Too many religions

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Animals don't think about what they do nor do they think about how they feel or why they feel that way. When an animal is hungry it eats, whatever or however it feels at that moment it does think about why it feels that way it just goes with the flow. Please don't twist my words. Humans can be like animals and follow how they feel and what they desire or think about why they feel that way ex: why do we want justice it serves no purpose, every one should do what they want right and some do what they want and end up in jail or prison or you can think and understand that without justice and order chaos ensues.

I don't think I'm twisting your words. Other people here are saying that they need to contemplate the idea of God before they can accept it. You're telling them to just go ahead and accept it. Why are you telling them to act in a way that you say is "like an animal"?

 

[JustWondering]

I just thought you would want to know the data from a very well-reputed research organization that uses sound scientific survey methodology. It's preferable to grounding one's opinion solely in personal anecdotes and I know I love to have data like this to look at. If you want to learn about their methodology, they explain it all in great detail on their website. If you're curious, go and take a look at some of their stuff. You can find them here (link) and they have an entire section just on their religious surveys here (link) Their specific 2009 study on shifts in religious affiliations you can find here (link) and there is an entire PDF just on their methodology. It's relatively rare for science research like this to be easily accessible to the public, and it's one of the reasons I love this organization.

The survey results were interesting, thanks for the links. The survey seems to be focused on Catholics and Protestants however. I wish they had included other world religions in the survey.

 

[adam9]

I don't think I'm twisting your words. Other people here are saying that they need to contemplate the idea of God before they can accept it. You're telling them to just go ahead and accept it. Why are you telling them to act in a way that you say is "like an animal"?

I think your misunderstanding me sir Ian saying you should contemplate but I'm saying for Mr justwondering to take it one step at a time he does not even believe in God so then how could he talk about which religion is true. All I'm saying is first determine if you can believe in The Creator, if you can than research which religion seems most truthful. If you can't accept God then do as you want.
Again I don't want you to think I'm agianst contmeplation I'm just against aimless contmeplation or biased contemplation

 

[George-ananda]

One major reason for me, that keeps me from being a theist, is that there are too many religions. People seem to concentrate on one religion with blinders on and ignore everything else. How can a theist look at all the religions they don't belong to, past and present, and not wonder if their religion is just as made up or fictitious as all the religions they don't believe in? What makes today's gods more reasonable and credible than past gods like Zeus, Ra, and Odin? Religion still boils down to people believing incredible claims with zero evidence to support any of it. Additionally, if there was a god that wanted to communicate a message to us, I think it would be capable of doing a much better job of it then sending a middle man to preach it in one corner of the world to one group of people. A true god would be capable of sending multiple prophets to multiple people in the world with the same message at the same time. However, we don't see that.

This OP jumped around on reasons why you don't accept God/Religions. Let me stick to your main point 'that there are too many religions'.

I don't think that point is valid. I think you are taking an old-school exclusivist view of religions; That they are all so different and at the most only one can be right.

I take a more 'inclusivist' view; That all the major religions have validity (although sometimes imperfect in their current form).

Until this recent global age, groups of humans were seperated by natural barriers (oceans, continents, mountains, deserts) and hence developed differently.

As is said in the Hindu scriptures; 'the thousand gods are just my thousand faces'.

 

[Quintessence]

The survey results were interesting, thanks for the links. The survey seems to be focused on Catholics and Protestants however. I wish they had included other world religions in the survey.

Yeah, so do I, but surveying minority groups presents certain challenges. Having taken survey methodology coursework in grad school, I'm aware of these things.

 

[Thales of Ga.]

As Theodore Strange's argument from unbelief argues in "Non-belief and Evil," that so many of us lack belief itself counts against God. He speaks with a forked tongue with all the sects and scriptures that people can interpret so differently. God, had He really wanted a personal relationship with us would have allowed only one religion and one interpretation, and that would not overwhelm our supposed free wills, as we have other reasons to reject Him.:yes:
His book details how the Tanakh and the Testament err.:sarcastic

 

[JustWondering]

This OP jumped around on reasons why you don't accept God/Religions. Let me stick to your main point 'that there are too many religions'.

I don't think that point is valid. I think you are taking an old-school exclusivist view of religions; That they are all so different and at the most only one can be right.

I take a more 'inclusivist' view; That all the major religions have validity (although sometimes imperfect in their current form).

Until this recent global age, groups of humans were seperated by natural barriers (oceans, continents, mountains, deserts) and hence developed differently.

As is said in the Hindu scriptures; 'the thousand gods are just my thousand faces'.

I'm not that familiar with Hinduism. Does Hinduism view religions that promote violence as valid?

 

[Quintessence]

Can we first point at this supposed religion that "promotes violence"? I know of no religion that promotes violence. I know of certain people that use aspects of their religion to rationalize violence, but I know of no religion that actually preaches violence as one of its central tenants. Certainly I've never heard of any religion that promotes violence in of itself as opposed to a means to some greater goal. Hells, few of the Pagan gods would even fall into that kind of malicious category.

 

[George-ananda]

I'm not that familiar with Hinduism. Does Hinduism view religions that promote violence as valid?

I don't think any respected religion 'promotes' violence. But I think your question is just a lead-on to your real point.

 

[JustWondering]

I don't think any respected religion 'promotes' violence. But I think your question is just a lead-on to your real point.

Would religions that performed human sacrifice fit into the valid religion category for instance?

 

[JustWondering]

yes thats right!

The founder of Bahai said that he was the next prophet after Muhammed with further teachings from god. Joseph Smith who founded the Mormon church claimed that god visited him and told him that all other religions where an abomination. There's also a man in Miami who claims he is Jesus Christ and has a large following. It is in the religilous movie, can't remember his name right now. My point is, its easy for someone to pop up later down the line and make claims that they're a prophet from god. Tons of people have done it. Thats what makes the whole thing look like its made up, IMO.

