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How do you "KNOW" your religion is true?

waitasec

Veteran Member
Because, Waitasec, such individuals are attempting to destroy the Faith from within in direct violation of many statements in our scriptures.

Nothing whatever to do with another Messenger eventually appearing--which in any case won't happen for a long time yet.

Peace,

Bruce

what do you mean by destroy...?
are you saying one group of believers are out to destroy your views/traditional ideals of a deity? or do they just have as much conviction of their belief and tradition as yours?
why can't religious people of different faiths come together...they all believe in god, don't they?
this is why i cannot see how ANY religion can say they have the true religion.
it only perpetuates division and hate. look at how the catholics and the protestants killed each other in ireland, the sectarian violence in the middle east...it's as plain as the nose on your face.
i see religion as a glorified street gang.
 

Dan4reason

Facts not Faith
Well, I'm not one of those people, but I hope you don't mind my putting in my two cents worth anyway since I come from a religious tradition where people are very fond of putting it that way (i.e. "I know the [Mormon] Church is true."). I don't claim to "know" anything of a spiritual nature, but I do have a very strong belief. If I were to say simply, "I believe..." it would probably not have the impact I want it to have. The best way for me to explain where I stand with respect to my religion being true is to say, "I am convinced..."

As far as a conviction that there is a God out there is concerned, I simply cannot accept the possibility that this isn't so. I've tried. I've made attempts to convince myself that our universe, our Earth, and all life on it could have come about without any kind of divine direction. I can't. I have tried and I can't do it. My mind just won't go there, any more than the minds of so many atheists I know can conceive of the existance of a Higher Power. In all honestly, I believe that our inclination towards a belief in the divine is pretty much hard-wired. That's why I don't ever attempt to convince atheists that they should believe in God.

From there (i.e. from my belief in God) forward, I have to accept what I can make sense of, what is logically possible to me. I've done this through the process of elimination. I can't explain God "logically" but I can make a whole lot of logical arguments that He is not the Trinity that was defined at Nicea in 325 A.D. Consequently, I have to reject any Christian religion that embraces that doctrine. I also believe that God is not only loving but just. A just God would not send billions of people to an eternal in Hell because they happened to have been born at the wrong time or in the wrong place to have had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, I have to reject any religion which teaches that this is, in fact, what's going to happen, and tough ***** for the people it happens to affect. To me, a God that stresses the importance of love between a man and woman would not dissolve that relationship when we die, so I can't accept any religion that says that's what's going to happen. It makes perfect sense to me that if God spoke to His people for thousands of years through men He would call as prophets, He wouldn't just stop when Jesus Christ came to Earth, nor would He call someone a few hundred years later (i.e. Muhammed) and say, "That's it. He's the last one." He would continue to do what He did for four thousand years. I'd have to go with a religion that taught what I believe in that regard.

As to why I can't go with any of the eastern or non-revealed religions, I suppose it's that to me, if God created me, He must care about me. He would have to be a personal God in order for me to feel that He was worthy of my worship. It would pretty much have to be the Abrahamic God.

But, here's the bottom line as far as I'm concerned... If there is a God, I believe He loves us. I believe that He is merciful and just. To me, it just doesn't make sense that if it was so important to Him that we understand perfectly everything about Him and what He expects of us, He is fully capable of making sure that we couldn't possibly get it wrong. I think He wants us to get it right, but I don't think that the time He's given us to do so is going to be resticted to our mortality. I think our opportunities will continue after our bodies are laying in the ground, and I think things will be clearer to us then than they are now. And I definitely don't think that He is going to turn everyone who failed to get all of the facts right into His eternal firewood. He loves us and He created us for completely unselfish reasons.

I don't "know" any of that to be true. But I am "convinced" in my own heart that it's the only perspective that works for me.

It does seem unlikely that this universe came about by design intuitively but the universe has the tendancy of working very anti-intuitively. Assuming that there is a designer just seems like another mythological way of talking about the universe in a way that is comfortable to us.
 

astarath

Well-Known Member
The personal relationship. When you have a conversation with someone you know who they are. How do I know if I am talking with my wife, because I am talking to my wife.
 

waitasec

Veteran Member
The personal relationship. When you have a conversation with someone you know who they are. How do I know if I am talking with my wife, because I am talking to my wife.

but how do you KNOW...?
please i'm not trying to belittle your experience...
would it be fair to say you are talking to your conscience?
 

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
Because, Waitasec, such individuals are attempting to destroy the Faith from within in direct violation of many statements in our scriptures.

Nothing whatever to do with another Messenger eventually appearing--which in any case won't happen for a long time yet.

Peace,

Bruce

Oh, my bad. Sorry.
 

Rainbow Mage

Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
Estarath assuming you have seen or experienced Christ, which I don't deny "could" happen, do you think everyone else experiences him the same way? Do you think everyone's life circumstances are the same? See this is what I mean about making "objective truth" claims. Your experiences are only yours and are only true for you, and second-hand to everyone else, since we did not experience it.
 

FluentYank3825

Ironic Idealist
I agree. :yes:

I'm not Religious but I will say this: I don't think Religious people know that their beliefs are true... because well... it's just that... a belief.

“If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.” - Soren Kierkegaard, 19th Century Danish philosopher

I think this quote eloquently illustrates your point very well, Dezzie. I heartily agree.
 

smokydot

Well-Known Member
This is mostly for those who claim unashamedly and outright that they have the truth. They know they have it, no question in their minds. Also, their religion is true and everyone else's is false.
For people like this, how do you know this? Explain?
It is the nature of faith to be certain.
 

stupified

Member
Have they ever given lie detector tests to see what % of priests believe in their religion? I would expect it to be a very low percentage, but would be interesting to know.
 

stupified

Member
I mean obviously at least half of them are in it for the money. I have several friends from high school who I know are now priests (they were going to be engineers but weren't very good at it). It allows them to live in smaller populated areas and they like the respect they get as pastors. But I doubt they believe. Putting those people aside, and the molesters, I would like to know what % of the remaining set would claim (under lie detector test) that they (on their death bed) wouldn't be afraid because they know they are going to heaven. I wonder how many are confident before death. My wife's dad told me of several who struggled with every last breath (and were supposedly highly religious). We all go into this world kicking and screaming, and we all leave the same way.
 

Rainbow Mage

Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
Well Stupified I won't go as far to say many Priests don't believe. They probably do to some extent. I'll tell you one thing they don't believe, because they learn better at seminary. They don't believe the Bible is infalliable or an eyewitness based work. I wish they'd be honest with their congregations about it.
 

smokydot

Well-Known Member
it is the nature of arrogance to be certain
:facepalm:
It is the nature of wisdom to be certain.

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool. . .shun him.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is simple. . .teach him.

He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is unaware. . .inform him.

He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise. . .follow him.
 
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PolyHedral

Superabacus Mystic
it is the nature of arrogance to be certain
:facepalm:

It is the nature of wisdom to be certain.
Considering it's impossible to be absolutely certain in any statement*, surely it is far more wise to be doubting?

*except mathematics.
 
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