True religion

[Jayhawker Soule]

I was referring to them approaching people on the street(usually Jews) and harassing them to be religious. Orthodox, in general, don't do this.

I have had hundreds of encounters with Chabad from New York to Cleveland to Chicago to Newport Beach to Venice to Chiang Mai to Jerusalem and I've never once been approached in a manner that I would construe as harassing.

 

[Jedster]

I have had hundreds of encounters with Chabad from New York to Cleveland to Chicago to Newport Beach to Venice to Chiang Mai to Jerusalem and I've never once been approached in a manner that I would construe as harassing.

That's because you haven't been to Golders Green.

 

[Ponder This]

Why do other religions view themselves as the only true religions?

And on top of that why do they make such a big deal out of it feeling an endless need to convince others of their truth?

Why are scientists always so obsessed with truth? Why do they feel the need to convince others that their science is right? We value integrity in other people no who they are.

If someone goes around advocating pseudo-science, we get upset in the same way if someone goes around advocating pseudo-religion. How do we know that a religious leader is genuine and not simply a wolf in sheep's clothing who would take advantage of others? The truth is important to us, or rather, integrity is.

Even asking why other religions view themselves as the only true religions belies the fact that you are interested in the truth yourself. Perhaps, their insistence on being true makes them suspect. How do we know they are true? Why do they make such an insistence?

 

[Akivah]

Why do other religions view themselves as the only true religions?

And on top of that why do they make such a big deal out of it feeling an endless need to convince others of their truth?

It's a human characteristic to convince others to accept our own opinion. This occurs whether the subject is religious, political, sports, or any other subject.

 

[shunyadragon]

I believe it all begins with self discovery. Who are you? What is your purpose? Why are you alive?

True, but different humans have always come with highly diverse and conflicting conclusions, and most chose some version of the traditional beliefs that they we raised in, and/or the peer group they chose that fulfills their 'sense of community.'.

 

[Akivah]

It is true, jews do consider theirs the only true religion.

Are Jews unique in this regard? Does any other religion consider itself to be the only true religion?

 

[Akivah]

Judaism does consider itself the true religion, that others have copied.

Does Islam consider itself to be the only true religion?

 

[Mister Silver]

It is true, jews do consider theirs the only true religion.

Isn't it also believed that Judaism is only for the Jews?

 

[shunyadragon]

Why are scientists always so obsessed with truth? Why do they feel the need to convince others that their science is right? We value integrity in other people no who they are.

False, scientists are NOT obsessed with 'truth(?).' Actually by far the majority, including myself, are more involved with their own specialty, and publishing articles instead convincing others, as I was. They are more looking for acceptance of others in their own specialty especially those that review their articles for publishing. Actually they are obsessed(?) with the falsification of theories and hypothesis in their research based on the objective verifiable evidence.

Educators do teach science, argue for the validity of science, which is understandable, because at present science provides the best explanation of the nature of our physical existence.

If someone goes around advocating pseudo-science, we get upset . . .

Getting upset by pseudo-science is indeed justified, and fairly easy to determine, because of the lack of legitimate peer reviewed objective falsification of the claims in pseudo-science. A common tactic of pseudo-science is the 'argument from ignorance' when they assert some things that are not known justify unknown beliefs not supported by any evidence,

. . . in the same way if someone goes around advocating pseudo-religion. How do we know that a religious leader is genuine and not simply a wolf in sheep's clothing who would take advantage of others? The truth is important to us, or rather, integrity is.

The problems with pseudo-religion is different than with pseudo-science. With religion pseudo-religion is the other beliefs that do not conform to one's own beliefs, and is highly subjective and anecdotal judgment of 'other' beliefs that are different.'

Even asking why other religions view themselves as the only true religions belies the fact that you are interested in the truth yourself. Perhaps, their insistence on being true makes them suspect. How do we know they are true? Why do they make such an insistence?

Personally, as with almost all scientists are not interested in 'truth,' we are interested in falsifiable knowledge, My view for philosophy and religion outside the objective physical reality is unknowable concerning claims of truth, and many people claim many different and conflicting claims of 'truth.'

