Why do people still associate themselves with a religion if they don't follow it strictly anyway? [Spirituality & Religion]

I said it before, I don't think cherry picking is wrong or anything. In fact, I'd rather have religious people just pick out the parts of their holy scriptures they agree with and ignore the rest than them taking everything literally.

However I don't understand why they then associate themselves with a certain religion. Why can't they just believe in a higher power and be happy if they don't believe everything that the Bible/Qur'an/Thora says?
Just my opinion, but if I was a god of a monotheistic religion and found out that the people I created don't take my words literally and interpret them in weird ways, I'd be seriously pissed.

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

CountScrofula · 41-45, M

Because strict orthodox churches don't even take the Bible literally. I mean, in the Muslim world (to my understanding) the most hardcore, old school interpretations of the Qu'ran come from ISIS. They literally are trying to behave like people did in the 9th century and are fucking maniacs because of it. Any Christian or Jewish group who did the equivalent of their holy books would be no better.

So half-assed believers are going to cherry-pick because they see everyone else doing it.