The practice of the religion of your choice is a basis for America as we know it. With the freedom to choose any religion, it is very easy for people to move from one affiliation to another. Religion can play various roles in a person’s life and the
selection or changing of religious affiliation is a major decision and change in one’s life. There are many reasons why a person chooses to change religions. The main causes for this type of change are social stigma, personal relationships, or lifestyle changes.
Religions can play the role of providing an identity for followers. Many churches are associated with certain types of behaviors and characteristics. People may presume that follows of Hinduism are highly tolerant and peaceful. There can be positive social stigmas associated with certain religions. However, events in the news can also create negative social stigmas for religions. Many may associate followers of Islam with radical terrorism, and people may also associate Catholics with child abuse. Many followers may not want to carry the social burden associated with certain religions. On the contrary, followers may change to religions to that are viewed positively in society. For these reasons, social stigmas are a major cause for people changing their religions.
Religions also serve a purpose of unifying and providing guidance to members of the same household. While many people choose to limit their romantic relationships to people of their same religious affiliation, so many others do not use religion as a consideration when deciding who they may date. Many people are able to have happy relationships with partners of different religious affiliations. However, when two people decide to marry and build a family together, it is desirable to have one religion in the household. For this reason, marriage and relationships are a major cause for people to change religions.
Religions have a major impact on a person’s lifestyle, and a person’s lifestyle has a big impact on which religion they practice. When people experience major difficulties that affect their lifestyle, they often look to their religion for guidance, support, and acceptance. Many people who are incarcerated, suffer from life threatening illnesses, or go through major personal losses may reach out to religions that promote forgiveness, healing, and prayer for changes in life. Other people live lifestyles are aren’t accepted by all religious groups, such as homosexuality or interracial marriages. Other people live lonely lives and seek a religion that provides more than a weekly worship service, but social opportunities. These are just a few reasons why lifestyle can be a major cause for a person to change their religious affiliation.
Religion plays different roles in our society. Many people don’t choose their religion, but are born into a family that practices a certain religion. As people grow up, there are many different aspects of life that can cause them to seek something different from the religion within which they were raised. Social stigma, personal relationships and marriage, and one’s lifestyle are major causes to people changing their religions.