 

[The_Fisher_King]

i found that most people in this world spend so much time trying to get others to believe as them, and it doesn't work. On top of that the people their trying to convince are in turn trying to convince others of their beliefs as well. Everyone is trying to convince each other and no one is really hearing each other.

i know that what i believe is true, so now i could just take all the information that everyone else is sharing and see what i can learn from it. We have a book called "Avote" and one of the teachings in this book says "i grew wise from all my teachers". Even someone who teaches you one thing is considered your teacher. Another teaching is, "there is nothing better for the body than silence." so i find by learning from everyone and not trying to convince them of anything, i have so much more to gain, and i already have.

Right, but one can both learn from others and still share's one truth with others.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

Does Islam consider itself to be the only true religion?

Most Muslims do believe that, yes.

 

[DavidFirth]

Are Jews unique in this regard? Does any other religion consider itself to be the only true religion?

Yes. Christians believe in John 3, which states that those who do not accept Christ are not "saved."

 

[YmirGF]

Right, but one can both learn from others and still share's one truth with others.

What puzzles me is if one is following a true religion then why are the arguments not better? You would think that after so many centuries we would find all kinds of incredible, eloquent essays/speeches and yet all we get is reprocessed tedium. Why is that?

 

[The_Fisher_King]

What puzzles me is if one is following a true religion then why are the arguments not better? You would think that after so many centuries we would find all kinds of incredible, eloquent essays/speeches and yet all we get is reprocessed tedium. Why is that?

I can only speak for myself and my religion. And whilst I believe it to be the true religion, there's certainly plenty of scope for me to sharpen up aspects of my views, develop them further, clarify them better in my own mind, and of course learn more about other people's own religions and worldviews.

And insofar as my religion is unique to me, it has not yet gotten the centuries of arguments, etc. to back it up!

The reprocessed tedium comes from people who haven't yet developed their own views/understandings enough to move beyond what other people have said (well, that's my opinion).

 

[robocop (actually)]

For one thing, if religions don't have their own facts and separating forces, they would just dissolve. If you want a religion to be good first it has to stay together.

People can often go shopping among the different religions. If one has better facts and tolerance, more power to it.

I have found that when a religion says it is best, it usually actually identifies itself as special in a certain way. Jesus said he was the way, the truth and the life. Actually Elias was the way, Moses was the truth, and Jesus was both of them embodied in a life. That from a book I read called Esoteric Cosmology by Rudolf Steiner.

 

[YmirGF]

I can only speak for myself and my religion. And whilst I believe it to be the true religion, there's certainly plenty of scope for me to sharpen up aspects of my views, develop them further, clarify them better in my own mind, and of course learn more about other people's own religions and worldviews.

And insofar as my religion is unique to me, it has not yet gotten the centuries of arguments, etc. to back it up!

The reprocessed tedium comes from people who haven't yet developed their own views/understandings enough to move beyond what other people have said (well, that's my opinion).

Ok.... so 1400 years isn't a long enough period of time to come up with cogent arguments? How many more centuries do we have to wait?

 

[The_Fisher_King]

Ok.... so 1400 years isn't a long enough period of time to come up with cogent arguments? How many more centuries do we have to wait?

Perhaps you are referring to mainstream Islaam? Which isn't my religion.

 

[YmirGF]

Perhaps you are referring to mainstream Islaam? Which isn't my religion.

Okie dokie.

 

[corynski]

So by convincing others of your (the general "your") religion you feel your religion must be true?

Yes, isn't that how many people think? Maybe I'm wrong, but by convincing others that one's belief is true, doesn't that give added credence to that belief? I mean if all those people believe and accept that there exists a god, then there must be one would seem a logical conclusion. So people assume their religion must be right when others readily accept it, I would think.

 

[shunyadragon]

Are Jews unique in this regard? Does any other religion consider itself to be the only true religion?

Well, though not a religion specifically, the Unitarian Universalists do not consider themselves the only 'belief system; and acknowledge the diversity of beliefs within their congregation.

The Baha'i Faith acknowledges the progressive nature of religions and belief systems. It does consider itself the most recent Revelation from God. and considers salvation to be based more on the sincerity of the individual in light of a world of diverse religions and beliefs. Yes, the Bah'i Faith considers itself the 'Arc of Salvation and Spiritual Guidance' in the contemporary world. The principles of the Baha'i Faith are the standard of humanity today, but Revelation remains progressive and changing in the future and the past has it has been for Millennia.