Since I have been studying Religion at uni, I have found that in my daily life it has opened up so many opportunities for me to learn about others just by me mentioning that I am studying this subject. When I speak to people or meet people and they ask me what I do (once I clarify that studying religion does not mean I am becoming a nun, that in fact it is a broad academic subject), every single person without fail is interested in one way or another and opens up to me about what they think or feel about the subject. I find now that one of my most frequent questions to people after our initial conversation is "Are you religious?" followed closely by "Do you believe in God?".
It sometimes surprises me when people answer "yes" to being religious (and specify that they are of a Christian denomination of some sort), but then hesitate about whether they believe in God, or in one case said they had never really though about whether they believe in God even though they do define themselves as Catholic. These interactions have made me realise that there is quite a spectrum of people out there who consider themselves religious, some of whom I suppose were "brought up" Christian and so that is what they define themselves as, but possibly their life and values and beliefs don't align with this religion as they have grown up but they just haven't gotten around to redefining their spirituality because they have seen no need.
Another person I have spoken to, sat down one day to specifically think about what he believed and decided to write down his own "creed" of how he wanted to live, some of which was quite different to what he had been subscribing to when he considered himself Catholic. I find it extremely interesting in the way people define themselves according to religion and also what organised religions think of this - what is their opinion of someone who considers themselves Catholic because they grew up in a Catholic family, but who has a different set of values and rules to live by, and even in fact is not sure whether or not they believe in God. Are they still considered Catholic by the church because they have gone through the correct rituals of baptism, confirmation etc even though they may not believe?
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