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What if you're wrong

dyanaprajna2011

Dharmapala
This is something that I've been thinking about for some time. This is also something that I ask myself all the time, to find any errors in my thinking, to make sure I know what it is I believe and why.

We see a lot of hard-lined believers, from every religion, here, and elsewhere. I see a lot of people absolutely convinced that their view is right, and every other view that disagrees with theirs is wrong. And I'm not talking about simple faith and conviction, what I'm talking about borders on sheer arrogance.

With all that said, I have a question, for everyone here, regardless of faith and belief: have you ever considered the fact that you might just be wrong? I'm not saying this in order to get people to doubt their beliefs; I'm asking this question in hopes of getting people to understand where the other side of the debate is coming from, in order to facilitate more civil and productive debate, instead of debates that just devolve into arrogant bullying and sarcastic name-calling. That kind of debate is not productive, and gets us no where in attempting to understand each other and our different religious ideas.

Any thoughts? Anyone agree, or am I way off base with this and just rambling?
 

dgirl1986

Big Queer Chesticles!
I am constantly questioning my own beliefs and have thought about the points you have made. I personally am not a fan of people who never question their own POV/belief system/religion and make it their lifes mission to ridicule the POV/belief system/religion of others.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I don't see holding to one's convictions as being incompatible with seeing the truth in other perspectives. Particularly when it comes to things like worldviews, I also don't regard any worldview as "wrong" or "right" either. Therefore, I really don't find it productive or necessary to constantly derail myself with doubt. So I'm wrong (or right) on everything I believe and do from some particular point of view. So what? I can criticize it and analyze it to the point of nauseation and it won't get me anywhere or mean much of anything. I'm a dumb speck of an animal on a giant ball of silica and iron hurtling around a sun at thousands of miles per hour.

That's not to say I don't think about these things. I do. But I don't kid myself that it actually has any grand significance. I guess I probably don't have the arrogance that you're talking about in the OP. :shrug:
 

FREE-of-FAITH

FREE-of-FAITH
This is something that I've been thinking about for some time. This is also something that I ask myself all the time, to find any errors in my thinking, to make sure I know what it is I believe and why.

We see a lot of hard-lined believers, from every religion, here, and elsewhere. I see a lot of people absolutely convinced that their view is right, and every other view that disagrees with theirs is wrong. And I'm not talking about simple faith and conviction, what I'm talking about borders on sheer arrogance.

With all that said, I have a question, for everyone here, regardless of faith and belief: have you ever considered the fact that you might just be wrong? I'm not saying this in order to get people to doubt their beliefs; I'm asking this question in hopes of getting people to understand where the other side of the debate is coming from, in order to facilitate more civil and productive debate, instead of debates that just devolve into arrogant bullying and sarcastic name-calling. That kind of debate is not productive, and gets us no where in attempting to understand each other and our different religious ideas.

Any thoughts? Anyone agree, or am I way off base with this and just rambling?

My opinion: To be rather honest, I cannot say with certainty that I am right, in fact I could very well be wrong! But it is the best conclusion I've came up with, the conclusion is that religion is man made, I have found great peace and happiness in being free of faith and unreasonable beliefs without evidence.
 

Green Kepi

Active Member
If Christianity is wrong: I will not have lost anything.I will not be able to regret my religious decisions. It's been a 'heck of a way to live'.No-one else will be able to gloat over the fact that they were right...because we all cease to exist anyway.I will have lived a good, fulfilled and enjoyable life anyway.

If Christianity is correct:I will have gained everything, and go to heaven in the afterlife.The unsaved will not be granted eternal life and God will destroyed their souls (I don't believe that the place called Hell is taught in the Scriptures).I will live on the new Heaven and earth for eternity.
 

dyanaprajna2011

Dharmapala
If Christianity is wrong: I will not have lost anything.I will not be able to regret my religious decisions. It's been a 'heck of a way to live'.No-one else will be able to gloat over the fact that they were right...because we all cease to exist anyway.I will have lived a good, fulfilled and enjoyable life anyway.

If Christianity is correct:I will have gained everything, and go to heaven in the afterlife.The unsaved will not be granted eternal life and God will destroyed their souls (I don't believe that the place called Hell is taught in the Scriptures).I will live on the new Heaven and earth for eternity.

You are assuming that only your religion or atheistic naturalism are correct. You are not allowing for the possibility that you may be wrong in your religion, but another one may be right. This is exactly what I was talking about in my OP. There is no room for productive debate and mutual understanding.
 

