It is very common to hear everyone saying that they are by birth Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist etc. But the most fundamental question is what is it meant when someone says so. Is it that one is born with a label of particular religion?
 
The fact is no one by birth belongs to a particular religion just because his parents follow that particular religion. It is like the parents who are Engineer or Doctor labeling their child as Engineer or Doctor just because they themselves practice that particular profession. Even to have the right to adult franchise one has to be a major, aged 18yrs and then only he or she can vote, that too once in 5 or 6 years. When such is the case how is it that parents label their child with particular religion at birth, which is to be practiced in day to day life with one's own proper understanding.

It would be right in the interest of an healthy society that every child is informed and exposed to all religions possible till the age of 21 years and then he or she should be given the right to take up the religion of his choice.
 
Because the truth is that one belongs to a particular religion only when he or she personally accepts, commits and practices according to the ideals put forth by that particular religious teacher or so called God.
In Vasala sutta Buddha says:
 
Na jaccha vasalo hoti
Na jaccha hoti bramano
Kammana vasalo hoti
Kammana hoti bramano.
 
Thus to put in short He says that no one is by birth low or high but it is by action that one is low or high. Similarly no one by birth belongs to particular religion but it is by self understanding & self accepted practice that one belongs to a particular religion.
Coming to this point, about Buddhism it is said that:-
 
In one sense Buddhism is not a religion
In another sense Buddhism is religion of religions.
In one sense it is not a philosophy
In another sense it is philosophy of philosophies.
 
Thus Buddhism is neither a metaphysical path nor a ritualistic path.
It is neither a sceptical nor dogmatic.
It is neither eternalism nor nihilism.
It is neither self-mortification nor self-indulgence.
It is neither absolutely this-worldly nor other-worldly.
It is not extravert but introvert.
It is not theo-centric but homo-centric.
It is a unique path of Enlightenment to end Universal malady called Suffering.
 
Therefore whatever may be ones religion it is the practise that makes him or her religious and it is the practise that makes the person perfect. This can be best understood from the simile  of the doctors prescription in which a man becomes sick and goes to the doctor for help. The doctor examines him and then writes out a prescription for some medicine. The man having great faith in his doctor returns home and in`` his prayer room he puts a beautiful picture or statue of the doctor. Then he sits down and pays respect to the picture or statue; he bows down and offers flowers and incense. And then he takes out the prescription that the doctor wrote for him, and verly solemnly he recites it :  "Three pills in the morning! Three pills in the afternoon! Three pills in the evening! all day, all week he keeps reciting the prescription because he has great faith in the doctor, but still the prescription does not help him.
 
So the man decides that he would want to know more about this prescription, and therfore goes to the doctor and asks him, "why did you prescribe this medicine? How will it help me?" Then the doctor explains, "well look, this is your disease, and this is the root cause of your disease. If you take the medicine I have prescribed, it will eradicate the cause of your disease. When the cause is eradicated, the disease will automatically disappear." The man thinks, "Ah wonderful! My doctor is so intelligent! His prescription are so helpful!" And he goes home and starts fighting with his neighbours and acquaintances, insisting, "My doctor is the best doctor! All other doctors are useless!" But what does he gain by such arguments? All his life he may continue fighting, but still this does not help him at all. If he takes the medicine,only then will the man be relieved of his misery, his disease. Only then will the medicine help him.
 
Every liberated person is like a physician. Out of compassion, he gives a prescription advising people how to free themselves of suffering. If people develop blind faith in that person, they turn the prescription into a scripture and start fighting with other sects, claiming that the teaching of the founder of their religion is superior. But no one cares to practise the teaching, to take the medicine prescribed in order to eliminate the malady.
 
Having faith in the doctor is useful if it encourages the patient to follow his advice. Understanding how the medicine works is beneficial if it encourages one to take the medicine. But without actually taking the medicine, one cannot be cured of the disease. You have to take the medicine yourself.
 
Religion is not to be followed by birth,
Religion is to be followed by its worth.
Religion is not to be followed by tactics,
Religion is to be followed by practice.
 
MAY ALL PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION WITH DILIGENCE.
 
Ven. Bhikkhu Vinayarakkhita
Dharmayatana,
Maharagama.