In which religion should I have faith?

[Mr Spinkles]

Let's suppose I'm sick and tired of insisting on evidence all the time. Forget evidence! I'd rather just have faith. :162:

Now, normally, the evidence would lead me to conclude "I have no idea if there is one god, or four; or if god thinks killing cows is wrong; or if the gods want me to worship idols of them, or if there is one god who forbids it; or if there is one eternal afterlife, or if we are reincarnated after each life." However, let's say I've decided that I'm now willing to beleive in religious doctrine X even if it has no better evidence to support it than religious doctrine Y.

So...what should I have faith in? If there is no evidence for Thor, YHWH, Jehova, Brahman, Zeus, Allah, etc., how do I pick which one is correct? If evidence is no longer important, doesn't my decision become arbitrary, and probably result more from my upbringing/what I'm exposed to in society than from how "true" the religion is?

 

[Pah]

I understand that belief is a precusor to faith - that there must be some acceptible evidence before one can leap to faith

 

[Scuba Pete]

Very wise Pah, very wise.

Now I wonder what type of faith you might be shopping for?

Easy?
Tough?
Cheap?
Expensive?

There are a ton out there to fulfill every desire. Better figure out some parameters quick!

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I understand that belief is a precusor to faith - that there must be some acceptible evidence before one can leap to faith

Faith is often not the result of a leap but the consequence of upbringing/indoctrination.

 

[Circle_One]

So...what should I have faith in? If there is no evidence for Thor, YHWH, Jehova, Brahman, Zeus, Allah, etc., how do I pick which one is correct?

I think for the most part, it depends on what feels more spiritually "right" to you. I know many people who have done much soul searching when it comes to religion and always end up saying something along the lines of "well this religion just didn't feel right for me." or "When I studied it, it just seemed to feel right." I think it ultimately depends on how each religion feels to a person and when they find the one that is right for them, something will just click, it will just feel like they are supposed to be doing this.

As for:

If evidence is no longer important, doesn't my decision become arbitrary, and probably result more from my upbringing/what I'm exposed to in society than from how "true" the religion is?

I think this depends also. If one is brought up in a strictly Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Pagan, Atheist ect. household, then I think yes, more often than not, they will tend towards this religion (or lack thereof). However, I think in the same respect, if the person is searching for religion, rather than just going along with what they've been taught, studying many in order to find the one that fits them best, than perhaps their upbringing doesn't have that much effect on their choice.

 

[jewscout]

Let's suppose I'm sick and tired of insisting on evidence all the time. Forget evidence! I'd rather just have faith. :162:

Now, normally, the evidence would lead me to conclude "I have no idea if there is one god, or four; or if god thinks killing cows is wrong; or if the gods want me to worship idols of them, or if there is one god who forbids it; or if there is one eternal afterlife, or if we are reincarnated after each life." However, let's say I've decided that I'm now willing to beleive in religious doctrine X even if it has no better evidence to support it than religious doctrine Y.

So...what should I have faith in? If there is no evidence for Thor, YHWH, Jehova, Brahman, Zeus, Allah, etc., how do I pick which one is correct? If evidence is no longer important, doesn't my decision become arbitrary, and probably result more from my upbringing/what I'm exposed to in society than from how "true" the religion is?

You should become a follower of Alvis!

then you can say stuff like....
Alvis will smoke those *****es

'Vengence is mine', quoth Alvis, then he shot that guy right in the freakin' face.

Alvisllujah!
Alvisllujah!
Alvis my lord,
his big pistols blazeth

 

[Pah]

Faith is often not the result of a leap but the consequence of upbringing/indoctrination.

I would have to agree with that as well. And Deut having been brought it up, I think it is the overwhelming origin of faith. Belief then would be a factor, in maturity, after faith has been acquired or is being changed

 

[Green Gaia]

If evidence is no longer important, doesn't my decision become arbitrary, and probably result more from my upbringing/what I'm exposed to in society than from how "true" the religion is?

I would say so. Choose what is right for you and your life.

 

[cardero]

Let's suppose I'm sick and tired of insisting on evidence all the time. Forget evidence! I'd rather just have faith. :162:

So...what should I have faith in? If there is no evidence for Thor, YHWH, Jehova, Brahman, Zeus, Allah, etc., how do I pick which one is correct? If evidence is no longer important, doesn't my decision become arbitrary, and probably result more from my upbringing/what I'm exposed to in society than from how "true" the religion is?

Though there is no possible way for me to join, I am pleased with Spinkleism and I do not think that faith would be a requirement.

 

[michel]

Quote :-[I think for the most part, it depends on what feels more spiritually "right" to you. I know many people who have done much soul searching when it comes to religion and always end up saying something along the lines of "well this religion just didn't feel right for me." or "When I studied it, it just seemed to feel right." I think it ultimately depends on how each religion feels to a person and when they find the one that is right for them, something will just click, it will just feel like they are supposed to be doing this.] - by Circle one

I think that answers the question perfectly (For me, of course)

 

[Green Gaia]

In which religion should I have faith?

Your own.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

In which religion should I have faith?

Your own.

Beautiful! I'd give you frubals but....they seem to be missing.

Now I wonder what type of faith you might be shopping for?

Easy?
Tough?
Cheap?
Expensive?

There are a ton out there to fulfill every desire. Better figure out some parameters quick!

How about "true", for starters.

So for example, if Hinduism says God says cows should not be eaten, and Christianity says God says it's okay to eat cows, how do I go about determining which religion has correctly conveyed what God says? In which doctrine should I place my faith?

 

[Joannicius]

IMHO
The only logical end of all rational is to look inside yourself and see if you believe that there is a "Creator of All" and if so, it would be most wise to worship the God who made all "gods". Why not go the CEO for your needs, and let Him sort our the rest?

 

[Master Vigil]

Look around you Spinks, you see the earth turn, you see the seasons, the moon phases, the natural way of the universe. But what is that natural way and what caused it? Some have given it a name, Tao. That is why my philosophy is taoism. It is science, it is nature, and it doesn't claim truth, it just claims observance. There is no creation, no heaven or hell, no god or satan, no guilt, no need to do anything unnatural. And it isn't athiesm. Thor, allah, god, jehovah, they are all just names. Tao is also a name. But there are no human characteristics given to it because it has none. Why believe and have faith in something that there is no evidence for? Or believe in tao, which you study about in science. Woah, I think that is a bit off topic and didn't address anything. Just clarifying some things in my head I think.

 

[Lightkeeper]

How about having the faith that if you stay open and live a good happy life the answers will come to you. I don't think it's about having faith in dogma, or a theory it's about having faith in yourself.

 

[Fluffy]

Believe in the religion which offers the most harsh punishment for not believing in it. Then, even if it doesnt turn out to be true, youve avoided the worst part of the aftermath right?

 

[Master Vigil]

"Believe in the religion which offers the most harsh punishment for not believing in it."

That would be the one I would stray from. Very egotistical and selfish, not humble at all.

 

[cardero]

Join them all, this way if one falls short, your soul is covered.

 

[Fluffy]

Join them all, this way if one falls short, your soul is covered.

lol that would be the ideal. Unfortuanately, God covered that one in the 10 commandments . He's always one step ahead!!!!

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

By the way, an excellent resource for dealing with such a question in a serious manner is Karen Armstrong's

A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.​