I was raised Catholic, but I am not Catholic any longer. My current p.o.v. is that there are so many religions in the world, each of which seems to be geared towards the needs of whatever culture it originates in... and all seem to serve the purpose of trying to answer the "big questions" in life (how to treat others, how to see oneself in relation to others, what our purpose is, what happens when we die)... and, if there is something bigger than us (god/gods), then the many different religions that exist seem to just be different ways of people attempting to understand and unite with that "higher power".

I am wondering, though... without citing the Bible as a source of proof, what compells people toward Christianity as opposed to other religions? I figured the best place to ask this is on the Christian board. Please do not take offense to my questioning, or any of my responses. I do not intend to be disrespectful, but only to understand why people believe the things they do. I do intend to continue to probe for more information- if I do, again, it is not out of disrespect or even trying to "prove" anything... I just want to understand.

A lot of times, I've asked people this question, or tried searching for answers online... but the Bible is typically utilized as a main point of reference in proving why they believe in the Bible... and that just seems to me like cyclical reasoning. It usually goes something like:"I am Christian because I believe that Jesus is God"... "I believe in Jesus because the Bible says x, y, z about him"... "I believe what the Bible says because I believe the Bible is the Word of God"... "I believe the Bible is the word of God because I am a Christian"

What gives the Bible it's validity as a reference? Is there any reasoning outside of citing scripture that can be given as support for Christianity?

Please respond with as much information as possible--- links to external websites are welcome, as I really do want to research this and try to understand it better.

Thanks!

Haven't seen you around in awhile
Nice to see you back.

The way I left Christian religion and got drawn to being a Spiritual Christian was by reading the Bible and asking God to reveal things.
Mainly doing topic studies like the putting off the old man and becoming a new creation in Christ, faith, worshipping in spirit and truth,
Going through trials and perserverance, science in the Bible, prophecies, etc...

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what compells people toward Christianity as opposed to other religions?

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We tend to stick with what we know, what our parents have taught us. My Hindi coworkers would no more want to become Christian, or be moved to become Christian, than I would want to become Hindi.* If our growing up experiences were not good, we might tend to float free and search on our own later. Or depending on external influences, we might reexamine our beliefs.

Generally, the religion of our parents is where we usually find ourselves.

*Not that there is anything wrong with Hindi; it's just another religion, whereas our own religion from childhood is part of us. The same with Hindi and Christianity.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

We tend to stick with what we know, what our parents have taught us. My Hindi coworkers would no more want to become Christian, or be moved to become Christian, than I would want to become Hindi.* If our growing up experiences were not good, we might tend to float free and search on our own later. Or depending on external influences, we might reexamine our beliefs.

Generally, the religion of our parents is where we usually find ourselves.

*Not that there is anything wrong with Hindi; it's just another religion, whereas our own religion from childhood is part of us. The same with Hindi and Christianity.

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Wondergirl, Hindi is a language and not any religion. Hinduism is a religion and follower of Hinduism is a Hindu.

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Originally Posted by Triund

Wondergirl, Hindi is a language and not any religion. Hinduism is a religion and follower of Hinduism is a Hindu.

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I was just checking to make sure you read my posts.

Yes, Hindi is the language, and Hinduism is the religion.

margog85,
I think that most religions have something that attracts people to them.
Personally I think that Christianity is the more attractive of them all.
That and the fact that so much evidence of Christianity has been discovered over the years lends much weight to belief in it.
Also the fact that many, many Christian miracles and apparitions have taken place around the world adds even more weight to that religion.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

Moved to a discussion group

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Originally Posted by arcura

That and the fact that so much evidence of Christianity has been discovered over the years lends much weight to belief in it.

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This is what I'm looking for. Can you go more in depth on this?

I do understand that most people tend to stick to the religion that they are raised in... and that this is mainly because of their comfort level with that religion... but I am looking more for a well-reasoned argument that points to Christianity as the closest to the truth as opposed to other religions. From what I understand, that is what Christians believe... that they have the truth in their religion, and that other religions do not. Why? What do they have to back up that claim to truth, other than the Bible?

I'm looking for more factual/historical information, I guess... I want to research this, and am having trouble finding sources.

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Originally Posted by margog85

From what I understand, that is what Christians believe... that they have the truth in their religion, and that other religions do not. Why? What do they have to back up that claim to truth, other than the Bible?
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I know that with me and most of my Christian friends when you ask God to come into your heart and reveal his truths and then you study the Bible topics you have a peace that you can't really describe and you feel God's presence and the Holy Spirit guiding you.

