To any one religious...why?

Question

I am an atheist and i am not asking to bash you, I simply want to understand why you believe what you do. Maybe I am missing something, so please fill me in if I am, but I don't see how you could believe some of things in the bible.

Answer 1

Thank you for your question. I appreciate your honesty and candor. And I also appreciate that you want to have a civil discussion about these matters. Too many people (on both sides of the religious fence) throw stones first, and ask questions later....if they ask at all.

I've always believed in God, even as a child growing up in a home where religion was not stressed. (My father was a Muslim and my mother was Catholic. Neither practiced their religions.) I don't know why I believed; I just never questioned that there was a God.

By the time I was 15, I was old enough to start questioning the existence of God in light of things I was being taught in school. For me, it all hinged on the person of Jesus Christ. The problem, you see, is that he is a real historical figure. He existed in time and space. He walked this earth. And while he did, he did some pretty amazing things in the name of God as a demonstration of Love.

The Bible records the following about Jesus: He healed sick, blind and lame people, he walked on water, he cast demons out of some people, he raised a man from the dead, he shook up the religious establishment and challenged their hearts and minds, he fed 5,000 people with only a few fish and loaves of bread, he loved the unlovables, he refused to condemn or exclude women, and he was beat to a pulp, tied to a cross, and hung up on a hillside to die a hideously painful and humiliating death. (Crucifixion was the cruelest, worst form of capital punishment the Romans had ever devised.) Before he was tortured and killed, he made a statement about himself that demands our attention. He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one can come to the Father except through me."

Okay...that's pretty darned controversial!

After studying about the life of Jesus, I had to come to a conclusion about this man. He had to be one of three things:

1) A lunatic - He had to have been off his rocker. He had to be delusional thinking he was the only way to God...heck! that he was *any* way to God! The only problem with this is that he wasn't crazy. He was a deep, rational thinker. He oftentimes spoke in parables and riddles as a way to teach spiritual lessons. He knew the Law inside and out. He challenged the Pharisees (religious leaders) on their assumptions about God, and how they interpreted and applied Scripture to everyday life. He pointed out their legalism, contrasting their outward religious conformity with hearts motivated by love for God and love for others. And he alluded to his life as the fulfillment of prophesy with regard to the Messiah. A study of prophesy caused me to conclude that his life did, in fact, fit what was foretold about the coming Messiah. The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are basically 4 accounts of Jesus' life, told from 4 different points of view, but all in agreement with each other regarding major details. Long story short, there was too much first-hand testimony about Jesus...too much agreement about his character and person, for me to conclude he's crazy. So, perhaps he was....

2) A Liar - This would mean that everything he ever said about himself was a lie. Everything he did in the name of God was fraudulent. It would also mean that every prophesy concerning the coming Messiah was *coincidentally* aligned with the life of Christ. Let's run with this scenario for a minute. Let's say Jesus was in fact a liar. He deceived thousands of people immediately around him...and millions upon millions of people throughout the millennia. He did it willfully and with intent to bring false glory to himself. History is full of people who have made false claims about themselves, to the detriment of those who follow them. But if Jesus were a liar, then it begs the question: Why on earth would he carry out the lie to the point of the most hideous, most torturous death ever devised by man? The Jews asked him numerous times who he was and gave him opportunity to retract his claims of deity. Pontius Pilate (the Roman procurator at the time), gave him several opportunities to answer for himself. He gave Jesus every opportunity to confess his lie and, thereby, save himself from a gruesome death. Make no mistake, Jesus knew what was to come. Everyone in that society at that time knew what crucifixion was and who it was reserved for. Yet he kept silent when he had the opportunity to save himself. He went to the cross, broken, bloodied, beaten to a pulp, was nailed to planks of wood and raised up to be the laughing stock of the town. And yet he remained silent...until he uttered these words, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."

No man would be so stupid or so vain that he would suffer torture and a hideous death all for the sake of perpetrating a lie. If his goal was to lie for self-glorification, then it was a very bad plan. People spat upon him, tore out his beard, kicked and pummelled him, called him bad names. Where's the glory in that?

