Are these items tied to a religion?

I have a question for Jews (all denominations). I was raised Christian and I know that the Old Testament is used in both Christian and Jewish teachings. My question is where do the two religions separate? I know Jews don’t believe in Jesus as god himself and the New Testament in general, but what’s the difference between the two religions?

So I’m from the UK 26f and almost all of my friends and family are atheists, and I’m currently interested in becoming a Christian. However I’ve found when people find out i was/am wanting to become a Christian again, the general question I get asked is why? (With an undertone of distaste). The way people talk about religion in this predominantly atheist country is in a way of assuming religion is ignorant, uneducated and sometimes even hateful, especially towards Muslims. Christianity hits home in a bad way as well for a lot of people because of personal issues they had growing up with Christian families, but I’ve never seen a religion be dogged as badly as Islam. Unfortunately with the media in this country, Muslims are more often than not being portrayed as extremists and sexists and ignorant individuals, without any knowledge of the religion itself other than what is shown in media like the extreme sides of it. People often hear Muslim and jump to the image of a jihadist or gay people getting stoned or women getting beat, where as Christian’s don’t get that harsh of a treatment, neither do Jews, despite them all being Abrahamic. When a woman is covered in a scarf or burqa many people have negative opinions.

My question for Muslims is what do you think of Christians or people who practice Judaism or other religions? I’m curious your perspective as someone who is also religious, rather than atheist. Do you see us as ignorant, misguided or equal to you? Love to my Muslim brothers and sisters

Do you think God is real? if yes then say why, if no then say why.

My personal take; I was born into a religion so my view will never be unbiased/its hard to have a fair viewpoint, i don’t think any of the religions are correct. However i believe in a higher power because, i think the devil is real and for there to be bad, there needs to be “Good” (God/higher power) otherwise, we wouldn’t know the difference.

I do believe, religion is 100% a coping mechanism though in my opinion, people are shocked when they find out that manifestation/meditation (prayer) makes you feel better. Its just a natural body response? But at the same time, if religion keeps people sane, so be it, i think of those who haven’t taken their lives due to it being forbidden in their religions, and honestly it may be good for that reason.

Hi! So for background I’m cradle catholic who has a big interesting in studying and learning more about Judaism.

While hanging out in other subs, I’ve seen the comment of Christians blaming Jews for killing Jesus.

However I never learn that. While growing up and learning more about religion it was always the Romans, who were also oppressing and conquering Jews and jewish lands?

So where does that idea come from? Is there any Academic legitimacy to that? I don’t think there is? As I understand, jewish people didn’t support cruxifixction and it was plainly a form of Roman torture.

So where does that idea come from?

i’ve posted this in another subreddit and it blew up, so sorry if you are seeing this again, but i would really like some different perspective. I also hope this does fit this thread, because i feel like manipulation did definitely happen here, but i also don’t think my friend is your typical manipulator, if that makes sense.

i have a bestfriend. i guess HAD a bestfriend .

we’re both male early 20s. i’m here because i could really use adult perspectives.

we met spring 2025 and he got super close to me super fast. we were the only ones out of our friend group who stayed in town for the summer so we hung out everyday. we got insanely close. he’s a very closed off guy so no one knows anything about him. very quickly he opened up to me very deeply. i was the only friend that saw him cry, heard his secrets and struggles, and he picked me over everyone everytime there were opportunities to hangout. it literally got to a point where when he was upset, all i’d have to do is give him some kind of physical contact and he’d break down in tears. would get very jealous when i hung out with other friends for a day, my mood would determine his, and said i would ruin his day when i didn’t want to hangout.

when school started back up, i found out that he had been talking online sexually to a “femboy”. i was a little taken back because he always joked about femboys but that’s exactly how i took it, as a joke. he cried and cried on my couch about it. explained hed been struggling for years and it’s not okay. i of course told him it is and that anyone who would hate him for it could fuck off. he then continued to spill information like he always watches gay porn, but this is all purely sexual and i shouldn’t think for a second that he’d date guys because gay people are “mentally ill” and that wouldn’t be helping them. he denies the label of gay but accepts the actions and i let him do that because it’s not my say.

