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How do you tell the difference?

Nimos

Well-Known Member
If you as a believer, let's say a muslim, believe in God and this is the only God that exist. Yet you have people that believe differently, let's say a hindu, which must from the muslims point of view mean that they are wrong about their gods.

So how do you tell the difference between your own God(s) (the real ones) and the wrong ones (made up ones)?

And if you can't tell the difference, what reason do you have for choosing one God over the other?
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
If you as a believer, let's say a muslim, believe in God and this is the only God that exist. Yet you have people that believe differently, let's say a hindu, which must from the muslims point of view mean that they are wrong about their gods.

So how do you tell the difference between your own God(s) (the real ones) and the wrong ones (made up ones)?

And if you can't tell the difference, what reason do you have for choosing one God over the other?


This is a profound question, the only reason, or shall i say, the reason with by fsr the highest probability is where you were born/how you were raised from childhood.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
If you as a believer, let's say a muslim, believe in God and this is the only God that exist. Yet you have people that believe differently, let's say a hindu, which must from the muslims point of view mean that they are wrong about their gods.

So how do you tell the difference between your own God(s) (the real ones) and the wrong ones (made up ones)?

And if you can't tell the difference, what reason do you have for choosing one God over the other?

I just listen to my heart.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
If you as a believer, let's say a muslim, believe in God and this is the only God that exist. Yet you have people that believe differently, let's say a hindu, which must from the muslims point of view mean that they are wrong about their gods.

So how do you tell the difference between your own God(s) (the real ones) and the wrong ones (made up ones)?

And if you can't tell the difference, what reason do you have for choosing one God over the other?

Great topic!

As that Hindu that doesn't think others are necessarily wrong about their gods, I can't really respond to the OP, but I will be waiting for responses with bated breath. :)
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
This is a profound question, the only reason, or shall i say, the reason with by fsr the highest probability is where you were born/how you were raised from childhood.

I do think this is a major part of it. As a child, I was indoctrinated to believe that all other gods were false gods.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
This is a profound question, the only reason, or shall i say, the reason with by fsr the highest probability is where you were born/how you were raised from childhood.
Yes, I think I would probably call that more of an issue, rather than an explanation.

For me personally, religion haven't played a role at all in my upbringing. My family doesn't care about it at all, at least not publicly :D Despite that these are fairly important questions, afterlife, meaning of life, does a God exist or not. So I have never been told what to believe or not to believe in. But even if I were told what to believe in, asking oneself such question should be equally important as if you are not told what to believe in. Because even if I thought that something divine or a creator existed, how would I figure out which one is the correct one, to me as a believer that would be a crucial question, because I wouldn't personally want to believe in the wrong one.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Great topic!

As that Hindu that doesn't think others are necessarily wrong about their gods, I can't really respond to the OP, but I will be waiting for responses with bated breath. :)
But I think the conflict is there regardless. Even if Hindus have no issues with other religions gods (Don't know a lot about hindus). Those other religions will automatically cause a conflict, because they might claim that the hindu gods are false. So if these two groups are put head to head, ultimately the hindu would have to make the argument that the opponents God is wrong. Because clearly if such God claim to be the creator and the only God, then the hindu gods can't exist, per definition.

So the hindus might say that they respect such view, but they might as well say that they are wrong. It would be exactly the same, unless the hindus agree that their gods are wrong. So I don't think one can avoid the issue, even if they accept other religions view.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Really? Well, my heart and brain are on pretty good terms, so I'd assume they're sharing information.

;)
Yes, but it is irrational to determine truth like that. :)

To figuring out what you want to believe in, while not caring about whether it's possible true or not, it works. But it doesn't work if one cares about reality.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Yes, but it is irrational to determine truth like that. :)

To figuring out what you want to believe in, while not caring about whether it's possible true or not, it works. But it doesn't work if one cares about reality.

You're assuming my heart doesn't care about reality, but that's not the case.
It's guided me well until now. Not sure why I'd stop listening to it now. That would be positively...well... irrational!!

:)
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
If you as a believer, let's say a muslim, believe in God and this is the only God that exist. Yet you have people that believe differently, let's say a hindu, which must from the muslims point of view mean that they are wrong about their gods.

So how do you tell the difference between your own God(s) (the real ones) and the wrong ones (made up ones)?

And if you can't tell the difference, what reason do you have for choosing one God over the other?
You have to go by the adherents' descriptions of their God, and if you can feel God, then that as well.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
If you as a believer, let's say a muslim, believe in God and this is the only God that exist. Yet you have people that believe differently, let's say a hindu, which must from the muslims point of view mean that they are wrong about their gods.

