battig1370
Registered Senior Member
Why do people believe what they do?
Have you ever wondered to yourself what the reasons are as to why people believe what they do? There are so many differing ideas as to what the truth is that any rational person knows that there must be an immense amount of error out there. Yet it would appear 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 on earth and faction thereof. 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 the question remains, why do people really believe what they do? It should be obvious to anyone with eyes to see that the real reason the vast majority 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 are 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 they know they will be ostracized or worse if they do, then it is too much to even consider. Of the very small percentage of those who do choose to cross a line and pay the price of family rejection, the vast majority of them do so for the purpose of feeling 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 may marry someone of a different faith. But even in this, the vast majority of 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. True objectivity in searching for the truth is of little serious consideration. In a marriage, the decision concerning which way the couple will go always lands in favor of the one who is most adamant in their faith, which itself is most often due to the fact that they have the most to lose if they were to change.
Many individuals have made significant sacrifices over time to support a certain belief system where they are accepted and held in high esteem by others. These individuals are the most unlikely to consider their errors no matter what the facts are. The greater the sacrifices a person has made in time and money for their faith, the greater the unlikelihood that that person will ever be able to consider their 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 a waste.
So for the vast majority of people in this world it really doesn't matter what the truth is or what makes the best sense. They will embrace their respective group's teachings and gladly perpetuate its teachings for the underlying purpose of being accepted by their peers. So strong is this drive that many become perfectly willing to die for what they believe. If this describes you, and you are comfortable with where you are, this book is not for you.
(Jesus) & Judaism vs. Paul & Christianity - By Scott Nelson
Peace be with you, Paul
Have you ever wondered to yourself what the reasons are as to why people believe what they do? There are so many differing ideas as to what the truth is that any rational person knows that there must be an immense amount of error out there. Yet it would appear 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 on earth and faction thereof. 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 the question remains, why do people really believe what they do? It should be obvious to anyone with eyes to see that the real reason the vast majority 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 are 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 they know they will be ostracized or worse if they do, then it is too much to even consider. Of the very small percentage of those who do choose to cross a line and pay the price of family rejection, the vast majority of them do so for the purpose of feeling 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 may marry someone of a different faith. But even in this, the vast majority of 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. True objectivity in searching for the truth is of little serious consideration. In a marriage, the decision concerning which way the couple will go always lands in favor of the one who is most adamant in their faith, which itself is most often due to the fact that they have the most to lose if they were to change.
Many individuals have made significant sacrifices over time to support a certain belief system where they are accepted and held in high esteem by others. These individuals are the most unlikely to consider their errors no matter what the facts are. The greater the sacrifices a person has made in time and money for their faith, the greater the unlikelihood that that person will ever be able to consider their 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 a waste.
So for the vast majority of people in this world it really doesn't matter what the truth is or what makes the best sense. They will embrace their respective group's teachings and gladly perpetuate its teachings for the underlying purpose of being accepted by their peers. So strong is this drive that many become perfectly willing to die for what they believe. If this describes you, and you are comfortable with where you are, this book is not for you.
(Jesus) & Judaism vs. Paul & Christianity - By Scott Nelson
Peace be with you, Paul