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Hello Everyone,
How can a person tell if they have the right religion?
What could we do to know without a doubt that the religion we have is the right one?
BTW: Why so many religions if there is only one God to worship?
Hi, Hope! Nice to see another familiar face over here.
You've asked probably the most difficult question a human can ask. There is no definitive answer in the logical realm, so I'll just answer best I can.
To begin with, it's largely a matter of personal faith, as well as family upbringing and traditions. I also happen to believe that a number of personality and cultural factors may contribute to the development of a faith, or even the lack thereof. How to tell which one's "right?" Very difficult. It is possible to examine each religion objectively, examining its writings, and questioning its leaders, always looking for contradictions within itself. One can also look at the faith from a historical perspective by examining archeological sites for evidence of the truth of the writings. Do any of the major figures also appear in other contemporary writings of the day? Can the events portrayed in the religious writings be confirmed by means outside of the writings themselves? Does the faith run in a continuum smoothly, with no internal contradictions along the way? These are a few ways to determine to some degree the authenticity of one's faith.
Why so many, with only one God? First off, even though I agree with you on the monotheism front, many religions do not, so even that question would be tossed out by some faiths. However, I liken it to economic policy at times. There are bunches of theories out there on how an economy should be run, but there's only one BEST way. Some people know that best way, some don't. Some may know it at some level, but don't like certain aspects of the best way, and reject it for one of their own making that suits them. Any analogy will break down eventually, so that's as far as I'm taking this one. Humans can be incredibly selfish and arrogant creatures, refusing to submit themselves to another human, much less their Creator. But as I often say, disagreeing with God doesn't make Him any less God.
Myself, I come down on the side of Christianity pretty solidly for lots and lots of reasons. One of many is that all other religions have man seeking God. Christianity is the only one where God actively seeks men.
Hello Everyone,
How can a person tell if they have the right religion?
What could we do to know without a doubt that the religion we have is the right one?
BTW: Why so many religions if there is only one God to worship?
Take care,
Hope12
I'll answer the last part of your question for now.
There are two explanations and both are equally valid and are not mutually exclusive.
First, there is the sociological explanation in which man seeks an explanation to the phenomenons of nature. Since nature can be threatening, man seeks to bring it under control somehow. So some groups of mankind imagined that the forces of nature were really either gods or under the control of some god who was displeased and needed to be assuaged. In this way they brought nature under control and felt more secure in their lives since they no longer felt as helpless as before.
Bible history tells us that after the Flood mankind again had only one religion
under the patriarch Noah and his extended family.
Genesis 8:18
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:
20
And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
But then there was again a turning away from true worship and which resulted in a confusion of languages and a dispersal of these false-worshipping groups throughout the earth. Once this happened the false ideas merely perpetuated other false ideas resulting in the vast babble of beliefs
Why did this second turning away happen? Essentially it's because mankind wants to govern itself and do as it pleases. If a false religion caters to the flesh by being morally permissive, then it is seen as preferable.
Ecclesiastes 7:29
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
no one can answer that question for you. Absolutley no body. THe religion you follow is the religion you have faith in. Thats why religion is NOT obligatory its a choice!
Many people have differing ideas about God no matter what the religion. Whenever a disagreement comes up and it always does they break off from whatever group their in and start their own church. In my opinion if you want to know God look within your own heart and watch what men do and if it doesn't meet with your understanding of right and wrong then do not follow blindly and never give up the choice that God gives us all to do the right thing to the best of our ability.
Some believe that there is only one way to God, one way to acceptance and that is through Jesus. Why are there so many denominations? Different cultures, different backgrounds and different ways of teaching but all the same God.
There are so many other different religions and religions are based on culture and belief. Everybody has there own ideas and own thoughts about what is right and what is not. Many people are raised in certain religions.
As for the right one. What does it matter. There are some people or organizations that I believe exploit people and take advantage of the belief and I believe that there are some that could be considered cults and that actually twist around what the holy bible says.
God has written the law in our hearts and spirits. We have God within us and it is up to each and everyone to find out what is the true belief for us. I think religion is highly overrated. Highly.
So in ending. What might be right for you may not be right for somebody else, but that does not mean that one is right over the other.
I understand there are many different religions because people love variety and used to be mistakenly competitive in some things . . and the one God all these different religions propose to worship knows we have been provided everything we need to work it out, just like you say Hope, and love all people. I see a greater tolerance of one religion for another happening these days, a kind of spiritual maturity that releases the need to compete and so it seems hopeful to me too. Think of the security the world would reap!
Since religion is the basis of where we will spend eternity, none of the answers I see here are of any value. You have to start with something proveable. Blind faith is an oxymoron. Read the Bible and find all the fulfilled prophecies that you can, especially about Messiah (Jesus Christ). Fulfilled prophecy is one of the major proofs that the Bible is true. Once you have detemined that the Bible is the Word of God, the rest is easy. Read it and let God talk to your spirit. He will tell you that Jesus is the only way. (His words, not mine.)
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