No. I think me being introduced to religion has probably molded me into being the person I am today, considering I stopped believing at age 14.

I wouldn't change anything because sooner or later I would be questioning and curious about the other side... I appreciate the good schooling received in a catholic private school in my formation years. I don't feel the need to look for things in the bible. I was an "A" student in religion class because it was history lessons to me. When the time to detach came it was Easy and without Regrets. It did made me a better person I think. I am not Bitter of religion... I was never a perfect catholic after all.

Nah. I wouldn't change anything. Being raised Christian DID introduce me to the idea of a God, which I still believe in, and allowed me to meet people in my life who I'm still pretty close to. If I was raised Atheist or anything like that, then I wouldn't have believed in anything at all. While that's fine for others, I do like the idea that I'm not totally gone when I'm dead. At the same time, being introduced to other Religions has broadened my horizons to the point where I'm confident that Religion itself is unnecessary. I believe in a God, but I don't believe that you have to believe in one in order to be allowed happiness after death. It's a matter of what you do, not believe. My upbringing, and my other experiences brought me to this point, and I'd never change it for anything.

Can't honestly say I'd change anything. Everything I've experienced has brought me where I am. I like who I am now, and where I am in my life. Nothing is perfect, but it could all be so much worse. So yeah, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I wish my family was non-believers they never listen to me and only make up excuses for fading out when I'm talking whats worse is that since everyone knows I'm a atheists everyone looks at my brother for some kind of translation, and he's a complete retard like christianity was made specifically to keep people like him in check.

I was raised in a church. It raised a lot of questions especially since my Dad followed may of the ways of his native American grandparents and taught me that as well, with a heavy emphasis on astronomy/astrology as a science. His Bible was the farmer's almanac. I would love to have been able to have had a deeper understanding of his belief system and not had the influence of the church to contend with.

I had a good home, and my parents' faith was meaningful to them and held reasonably. It still is, they are good people, accepting of our differences, supportive. I'm lucky. So no, I wouldn't change that, it would mean changing who they are.

My main regret in life re: faith is a vow I took (privately) to guard my faith when I went to college. I feel now that I closed myself off to real opportunities for growth.

That said, I like the perspective I learned from Richard Rohr to respect my own past and my own decisions as things that had value for me then. I was doing the best I could in a way that reflected my identity then. Maybe I wasn't ready to leave my faith then. Maybe is served a useful purpose for me that I don't see clearly now. Those are maybes, not certainties, but I try to just let the past be what it was without self-judgment.

I hesitate to say yes, because I have a pretty good life. Having said that, I would still choose Thad new start. I've always been fairly intelligent, but taught not to question things. I too went through alcohol addiction, and lots of confusion concerning what I was taught versus what I could see for myself.

I can't even imagine my parents as non-believers. How would they excuse all the crap they did? So, I would say "yes" with the caveat that I want a different family.

I like the person I have turned out to be. So my answer is no.

i would love to start my life over as a person brought up with no religion just to see if id turn out to be a good person without any religious training.

That's a tough question. So much of my life choices were influenced by my religious upbringing, and it's not been all bad. But, I do think things could have been a lot better had I not been saddled with Catholic guilt and the fear of Hell, etc.

I wish I could start over, and I wish I had not been indoctrinated. I would've had an easier life in my school years.

The biggest hell for me is having to relive my life with my brain. Nothing came easy for me. I was always thinking and it wasn't good thoughts. Im surprised I made it this far. My wife said she's surprised she made it to 30. I was mean and i hurt so many people and i don't religion had anything to do with it. Its the big chemical imbalance thing. I think i needed Ritalin when I was a child and teenager. I just want to make the next 10 years with my wife. By then they may allow us to take the pill. I can't leave my wife though, so i got to wait for her first.

My situation is very similar to yours, with the alcoholism and fundamentalist family. But it took all that to make me the person I am today, (I am the sum total of my genetic heritage and life experience) and I like the person I am today. So, No, if I could go back and change anything, I wouldn't.

I don't know if I could have. It's not a cut and dried question... During my late teen years, I was convinced by things like coincidences that God was enticing me to come to him. I needed to believe that was happening, cuz I wanted to believe in the supernatural. It gave me lots of warm fuzzies when things would happen that I perceived as signs from God.

I think these mystical experiences are why many people are believers... pure scientific evidence (or lack thereof) seems cold and heartless to someone who wants to believe in a loving God. I had it explained to me that children of abusive alcoholics exhibit this leaning. That was me in spades.

So, if I had another chance at reliving life, it would have to include NOT living with an abusive alcoholic father.

Absolutely; so much wasted time that could have been spent making a positive difference in this world.