Mainstream Religions v. Alternative Paths

Many individuals today are brought up practicing religions that have been in their families for many generations. Among them is usually Christianity of some kind, Judaism, Islam, or one of the other larger, mainstream religions. But what about the smaller, less mentioned religions, such as Wicca, old deity worship, and other paths? For some individuals seeking enlightenment, these approaches may end up being far more rewarding than mainstream faiths. What it boils down to is the practitioner. Their lifestyle, personality, and personal upbringing all play a large role in finding the right religious path for them to take. First of all, the seeker’s upbringing. An individual who has been born and raised as a Catholic may be loath to explore other options, seeing their faith as the true choice. Likewise, a Wiccan may have the same opinion if they were raised worshipping the gods and nature as opposed to one God who was responsible for everything. Another possibility, however, is that the opposite could occur. Someone who was raised Catholic could have strongly disliked their parents, so decided to branch out. Their reasoning for choosing what they choose is their own, but it doesn’t make It any less interesting to see. Another factor in which faith would be better suited to the individual would be that of the person’s personality. Someone who seeks more stability or structure in their faith would be better off choosing one of the major religions, known for being more concrete and strongly centered around established group rituals. A person whose personality is more free spirited and open for exploration would be better suited to choosing to look into one of the reemerging, minority religions. Many of the reemerging faiths are known for their flexibility and being open to interpretation. In other words, no two people practice the same way. A surprising factor in choosing a faith would be one of lifestyle. A man who lives with his wife and three kids would likely