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Are you critical of your beliefs?

Would you continue to believe? (see post for complete question)

  • Yes

    Votes: 17 81.0%

  • No

    Votes: 3 14.3%

  • Don't know

    Votes: 1 4.8%
  • Total voters
    21
J

jonny

Well-Known Member
RF brings out the best and the worst in people. This question is mainly directed to those who are highly critical of the beliefs of other religions.

If you were as critical of your beliefs as you are about other people's beliefs, do you think you would still believe them?
 
Aqualung

Aqualung

Tasty
I siad yes, because, while I am at least somewhat critical of others' beliefs, I'm also very critical of my own. I'm constantly rethinking what I believe and why, and seeing if it still makes sense of fits with scripture and stuff like that.
 
N

Nimaj

Member
I voted yes.

I aggree with aqualung

I see an objective moral truth in Jesus.

I see that Science in 5000 years cannot contradict what Genesis 1:1 says.

I have tried to find another way for years, but this is the only one that works.

So, yes.
 
waldo

waldo

Member
jonny said:
RF brings out the best and the worst in people. This question is mainly directed to those who are highly critical of the beliefs of other religions.

If you were as critical of your beliefs as you are about other people's beliefs, do you think you would still believe them?
Click to expand...
well i'm a Non-denominational christian. I interpret the bible myself--same as everyone else in my church. i don't just believe in what others say i should believe
 
JonM

JonM

Member
I am so critical of my beliefs that I usually exist in a totally skeptical place; very rarely do I have any beliefs I feel I can fall back on. I think that's why I have faith in the first place.
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
waldo said:
well i'm a Non-denominational christian. I interpret the bible myself--same as everyone else in my church. i don't just believe in what others say i should believe
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Apologies to jonny. I'm not trying to derail your thread, but I have a quick question for waldo: Where in Utah are you?
 
Halcyon

Halcyon

Lord of the Badgers
Lol. You can't be truly critical of your beliefs, and still call it belief.

Either you think its true or you have your doubts. All of you who have posted saying that you are critical of your beliefs are not, because you still have them.

For example; Aqua, you are critical of Islam because you don't believe Muhammed was a prophet, thus you are not a Muslim. If you were critical of Joseph Smith, you would not be a Mormon.

Rethinking how your personal opinion of a belief fits in with your religion as a whole is not being critical - its just being contemplative.
 
michel

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
Master Vigil said:
I am more critical of my beliefs than of others. Why? Because, well, they're mine.
Click to expand...
Exactly the way I feel; to me anyone can believe what he/she wants; but I am forever churning my own beliefs around, questioning them - often, I think, too much.
 
cardero

cardero

Citizen Mod
None of the beliefs that I have collected are new or original so I cannot claim them as my own. Critical is hard sounding word with to many adverse definitions. I am cautious and respectable with the ones I have adopted and the ones that other people promote. I do not abuse any beliefs, I will not douse them in faith or soak them in doubt. None of these options do anything to strengthen or weaken beliefs. The beliefs I encourage remain as valid possibilities until proven otherwise. I will invite other people’s beliefs so that I may have many choices to compare and contrast with other beliefs. I think it is important to keep your options open when concluding beliefs.
 
Master Vigil

Master Vigil

Well-Known Member
Halcyon said:
Lol. You can't be truly critical of your beliefs, and still call it belief.

Either you think its true or you have your doubts. All of you who have posted saying that you are critical of your beliefs are not, because you still have them.

Rethinking how your personal opinion of a belief fits in with your religion as a whole is not being critical - its just being contemplative.
Click to expand...
I have my beliefs because I am critical of them. And there are a slew of beliefs I used to have, but no longer do because they failed to meet or exceed my doubt. Will my beliefs change again? Most certainly. But that is the way of the universe, change.
 
Halcyon

Halcyon

Lord of the Badgers
Master Vigil said:
I have my beliefs because I am critical of them. And there are a slew of beliefs I used to have, but no longer do because they failed to meet or exceed my doubt. Will my beliefs change again? Most certainly. But that is the way of the universe, change.
Click to expand...
Really? And those beliefs that failed to meet your criteria, you held them in the highest regard - you would not falter in your faith in them?

Do you think you'll ever suddenly stop believing in Tao, and convert to a concept of the divine like the Christian God?

I think there is a difference in re-evaluating the specifics of the pointless aspects of religion - like which form of afterlife you believe in, or what a religious leader actually meant by a statement - and being critical of your core convictions.

I don't see how you could be critical of your concept of the divine and still call it belief.
 
YmirGF

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
Halcyon said:
Lol. You can't be truly critical of your beliefs, and still call it belief.

Either you think its true or you have your doubts. All of you who have posted saying that you are critical of your beliefs are not, because you still have them.

For example; Aqua, you are critical of Islam because you don't believe Muhammed was a prophet, thus you are not a Muslim. If you were critical of Joseph Smith, you would not be a Mormon.

Rethinking how your personal opinion of a belief fits in with your religion as a whole is not being critical - its just being contemplative.
Click to expand...
I one respect, you are correct Halcyon. I won't argue that. However, in another respect your premise does not hold water.

In my little side story, I took the time and literally did almost a performance review of the beliefs I held at that time. It was definitely a highly critical examination of what and why. One thing the story does not outline is the amount of "hidden" Christian beliefs I held (at the time) that were there simply because I grew up in a Christian country, even though I was not raised as a Christian (or anything). Again, the most positive aspect of my little experiment was understanding WHY I believed what I did. It also unhinged several areas that I did not in fact believe in. I only thought I believed things, because I had never looked at them critically. So, in that sense, you are correct.

Since this time, I have been highly critical of any "up and coming" beliefs.

Terry Woodenpic writes:
Have you done any revisions to your beliefs since.

Not as extensively as this one time, no Terry. I do apply it on a continual basis though. However, I have meant to start this whole process once again... just to see if anything has snuck by my inner security perimeter. For example, when I was a kid, I do not recall writing anything about politics into the belief journal. At 20, I do not think I had preset political belief. Now, I am a bit of a hawk, so it might be time to re-evaluate.
 
Halcyon

Halcyon

Lord of the Badgers
YmirGF said:
I one respect, you are correct Halcyon. I won't argue that. However, in another respect your premise does not hold water.

In my little side story, I took the time and literally did almost a performance review of the beliefs I held at that time. It was definitely a highly critical examination of what and why. One thing the story does not outline is the amount of "hidden" Christian beliefs I held (at the time) that were there simply because I grew up in a Christian country, even though I was not raised as a Christian (or anything). Again, the most positive aspect of my little experiment was understanding WHY I believed what I did. It also unhinged several areas that I did not in fact believe in. I only thought I believed things, because I had never looked at them critically. So, in that sense, you are correct.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, YmirGF. What you describe is like you say, a complete review of what were your currently held beliefs.
Tell me, the beliefs which survived the process, are you still not sure of their validity?

Sure, accepting the possibility that they might not be true is one thing, but being critical of deeply held beliefs surely undermines their very validity?
How can they be beliefs if you're not sure about them?
 
joeboonda

joeboonda

Well-Known Member
5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

(King James Bible, 1 Thessalonians)

2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

(King James Bible, 2 Timothy)

I am sooo analytical and skeptical, I question everything. Thing is, I found good solid answers that were better than the answers others had. Jesus said we can know the truth and it will set us free, and He said He is Truth. My questions only rooted and grounded me more in my faith, not checking my brain at the door, but examing factual, historical evidence.
 
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