Any religion that claims it is the only correct one is obviously wrong. By it's arrogance it becomes mutually exclusive of any other religion. When one steps back they can see that the contradiction of one religion over the others is a proof that they all must be wrong. Why is it so hard for people to believe this? How can so many people in so many religions believe that only they are right, only they are worthy of the love of God?
Since it is obvious all religion is wrong why do so many believe?
by jwfacts 64 Replies latest watchtower bible
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ozziepost
Methinks your thread title is quite different to the thrust of your post.
So I'll respond to this bit:
Since it is obvious all religion is wrong why do so many believe?
Obvious?? To who? To you? Ohhhh. One man's meat is another's poison.
Any religion that claims it is the only correct one is obviously wrong. Bu it's arrogance it becomes mutually exclusive of any other religion. When one steps back they can see that the contradiction of one religion over the others is a proof that they all must be wrong. Why is it so hard for people to believe this? How can so many people in so many religions believe that only they are right, only they are worthy of the love of God?
This bit seems influenced by dub thinking. "Only they are right" might apply to the dubs and Moslems and.....? I dunno that all "religions" claim to be the only one. But I left the influence of Bethel long ago. -
jwfacts
You are right, i had to cut back on the length of the title and so it loses its meaning, plus i made it a bit sensational.
Some religions are not judgemental. But many people I speak to say that only their religion will be saved. Or only Muslims/Christians/whatever will be saved. Any such religion makes the minority special and the majority evil. This seems far from realistic or fair. So my question is, "why are people so attracted to religions that judge as evil all but themselves"? -
AlmostAtheist
So my question is, "why are people so attracted to religions that judge as evil all but themselves"?
As a JW, it was primarily such a feeling of relief and gratitude (I wasn't allowed to call it "incredible good luck") that I had found the one true path. Praise to Jah, of all men, I was allowed to see the light!
It's hard to resist the call of "join the elite", particularly if it means you get to live in paradise earth. (or heaven, or valhalla, or VanHalena, or whatever)
Dave
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jwfacts
AA - I wasn't allowed to call it "incredible good luck"
Great phrase. I was always troubled with why i was so lucky to be born a Witness. I wasnt any better or more special than anyone else, so why should I be saved and they wouldn't. JW's say that God draws his sheep, but that rang hollow to me. I knew that most people will never have the opportunity to be a JW, and i would never have believe it if i wasnt born it.
Oh wow, my 100th post, I'm no longer a newbie. -
ozziepost
Oh wow, my 100th post, I'm no longer a newbie
How good to see another of the downunder mob making their mark!
Maybe we should follow through on Bliss's Cannyfest?
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outnfree
I think so many believe because all religion is not ALL wrong. And because many people feel that a Higher Power exists. And so they find the religion (or are born into a religion) that becomes comfortable--or at least familiar--and accept the doctrines that feel right to them and play down the ones that don't within the confines of that particular faith. Very few religions insist that adherents believe 100% of the stated doctrines. Thus, there is room for one to have social and religious support without giving one's mind over totally to a particular cult. FREEDOM of religion is not burdensome, imnsho. It's when totalitarianism raises its head that religion becomes "wrong."
outnfree
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LittleToe
That which is obvious isn't always all that obvious.
Think about it
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THE GLADIATOR
It takes guts to live without the belief that the gods are holding your hand. I’ve seen Christians in Rome about to be killed by lions standing praying for Christ’s sake. If he was really helping them they wouldn’t get eaten.
When they set the lions on me I kill them. I don’t stand around expecting help from on high. Self reliance is my motto. How do you think I’ve survived for two thousand years?
All this religious clap-trap is as much use as a gladiator with a broom handle in the in the arena. Well you know where you can stick it! Religion that is!
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patio34
It takes guts to live without the belief that the gods are holding your hand. --Gladiator
Good one. When first leaving religion, it was scary. Now it's normal to live without an invisible helper. It gives so much more also in the way of learning self-reliance and developing one's own strength (which, imo, is all it ever was). It's like Dumbo's magic feather (theists, please forgive me), it's time to lose it someday and learn one own's abilities.
Granted I would love to have a belief and to me, it's not really a choice. As someone said here: "I just couldn't continue to convince myself it was true."
As to the title of the thread, that would take a lot of anthropology to understand, although it's stranger now since so much has been "demystified" e.g., the rainbow (Richard Dawkins), thunder, lightning, really most all of natural forces.
It seems to me that a lot of believers like the comfort of having a helper, humans do not want to die so the hope of immorality is appealing, they seek justification at times to war or conquer "lesser" peoples, some may have been ignorant of many sciences (as I was), they like being part of an elite class of people, etc.