Political Crossfire Forums

[Narvik]

I am an atheist and I can neither understand why people believe in religions, nor can I understand why people are convinced that their religion is the true religion?

Religious people often say that their religions are true since miracles have happened, how can you know *if* those miracles have happened was the act of your god and not some other god?

Why do you think that you choose what religion you have?
If you think that you choose your religion why is it so that it's mostly Muslims in the middle east and mostly Christians in Europe and America?

You don't choose what you belive in.
Let's say that you for example don't like George W. Bush.
Then you didn't choose not to like him, you started to dislike him because things he did. Most people don't choose their religions, they are grown up with them.

[lucidnightmare]

Most everyone thinks that their religion is the true one.But you can never really know.

No more than you can be sure in a universe as big as this that there is no god.

[Narvik]

How can it be that only YOU know that your god is true? Might be be something subconscious that makes you believe in something?
Some scientists believe that it's a gene that makes you belive in something.
How can you be sure it's not?

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/154/story_15451_1.html

[lucidnightmare]

Thats what I'm saying.No one can be sure.

[Narvik]

I want someone who is sure that their god is the true god and can argue about why it is so. Is there no religous person here who can say why your god is true?

[Korimyr the Rat]

My religion ain't the "one true religion".

We've got our gods, for our people-- though I don't think the gods are above "adopting" honorable foreigners-- just as other peoples have their own gods. Their religions are just as true as ours, in most cases, and they're just as good for their people as my religion is for mine.

It's when one group of people starts deciding their gods belong to everyone-- and everyone belongs to their gods-- that you start getting problems.

[Narvik]

Korimyr the Rat wrote: My religion ain't the "one true religion".

We've got our gods, for our people-- though I don't think the gods are above "adopting" honorable foreigners-- just as other peoples have their own gods. Their religions are just as true as ours, in most cases, and they're just as good for their people as my religion is for mine.

It's when one group of people starts deciding their gods belong to everyone-- and everyone belongs to their gods-- that you start getting problems.

That's exactly how I think all religious people should think! You might be convinced that your religion is true but that shouldn't stop you from letting other believing in their own religion.
Good answer!

[yETII90]

Narvik wrote: How can it be that only YOU know that your god is true? Might be be something subconscious that makes you believe in something?
Some scientists believe that it's a gene that makes you belive in something.
How can you be sure it's not?

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/154/story_15451_1.html

People believe that their religion is THE religion, just because that is what they believe, all it takes to believe is a strong faith in an ideal that one can't prove through physical means.

[Iamstuck]

Korimyr the Rat wrote: My religion ain't the "one true religion".

We've got our gods, for our people-- though I don't think the gods are above "adopting" honorable foreigners-- just as other peoples have their own gods. Their religions are just as true as ours, in most cases, and they're just as good for their people as my religion is for mine.

It's when one group of people starts deciding their gods belong to everyone-- and everyone belongs to their gods-- that you start getting problems.

Um, maybe I'm not getting you right, but.

How can you believe that almost all religions are true?
Do you believe there are several gods?

If you believe in a god, how can other gods that you don't believe in be as true as yours?

This is about why you think your religion is right, not about how well you treat others who have different beliefs.

[Enoch]

No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

[yETII90]

UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

[snow]

Narvik wrote: I am an atheist and I can neither understand why people believe in religions, nor can I understand why people are convinced that their religion is the true religion?

Because certain religions make this claim.

Narvik wrote: Religious people often say that their religions are true since miracles have happened, how can you know *if* those miracles have happened was the act of your god and not some other god?

How many religious people do you come in contact with? I don't recall ever hearing this as a reason for validation.

Narvik wrote: Why do you think that you choose what religion you have?
If you think that you choose your religion why is it so that it's mostly Muslims in the middle east and mostly Christians in Europe and America?

People have the ability to choose their religions on their own accord. Some don't, some do. Is there a point?

Narvik wrote: You don't choose what you belive in.

Oh. . . here it is. I'd say that's a blanket statement, and overall, very false.