So, having ruled these two options out, I was faced with the conclusion that Jesus could only be one thing.

3) Lord. He was and is who he claimed himself to be. The Alpha and Omega...the Beginning and the End. The Messiah who saves the world from sin. I was compelled to study more, and in so doing, was compelled to give my life over to Christ.

It's all about Jesus. His life, his ministry, his reason for being. I couldn't ignore the historical facts. (A great book to peruse is "Evidence That Demands a Verdict." by Josh McDowell. It's a collection of historical evidences - - including secular corroborating accounts independent of the Bible - - that support Christ's existence and claims.)

This is why I believe what I do. The intervening years from 15 to now have been filled with further study of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, that have served to deepen my understanding of God and reinforce my decision to trust Christ as Savior and Lord. I hope this helps you to understand. If you want to discuss any of this further, please let me know. I'll send you my email address.

Thanks again for your thoughtful question.

P.S. I don't think of myself as "religious." I have a relationship with God the Father, through Jesus. It's not about rules and "don'ts." It's about loving God first, then loving others. That's what it boils down to. The rest is conversation.

Answer 2

I read somewhere that there have been over 30,000 discoveries that validate and/or support Biblical stories. There's never been a discovery that has refuted the Bible.
For instance, perhaps you wonder why early in the Bible people would live for hundreds of years. There is a scientific explanation for that. It is widely believed that before Noah built the Ark, there was a layer in the atmosphere called a water canopy. It was a hydrated layer that protected the Earth from some of the Sun's radiation, such as a chemical called Potassium-40. Potassium-40 is a catalyst for the aging process. The Great Flood occurred when God released the waters of the Earth, which came largely from the water canopy. This explains the flood covering the whole earth. And after the flood, the ultraviolet rays which included Potassium-40 were able to reach the ground, which led to people being affected by it. Therefore, people gradually began to die younger. And as for the water from the canopy, it went into the oceans and also evaporated to become the much more frequent cloud cover we know of today.
I don't know if that's the kind of answers you are looking for, but if you ever feel like changing your mind and trying to find answers, I wish you well.

Answer 3

Religion is probably the most complicated question that everyone on earth has to answer. Religion I believe deals more with actions and than with beliefs. You can do something religiously without actually being religious as we commonly use the term. Faith is the starting point for religion. You need faith first, in whatever it is you believe in. If you have no faith why be religious?

There are many different faiths in the world today, so how do you choose the right one? Some people say that you should choose the one that makes you happy. I believe that is the biggest lie that anyone could tell you, and if you believe them you are already lost. That is the same type of thinking that has led to some of the most shallow and selfish beliefs out there. For example I am a Christian, but I did not choose to follow Christ because I thought it would be easy, or because I thought it would fit with my lifestyle. I follow Jesus because I believe He is the Truth. I read tons of books about different faiths and religions and I love to question my faith. It is not wrong to question what you believe in, because in the end, if what you believe in is right it will only make your faith stronger.

This is contrary to some major world religions. Many faiths would be offended if you tried to explore the deeper meaning of their faith, or to question it. How can you have faith if you can never have a doubt?

Lastly, on the subject of Jesus (in response to Aria MoonHawk). Jesus cannot be "a good man" This is a contradiction if you are familiar with anything He has taught. If He claims to be the Son of God that is either the Truth or it is a lie. There is not any middle ground. So if it is a lie, and He is not the Son of God, then He is a liar and a hypocryte and it would be foolish to follow him. If He is indeed telling the Truth then He really is the Savior of the world, and therefore the only way to Heaven.

Answer 4

First of all the bible is a piece of literature that is meant to be more symbolic. So you aren't supposed to believe it just as you don't have to believe a tortoise actually raced a hare in Aesop's fables. What you are supposed to believe in is the lessons and morals that the stories of the bible stand for. Which you probably do since you probably aren't posting from prison right now. Are you truly confused as to why people would believe in not killing, raping, and stealing from each other or are you asking another question?

