Simplelogic
Well-Known Member
Just wondering what people's thoughts were on why we follow the religions we do. Below is one take on the matter.
"Have you ever wondered why people believe what they do? There are so many differing ideas as to what the truth is that logic would tell us there must be an immense amount of error in the world. Yet it seems that the best most religious leaders can do is specialize in exposing the errors of others. We've all seen it. Let's take for example three differing theologies and label them doctrines A, B, & C. All three have some truth and some error. Doctrine A specializes in exposing errors in the doctrines of B and C, and the vast majority of those who were born into A and raised as A remain A for the rest of their lives. Doctrine B specializes in the errors A and C, and C points out the errors of A and B. Occasionally, two will unite against the other. A and B will team up against the errors of C on which they agree, but virtually no A's convert to B's, or B's to A's. B and C will occasionally join forces against A's errors and so on. It would seem that everyone can see the errors with everyone else but themselves. The fact remains that very very few convert to something different from what they were born and raised into. This is true of every religion. Christians remain Christians, Jews remain Jews, and Moslems remain Moslems. Catholic Christians remain Catholic, Baptist-Baptist, and Lutheran-Lutheran. Ultra orthodox Jews remain Ultra orthodox, Orthodox- Orthodox, and Reformed- Reformed. The identical is true of the many factions of Islam, and every other ideology on earth.
So why do people really believe what they do? It should be apparent that the reason the majority of people believe what they do is for sociological reasons. Most people can be taught to believe just about anything if the acceptance of friends or especially family is at stake. Once people are secure in their surroundings, many of them don't really care what the truth is. But among those who have the courage to care, for many of them, if changing their mind means it will cost them the respect of family, and friends, then it is too much to consider. Of the small percentage of those who do choose to cross a line and pay the price of rejection, the vast majority do so for the purpose of being accepted into a new group or family. Most of us have seen numerous cases where a man or a woman will change their faith so they can marry someone of a different faith. But even in this, people remain within their general faith system. Christians generally move to another branch of Christianity, Jews to another branch of Judaism and so on. Very very few move to a completely different faith system, and those that do, again, do it mainly for acceptance reasons. It seems that true objectivity in searching for the truth is of little serious consideration. In a marriage, the decision on which way the couple will go seems to always land in favor of the one who has the most to lose if they were to change.
Many people have made significant sacrifices over time to support a certain belief system where they are accepted and held in high esteem. These people are the most unlikely to consider possible errors in their particular belief system no matter what the facts are. The greater the sacrifices a person has made in time and money for the institution they are attached to, the greater the unlikelihood that they will ever be able to consider error. For them, there is simply too much to turn their back on and walk away from. No one wants to admit that their blood-sweat and tears have been for naught."
Preface
"Have you ever wondered why people believe what they do? There are so many differing ideas as to what the truth is that logic would tell us there must be an immense amount of error in the world. Yet it seems that the best most religious leaders can do is specialize in exposing the errors of others. We've all seen it. Let's take for example three differing theologies and label them doctrines A, B, & C. All three have some truth and some error. Doctrine A specializes in exposing errors in the doctrines of B and C, and the vast majority of those who were born into A and raised as A remain A for the rest of their lives. Doctrine B specializes in the errors A and C, and C points out the errors of A and B. Occasionally, two will unite against the other. A and B will team up against the errors of C on which they agree, but virtually no A's convert to B's, or B's to A's. B and C will occasionally join forces against A's errors and so on. It would seem that everyone can see the errors with everyone else but themselves. The fact remains that very very few convert to something different from what they were born and raised into. This is true of every religion. Christians remain Christians, Jews remain Jews, and Moslems remain Moslems. Catholic Christians remain Catholic, Baptist-Baptist, and Lutheran-Lutheran. Ultra orthodox Jews remain Ultra orthodox, Orthodox- Orthodox, and Reformed- Reformed. The identical is true of the many factions of Islam, and every other ideology on earth.
So why do people really believe what they do? It should be apparent that the reason the majority of people believe what they do is for sociological reasons. Most people can be taught to believe just about anything if the acceptance of friends or especially family is at stake. Once people are secure in their surroundings, many of them don't really care what the truth is. But among those who have the courage to care, for many of them, if changing their mind means it will cost them the respect of family, and friends, then it is too much to consider. Of the small percentage of those who do choose to cross a line and pay the price of rejection, the vast majority do so for the purpose of being accepted into a new group or family. Most of us have seen numerous cases where a man or a woman will change their faith so they can marry someone of a different faith. But even in this, people remain within their general faith system. Christians generally move to another branch of Christianity, Jews to another branch of Judaism and so on. Very very few move to a completely different faith system, and those that do, again, do it mainly for acceptance reasons. It seems that true objectivity in searching for the truth is of little serious consideration. In a marriage, the decision on which way the couple will go seems to always land in favor of the one who has the most to lose if they were to change.
Many people have made significant sacrifices over time to support a certain belief system where they are accepted and held in high esteem. These people are the most unlikely to consider possible errors in their particular belief system no matter what the facts are. The greater the sacrifices a person has made in time and money for the institution they are attached to, the greater the unlikelihood that they will ever be able to consider error. For them, there is simply too much to turn their back on and walk away from. No one wants to admit that their blood-sweat and tears have been for naught."
Preface