I think that, for me, it's hard to look at this from the perspective of how the religion makes me feel, and believe that those feelings validates it as truth.. because I know how strongly my background, experiences, and exposure to it influences the way I feel towards the religion, and I think that, had I grown up elsewhere and been raised with different beliefs, I'd feel differently towards Christianity.

How can you explain people in different cultures, with different beliefs, feeling guided by and compelled toward different religions? Is it possible that you feel that comfort/peace with Christianity because it is a familiar way of connecting with the supernatural, rather than because it is necessarily the truth? And that people who were raised in other religions can feel that same peace, and experience the presence of the divine, through another religion that is very different from Christianity... just because that is what they are comfortable with?

And please, I do not mean any offense to you and I am not trying to say that your beliefs/feelings toward Christianity are not valid--- it just doesn't make sense to me that way, and I'm asking questions to try to figure it out. I hope I'm not coming off as being insulting... because that is not at all my intent.

I know you don't want Bible verses but

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philipians 4:7

Becomes more and more real when

You

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you James 4:8


No you are not coming off as insulting

***Basically what I am saying is forget religion

Talk directly to God and get in touch with your inner spirit and ask God to reveal himself to you and then build on that
Reading the Bible and spiritual truths from whatever religions but don't base anything ON religion and ask God to give you discernment on what is right and what is false

But what makes people even think that whatever god exists is so personal and concerned about us and has human attributes? Like the ability to reveal himself, or the desire to communicate with us? Sometimes I feel like we project all of these human characteristics on whatever higher power exists and assume that that higher power has desires, wants, emotions... but where do we get that notion? Why think that there is a higher power that we can talk to like we can talk to another human being, when we acknowledge that that higher power is not human, but supernatural?

He does. God has shown me so many things that I know was him letting me know because I could not have had any way of knowing.

But how do you know it was god and not something else? Some other sort of premonition that you have access to independently of god, but attribute to god? Or just coincidences? Or some sort of subconscious knowledge of something that you were not previously aware of?

Its hard to explain, all I can really explain is that you are not insulting because you have a desire for truth by the questions you ask and if you keep seeking and being open to find God and truth and pray that is the first steps.

People came to a belief in God for reason, in the case of The Israelites who wrote the Bible it was because God revealed himself. In their case it was Abraham and obviously what happened was enough for him to testify to others and their believed him. Ultimately the experiences of this man and his descendants form the central theme of the Scriptures which are revered by Three religions Jewish, Christian, Muslim. You cannot disregard Scripture and the Bible, because, if it does nothing else it reveals the presence of God to us.

Personally, I have found the presence of God is backed up by my own experiences but once, like you, I had only the background of the catholic church and sadly that didn't fill in the gaps. Without the students of the Bible to share their beliefs with me would I have been in a position where God found me, possibly not, because there was an emptyness which I could not define that I was filling with alcohol.

Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. Without the Bible to carry his words down through the centuries we might not know this. You want to know God, then ask him to reveal himself to you but realise he will ultimately point you towards his word which is recorded in the bible

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Originally Posted by paraclete

people came to a belief in God for reason, in the case of The Israelites who wrote the Bible it was because God revealed himself. In their case it was Abraham and obviously what happened was enough for him to testify to others and their believed him. Ultimately the experiences of this man and his descendants form the central theme of the Scriptures which are revered by Three religions Jewish, Christian, Muslim. You cannot disregard Scripture and the Bible, because, if it does nothing else it reveals the presence of God to us.

Personally, I have found the presence of God is backed up by my own experiences but once, like you, I had only the background of the catholic church and sadly that didn't fill in the gaps. Without the students of the Bible to share their beliefs with me would I have been in a position where God found me, possibly not, because there was an emptyness which I could not define that I was filling with alcohol.

Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. Without the Bible to carry his words down through the centuries we might not know this. You want to know God, then ask him to reveal himself to you but realise he will ultimately point you towards his word which is recorded in the bible

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Yes

margog85,
Please consult various books on biblical archaeology and the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review.
There is far too much biblical evidence to list it all here.
Some of it is so startling that people are amazed.
Example, did you know that the sign what was posted above Jesus on His cross exists and had been authenticated?
Also books on what Jesus Christ's immediate apostles did and what happened to them.
All but one were killed and they would rather die than denounce what they knew and witness about Jesus. That alone tells a powerful story about the truth of Christianity.
I'm sure you will be very interested in such research.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

To add to arcura there is plenty on science and the Bible as well as Bible prophecies.

Science and the Bible

N0help4u,
Thanks for adding that.
Fred