People that take some parts of the bible as literal maybe are a bit confused in my eyes and their are abundant problems in the world that have spawned from people misinterpreting their holy scriptures.

I believe that a very small percentage of people that "follow" the old and new testament, as well as the koran, truly take away from them what was originally intended.


Try reading it with an open mind and think about it yourself, don't go into it with the preconceived notions that all of the other Christians have semi forced on you throughout the course of your entire life.

Answer 5

The Bible makes little or no sense without Faith. Faith comes from Grace that is given to some by God. This might seem unfair, but I too was an atheist for 46 years, and then Grace came at a very hard moment. Most of us who are Saved have this common experience.

With Faith you will find the Bible to be an incredibly complex text that is basically an instruction manual for living through mortal death. The process of Salvation requires one to become more Christ-like. In a way, this is a burden.

It is indeed possible that you have never met a Christian. There aren't that many. I've found the Baptist and Pentecostal churches to have the most, but we seem to be missing two generations of younger people.

I trust this answers your question. I was not as open minded as you as an atheist. I saw religion as "mass insanity" or "psychiatry for the masses" with appropriate profiting by the churches.

Try reading 1Corinthians13:4: Love is patient, love is kind. ...
That's where I started.

Answer 6

I am not a Christian, so I do not believe in the Bible. I also feel that now recently many people are starting to realize that the Bible were just stories, much like Little Red Riding Hood and The boy who cried Wolf, etc.. To show people what could happen, and what not to do to be civialized. I am a Pagan and believe in both God and Goddess. As both their beauty and wonders are seen in all: humans, plants and animals. I believe Jesus did exist. He was a very good man. However, I do not believe he is the son of God.

Answer 7

I'm a Hindu. I used to be a Christian. I even was a missionary. I chose to change my religion to Hinduism. I chose Hinduism because it reflects what I already believed (I was sort of a heretic Christian that was always trying to conform my beliefs and experiences to fit what I was told I should believe...even if my experiences told me otherwise). Hinduism just reflects my experiences and beliefs based upon those experiences. It's hard to explain sometimes, but the more I kept reading about Hinduism and the more I kept learning about it and then finally going to a temple: well the more it just kept clicking. It felt right. I connected. It was like I was light plug and when I was with Christianity I was always fighting to get the plug to fit into the outlet so the light would come on, but when with Hinduism there is no struggle. The plug fits right into the outlight and the light immediately comes on. Okay, so probably a poor metaphor, but I think it explains the feeling.

I am sorry if my answer isn't very helpful, but I have tried to explain why I believe what I do. Why I believe that there is one God that manifested the universe out of Itself and that everything retains the divine spark. Why I believe that the soul incarnates over and over again until it reaches moksha (liberation from reincarnation and merges back into the One...into God). Why I think that Brahman is the best description of God, the word coming from two Sanskrit words Brah and Manah and mean "Expanding Consciousness" or as usually translated: "Cosmic Consciousness", "Supreme Soul", "Ultimate Reality". It is hard to explain it because I have experienced it and my religion says that I shouldn't just believe something because someone tells me to, but that I should experience it and when I practice the spiritual practices I should have results. And I do. So that is why I believe what I believe, because I experience it.

Peace be with you.

And for the record Hinduism would say that you are not missing anything. A wise Hindu teacher once said in a lecture "Even a mother who devotes her entire life to being a good mother and sees herself in her child through love can attain moksha. The mother, with her mind fully focused, through love is able to discover the universal truths of the innate nature of the inner Self and thereby, step by step, moves closer and closer to God." Again, this is because Hindus believe that God's divine spark is in everything, including us. The Ayyavazhi (a religion that branched off of Hinduism) actually uses mirrors in the temple to make this same point. Where Hinduism uses the symbolism of statues and pictures, the Ayyavazhi place a large mirror and at the base a cloth with a candle and place to make an offering. The symbolism being that it serves as a reminder that God dwells in you and in all things and that by thinking upon them, even if one is unaware that God is there, one is thinking upon God, too.

