Did anyone have a christian upbringing?

[valerian moon]

I definitely feel you. My grandfather is the same way. He thinks any religion that doesnt involve christianity is evil and he even called an innocent muslim man a terrorist!!
my mother and grandmother, however, are perfectly accepting. Even though they think its a phase. I recently had what i call a spiritual identity crisis. I wa soverwhelmed by the acceptance i felt in church, but then remembered that it was just one church and the bible is full of badness. However, i still read some of the nicer messages of the bible. The ones that arent all do this or die.

[Lunar Rose]

I was raised a Christian by my mother (I wasn't even allowed to celebrate Halloween, which almost killed me every year as I have ALWAYS felt a strong excitement and energy around it!). I know what you mean about feeling like you're "evil" or that you're doing "wrong" by being a witch. I've battled with my inner self for years over this matter. One thing I have come to understand, is this;

You get bad witches,
You get good witches,
You get good Christians,
You also get bad Christians.

I think it's important to think that so long as what you are doing is with the best intentions, and for the good of yourself and others, you can't possibly think of yourself as "evil", no matter what you believe in.

I hope that makes sense! It's kind of become my mantra whenever I start to doubt myself.

[Gray Pool]

I have had a Christian upbringing. Currently recovering

I grew up with just my mother, who wasn't very religious. However we always went to Church because a) it was a habit and b) for my grandmother. I HATED it. It was soooo boring, and the words never really meant anything to me. Then fourth grade. In my class there was this kid who parents were strict fundies. So I got into debates with him about religion and how dumb it was that his parents didn't let him do things that were "against God's law". Then guess what happened: paranoia struck. Recent shootings frightened the life out of me. I thought I was going to be murdered. I fell into depression. I hallucinated. So I turned to God. I prayed to him, which brought temporary relief, but even then I never really felt safe with him. I became a minor fundie. Was I an idiot then. Now one of my friends comments "you were super religious back then." Then one day in Fifth grade, I searched up "how to become a cat." That's where I found this site : Spellsofmagic.com
It's actually an amazing site. Go check it out! However the mods there can ban you for no reason. That happened to me. Anyyyway, I found out about Wicca and Paganism and such there. Then I turned toward the Greek and Egyptian god/esses. Why? An experience from when I was seven, and one from fourth grade.
When I was seven, I started worshiping Apollo, and generally the Greek Gods. I read every book I could get my hands on on them. I researched. I could feel them around me. My personal favorites were Apollo and Athena. Strange, huh, for a seven year old to start worshiping something other than their religion. What can I say? They were meant for me.
Onto fourth grade. I started reading up on the Egyptian god/esses and such. Again, I read every book about them I could. I learned hieroglyphics. I started my own society. (Even though it was just a game-I LOVE fantasy games.) Well, guess what. The fundie's kid, we'll call him A, joined the game. When his parents found out, boy oh boy were they mad. He was banned from playing it.
Once I really got into Wicca, and all that, I decided that my main god/esses would be this: Apollo, Aphrodite, Athena and Bast (some people call her Bastet).

Woosh. Sorry about the long message

[Nightwatcher]

I was raised Eastern Orthodox. I was even baptized (more for them then me but I didn't mind). We never went to church (because my parents could never find a good church) but they did instill into me something I think is a good lesson for spirituality; Faith is most important. Everything else is trappings. The simple act of believing in whatever higher power/deity you wish and learning to be open.

Now, I have yet to tell them I'm Pagan (the little bit I've hinted they've rolled their eyes a bit) although they're fine with me spell casting and practicing Witchcraft so... XD Still not sure how they'd feel. My best friend is Presbyterian and she knows I'm Pagan. She thought it was cool and is very curious and respectful which I appreciate. Same with my other friend who've ranges from Atheist to Catholic. I've been pretty blessed.

[Silent Stream]

Hey everyone,
It's been forever since I've been here, but I happy to be back now. I feel so much more at peace getting back into the craft. I was gone for a while because I had a Christian period but it's just not for me. Does anyone have a Christian backround? How do you get over feeling like you're doing something wrong even though you're not. That's honestly the only reason I ever went back to Christianity because I was scared and I thought I was "evil" or something. After going down that road again like in my childhood it brought nothing back but bad memories. I don't feel like I'm terrible, but I would like to feel at peace to just let it go and be happy with my choices. I am 23 and it's not like I need to answer to anyone. I guess I just can't shake the feeling I got when I was always told I was going to hell if I wasn't a christian when I was a child. It's brainwashing.

