At 20 years old, it's no surprise that I'm curious about a lot of different things. One of those being religion. For years, I've questioned religion--mostly my own, but more recently the flaws in different religions. A past conversation with my friend recently came to mind and made me think of how to explain my story and struggle with religion.

When I was a very young, my parents, my sister who was so young she can't even remember the place, and I went to church every Sunday. All I remember is that it was some kind of Christian church that you do commune at. I really only remember the commune because I remember being excited for grape juice and a cracker every Sunday. I have vague memories of being in some sort of Christmas play there, but that's really about it. My family stopped going before I could make any solid memories to have now.

Preschool through first grade, I went to a Christian school and, once again, I only vaguely remember the place. What I remember most from going to school there is how out of place I was. I was much different from all my friends. It was mostly just school with some religious elements thrown in so I didn't pay too much attention to it.

It took me another year or so after starting public school to get into religion. My neighbor Meghan, who was my very best friend, took me to her church--Nazarene Christian, just for reference--about five minutes from our houses and I had a blast at youth services. I went every Wednesday with her and then every Sundays to Sunday School when I could. I was even involved in some large production about the life of Jesus.

As I got older, though, I started going less because I got busy, which happens when you start getting more involved in things. Then I moved and it really didn't seem feasible for me to go to the old church or bother finding a new one since I didn't go that much anyways. I was still calling myself a Christian.

What really set me off into my questioning was my AP World History class freshman year of high school. In the class, with each time period or country that we covered, we'd always talk about the top religions involved and I was fascinated by all of them. I wanted to know more and to explore. I began finding myself incorporating pieces of these other religions into what I knew of religion.

What really lead me to stop claiming Christianity was the discrimination of and prejudice against the GSRM (Gender, Sexual, Romantic Minority) community that came from many Christians. I was and still am a strong supporter of the GSRM community and will forever fight for equal rights and education of the topic for all. I am aware that there are plenty of Christians that don't feel that way, but, in my world, it seemed that there were none. So I gave up the label.

Giving up that label was so freeing. I could freely explore other religions and take pieces of them for my life without feeling like I was doing something wrong. I still take pieces of Christianity to heart and like them, but I choose to omit a lot of it.

I have so much faith, just not the traditional kind. I have faith in love, friends, family, in things that have kept me going. One of my theater professors recently said, "Theater fills the space, for me, that religion used to." I now echo his sentiments and it is the quote on the dry erase board on my door. I think theater is one of the reasons I don't feel I need to claim a religion; I am already whole.

I am by no means saying that identifying yourself with or claiming a religion is bad, I'm just saying it's not for me. Hopefully, the next time you hear of someone that doesn't claim a religion or has changed religions, you'll think to ask their story instead of judging or assuming things.