Answer 8

What a sweet way to ask.

There is a verse (I don't know where) that says the things of God are nonsense to unbelievers. So what you are saying is complete truth. You are an unbeliever, so Christian stuff is nonsense to you.

All the Old stories (The Creation, The Flood, The parting of the Red Sea) , stuff like that are impossible to believe with a human intellect.

That's why (and I love this part) God doesn't pull any punches. He says the very first thing you have to believe is that you are a sinner, AND that Jesus Christ paid for your sins with His death, AND that He rose from the dead, and went to Heaven to reign as God.

That's all.



After that, the old stories are a piece of cake to believe.

Now, if you read the Gospel of John, and ask God to enlighten you with His truth (even if you don't believe yet), He will, if it's your time to be called by the Holy Spirit.

Answer 9

#1, I was raised in a very Christian home and never knew any other way. I asked God to bless every meal I ate from the time I could talk. I prayed and went to church and listened to my grandfather read the Bible every night, until I was 4 and could read some of it myself. Then I read it to myself until I passed out from exhaustion some nights. This reason could easily be passed over by some, but....
#2, after being baptized at age 8 but never really feeling much, I really found God at the age of 12. After much reading and prayer, I finally really understood the Bible and knew that God was in control of my life. If I had not been born into a Christian home, I still would have figured this out, just later probably. I'm the kind of person who looks for answers to everything, so I definitely would have figured it all out on my own, even without my family's input.
#3, Since then, I've seen God work so much in my life. A story.....in early 2000 I was 19 weeks pregnant (a few days over 4 months) when my water broke. It wasn't just a slow leak, but a GUSH, I mean it REALLY broke. People started praying for me and my baby that day. According to all the doctors, with such a severe rupture, I would probably go into labor within the week. 90% of all women do, and another 5% will within 3-4 weeks. 8 and 1/2 weeks later (at a little over 6 months) I went into labor. My baby was born weighing 2 lbs. 5 oz. She seemed healthy at first, but was on a ventilator and other support. At about 2 days old she had a severe (Grade 3 on a scale of 1-4) brain bleed. Her lungs collapsed several times. Her heart slowed way down a few times. She was just about as sick as a NICU baby can get without actually dying. I was supposed to leave the hospital that night at 11:00 because it would be 48 hours since I delivered. I was advised not to leave though, because the doctors didn't think my baby would survive the night. I prayed harder than I've ever prayed before. I called a friend, who put me and the baby on an internet prayer list. Within an hour, people all over the world were praying for us. By the time I was supposed to leave, the baby was "holding her own." By the next morning, she was doing so much better that the nurses couldn't believe she was the same baby they'd been resuscitating the day before.
Now, she's 6 years old and due to her brain hemorrhage, she does have some disabilities. But considering that some babies with bleeds just a little worse than hers die because they don't have enough brain left to breathe on their own, she's doing remarkably well. She walks (a little stiffly due to her very mild cerebral palsy), and she's talking some. She's mildly autistic, but learning more everyday. She wasn't supposed to sit, walk or talk, and she's got 2 1/2 out of 3. She is otherwise pretty smart, but just can't tell us everything we want to hear yet. I really don't think she would be where she is without God's help. SO many people were praying for her.

A long story, but that's only ONE thing I've seen God do for me. There have been so many things, but that's the most obvious. I can see his fingerprints all over everything though......who I married, the places we've lived, the people I've met at just the right times. It's amazing.

THAT's why I believe in and worship Him.

Answer 10

It is very understandable that some things in the Bible don't make sense to you. The Bible wasn't meant to be read in a vacuum. It is part of the communication from God. The living message comes with the history and the people that God has called unto Himself, outside of that context, it could go in a weird direction. Find out the answers to your questions in the proper context, if it still doesn't make sense, I'd be surprised.

Answer 11

Some get it some don't, that's just the way it is.

Mark 4:9
Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Matthew 13
18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."