing its own rigid teachings -- not on the lives and needs of real people. I drifted away and for 25 years had no church. Although I occasionally felt the loss, I did nothing about it. In mid-life I finally came out and with that found MCC, which teaches and practices God's inclusive love for all. I found my church home. It took coming out to find myself and a faith community that made sense to me. God works in mysterious ways!

Anonymous
My parents are nondenominational Christian. I have been an atheist since I was 16.

Steve
I was raised in the deep South as a Southern Baptist. I hated it for so many reasons, being gay was only one. As an adult I was jaded and agnostic, seeing all religion as useless. At 29, I encountered Buddhism and have followed it for the past 6 years. Buddhism helps me to gain understanding and humility. I'm very lucky to have had this opportunity.

Anonymous
As you get older you realize that lunacy is not pretty.

Anonymous
While our general beliefs are the same, we believe in the same God, etc. I find most of the practices of Catholicism, (what I was Baptized and raised) to be wrong and against Gods word.

Willy
No, I could not stand the hypocrisy.

Anonymous
I'm not as fundamentalist as they are, but yes. I am probably more like some kind of leftist evangelical (think Tony Campolo or Jim Wallis) but I am a person of faith. I don't see anything in the Bible that forbids people who love each other from living in faithfulness and joy. I believe that it really brings glory to God. Really.

Rev. Dave Neven
I still respect some of the old traditions, but I have personally moved to a more spiritual,open and inquiring faith that is less orthodox & judgemental. -Rev.DN,E.Grand Rapids,MI

Anonymous
I had to choose between my faith and my religion. Faith is God's gift to me and cannot be compromised by any self-serving religion.

Kathy Kirkpatrick
I still practice Christianity but with a very different slant. I am more like a "Zen Christian." God, to me, is really more the power of good - all that is right and the desire to be a part of the greater good. Jesus, although not truly devine, was the epitomy of someone living a life devoted to goodness.

John
It hasn't always been easy, but I realized that my belief in God wasn't changed by my sexuality. I still go to the same church my family does.

Sidney
Yes, I still practice Christianity. I pesently go to Gay Christian Network.

Casey
No, though perhaps I went a different direction than most on this board. My family didn't practice any religion at all when I was growing up - both parents were "fallen" catholics, I guess, and I was raised essentially agnostic. In college, I started a spiritual journey that wound up with me becoming a Christian, and from there a gay rights activist within faith communities. I wonder how many others have this story? I've heard of a few.

ART
No, but then again we never really had a religion. We were allowed to make our own mind up about it, at least as far as my father was concerned. We went through different phases, but it was only when I was going to a catholic university that my humanism, and agnosticism, really came through.

Rex
I have been liberated from superstition

Randall Shirley
I grew up Mormon, and while I know a handful of gay guys who still try to hang on to the beliefs of that religion, to me it was a case of a corrupt baby, bathwater, and tub. All had to be thrown out. I gave that religion some of the best years of my life, and truly tried its principles. I missed out on dating guys in my late teens and 20s as I dragged through a Mormon mission and Brigham Young University. I held numerous positions of leadership in the church and taught both Sunday School and Priesthood meetings. I certainly know their doctrine. This idea that a religion like Mormonism will one day change is absurd. They "change" when it is politically or financial useful for them to do so. They dumped polygamy when the U.S. required that for Utah to become a state, and they allowed blacks into the Priesthood when they couldn't sort out the bloodlines of Brazilian converts and could no longer ignore the realities of mixed-races. Anyone who believes those events occurred because of divine revelation is brainwashed. A bunch of old men in Salt Lake City (or Vatican City, in the case of my partner) certainly don't understand me and my/our reality, and have no right to tell me how to live my life (especially as dictated by some other old white man in heaven).

Jeff Wheeler
I was brought up in a Southern Baptist Church where I was loved and nurtured. However, my sexuality would have most certainly gotten me kicked out at the very least and caused my family great pain. I am now part of a loving, accepting congregation at Ft. Lauderdale's Sunshine Cathedral. My faith provides me strength and assurance that I am loved no matter what. No requirements, just simple love and acceptance. Southern Baptist have a list of requirements.

L. Eric James II
My family was Lutheran and fairly progressive in its thinking but I can't accept the Lutheran stance on sexuality. Indeed, most organized religions are too caught up in doctrine and "the true god." For me God and spirituality is more then any one person or religion, it is a connection with every person and the world itself. So I bought a doctor of divinity from the Universal Life Church and am my own religion now - FORGIVENESS - the Universal Church of Knowledge & Understanding.

Anonymous
They didn't practice, but were diverse in their beliefs. I converted as a teenager to Christianity, a dedicated fanatic, I wanted to be a missionary, but I left it after four years because of hypocrisy and lies, especially for steeling church money. I've been a Buddhist believer for about 20 years, the practice of my ancestors, though not fully practicing; it's a teaching that is closer to my heart in teachings, beliefs and practice.

Anonymous
My family was Baptist, but I came out as an atheist even before I came out as gay.

