Your thinking is flawed here. We know that "birds of a feather flock together", and that the way that we are raised has a profound influence on us.
That is my point. Humans evolved to conform to group and social norms, and this includes conforming to ideas that are immoral and dangerous to others. Most all religions have a history of threats to others and violence. Look at the 9-11 hijackings as an example. All this is a reason not to believe in God, which is what we are discussing.
However, only a small minority of these actively seek truth, and studies religion(s).
I suggest this is primarily non-theists, because what religion offers truth? I meant truth in the sense that it conforms to what we can determine is true and real.
Of course, the study of religion is not just about observation.
A person may be seeking truth, or many other intentions.
A person might have a PhD in religious studies, and be an atheist, for example. Not necessarily because they are not convinced by any of them. It is all about the intention.
That covers a lot of ground. From a liberal Muslim university professor to a true believer who flies a plane full of people into an office building.
I'd be impressed if theists showed a remarkable compassion and wisdom. Even more impressed if it was just the believers one religion. That would tell us something. But as it is, theists don't show this pattern. It is even worse in many believers, as we observed on 9-11-2001. We see on these threads how critical thinkers are more dedicated to what is objectively true, which it truth. There is a skepticiam about religious beliefs for good reasons. This includes the many versions of Gods.
And speaking of Gods and crimes against humanity in the name of God, why is God so absent when these things happen? If ever there was a time for a God to show up, it never does.
I don't see it like that.
A person can seek truth, and go through many different beliefs.
How often does that happen? A person is raised Catholic and that truth doesn't work out for them? We see testimonies by members on this forum how they have tried numerous religions and they don't offer what they seek. Some finally find a truth. But what this tells us is that religions don't offer an objective truth but they do offer many types of meaning for those seeking meaning.
Belief is a personal thing, with diverse reasons for our faith.
Right, anything goes. What works for Jim or Mike might not work for you. It's arbitary and inconsistent.
The hardest thing is to change your denomination due to conviction, and become a minority, and have difficulty in social life and family.
God knows all this. We are only human.
This is an issue of how some people seeking meaning And find it in a religion will eventually assocoiate their identity with the dogma. They can't see themselve indevendently of the ideas and belief, and this is the trap that religion can bring.
Not entirely.
Some beliefs are irrational, but not all.
I didn't say all. I pointed out that religious ideas as a category are not factual, are not based on evdience, so cannot be classified as rational conclusions.
No one coems to a rational conclusion that a God exists via facts. All believers inform us that their belief is due to other motives and reasons. Much of this is evolution and social learning.