Narvik wrote:
Let's say that you for example don't like George W. Bush.
Then you didn't choose not to like him, you started to dislike him because things he did. Most people don't choose their religions, they are grown up with them.

I don't understand how this example is relevant to being brought up with religion.

[Enoch]

yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

Trust me, I didn't forget about the polytheistic beliefs (especially since I am Wiccan). I used "god" meaning the divine. Perhaps I should have said "all religious people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same divine power, but going about it in different ways."

[yETII90]

UrielsFyre wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

Trust me, I didn't forget about the polytheistic beliefs (especially since I am Wiccan). I used "god" meaning the divine. Perhaps I should have said "all religious people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same divine power, but going about it in different ways."

Once again, not exactly, for example one can't call Jesus Christ and Vishnu, the same divine power.

[mojo]

yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

Trust me, I didn't forget about the polytheistic beliefs (especially since I am Wiccan). I used "god" meaning the divine. Perhaps I should have said "all religious people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same divine power, but going about it in different ways."

Once again, not exactly, for example one can't call Jesus Christ and Vishnu, the same divine power.

The are different vehicles of inspiration. It is not the ends that matter only the means.

[yETII90]

politicalmojo wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

Trust me, I didn't forget about the polytheistic beliefs (especially since I am Wiccan). I used "god" meaning the divine. Perhaps I should have said "all religious people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same divine power, but going about it in different ways."

Once again, not exactly, for example one can't call Jesus Christ and Vishnu, the same divine power.

The are different vehicles of inspiration. It is not the ends that matter only the means.

So it's not the end destination that matters, but the journey?

[Enoch]

yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

Trust me, I didn't forget about the polytheistic beliefs (especially since I am Wiccan). I used "god" meaning the divine. Perhaps I should have said "all religious people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same divine power, but going about it in different ways."

Once again, not exactly, for example one can't call Jesus Christ and Vishnu, the same divine power.
Why not? People are honoring the same divine power in ways that are culturally significant to them.

God, Visnnu, Shiva, the Goddess, Zeus, etc. All of them are cultural manifestations of the same divine power.

[yETII90]

UrielsFyre wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: yETII90 wrote: UrielsFyre wrote: No religion is the "true religion." All religous people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same god, but going about it in different ways.

It's like taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. We may disagree on the best way to get there, but we all are going to the same place.

Not exactly you have to also take a look at religions like Hinduism, Paganism, and Wicca, before one can say they all believe in one god.

Trust me, I didn't forget about the polytheistic beliefs (especially since I am Wiccan). I used "god" meaning the divine. Perhaps I should have said "all religious people are heading toward the same goal, honoring the same divine power, but going about it in different ways."

Once again, not exactly, for example one can't call Jesus Christ and Vishnu, the same divine power.
Why not? People are honoring the same divine power in ways that are culturally significant to them.

God, Visnnu, Shiva, the Goddess, Zeus, etc. All of them are cultural manifestations of the same divine power.

In polytheistic that same divine power is separated among many while let's say in Monotheistic religions its' only shared by one.

[Iamstuck]

snow wrote: Narvik wrote: I am an atheist and I can neither understand why people believe in religions, nor can I understand why people are convinced that their religion is the true religion?

Because certain religions make this claim.

Is that enough?

snow wrote: Narvik wrote: You don't choose what you belive in.

Oh. . . here it is. I'd say that's a blanket statement, and overall, very false.

No really... Who can choose what to belive in!?

Ask anyone in this forum who is religous if they can just change religion if they want!?

snow wrote: Narvik wrote:
Let's say that you for example don't like George W. Bush.
Then you didn't choose not to like him, you started to dislike him because things he did. Most people don't choose their religions, they are grown up with them.

I don't understand how this example is relevant to being brought up with religion.

This example shows that you dont choose what to think.
I dont like Hitler, and I cant choose to like him even if I want to.

[Iamstuck]

UrielsFyre wrote: especially since I am Wiccan.

Yay, a religous person, please answer the main post!