So how do you tell the difference between your own God(s) (the real ones) and the wrong ones (made up ones)?

And if you can't tell the difference, what reason do you have for choosing one God over the other?
I do not hold belief against others if they wish to believe differently than i do it is no problem for me.
 
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SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
But I think the conflict is there regardless. Even if Hindus have no issues with other religions gods (Don't know a lot about hindus). Those other religions will automatically cause a conflict, because they might claim that the hindu gods are false. So if these two groups are put head to head, ultimately the hindu would have to make the argument that the opponents God is wrong. Because clearly if such God claim to be the creator and the only God, then the hindu gods can't exist, per definition.

So the hindus might say that they respect such view, but they might as well say that they are wrong. It would be exactly the same, unless the hindus agree that their gods are wrong. So I don't think one can avoid the issue, even if they accept other religions view.

I have no opponents.

To me, their claim that Hindu gods are false only demonstrates their ignorance of them (and perhaps their own ;)).

There's a difference between people's gods being wrong and people being wrong.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Yes, I think I would probably call that more of an issue, rather than an explanation.

For me personally, religion haven't played a role at all in my upbringing. My family doesn't care about it at all, at least not publicly :D Despite that these are fairly important questions, afterlife, meaning of life, does a God exist or not. So I have never been told what to believe or not to believe in. But even if I were told what to believe in, asking oneself such question should be equally important as if you are not told what to believe in. Because even if I thought that something divine or a creator existed, how would I figure out which one is the correct one, to me as a believer that would be a crucial question, because I wouldn't personally want to believe in the wrong one.


You were not indoctrinated, you are therefore able to chose your god or not freely, thank your parents for this. Many don't have such a choice being repeated told from a very early age the the god their parents believe in is the only true god. And in this way religion continues.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
You have to go by the adherents' descriptions of their God, and if you can feel God, then that as well.
Even if you can pinpoint that a feeling was pointing towards a God, you still wouldn't know which one right? Because we have lots of different religions, so if your feeling tells you that it's God (A), clearly everyone else that went with God (B) got it wrong, despite them also thinking that they had a feeling. So I don't think that would bring one closer to figuring out which one is the real one and which is the wrong one.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
I do not hold belief against others if they wish ro believe differently than i do it is no problem for me.
That is fine, in fact it seems the vast majority of believers and non believers alike share that view. :) But that weren't the question. How do one tell the difference between the real God, the one "you" believe in and the wrong ones?
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Even if you can pinpoint that a feeling was pointing towards a God, you still wouldn't know which one right? Because we have lots of different religions, so if your feeling tells you that it's God (A), clearly everyone else that went with God (B) got it wrong, despite them also thinking that they had a feeling. So I don't think that would bring one closer to figuring out which one is the real one and which is the wrong one.

I meant more an inner feeling. I know folks who can sit and accurately feel which Hindu God is being worshipped. So such a mystic could go around to say, a Christian Church, a mosque, a gurudwara, a synagogue, various Hindu temples, and come out with a different feeling each time, wouldn't that indicate something about the nature of the God? I don't believe in the right one or a wrong one concept, just in their differences.

Of course I'm coming at this from the Hindu POV, when God isn't necessarily beseeched at all in some of the other buildings, as they're more just gathering places, so their 'God' might not even be there at all.

While I feel creeped out in Christian churches, many Christians feel creeped out in a Hindu temple.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
I have no opponents.

To me, their claim that Hindu gods are false only demonstrates their ignorance of them (and perhaps their own ;)).

There's a difference between people's gods being wrong and people being wrong.
I think you misunderstood me.

If I say to you, that only one car exist and it is red, there are no other cars at all, because that it just how things are. To which you reply "that you respect my opinion, but that you know there are many cars with different colors." then our statements regardless of how much we respect each other can't both be true.

And you referring to me as being ignorant of your statement or wrong about my own, is no different than to say that my statement is incorrect. Because if my statement is wrong, clearly there is more than one car and they can be many colors.

The premise for some of these Gods is that they can't lie or be wrong etc. So if I were a muslim jumping to become a hindu, clearly Islam must be wrong, otherwise I wouldn't do it. Hindu and Islam is not compatible, in regards to what they believe in.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
You were not indoctrinated, you are therefore able to chose your god or not freely, thank your parents for this. Many don't have such a choice being repeated told from a very early age the the god their parents believe in is the only true god. And in this way religion continues.
I do agree that it is an issue, obviously for a lot of people they are convinced that they are right, so if would be a "sin" to not raise your child to be right as well. But for me, its more about the child/adult not asking the question despite being raised with it. It have a lot more to do with scepticism than anything else really. Because people will do it, and does it all the time with everything else.
 
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