Here's the example. I work sometimes at gourmet chocolate store that is right across the street from the Focus on The Family headquarters and a block away from New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
About once a month the store has a day of outrageous sales, far exceeding Valentine's Day, Easter, or Christmas (days many many people buy chocolate). The store is swamped by people who were told at a seminar or service that if they bought chocolate and brought it back to share they will be blessed or get into heaven for that action. These people proudly prefess in the store that is why they are buying the chocolate and consciously will even spend more money than the person in front of them.
The simple fact that this occurs with such regularity and such capacity make me wonder how many people are made gullible by their religion. Or, are these people gullible to start out with?
Someone at these evangelical center must have an aweful sweettooth
2006-06-14 16:09:07 · 9 answers · asked by Jason B 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Why would a man of God lie to them?
2006-06-14 16:12:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 0⤋
lol about the sweet tooth. IMO (notice I said opinion) the very nature of religion is to prey on the weaker of the species. Here me out. Humans, by nature, are always searching for something better. Something to hold onto, someone to tell them that they are ok, someone to blame, or someone/thing to take the blame. Religion, due to its very nature, preys on that. Intentionally? I hope not, but I dont know. When you look at the cults that have formed around people like Manson, Jones, Koresh and so on, who did these people target? The weak, the insecure, the unstable, the loners. You take your average personof average to higher intelligence, with strong family connections and back grounds, they are not going to pulled into such things. They have a support system. The very nature of religion inspires and encourages fanaticism. Blind faith. Well this guy is a preacher, and as such he is obviously closer to GOD than me, and of course he knows more than I do, and who am I to question....blah blah blah. And of course if you dont do what this person tells you, if you do think for yourself, then you are bad, you are wrong, you have lost your faith. And I wont even bother to get into the whole trying to buy your way into heaven thing. Again, IMO, religion is a crutch. There are people in the world that need that crutch, and there are religions and churches out there that support and care for their parishners, strictly on the up and up....but more often than not, there are those out there that use their position of power to control and take advantage on these needy insecure souls. I would have to say that religion does in some part encourage and thrive on gullibility.
2006-06-14 23:28:08 · answer #2 · answered by bichtressherri 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion has nothing to do with gullibility. If one person tells another something that is not reasonable and that person then believes it because they trust that person, some would say they are gullible.
If in order to not be thought of as gullible we believed nothing we are told what are we then.
If someone believes that they will be guaranteed a place in heaven because they buy and share chocolates, they are gullible and do not know the word of the lord well enough to know that is not true.
Only belief in the Lord will get you there, not anything you can do to buy your way in. Are you sure it is not someone who owns stock in your company?
Sure is good for business.
2006-06-14 23:37:57 · answer #3 · answered by John B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have no religion, but other people's religion makes them gullible. Anyone who actually believes there is an omnipotent, omniscient being who gives a rat's behind about their insignificant lives is the worst kind of gullible.
2006-06-14 23:25:33 · answer #4 · answered by jewels_46_2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being a part of ANY religion is the surest sign of gullibility there is....
2006-06-14 23:17:31 · answer #5 · answered by ndmagicman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think religion makes people more gullible. There are stupid people everywhere... not just in church.
2006-06-14 23:15:48 · answer #6 · answered by Annette R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were gullible to start out with.
2006-06-14 23:13:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scientology hasnt made me gullible, rather it has made me open my eyes more and see things for what they really are.
2006-06-14 23:14:18 · answer #8 · answered by foxtel_iq 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you meet God face to face He will not ask what Christians were like all He will be asking is what did you do with Jesus Christ?
http://www.biblebelievers.com/SimpleSalvation.html
2006-06-14 23:26:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