what do you get out of your religion?

[LuthienTinuviel]

ok, so this semester im taking a comparative religions course, and we talk about everything from santaria and voodoo to Christianity to Buddhism to Islam to Shinto... (im sure you get the idea... its very diverse)

so, while i'e been paying attention and listening like the A++ student i am,
i've been giong to discussion periods with one of the professors where we talk about our experiences with whats being taught in the lecture, our ideas before and after learning more about the religions etc...
this has led me to ask some of the church going people i know "why?"

Why do people go to church?
What do you get out of going?
If you don't go, but still count yourself as a believer of your faith, why don't you go?
If youre an athiest, why?

i just want to hear peoples views, because this class has sparked a big interest.

i'm not going to, or trying to set it up, to tell you that youre wrong, right or whatever.
we should try to keep this to just you and what you think about your faith.
i encourage innocent questioning for the sake of furthering knowlege, not for the sake of baiting and trapping.
i know how people can get when discussing religion

[LuthienTinuviel]

ack, remind me to make my screen bigger than 800x600
i totally didn't see the thread at the bottom of this page.


heh.. better stop smoking the wacky tobaccy