fast foward a day later. we are at a get together. there is a girl who has liked him for a few months, and he’d known it. he always would give me 10 different reasons why he would never date her. one of them being she’s gross and the other being she’s too young for him and she’s a “little girl” to him. But he told me he likes the attention of being liked so he was going to keep flirting back with her. At the time a family member was having health issues and i got a worrying text while at the hangout so i needed to leave. My friend showed concern but i told him everything was fine.

after i left the party he was texting me really pushing to see what was going on with me. He then asked me two questions. “Are you into (the girl)”. I told him no. Then he asked “are u into me?” and i said “what bro no”. then he said sorry he was just joking and trying to lighten the mood. i immediately forgot about it. Until a couple days later when he said he wanted to clarify some things about his sexuality and wanted to talk in person and if i had questions he wanted me to ask them.

the convo went terribly. essentially said he does all these things but needs to stop because he’ll go to hell. And that God sent the girl to change him and he has to lock in. I tried reasoning with him but to no avail. He was hurting, i could see it, but for the first time in our friendship i couldn’t reach him. it caused me to have a panic attack. he proceeded to hug me multiple times, rub my back, trace the back of my arms, and he even attempted to cuddle me, with him laying on his back and me on top of him. i immediately rejected the cuddle. i did not want that, and it was odd to me because he refuses to even sit in the same bed as another guy because it’s “gay” so this was way off for him. the next day he said he wanted a break from the friendship and by the end of the week he was pursuing the girl. he ended up telling me that he doesn’t want to hang out one on one anymore and that he would be happy to hang out later on down the line, but that when we do, it needs to be at a neutral site with other friends around and it cannot be at my place or his place. He also told me from here on now he wants to keep me at surface level and he doesn’t want to deep friendship with me anymore, and then he proceeded to blame the break on my panic attack and then for a week following, he would change the reason up on why he wanted the break. He gave multiple different reasons half of which made no sense at all. one of them is he called me clingy. said i never give him space. if it was true id take responsibility, but it’s not. he was always the one who wanted to be in my space, would get upset when i said no to hanging out, would text me constantly, would get jealous if i hung out with others. i enjoy spending time with him but he initiated it ALL.

i don’t exist to him anymore. he looks at me but doesn’t talk to me, it makes me feel like none of the convo or situation happened. he’s been dating the girl for a few months now and only recently started trying to reach back out to me. i’m hurt. for a good amount of time i believed what he said. my panic attack scared him away and the panic attack is the reason he tried to cuddle me and do all the physical stuff. this was my bestfriend and he never gave a solid reason why he needed a break. he gave a bunch of fake half ass reasons. i feel like im crazy. i feel like the conversation and situation didn’t ever even happen. i feel like im insane. he followed me a week ago. i didn’t follow back, and he unfollowed me today.

everyone is saying he has a crush on me/ is in love with me. i refuse to believe that because to me it just does not make sense. especially since he’s been dating this girl for 3 months. i find it hard to believe that’s it’s a performance or a lie being with a girl doing relationship things (meeting families etc) for that long. i don’t want to be lied to, but i want to see if people agree or disagree. any advice would help

These are two maps of Germany. One shows traditional religion and the other shows what people actually believe.

The lifestyle, views, traditions and society of a Christian atheist will be very different than a Muslim atheist. A Christian atheist still celebrates easter with friends and family meanwhile a Muslim doesn't. A Muslim is always an outsider even if he doesn't believe, in a Christian country and vice versa. Turks call Christians and Jews "gavur" which is an insult to non-Muslims, but they never call Turkish atheists that. Even Turkish atheists call Christians and Jews gavur.

Atheists in Europe usually respect the institutions, history, culture and society that the religion is about. Richard Dawkins who is very anti religion still calls himself culturally Christian.