 

[JustWondering]

[youtube]tpDufCOAdZE[/youtube]
False Christ, man who claims to be Jesus Watch Out !!!! - YouTube

 

[paarsurrey]

One major reason for me, that keeps me from being a theist, is that there are too many religions. People seem to concentrate on one religion with blinders on and ignore everything else. How can a theist look at all the religions they don't belong to, past and present, and not wonder if their religion is just as made up or fictitious as all the religions they don't believe in? What makes today's gods more reasonable and credible than past gods like Zeus, Ra, and Odin? Religion still boils down to people believing incredible claims with zero evidence to support any of it. Additionally, if there was a god that wanted to communicate a message to us, I think it would be capable of doing a much better job of it then sending a middle man to preach it in one corner of the world to one group of people. A true god would be capable of sending multiple prophets to multiple people in the world with the same message at the same time. However, we don't see that.

My religion teaches that Religion has always been the same in principle; when the people lose the truthful teachings of the truthful messenger prophets of the one true creator God; He revives the message sent.

 

[JustWondering]

My religion teaches that Religion has always been the same in principle; when the people lose the truthful teachings of the truthful messenger prophets of the one true creator God; He revives the message sent.

A creator god would certainly be much more intelligent than I. However, If there was something I really wanted a species I created to remember, I'd endow them with an inherited racial memory. No need for prophets. But thats just me.

 

[9Westy9]

None if these four horsemen claimed to be prophets. Infraction they believe that nothing produces something so I don't even consider them intellegent

Where did any of them make the claim in bold?

Anybody can embrace religion through any means but I just mentioned science because that's the standard that people use in out age in time and don't know why he studied just the Bible and quran and I enjoyed every part of the speach it helped to explain the many inconsistancies of athiesm.
Also you elaborate if you want but that's upto you and Asalama alaykum by the way

and the inconsistencies are? .....

That's exactly what I'm saying cause in the end all human know that they did not cause themselves to exsist yet they exsist and no human being caused gravity to exist nor energy nor matter and no human being causes the sun to rise nor set and no human being can give life or cause death(yes the can attempt it but always a chance of survival, I had a friend officer who was shot in the head practically point blank all he lost was an eye) so in the end we must come to the rational conclusion there must be a Creator(if you see a brand new car one day in your garage, your not going to assume all its parts came from the nothingness to produce the incredible machine ) so like wise with us and our universe. Also this multidimensional universe theroy is weak beyond argument

As far as we can tell, the sun rising, gravity etc. All seem to be natural with no need for any external control from a "being". So where's the rational conclusion that there must be a creator? Because I don't see it.

 

[josh120775]

If it helps, I was in the woods a while back, and an angel appeared to me to reveal god's word. Unfortunately, no one else was around, and the people I told about it couldn't write (and didn't have a pen and paper handy anyway). Thankfully, they told some people who told some people who wrote it down who copied it. Unfortunately again, the originals were destroyed, but faithful translations remain and have been copied, error free, into many languages.

In case you haven't read it (which would be weird since it's obviously everywhere), just let me know, and I can transmit the truth to you. I don't want to make it really obvious that I'm speaking to you, so it may require a little interpretation on your part, but don't worry, just because I don't answer doesn't mean I didn't answer.

Oh, and you should follow me unconditionally. If your friends and family have an issue, just leave them. I'm not a cult though, just the one true way (so ignore all those other ways).

 

[JustWondering]

If it helps, I was in the woods a while back, and an angel appeared to me to reveal god's word. Unfortunately, no one else was around, and the people I told about it couldn't write (and didn't have a pen and paper handy anyway). Thankfully, they told some people who told some people who wrote it down who copied it. Unfortunately again, the originals were destroyed, but faithful translations remain and have been copied, error free, into many languages.

In case you haven't read it (which would be weird since it's obviously everywhere), just let me know, and I can transmit the truth to you. I don't want to make it really obvious that I'm speaking to you, so it may require a little interpretation on your part, but don't worry, just because I don't answer doesn't mean I didn't answer.

Oh, and you should follow me unconditionally. If your friends and family have an issue, just leave them. I'm not a cult though, just the one true way (so ignore all those other ways).

Sounds good.

 

[9Westy9]

If it helps, I was in the woods a while back, and an angel appeared to me to reveal god's word. Unfortunately, no one else was around, and the people I told about it couldn't write (and didn't have a pen and paper handy anyway). Thankfully, they told some people who told some people who wrote it down who copied it. Unfortunately again, the originals were destroyed, but faithful translations remain and have been copied, error free, into many languages.

In case you haven't read it (which would be weird since it's obviously everywhere), just let me know, and I can transmit the truth to you. I don't want to make it really obvious that I'm speaking to you, so it may require a little interpretation on your part, but don't worry, just because I don't answer doesn't mean I didn't answer.

Oh, and you should follow me unconditionally. If your friends and family have an issue, just leave them. I'm not a cult though, just the one true way (so ignore all those other ways).

seems legit

 

[George-ananda]

Would religions that performed human sacrifice fit into the valid religion category for instance?

No, certainly not today.

Here's what I think about the 'too many religions' issue:

I think you have to look at human biological and cultural/religious evolution as a long continuing process; from some small ape-like creature to modern humans to future humans. In this view it is a long struggle but the slope over the long run has been towards advancement.

Today we have pretty well advanced to the point that people believe good moral conduct is the way to please God, not sacrifices. I call that advancement.

 

[George-ananda]

Mr. 9Westy9......................What does 'DWBHist' mean? I've seen it before, and I like to stay up on things..