Severe abuse by the church made me firmly anti religion for most of my youth, and then meeting religious people of varied faiths who weren’t monsters softened my feelings as I realized it wasnt all entirely evil. Then studying some of my family’s roots brought me where I am now: vaguely pagan while still acknowledging that I’m always going to be culturally Christian. I like to just tell people I’m a “recovering Catholic” for brevity and a laugh.

As for my social and political views, it was seeing all my friends come out as queer and realizing that I could either keep the far right views my family taught me, or I could learn to get my head out of my ass to keep my found family. Once I started forming my own opinions, I realized I got fed a load of shit my whole life(and also I’d wind up coming out too lmao)

I’m a Gulf War veteran. While you would think that the conflict theatre would have be a life-shaper it was three events that happened immediately afterwards that truly shaped who I am today.

The first was days after we departed the conflict area. Given an opportunity to disembark for a day prior to setting sail out of the Gulf several of us had opportunity to “hit the malls” in UAE. As we were leaving we were approached by a group of men near our own age. They were Kuwaiti university students. Up until that moment we were just a bunch of tired jarheads looking to pick up a few creature comforts for the trip home. The enthusiastic thank you from these gentlemen for our assistance in “liberating their home” made us realize that despite any politics that may have brought us there, we did a good thing. We touched some lives in a positive way.

Weeks later our expeditionary brigade stopped moving across the Bay of Bengal for reasons unexplained. We sat for days with little information until it was announced that we were being diverted north to Bangladesh. What would become known as Operation Sea Angel was a response to one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in history. We spent the next several weeks engaged in humanitarian efforts, removing debris, distributing food and rendering aid, twelve to sixteen hours a day, every day. Being close to these people, seeing the pain and misfortune that was inflicted upon them through no fault of their own other than they lived in a certain geography, was a profound experience. We were once again able to touch lives in a positive way.

Only weeks later we finished up three overly-drunken days of liberty in Olongapo City, Philippines and then boarded up for the remaining float to Honolulu and then finally, San Diego. Only days after we departed we were advised that Mount Pinatubo had erupted. While we never returned it is my understanding that the Olongapo and the Naval Base at Subic Bay were mostly devastated. The thought that the vibrant city we had just departed was gone, in an instant, is still something that I think about to this day.

I left the Corps in '92. I felt I had done all that I needed to do there. I have since spent the remainder of my life in civil service of one form or another. I’ll never be rich, though I’ll be able to retire at a reasonable age. Most importantly, however small it may have been, I know I’ve done some good.

I was raised in a pretty conservative religion that listened to right-wing radio and news. However, I recently deconstructed religion entirely and can see it for the sham it is now. Once I did that my political ideology completely changed to the opposite. I’m now pretty progressive and happier than I’ve ever been.

Being poor and being treated poorly was radicalized. Serving in the military reinforced my world view.

Somewhere in there, I even considered myself a libertarian. Then I realized how childish they were, learned how manipulated they were by rich, greedy people, and since gone further left than most.

I’ve lived in the Southeast USA, SoCal, Southeast, and SoCal again, each for many years. It amazed me how much the culture is polarized in each area. I think both areas suck hard on the propaganda sauce. I’m hard left now just because I’m for helping people, and hate zealotry

Raised devout Mormon/LDS. 9/11 reaffirmed political conservativism. Church assigned me to be a missionary (age 19-21) in Portland, Oregon where I found liberals treated me with better respect than conservative christinans.

In 2006, my house rep said something royally stupid, so I voted for his Democratic rival. And like Pringles, once you pop you can’t stop.

Today I’m a fiery but loyal moderate democrat.

Not even going to read the thread before making this comment.

Remember rule 1 in this one.

I thankfully was raised in the exact region and community with the correct religion and prevailing political views. /s

In reality, humanities courses in university, living in the many different types of communities (urban, suburban, rural), and good parents who taught me not to take claims at face value.

Developing a bullshit detector and having basic empathy. Atheist; friendly to friendly people, hostile to hostile people; believe government should serve the people, never the other way around.

I wrote a lot about it earlier today.

https://lemmy.world/comment/1641271

I was brought up pretty non-religious. I remember in my very young years going to a non-denominational church. There was Sunday school and stuff. We moved across the country when I was 10 years old and family never went to church again. Mom would get a bit deep in it at Christmas with some bible reading. Got to my teenage years, searching for an identity. Tried church and totally was not for me. Too much telling me what and how I’m supposed to think. I’ve been an anti-theist ever since. 35+ years now.

• Raised Catholic - was pretty religious when young.
• In adolescence, started questioning things that didn’t make sense to me (e.g., why would God not want people to use birth control if they couldn’t afford kids? Why would he make people have a strong urge for sex but not want them to have it except for babies, and all the more typical things).
• Struggled more and more with things that didn’t make sense to me as I i got older (if God created everything, knows what’s going to happen, etc., how does it make sense to pray for something? Should he changed his plan because I asked really nicely? Etc.).
• Finally realized that all the myriad things that didn’t make sense to me disappeared if it turns out there is no god.
• Free from that notion, everything has clicked into place for me and the world makes more sense. It’s been 40ish years since then.

A great deal of my negative experiences in life have been “for the Glory of Christ”

Fuck your imaginary sky men.

Reading, talking to people, thinking, observations, etc.

I am currently part of a church that loves these types of questions because it means that I can bear testimony of God and bring the holy spirit into the conversation. I don’t like doing so online with a profile that I try to keep somewhat anonymous.

There are two “science only” reasons for my faith:

• outcomes. Everyone lives longer, has more education, has more wealth, has more kids, but stays away from self medication (alcohol, tobacco, caffeine) so a bunch are on prescription antidepressants. Umm “by their fruits you shall know them”
• pascals wager. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_wager

I have struggled with depression myself and have found the best solution is service. Church is a great “batteries included” way to serve. I also have a day of the week where I call up family and ask if I can help with anything. I was able to help my father in law renovate his house by making these calls.

Regarding politics. I hate political party “vendor lock in”. I have no clue how any of the issues get discussed based on how much astroturfing and bought/compromised news outlets. I imagine that my interactions with politicians is like reddit’s “upvote” where it really does nothing unless you sort by new. So I follow the money only.