Green Kepi

Active Member
Yes I am or I wouldn't believe what I believe. Doesn't everyone that isn't blown around like 'leaves' in the wind? The atheist believes I'm wrong. So does the Muslim. Heck...even the Baptist think I'm wrong. You are also missing "my" point!
 

Desert Snake

Veteran Member
Yes I am or I wouldn't believe what I believe. Doesn't everyone that isn't blown around like 'leaves' in the wind? The atheist believes I'm wrong. So does the Muslim. Heck...even the Baptist think I'm wrong. You are also missing "my" point!

Same here. Yikes they really take that baptism stuff seriously, huh?.:p
 

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I have considered many times that I might be wrong. I usually only post on themes that I think I am sure about. Sure and right are not exactly the same imo. Are they? There are many religious subjects that I am probably wrong about. Those I don't talk about.
 

dyanaprajna2011

Dharmapala
I have considered many times that I might be wrong. I usually only post on themes that I think I am sure about. Sure and right are not exactly the same imo. Are they? There are many religious subjects that I am probably wrong about. Those I don't talk about.

There's nothing wrong with voicing one's opinion, especially if it adds to the conversation. The point is to not be domatically stuck to one's opinion as if it's the only truth, without being able to recognize that the other guy might have a good point to make.
 

FREE-of-FAITH

FREE-of-FAITH
If Christianity is wrong: I will not have lost anything.I will not be able to regret my religious decisions. It's been a 'heck of a way to live'.No-one else will be able to gloat over the fact that they were right...because we all cease to exist anyway.I will have lived a good, fulfilled and enjoyable life anyway.

Not necessarily, what if Christianity is wrong, yet another religion is right, which says you as a Christian will be doomed. It's rather dogmatic to think Christianity is the only religion which may possibly be right don't you think? ;)
 

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
There's nothing wrong with voicing one's opinion, especially if it adds to the conversation. The point is to not be domatically stuck to one's opinion as if it's the only truth, without being able to recognize that the other guy might have a good point to make.

OK I suppose if I throw out some more half baked ideas people will not think that I seem to have to be right all the time. Good idea!
 

Lady B

noob
I think arrogance is wrongly attributed to firm believers. Just because we are firm in our faith and we don't doubt the foundations and even strongly defend them does not make us arrogant. If that is true then anyone who adheres to one God faithfully is arrogant. Or Atheists are arrogant for their strong belief in no God. All choices are made with the view it is the right choice, who would choose wrong willingly? So in that case everytime we feel we made the right choice we are arrogant for believing it is right ,and other choices that may be wrong to us may be right and we are arrogant for not giving them a try?
We also make choices for others based on our own views, not out of arrogance but out of the belief it is right and the alternative would be wrong. This is where it is complicated when we choose for others what may not be right for them. However If we truly believe we are right, do we not want everyone to be right too? Is that arrogance or is that love and concern for everyone to be right as well?
I know I confuse me too but I really do make sense to my fingers.....:D
 
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dyanaprajna2011

Dharmapala
I think arrogance is wrongly attributed to firm believers. Just because we are firm in our faith and we don't doubt the foundations and even strongly defend them does not make us arrogant. If that is true then anyone who adheres to one God faithfully is arrogant. Or Atheists are arrogant for their strong belief in no God. All choices are made with the view it is the right choice, who would choose wrong willingly? So in that case everytime we feel we made the right choice we are arrogant for believing it is right ,and other choices that may be wrong to us may be right and we are arrogant for not giving them a try?
We also make choices for others based on our own views, not out of arrogance but out of the belief it is right and the alternative would be wrong. This is where it is complicated when we choose for others what may not be right for them. However If we truly believe we are right, do we not want everyone to be right too? Is that arrogance or is that love and concern for everyone to be right as well?
I know I confuse me too but I really do make sense to my fingers.....:D

Actually, I made the distinction in my OP between faith and conviction, which I have no problem with, and I think are good things, which, I think, is what you're talking about here, and blind-faith, dogmatic arrogance, which I'm not seeing in your post.
 

arthra

Baha'i
In terms of right and wrong... I would not claim to know "everything" and would not tell a Christian they are "wrong" in their belief.. I can accept that we disagree and move on.

On the other hand I can find agreement with a Christian and a Muslim and a Buddhist...

What happens is I think people are thinking in absolute terms when they can really only know partially.. We can do our best and know what we can and find areas where we agree and that may be more important that claiming we have absolute truth..
 
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