Mario
Oh HELL NO! My family was split into either Catholic or Southern Baptist and both of those made me feel suicidal, dirty, and destined to rot in hell along side unwed mothers, abortion doctors, the unbaptized, feminists, and other queer people--Im not against people having religious beliefs but if those beliefs poison my existence with hatred and violence then count me out!!

Keith Andrews
My parents encouraged me to look around at various religions. Through this looking I found Sri Krishna. I didn't really find him as he isn't lost or found. But I discovered that he always was and will be in me and all living things.

Anonymous
I am no longer superstious. long live Darwin.

Mario
I was raised in an irreligious household, and I am still not religious (atheist).

Anonymous
I used to be a devout practicing Catholic. I still consider myself a Catholic, but I no longer practice.

Bob in Amsterdam
Yes, in addition to Judaism into which I was born, Buddhism - the least homophobic of the major religions. But, now we have a female rabbi and a totally egalitarian congregation. Who would have thought that possible 50 years ago!? Go figure!

Ginelle
No, I do not. I do not wish to affiliate myself or identify myself with any religion or people that claim to be followers of Jesus Christ on the one hand and at the same time incite hatred towards others because of their sexual orientation. This particular issue, along with a number of other issues, was the catalyst in my separating myself from religion all together. Over the years, we have all seen what damage religion has done to children who were housed in religious institutions, we have all seen the wars that religion has been behind in their quest to gain absolute control and power, we have all seen and heard the lies and deceipt in their efforts to gain control over our political leaders. No, I am quite happy having my very own religion in my heart. I don't need to go to a special building, I don't need to associate or affiliate myself with others to practice my religion. I just need to believe in my heart that Jesus Christ loves each and everyone of us whether black or white, gay or straight, rich or poor, young or old, no matter what our station in life.

florian
i'm a member of the lutheran church of germany. while i never had any actual faith, and none in my core family displayed much of it either, the membership and the rituals of the church have become more important to me on a cultural level. to put this very european experience into perspective for an american: this translates into 2-4 church attendences a year. again: please do note the lack of faith.

Anonymous
No. I am an Atheist now. My life is much better now because of it. No more guilt, anxiety and shame that came during childhood Catholic indoctrination.

A Physician
I have become an atheist and am very comfortable with it.

Ken Favell
I came out when I was 48 and also left my home church at that time. After a few years with the United Church of Christ I became a Unitarian Universalist and couldn't be happier with the openness I feel in my new church community.

bob
But I had to walk away from it for about 25 years. Coming back was like returning home. It was only possible because I accepted my sexuality and no longer look for perfection in others or institutions. I refuse to continue giving up something so dear to me because others there have a problem with me being gay. That is there problem, not mine and not God's.

Rick
I don't practice any religion. I base my beliefs on evidence. And there's absolutely no credible evidence that magical, invisible gods exists. None.

K
I am no longer a practicing Christian. I have found Buddhism to be a much more positive and influencial religion/philosophy in my life. Instead of concentrating on the "evils" in the world and pointing fingers, Buddhism just says there is a way to end suffering by being kind to all.

Suzzi Q
Being grown up means by definition you don't practice religion anymore.

Anonymous
no--i have given up superstition for reason and science.

Gavin M. Stephenson-Jackman
The United Church of Canada has always encouraged a faith which does not take a litteral interpretation of the Bible and encourages questions, allowing everyone to develop a deaper faith.

Anonymous
I was reared in the Southern Baptist Church -- Shreveport, La in the 1950s & early 1960s. Sang in a Methodist Church choir in college, then left organized religion for good (I thought) when I discovered I loved women. A few years ago, the Episcopal Church consecrated Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. That led me to venture back, and I am so happy I did so. The Anglican tradition does not demand I leave my mind at the door and does not insult my intelligence. My spouse and I are warmly included in our church, and we have found a place to grow in spirit and in community. ROM, New Orleans, LA

Anonymous
Hellll Nooo. No Morman or African Methodist Episcopol here. How do you like that combination? Just as much as me huh?

Anonymous
Buddhism. A path of love and happiness.

Anonymous
My family were atheists. I am now a Reform Jew. I tried Christianity but after decades of beating my head against a religious brick wall, I realized how unhealthy it was for me and dumped it. Enough of being hated, already. My partner and I have found a home.

Rebecca
Raised Mormon. Being Mormon and gay are incompatible with a happy life.

Q.
No. My family practice fundamentalist Pentecostal Christianity. I became an atheist at age 13 and have remained atheist to this day.

Dapper Dan
My family was never really "religious", though we did go to church some (not every single week). I am now agnostic and don't reall y"practice" any religion at all, though I find elements of Buddhism, Paganism, and Quakerism that appeal to me.

Jim
"Practice" is a lucrative term. I am still a Lutheran, and believe it's many tenets, but I do not attend church on a regular basis.

paul c.
i am no longer ignorant, naive, nor brain-washed. i am now an athiest.

Anonymous
Organized religion is an impediment to progress in so many ways. Most of them are money making rackets designed to keep people undereducated and under control.

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