By conversion, I assume you mean committing to the beliefs, principles, duties, and responsibilities that indicates conversion or change/switch to a religion.
Lots of people do what is expected of them (includes tradition and culture) or “feels” best for them or what “serves their purposes” best, whether or not it [the religion] gives them a good moral standing. Sometimes, many individuals convert to give their beliefs a platform and a bit of security, authority, and many times, power.
Many times individuals convert out of desperation, peer pressure, parental pressure, and perhaps fear of the afterlife and judgement. The problem with this is that there is always going to be contradictions and hypocrisies when you convert to a religion simply out of tradition or fear. Things just do not add up or make sense, and you find yourself in a position needing to give an explanation for why you believe what you believe, when we often do not know ourselves. It is just what "we" do. This is why I advocate for relationship over religion. When you do something just because it is expected of you or to preserve tradition, it is very likely that you associate yourself with a cause or faith that has principles you personally do not actually believe. What makes something a “religion” rather than a relationship with a higher power is literally building a spiritual relationship with the higher power your chosen religion supposedly cherishes and worships.
For individuals like myself, we journey through life with hurt, pain, bitterness, abuse and mistreatment, feeling worthless, useless and without purpose, wanting to figure this “God” person, being, thing out but nothing makes sense. Through our journey for truth, we encounter life-changing events and develop a portfolio of experiences that draws us closer to a higher power, one I have come to know as the Almighty, Jehovah, Yahweh, the I AM that I AM. many people have experienced things they realize that they could not have survived or gotten through with their own wit, strength, and resources and credits the Universe, thus becoming religious by believing in a higher power or “God.” Some people don’t fully understand how God works but is aware of His presence and believes in it, making them “religious” but not in the institutional sense.
My thoughts on conversion to another religion?
As for religion, I see the need for organized community and worship but not the systematic use of defining the value of your relationship with Yahweh by whether or not you go to church every Sunday or by how many Bible Studies you attend. There are individuals who sit in pews, Sunday after Sunday, takes on every position available and STILL have no personal relationship with the Almighty. I would advise anyone to go into any religion to seek truth, but most importantly to seek to learn about and develop a personal relationship with the higher power. From my personal experiences and what I have seen in my work in ministry, I do think that the divine entity of the Holy Bible is the true Creator of the Universe, but I do not see Christianity as the one true religion. In fact, I do not think any religion is the one true religion, but that's a discussion for another post.
VIVA TU VIDA MEJOR (Live your best life)!
Until next time,
Shatoyia, La Princessa de La Paz
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