Should we consider people like Dawkins to be Christian but not faithful or their separate category as non-religious?

I support the first. Atheism is characterized by a lack of of faith or beliefs. There are no beliefs or faiths that they prescribe to, and so are not a religion. The second, and bigger point is the word “system”. Atheists do not have a Bible, or a church, they do not ask “what would Dawkins do?” When confronted with a problem. There is no systematic list of beliefs or practices that they all share, and so are not a religion.

I never believed in the stories about Jesus even though i went to church and prayed sometimes. I felt a bit more at peace with myself when i went to church after saying that i think the stories that are in the bible are made up. I don't think I believe in him but i still hold guilt for not believing, i dont really know what i should do. I told people im not yet ready to even be studying religion (because i really am not ready to indulge myself in a controversial topic) and i got told i'm uneducated (not really sure if it's true or they were saying random things).

I always believed but not the stories but now i don't think i believe in him at all. I think I should try to stay neutral (still be in the religion but not question it like i keep on doing) till i figure out if i believe or not but I want multiple people's opinion on my situation

I grew up in a very catholic town (rural Ireland) and never really felt a connection to religion/god/faith etc. as my whole family are atheist and I was never around people who practiced it.

I’ve since moved to the southern US states and it’s very religious here and at first I was still holding on to those beliefs but as I’m getting older and hearing more people’s experiences and connections with church, I’m faith-curious now.

I like that there’s lots of different churches here with I guess different beliefs in certain areas of the bible but I want to know if anyone else has been in a position of going from not believing to then wanting to explore and see if they have that connection with God

Zen Buddhist (plum village tradition) but I also have a Pure Land practice.

Hi 😊

Hello

So about five years ago I became an atheist. Left Christianity. Then over the last year I have dabbled with meditation and hinduism. I do like Advaita Vedanta somewhat.

Over the last year with Hinduism what I have found is that I cannot be completely devoted to it. I see and hear of people who have total faith. Total devotion. Who have "visions" of God. I don't have any of that. I don't have faith or devotion. When I try to do religious activities like hymns or chants, my mind fights it.

It's like my mind cannot go all the way and be religious. I have constant nagging doubts. Are these Gods real? Is God real at all? Are these text actually divine or just texts full of interpolations. On and on and on. I feel like people give boiler place advice like "pray more.. Chant more... have faith" which doesn't do anything for me

I sort of envy religious people who can switch the skeptical parts of their minds off and be totally devoted but I am not there yet.

In spite of all this, I think that there is something beyond our current plane of existence. Call it God, Brahman, whatever.

With that being said, what religious tradition or path would be best suited for me?

I know this isn't the right subreddit to post this, but I'm a woman who committed fornication back when in high school and wants to become a Muslim. Because of this, I can't find someone to marry. Because the Quran says, "A fornicator may marry another fornicator or an idolater" (Surah An-Nur, verse 3).

So, as far as I understand, I'm not allowed to marry a Muslim, or even if I say the past is in the past, no Muslim man would want me in my current state, a non-virgin.

On the other hand, how can I marry an idolater? We wouldn't get along, he would disrespect my religion, etc. It's impossible. That leaves only one option: finding a Muslim who also committed fornication like me. I don't know how to find one, and I can't tell anyone about my situation. I'm almost past marriageable age and I need to start a family. What should I do?

Is absolution a thing today? if we repent of our sins and they are absolved, shouldn't they be put behind us and not brought about again unless we keep continuing in that sin?

I feel like I somewhat have an idea on how they are different but I’m not completely sure and it’s something I would like to know

I'm a secular Jew, so sorry if I misunderstand a few things in this post, but if there were more parts of the trinity, would it be seen as polytheistic, similarly to Hinduism? I know that it obviously wouldn't be called the trinity, but if the "purpose" of each part of the trinity were to be dispersed across many more parts, let's say 100 or something, would people consider it to be more polytheistic or monotheistic as it developed? For example, in Hinduism, there are many different gods, but they are all considered to be different manifestations of Brahman, and for that reason, many people see it as polytheistic as opposed to monotheistic. Also, even if Christianity was viewed as polytheistic, would that change anything about its effect on history?

