Why follow a religion?

S

s0meguy

Worship me or suffer eternally
Valued Senior Member
For one moment, look around and empty your mind of all things religion (especially the one that you follow). Then ask yourself why you follow your religion. Why would there be something beyond the physical world as we know it?

Picture yourself as one who does not follow a religion. What would be your reason for choosing Islam, Christianity or any other religion?
 
I think the reason people seek out a religion to follow is because they realise that nothing they can do on their own strength is going to guarentee 'eternal life' and at the end of the day 'eternal life' is the thing we desire most. It is a terrible frustration that we live our lives the best we can and yet knowing all the time we are nothing but food for the worms. It is this frustration that drives us to seek out answers. We all consider ourselves worthy of eternal life and deep down we must believe that we receive it at the end of our lives or we would be the most miserable people alive. Even those that say "I dont want eternal life, I will just be glad to lay down my flesh and die", even those people want 'eternal rest'.
We are aware of all the depths of emotions in us, emotions that help us take decisions when confronted with challenges. Sometimes a religion will affirm the decisions we have made because we read about the values supported by that religion and in our own hearts 'agree' with them. If that same religion is talking about 'eternal life' as the end game plan then we rest in that and do not feel condemned to die with no hope. We start to have faith in the values supported by that religion especially if that particulary religion also justifies our lives so far whether we have been good or wicked.
I think man looks for this from a religion:

Affirmation
Justification
Grace
Wisdom
Understanding
Eternal life
 
There are many good things in religions, aren't there? So why wouldn't we believe in the good things, just as you may believe in some scientific theory? Why wouldn't there be something beoynd "physical" reality? It is known that matter also is but "energy", and todays science has advanced and seen that everything might be built up of small vibrating strings in different forms and different lengths, and that way creating everything in the entire universe, including "non-physical" things like our thoughts, feelings, light, air, smell etc.

But certainly I cannot say that I follow a religion, but I believe in all of them and follow myself. Truly, many atheists who become believers, I hope they too will find this. You atheists, you're like me, you follow no religion, but you follow what you understand. Try to understand God, and the message which is given in religions, so that you might have even more great knowledge to know the truth. And religious people should open up themselves for atheistic thinking. But "atheism" or "religion" should never become bigger than the other, they should be in a balance which you yourself think seems good. There is no religion or atheism. There is no "me" so how could "I" follow something? Truly I tell you, "I" will leave this body and the body will do its own work. This way I am set free of this world and its sufferings.
 
Since I am lazy, this is my response to the same question in 37444.

I belive in god for many reasons. Here are some.

First of all, when I think of the world in the material sense, the galaxies, the stars the precision I don't believe that that can be attributed to chance. It has to be attributed to intellect.

Secondly When I look at the condition nessecary for our mere existence and our survival I think that they beat the odds. It has been arranged for us.

Thirdly when I look at how fine tuned our body is and how it is superbly supplemented by nature, radiations from far stars. And when I see the same things in other species of animal and plants ..etc. I can't help but to think that that is the work of someone whose knowledge encompasses all.

When I contemplate life, death, happiness and other emotions, especially Guilt I think that we are more that just material particals. And so all the self-proclaimed substitues man made to negate the possibility of a God are blown away, as far as I am concerned.

When I think of the world, and when I go beyond "I think, so I exist" I figure that there must be Someone giving structure to this reality. I may doubt that other people truly exist but I know that there is Someone making sure the illusion is running smooth

When I go the railroad central station and I see the hundreds of men and women and childeren going by, and when I try and see the many many, many thoughts that must be crossing their minds I again say that that can be no product of chance.

When I contemplate the precise reasoning of the Quran, the wisdom of his laws. I undestand that something so wise, so true cannot be the myths of ancient peoples. And I thank that God for it.

When I see how men had become true men, and not just alpha-males, Thanks to that man called Muhamad -peace be upon him- and the good he had done to man-kind and again the logic of what he stated and the laws he received I believe him.

I hope this helps.

:m:
 
let me see, where are we starting from,
s0meguy said:
"Picture yourself as one who does not follow a religion".
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if this was the case, and you were not indoctrinated into any kind of believe system, also you had /have lived you life using you reason, sense, and intellect.
then there would be no reason, to follow any religion.

s0meguy said:
For one moment, look around and empty your mind of all things religion (especially the one that you follow). Then ask yourself why you follow your religion.
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if you did the first part of this statement ,"(especially the one that you follow).
then you would'nt be able to ask yourself about the second part,"Then ask yourself why you follow your religion".
s0meguy said:
Why would there be something beyond the physical world as we know it?
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there would'nt.
 
s0meguy said:
For one moment, look around and empty your mind of all things religion (especially the one that you follow). Then ask yourself why you follow your religion. Why would there be something beyond the physical world as we know it?