While i spent many years in a holy rollin type church they would burn me at the stake, most christians are very narrow minded and think anything other than what they belive is of the devil. Some of my reasons for leaving the church was because of the huge amount of hipocracy. Yah yah some nice christians out there and some good people, but we are most likely veiwed as evil, christianity is a very dominering, controling and maniulitive religion. Anything other than strick doctrine is veiwed as unaceptible. Oh dont forget the Money they cant seem to run a church without lots of that holy green stuff. Sorry for the rant, ive been burned pretty good buy my so called brothers in the lord!!

[lisian-in-secret]

Born and raised in a scary religious family. I'm not talking sweet, quiet Catholics! I mean screaming and hollering, tongue speaking, southern originating Christians. I was deeply brainwashed and taught that anyone who didn't follow the Christian faith was bad, or some kind of outsider. I am now the most liberal person. If you didn't know of my upbringing you'd assume I was raised by a ton of hippies. I am free spirited and generous and accepting to people of all kinds. I was very oppressed and very miserable as I was being brainwashed by not only the church, but my overly religious family as well. As I am now 19 I still unfortunately live at home, where I still endure the obnoxious religious nonsense. But I am older now am much wiser. I'm no longer some mindless religious zombie experiment, I am my own person...no one else's! I can say I was the least happy as a mindless, brainwashed zombie.

[AdastraJunction]

Raised Roman Catholic and went to church for every holiday and every Sunday Mass, I've even been to the Vatican twice. It wasn't a bad upbringing and my family was not strict per-say but you were expected to abide by the church. I guess I broke the mould in my family and I was the first to leave the faith I was raised in. My brother still attends Mass nearly every Sunday but has opened up to a lot of ideals outside of his beliefs, my two sisters are openminded but still devout Catholics as are my parents. They didn't like my choice to leave the church at first but they know the person I am and I have never disappointed them so they accept it to a point as long as I don't practice any "witchery" in their home. I suppose we have developed a mutual respect and never really talk religion any longer as it is a moot point.

[eclectic witch]

I was raised Catholic. Church every sunday and holiday, sunday school, youth groups, all of it. My mom was sometimes overly religious and would force me to go to church when I lost interest entirely.

[Katiara]

I grew up in a family where religion wasn't a major part of life. We went to a luthern church a few times (off and on for a a year or so)... but it never felt right and I had "issues" that always made me feel like an outsider at any church. I did rebel when I was 13 or so and went to a Nazarene church (they were very strict and I only stayed with it for a few months). I always had trouble fitting in a Christian church because I am a sensitive and empathic... and as far as the teachings I learned from church.. that made me evil.. I was not evil and I am not evil.. it is them who has the problem, not me. I started down my pagan path after that and never looked back.. well, almost never looked back. I did have a 3 year stint where I spent a lot of time at a church (at the time the motivation was to "establish" myself as part of a community for when I tried to get a professional job where images are important) So glad I abandoned that! My daughter went to church for a little while, well Sunday school for young kids. But she has been exposed to many different religions over the years. And as my family was supportive of my religious choices I am supportive of hers. (She has chosen the Wiccan path )

[Amo_Angelus]

I was raised Christian. I was raised VERY Christian. My grammother ran the sunday school in her area and I was taken along before I was even a year old...heck I think I went to Sunday school from being only three months. I stayed in Sunday school until I was too old. I was sent to a Church of England School and sang in the church Choir. Our local Salvation Army seems to be made entirely from my family (like 80% of the congregation, including the leaders are related to me and were at my wedding). Very Christian family.

Sadly my small town was also very "christian" complete with burning crosses and teachers quoting violent bible "teachings" which unfortunately included killing witches... So I'veseen the good and the bad side of the religion and...I never once felt evil. I've always been comfortable in my path, I don't think I'm an evil person and the fact that this is the path that feels natural to me means I've never questioned it. I have questioned Christianity though.

I'm lucky, I'm welcomed into the salvation Army with open arms even after I took the huge leap of faith and told them who I actually am. My path had changed but I was still the same person and they could see that and so long as I accept their path they've always been happy to accept mine.