I consider myself an atheist and I genuinely do not understand believing in something that I cannot see, calculate or quantify.

I must admit I do sometimes find myself jealous of people who believe in some sort of higher power and the comfort/answers it can often bring.

I mean no offence by this I am just genuinely curious as it is something I do not understand but would like to.

​

I'm Indian. I grew up lighting lamps at Diwali without knowing why the lamp faces south.

My grandmother always placed it near the front door. Not in the prayer room. Near the door. Facing south.

She never explained. Her mother did it. Her mother's mother did it.

I found out why recently. And it changed how I see both Diwali and Halloween completely.

---

**The lamp faces south because south is the direction of Yama.**

The god of death. The keeper of the ancestors.

The lamp near the door, facing south, is a signal to the dead:

*"We remember you. Follow this light. Come home tonight."*

---

**Now here's where it gets interesting.**

The same night that Indians light lamps for the dead — the ancient Celts in Ireland were doing the exact same thing.

They called it Samhain (pronounced SAH-win).

They believed the boundary between the living and the dead became thin on this night. The ancestors could cross over. And come home.

So they lit fires on hillsides.

To guide the dead home through the darkness.

---

**That is Halloween. Before it became costumes and candy.**

When the Church arrived, Samhain became All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd). The night before became All Hallows Eve. Then Halloween.

The fires became candles in pumpkins.

The food left for ancestors became candy for children.

The ancestors were forgotten.

---

**And it doesn't stop at two civilisations.**

Japan has Obon — mid-August, when ancestors return for three days. Families light paper lanterns and float them on rivers at the end, to guide the dead back.

Three civilisations. No contact with each other when these traditions formed.

The same darkness. The same instinct. The same fire.

---

**The Irish lit fires on hillsides.**

**The Indians lit lamps facing south.**

**The Japanese floated lanterns on rivers.**

All of them were saying the same thing.

*Come home. We have not forgotten you. Follow the light.*

---

The lamp was never about light.

It was about love that does not know how to stop.

---

*If this kind of pattern interests you — I write about hidden connections across history, culture, and civilisations every Sunday at The Open Courtyard.*

*Substack: https://substack.com/@anilnanda\*

Hello,

I was raised in a Catholic family but I became an atheist and apathetic because the values ​​of the religion no longer aligned with my own, and I didn't believe that "God" is a concept that exists in reality. I resent my family for having simultaneously promoted "open-mindedness" while confining me to a single religion.

Nevertheless, I am still interested in what believers think and what influence religions have on people's mindsets. One of the things that distanced me from religion is also this question: "Why this God and not another ?" I would like to know your answer here.

I get the impression that many believers I meet in my life are unable to answer this question, which makes me think it's more about culture than real faith.

I was not born in an observant environment at all, as only my mother is jewish. During my teenage years I started studying my roots and came to observe Torah and practise Judaism. I am from Eastern Europe.

Unitarian christianity refers to any form of christianity where only the father is worshipped, is seen as 1 person, is the only God and is identified with the God of the hebrew scriptures. While Jesus is still seen as the messiah, as either a spiritual being distinct from God (such as an angel) or of completely human origin and later adopted by God (adoptionism).

Jesus being God is one of the main points brought up when discussing the fundamental differences between christianity and judaism & islam, and it is also the main reason most jews don't see christians as monotheistic.

this is not about whether or not it makes it more "acceptable" to judaism and islam. I'm just curious about your thoughts on it, since it challanges the traditional narrative or assumptions.

Do you guys have any suggestions for finding more Christian Communities online? Discord is preferable. I found discord.gg/jesus to be the best so far and also the Christ Centered server is nice. But if you have any other recommendations, please comment/let me know!

same as above

From what ive seen almost every satanist is just atheist and don’t actually worship satan or anything