Kindest Regards, InLove!
Thank you for a thoughtful question.
So my simple questions are: How do our cultural ties influence our choice of religious practice? How and when might they be an asset? Obviously, there have been times throughout history when these ties may have been used in very harmful ways. Is this always true, though? Does pride or love of our heritage and ancestry necessarily present a stumbling block in our spiritual pathway?
I believe it was JosephM who pointed out this is not 100% correct, I would add in this day and age. Going back a few hundred years before widespread social acceptance of "optional" ranges of thought, it may well be more true. Globalization, including commerce, communication, travel and "missionary" work, have all played a part in spreading each of the major world faiths.
Looking back historically, religion was tied pretty tightly to politics. With the exception of Judaism which held fast to its tenets in small (and large) enclaves wherever it happened to find itself. Otherwise, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism all pretty well enjoyed political patronage, as did Taoism / Confucianism, and to some extent Paganism. To cross a border, say Austria-Hungary around 1300 AD (as I recall, the height of the Muslim advance into Europe), was to travel into a distinctly different culture. This may have not always been the case, it is said the Greek expansion of Alexander allowed religious "freedom" to continue as it had, as long as homage and taxes were paid to Greece. But by and large the history of the spread of religion is tied to political expansion. Another exception usually pointed to is the expansion of Buddhism beyond its native India, yet while this may not have been conquest in the western sense, it was missionary in its drive and would not have succeeded without some political sympathy.
I point this out to clarify, yet I feel I may have muddied the water instead.
I do feel it is important to clarify if we are speaking of "now," versus historical norm. We cannot accurately compare ourselves with our forebears of only a few hundred years ago. That said...
I think most cultures now accommodate multiple faiths...legally or otherwise. In some cases a "blind eye" is turned provided there is no hint of threat to the established norm. (Of course, at the first hint of threat, that blind eye suddenly sees, and all bets are off as non-establishment religions are chastised and harassed. It does still happen...)
I think as we grow and are indoctrinated by our parents, schools, governments and faiths, we naturally incline ourselves in the given direction. This is not necessarily a bad thing. As we get a little older, some of us may for varying reasons begin to feel disenfranchised or otherwise disillusioned with our lot in life, and one place we can exercise some control with relative autonomy is in religious expression. We might hear the siren song of another faith and perhaps it strikes a resonant chord with us, so we look to another path that provides something we might feel was missing. That might even be something like atheism, in that perhaps we were disillusioned by what might have seemed a shortcoming of our initial path, so we might surrender all paths and go it with intellect alone.
Of course, this is only my humble observations...I cannot speak for others.
In my specific case, I was raised nominally Christian. At a certain point in my life I delved deeper into my faith of my own volition, and came away with a greater depth of understanding, yet paradoxically also a greater discord with my initial indoctrination. I found things in the Christian faith that are not usually taught in Sunday school, and few Christians wished to even broach the subject. They were happy in their comfort zones, and it was not my place to take that from them (its taken me years to figure this part out!).
Yet, there is also a part of my heritage I cannot deny. I have Native American blood coursing in my veins every bit as much as my Anglo-European heritage. Since I was a child I have had an affinity with nature that cannot be taught. Sadly, I have sacrificed a great deal of it in the process of growing up, getting a job and getting lost in the "rat race." But there is still a "small voice" in my heart that reminds me, often, of my Indian heritage.
I have had a cursory overview of some other paths; Judaism, Buddhism and Paganism, enough to know these do not fully speak to me. Of these, Judaism speaks most closely, but I think that is an intellectual connection due to my Christian orientation. I never cease to be fascinated with the wisdom available in other traditions, but none of them resonate in my heart. Christianity even falls short on occasion, but because it is my default setting I tend to override and look past the shortcomings. Apologetics, I suppose.
But my Native American heritage continually resonates in my heart. Paradox of paradoxes, I am woefully unfamiliar with Native American teachings, and most of the few I have been exposed to from various tribes simply do not hold my intellectual fascination. But the underlying affinity with nature resonates within me in a way no other path does, and has since I was very young. I find myself equating various parts and portions of what my heart tells me with what my mind has been indoctrinated to. It would be nice if I could trade my shirt and tie for a loincloth, but it wouldn't pay the bills or provide for any "real" type of life in the modern world. So I do have some great conflict in my spiritual walk, and I do sometimes allow my mind to override what my heart tells me. Sometimes, I have no choice but to listen to my heart.