[smogie_michele]

I'm lucky, I'm welcomed into the salvation Army with open arms even after I took the huge leap of faith and told them who I actually am. My path had changed but I was still the same person and they could see that and so long as I accept their path they've always been happy to accept mine.

That is awesome that everyone is okay with this path!
Raised Southern Baptist and hated every minute of it. I'm still in the broom closet for the most part because my fiances family is very religious and involved in church, so I just keep my religion to myself and a handful of people.

[Andromeda]

I was raised Non denominational Christian, but the church I attended was a "baptist" church. I'm still in the broom closet. I kinda have to be, since I live in the Bible Belt, and all of my friends and family and loved ones are very firm in their faith. I'm not worried of being shunned. I just don't want to hurt them.

[tezmouse]

Hey there I also was raised Christian and followed it until I was about 17, and lately I'd been dealing with similar issues as you - particularly worrying about 'well what if -they're- really right, and I'm wrong?' and a fear of going to a Hell that I don't really believe it. My family is not open-minded about this, and although my dad and brother know vaguely what I believe (although it's outdated information), they aren't 'okay' with it. I remember having many talks with my dad about the evidence for Jesus and all that, and eventually I told him I didn't want to have those talks anymore. I don't dispute Jesus's existence, but it's just not the path I follow. As far as I'm aware my mom still doesn't know, and neither do my in-laws, and I'm honestly worried about what would happen if they all did find out.

I feel like my mom would probably cry? I mean, I do have a heavy interest in witchcraft now, which would scare the life out of her. I feel like my in-laws would be more accepting maybe, but not necessarily supportive, y'know? My husband knows and doesn't really care, which is nice. But yeah, I feel you on the doubts and the fears. Maybe it's something we can all work through together.

[mangosandy82]

I was raised Christian. At age 7 I accepted Jesus as my personal lord and savior. My parents took me to church every single Sunday. I was on the worship team playing the flute. That's the only fun I ever had being apart of the church. I went to youth groups which later I started hated going. I was in holiday plays that my Mom put on. She was the worship leader and did musicals and stuff. I really liked being apart of the worship team and performing on the flute. I could play by ear. Then in about 2008 I started "debunking" everything the pastor was preaching about. I didn't debate with him this was just in my mind. I pushed that aside and thought it was the "devil". I even went to healing prayer nights at our church. I went up for prayer and asked for healing but healing did not come. I am still dealing with tendonitis today but I think I'll have that forever. I was so upset and angry at god for not healing me.

During my Christian path I had counseling from a different ministry. It was a christian ministry.I thought I was possessed by a demon. TBH I don't think I ever was. Maybe I was just possessed with past hurt and hanging onto it. I had messed with witchcraft before and played with a Ouija board. My mentor or whatever you wanna call him caused me a lot of stress because of all the do's and don'ts. I wanted to stay clean for god by not watching porn or anything that "wasn't of god". Yes I was one of "those christians". That part of my life caused me a lof stress.

After my mom died in 2011 it was hard to stay with God because he didn't answer my prayer that she would live. After I prayed with my dad she died. She had a massive heart attack. That's when I began questioning again.

When I found my boyfriend I was still christian but then later started questioning again. In 2012 I was an atheist towards gods and deities. In 2013 the word "wicca" came to my mind. I did a lot of research on it and during my researching I started practicing it. It took me a while to believe in gods again but I'm coming around and I do believe in them.

So I transferred from christian to Wicca. I haven't looked back since. I haven't been to church in 2 years and I don't plan on going back. I respect everyones path or religion.

Even during my christian upbringing I was very drawn to the pentagram and everything that has to deal with the occult. I'm still drawn to it today.

[RosieMoonflower]

I was also raised Christian. This is why I am interested in angels more than other supernatural beings. But, I also believe that religion is man made and spirituality is more important that religion. I believe in God and I believe the only way to find god to to see God. For me, that means to explore and understand aspects of ALL religions and ALL forms of spirituality. Something else that interest me because of my Christian up bringing, I am also interested in Gnosticism or gnostic Christianity. There are a few posts on this forum about this. I also remember learning about ye gnostic texts or gospels before when exploring all to know about Christianity. The gospel of Thomas is the most popular gnostic Christian text, and I would love to learn more about it!