Do christians think for themselves?

Question

This isn't an attack, I just want to know. Do any of you hardcore christians out there find yourself basing your important decisions on life based on what the church says or do you sometimes think outside the box and think for yourselves and listen to what your heart and mind say?

Answer 1

Why don't you ask in religion? In this category most of us workship DOGS!

Personally, I don't think anyone thinks for themselves!! Look at this site - why are so many people asking someone else what they should do or think???

Answer 2

"This isn't an attack..." but how can you ask if Christians are mindless sheep being controlled by the "church" and say that it's not an attack? Ludicrous! "do you sometimes think outside the box and think for yourselves..." Insulting. Every day I ask myself something like, "Gee, I want to purchase an air-conditioner. Should I get a window mounted unit or central air? I'll just have to whip out my bible to the chapter on air-conditioning and then call the Priest later to see if I've interpreted the verse correctly". How you could ever ask someone these questions and not be attacking?

Answer 3

Christians may be influenced by what the Bible says and what their church tenants dictate, but important life decisions are made within the individual's mind and heart. Those important decisions are normally very well thought out and deemed to be just, fair, and legal as well as morally valued. And they are usually valued with much pride as being the right decision, not just a whim-of-the-moment spurrious thought.

Answer 4

I can't speak for all hardcore Christians, but I can tell you that when I was a Jehovah's Witness (definitely a hardcore Christian), "thinking for yourself" was considered to be a snare of the devil. You could do all the thinking you wanted "inside the box", but not "independently". It's a very effective control technique....."if you don't listen to us, you're not listening to Jehovah". Eventually I realized that you have to think independently, because otherwise you aren't really thinking at all. It's our God-given right and obligation.

Answer 5

I am an Orthodox Roman Catholic and I definitely think for and by myself. I add prayer to life daily. I know God doesn't have me on puppet strings and makes me do things. I control my body and my life. But I ask GOd for guidance. I try my best to do what God has told me to do by following the Ten Commandments. I haven't committed adultery or murdered anyone (yet) and hopefully I never will. But I have dishonored my parents and have taking His Name in vain. Then I go to confession and start over hoping and praying that I don't do it again. I am human and I make mistakes. Some small and some big (sin) but I did it and no one else, including God or Satan, made me do it. I choose to listen to God or Satan. I consider myself a good person but there is always room for improvement. I don'd attend Mass every single Sunday but I try to make up for it doing other things. I feel guilty when I don't go to Mass weekly. There is no excuse but my own laziness. I know it's a sin according to the Catholic Church and according to God (Keep holy My Sabbath day), but as I said before, I am human and He knows it.

My heart and mind speak to me daily and sometimes they say positive things and some times they say negative things. If I followed God completely life would be better for me because He is always positive. But it's hard. There are temptations around me. Just like everyone else.

Answer 6

I think for myself. I believe in something I like to call Biblical Christianity, as opposed to what I term as Modern Christianity. Modern Christianity seems to be built more on the "Oh, we're nothing...we're worthless...without Jesus I can do nothing but with Jesus I can do all things...WWJD (okay concept, but has become merely a cutesy fad)...we can't do this...we can't do that...let's make up our own laws and pretend that when people break them they are breaking God's laws and need to be riddiculed and guilted into repentance and when they do we can all go to the beach and have a BONFIRE =) =)...Jesus is in the driver seat and we are letting Him drive us around, we're just along for the ride...we'll sing all these words but not even mean them, but as long as we look like we're doing the church thing we MUST be good Christians, right?"

I've gone to many, many different churches, and I find these themes rampant in most of them. All of that (and more) has disillusioned me with Christian churches, although I don't feel it is right to take it out on God by rejecting the Bible and the foundations of Christianity. It's too bad I can't find a church that sheds itself of the non-Biblical mallarkey. Until I find one, I'll just attend church, smile, nod my head, and be a good little sheep. /wry smile

Answer 7

I am constantly thinking for myself in an outside the box way. I do not go on what my church says unless it in some way compromises the message that we are trying to bring to our community. Other than that, I pursue a deeper relationship with Christ in my way, and i try to bring the message of Christ to others in a way that motivates, not condemns. As for what I believe I need to do It is simple. Christ tells us that the two greatest commandments are love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. All other laws are fulfilled through this. that is all that is important.

Answer 8

Yes, of course we do.

Let me give you an example----a very simplistic example, I agree, but this may help you understand.

You are given a bright, shiney, new car. The person who gave the car to you says, "Take care of this car. I had to give something far more precious than money so that you could have this gift. But I love you so much, and you could not get to where you are needing to go without a vehicle, a way there.

And you say, "Oh, Gee, thanks. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do to take care of this car."

The giver says, "There's a manual in the glove box. Take it outo and read it every day so you know what to look for when you hear something wrong, or if you're not doing something you should be doing to keep the car in perfect condition."

You say, "Okay, I will."

Are you going to choose----use your own mind-----to accept that gift? Are you going to honor and respect the person who gave you the gift? Are you going to keep in mind the sacrifice he had to make to get you the one thing you needed to get to where you are going? Are you going to read the instruction manual as he asked you to, so that you can keep from having problems in your life-----having to be towed, having a break down, having other people who do not respect the gift harming the giver or the gift verbally or physically?

Now, the decisions Christians make every day are difficult ones. You can't be weakminded or weakhearted and be a faithful, strong Christian. A Christian wife must submit to her God and her husband; she must structure her home, her life, and raise her children as God instructs her to do because they are her gift from God. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die and take on the sins of the world so that we might live. God sacrificed much more than money to give us that gift.

Our decisions whether to be faithful to the giver of that wonderful gift are our own. We can choose to honor the Giver (God) and read the manual every day (The Bible) so that we know how to take care of our lives, our spirits, and those lives and spirits of our family.

I believe I would honor such a gift-----wouldn't you? That's you decision; will you use your own mind---or will you have society decide that one for you?

Answer 9

This one thinks for herself. When I hear something, I compare it with what the scriptures say-that's my touchstone, not a church or man. If it doesn't compare favorably with what the Bible says, I reject it as a false teaching. I want answers. Good ones. Based on fact.

Answer 10

I've actually changed my beliefs on some things. I had been taught one thing my whole life, but when I started searching for myself I saw some things I had been taught weren't right. I think it our job to search out bible truths. We can't just go by what we are taught. I have the greatest respect for my pastor, but he is a man and can be wrong. Only God and His word are infailible.