Picture yourself as one who does not follow a religion. What would be your reason for choosing Islam, Christianity or any other religion?
Click to expand...
Every man has some degree of knowledge of God. How man has expressed that degree of knowledge depends on whether he wants to explain his thoughts on God (which results in the different views of God in the many religions) or if he wants to expand his knowledge and seek God (which means if there is a God, God must show more of Himself to the person who is seeking Him). We can understand God only if He shows Himself to us. IMO, God showed His nature through the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and He showed His power through the resurrection of Jesus.
 
Fear and need.
Fear of death, fear of punishment, fear of being alone.
Need for affirmation, need for a social organization, need for knowing everything will be ok, and a need to know why.
 
What would be your reason for choosing Islam, Christianity or any other religion?
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The hot man-boy love in the Catholic church is a big plus, if you like that sort of thing.
 
s0meguy: if you dont mind I have simular views to the preacher, however I have a question for c20H25N3o.
c20H25N3o said:
I think the reason people seek out a religion to follow is because they realise that nothing they can do on their own strength is going to guarentee 'eternal life'
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absolute rubbish. reasonable people dont think like that, only,the delusional.
c20H25N3o said:
I think man looks for this from a religion:

Affirmation
Justification
Grace
Wisdom
Understanding
Eternal life
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to affirm what, to justify what, grace!, wisdom definitely not, understanding definitely not, eternal life most definitely, this is the biggest delusion.
you are joking, are you not.
 
mustafhakofi said:
s0meguy: if you dont mind I have simular views to the preacher, however I have a question for c20H25N3o. absolute rubbish. reasonable people dont think like that, only,the delusional.



to affirm what, to justify what, grace!, wisdom definitely not, understanding definitely not, eternal life most definitely, this is the biggest delusion.
you are joking, are you not.
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So is your question simply 'am I joking?'

Well the answer to that is simple. 'No I am not'

Was there anything else?
 
mustafhakofi said:
to affirm what, to justify what
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The fact that I have behaved wickedly to other people in my life - hurt them abused them, caused them harm. I myself require justice when harm is done to me therefore when those I have hurt call to God for justice - how may I be saved?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Jesus says 'We have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory that our Father intended for us'
He also says "I come not to judge you but to save you"
Those words are my justification and affirmation that even though I have sinned, I will be redeemed. Therefore it is through faith I am saved, not through any good works. Do I continue to sin so that the grace shown to me may increase? Of course not!
 
For the thread's response, I follow a religion because I am religious.
 
Yorda_7 said:
Why are you religious?
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Dear Yorda_7:

Here's a detailed response:

I am residing in the Philippines. In my elementary years of schooling, cathecists try to inject in the minds of the poor little children the doctrine of the 7 sacraments of the RCC. But that was when I was just 8 years old. I have not loved to listen. I was not able to memorise the corresponding RCC values of the dots in the rosary. So can conclude that I am not religious at that time. No you're wrong my parents were trying to infuse in my mind that there is God. I asked "Where is He and Why is He and What is He?" They were not able to respond. One thing they knew, their ancestors told them so.

So,when I was in my first level of high school study (I was 13 years old then), I began to question, because some of my fellow classmates always mentioned about God and Jesus Christ. I began to question them about their proof of the existence of God and why bother is there is a God or Lord or none at all. So they simply replied, the Bible says so.

When I was in my third level, again cathecists tried to convince about the reality of RCC religion. But then, they were not victorious over my thought. I didn't pay any attention.

So to make it short. I was watered by tradition and not by my choice. Here came my college days when I faced many beliefs (so-called denominations and fellowships). One time at my random experience, a boarder in our house is a son of an Islamic parents. I tried to investigate why they were convinced in joining Islam. He simply replied, because my parents were Islamic people and Qur'an is true.

At those moment of times, I am doubting whether Qur'an is the same as the Bible. So, I bought a Bible in 1997 only though in the year 1994 Gideon's distributed "New testament" free-of-charge. Till now my 1997 RCC Bible is still in my hands though I preferred my 2002 KJV.

So you can deduce from my above statements that I was never religious at those times. Therefore at those times I have not followed any religion though I was a member of the RCC.

It was in the year 1998 when I opened our TV set that I heard the voice of Brother Eliseo F. Soriano, when he read I John 4:1.

So at that certain day, I listened to him and I also searched books in the library and I also took some observations of Philippine Leaders of Beliefs.

I guess that's all.

Best regards,

Enton Ces
 
okei, i was just curious i guess. but why don't you believe in the quran?

"Where is He and Why is He and What is He?"

Can you answer these questions today?

He simply replied, because my parents were Islamic people and Qur'an is true.
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i like that answer, it sounds funny and intelligent
 
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