Why do people follow a religion, risking that it is a man made one and possibly the wrong one?

Question

How can I as someone who wants to follow a religion know which is the right one, one started by God, and not one that is started by man, a Cult, whose only existence is to get money from me?

Answer 1

There's the crux of the matter right there. You can pick out a religion to believe, but the odds are against you.
It's not fair, I know but what can you do?

It's a simple matter of numbers and probability. If you're a Mormon and you live in Salt Lake City, and Mormonism turns out to be the true religion there's a real coincidence right there...

Where you live does not in any way determine what the true religion is, but it often determines what YOU think the true religion is.
If I grew up in Kinporastan I'd be believing in Muslim doctrine, but my living there won't change the odds that it's false.
Any way you look at it, you're making a big gamble whatever religion you pick. (Sigh)

Answer 2

19 answers and not a single practical one yet.

We've got:

'You can be sure that Christianity is the right religion because it says so in the Bible'

and

'You can be sure Islam is the right religion because it says so in the Qur'an'...

Of course, your sentence is a restatement of Pascal's Wager (and Homer Simpson) that few people here seem to comprehend. But the point is genuine. If one religion was more correct than others (and all disbelievers were really going to hell), God could certainly have made it crystal clear to people - after all, God did apparently sit down with Noah to tell him in full detail exactly how to make an ark.

He might have shown the rest of us some of the same courtesy...

Answer 3

All of mankind feels the need to believe in something bigger than they are. Throughout the ages enterprising Con artists and charlatans have taken advantage of this need in order to add a little padding in their pockets, and have twisted god's (or other deity depending on religion) word on some level to fit with their needs. This is not to say that all modern religions are like this,there are many who honestly believe their doctorine or interpretation is the right one, but such people do exist. As far as which religion to choose, this is a personal choice based on what you believe to be right. You have to chose the path that best fits you, and have faith that you are on the right path.

Answer 4

It's not difficult to figure out. Just read history. Jesus started the Catholic Church. He instituted St. Peter as the first pope. He said the first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the Last Supper. All Protestant religions and pagan religions were started by men. Jesus ended the Jewish religion when He was crucified and destroyed the temple.

The Catholic Church is the only one true God-made Church. Unfortunately, many today use and abuse the title of "Catholic". The Catholic Church celebrates the latin mass. It has the holy priesthood and all seven sacraments.

Answer 5

Christ's original church ended with the great apostasy. Joseph Smith, by the authority of God himself, reorganized Christ’s original church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) to the earth with Christ himself as the cornerstone or leader: Read: Acts 3:19-21 and Matt. 17:11-13. It is the same organization that existed in Christ's original church: Read Eph. 4:11-14, 1st Tim. 3: 1-8 and Luke 10:1. It bears the name of Jesus Christ: Read: Eph. 3:21 and Acts 4:12. We claim revelation from God: Read: Amos 3:7 and Proverbs 29:18. Our officers or General authorities are called of God: Read: Heb. 5: 4 and Exodus 40:13-16. We do not have a paid ministry: Read: 1st Cor. 9:18, 1st Peter 5: 13, 2nd Thess. 3: 8 and Acts 20:34. We are a missionary church: Read: Matt. 24: 4, Matt. 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15. We have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets: Read: Eph. 2:19-20 and Luke 6:13-16.We claim divine authority: Read: John 15:16 Heb. 5: 4-12. We practice divine healings: Read: Mark 6:13, Mark 16:17-18, James 5:14-16 and Luke10: 9. We teach that God and Christ have bodies of flesh and bone: Read: Luke 24: 36 39. We teach that God and Christ are separate and distinct individuals: Read: Acts7: 55-56. We bestow the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands: Read: 2nd Tim.1: 6, Acts 8: 16-17and Acts 19: 6. We are called Saints: Read: 1st Cor. 14: 33 and Eph. 4:12. We baptize by immersion: Matt. 3: 16, Mark 1: 9-10, John 3: 23 and Acts 8: 38-39. We practice baptism for the dead: Read: 1st Cor. 15:29 and Heb. 11: 39-40. In Heb. 13:8, you will find why these things are important.

The bible also tells of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Read: Isa. 29:4 on, Ezek 37: 15-20, and John 10:16. The book of Mormon in no way replaces the bible. It is but another testament of Jesus Christ as written by the people of the western hemisphere. It goes hand in hand with the bible as they testify of each other's truth.

Answer 6

I feel that I am not losing anything.

I am a normal person just like you who's only difference is that I am a christian and you are not.

I don't feel that I am wasting my time believing that a God exists, if he doesn't then I would just feel that I followed a great philosophy and way of viewing life.

If God really exists then I win, and if he doesn't I win also. I can't image myself believing in nothing. What are you going to do if a God does really exists?

Answer 7

The Scripture says that we are to "try the spirits and see if they are of God." This means that we are to question things that don't make sense about something that someone presents to us concerning interpretation of the Word, or a "new way" or "new salvation" and etc. to see if there's any truth to be found. We follow what we perceive to be truth evidenced by miracles, prayers being answered and etc.

Answer 8

So long as you have faith in God, the religion you choose should be based on the principals and teachings you want to follow.

Answer 9

listen from someone that God showed him the truth. your God is speaking in that book called Quran.

because every human being has a secret codes in his heart that tells him if this is true or no.

worship the only one universal God. He is not three, not Jesus, not human figure, not idols or images. not the sun or the moon. He has not begot neither he has begotten. nothing like Him or comparable to Him. He is Allah.

Answer 10

Cause each religion has the same amount of evidence as the next. How would you choose?
That is just it. There is no way to choose. Just jump in and pray you're not wrong.