How does your home life influence your religious formation?

Answer 1

From the moment one is born, the influence of one's parents and other family members begins. At this point it would serve well to remember that 'family' may be interpreted as 'blood relatives', 'family friends', neighbours or any person one admires because these people may be considered 'replacement family' or 'surrogate family' even though their influence may be negative and serve to show one what not to do. As one grows up in the family environment, the religious beliefs (or lack of beliefs) of one's parents will shape one's actions, reactions, one's self-esteem and the way one treats other people. One's view of the world and people will be shaped by one's parents' views in a very direct manner because they are one's only role models. Whilst one is a minor (under the age of eighteen or twenty-one dependent on one's country of origin) one may be obliged to follow the religious beliefs and practices of one's parents. If, in one's heart, one does not accept those parental beliefs, one may be obliged to follow them anyway until one reaches the legal age of majority. At this point, one may carry on with those beliefs or adopt and nurture beliefs of one's own choosing.

.

SECOND OPINION

Let's try the easy answer:I grew up as an only child in a non-Christian home with an alcoholic mother. My grandmother was a conservative evangelical and my neighbour, whom I was heavily influenced by, was a Catholic. In later years I became a Christian but was never preached at by either of them. God took advantage of the fact that I spent a lot of time alone. As a result I have an absolute faith but have experienced some of the nastiest stuff you can imagine. (depressions, eating disorder, etc) Yet I am the only Christian in my family. My immediate family did not influence my faith beliefs. Statistically speaking I am probably something of an anamoly as my life and habits have not mirrored that of my parents. Yes, your home life can influence your religious formation but you can become spiritually formed apart from it.

.

In addition...

In addition to the above excellent answers, there is a further development worldwide. Contrary to what some (like Richard Dawkins) might say that an adherance to a religion is exclusively influenced by your upbringing and culture, while this is certainly the case in some instances, within the Christian Church there are now more becoming Christians as adults who had no influence from their homelife whatsoever, than Christians who are becoming Christians because of their upbringing. While the Christian Church in traditional Christians countries consists of a great many people who were influenced by their parents, there are churches across the globe that are mushrooming - growing astronomically - from a totally non-Christian baseline. In South Korea, for instance, churches with congregations in the thousands or tens of thousands are becoming commonplace; the Yoidio Full Gospel Church in Seoul has a congregation of over 763,000 who meet in several sittings in a huge auditorium, which started with five people after the Korean War in a country hostile to Christianity. In China the Christian Church now numbers an estimated 100 million - which represents growth from just 5000 Christians after the 'cultural revolution'. In the same way, the Christian Church is growing in many countries that are hostile to Christianity or which have no allegiance to any faith whatsoever.