Why do Christians feel that their belief is the absolute truth and other religions are bogus?

Question

Why do Christians feel that the only true way to live is to believe in their God and that all others religions are erroneous. Isn't this a very narrow, ignorant, and arrogant view?
The Bible preaches that if you are a non believer, you are esentially their enemy and you will burn in hell. This does not sound like a very good idea to accept and to live one's life. It is telling people that a believer is a superior human being compared to non believers.
What are some of your thoughts on this topic? Please answer intelligently and base your answers on some sort of solid reasoning.

Answer 1

because god said so! duh
I mean...it's called faith! duh
I mean....read a bible! duh

hmmm...I think I might rather "burn in hell" than count myself among these people
not sayin they're not perfectly nice people (most of them), they just seem to be so....misled...

Answer 2

Lumping ALL Christians into your rant is irresponsable and defamatory and argumentative at best..

ALL christians are not like that... some are yes. Some are just enthusiastic and I think SOME non belivers take any talk of Chritianity as an attack and go on the defensive havining to try to debunk them because they feel threatened because their particular argument doesn't hold water. Notice I said SOME.

SOME Christians are narrow, arrogant, and ignorant.... SOME atiests, agnostics are too.

The bible does NOT preach that you are an enemy.. it simply states that you are a non believer and you will spend eternity deperated from god.. That's what hell means.. Heaven means an eternity with god.

Hey, If you choose that an eternity without god is what you want then that is your choice.

Every Choice has a consequense good or bad.

It is your perception that you think christians feel they are superior.. and SOME christians may tout that but that doesn't mean it's a fact. It's an opinion.

So.. there you got an intelligent (my opinion) non slamming answer from a Christian :)

Answer 3

There is either a superior being or there isn't . If there isn't then all religions are bogus. If there is and there is more than one that would make for one interesting situation. There can logically only be one creator (or architect if the word suits better) of the universe. I have talked to extensively with people of many religions and most of them have one thing in common..they keep switching religions (i.e from Mormon to Buddhist or from Catholic to Jehovah Witness) and some even try a dozen religions. All are hungry for something and searching for any spiritual experience that will fill that hunger. However, once someone has experienced the true love of Jesus Christ they seem to stay with Him. Jesus' friends when he walked on Earth were prositutes, theives and murderers. The Bible does not preach that the non-believer is the enemy. Read it and you will see. God sent Jesus to teach us to love each other no matter what our beliefs or backgrounds are.

Answer 4

Thats a question I have wondered about for years, even as a christian. What makes us think that we are the only relilgion that counts? I have read in many books that the overall opinion was that we all pray to the same god, just in different ways, which seems just a bit stupid. I agree with the other person who said that you have accept the fact that we (christians) could be completely off the mark. It is not that christianity hasnt come under fire for what seems to be 2000 years of lies and cover ups. The vatican is probably the most corrupt place in the world. These people we see as nutcases who run into convoys,markets and so on with bombs strapped to them believe in what they are doing every bit as much as we believe in what we are doing fighting them. what would we do if we were to find out that they ,although taking their beliefes to the extreme, were right after all.

Name any other religion that has caused as many wars as christianity. Name any other religion that has had as many sexual predator cases brought out than christianity? How many countries have been torn apart over organized religion as a whole?

Maybe instead of being so concerned abouot who is right and who is wrong, maybe we should spend that ammount of energy,not to mention the money , on problems that we do know about and can fix. regardless of religious beliefs.

Answer 5

I would like to be a believer with a faith, but it is difficult to be according to The Book or Books. I have read the Koran too and found out that both are made by man and certainly not by God. Some of the philosophy in the later part of the Bible contains some very good thoughts, but they are exactly the very same as I can read in the Greek philosophers works and sometimes word by word. The Bible isn't so unique as somebody believe and as I said a copy of earlier thoughts. I have just come across a book of the thinking of the Vikings and also here there are thoughts similar to the Bible, but not so much blood in it. Great philosophy. indeed. Valhalla seen to be a more pretty place to be in than the heaven. I can't believe that people will go there. Do you think that we might be able to choose when it is time?

Answer 6

Well first you need to stop stereotyping. Not all Christians feel this way. I am fairly religious but I do give other religions the benifit of the doubt and I don't judge others beleifs. I will listen to anyone's point and take it into consideration. But if someone has a belief then they obviously think that it's right. Buhdists think that their beliefs are the only way, Hindus think that their beliefs are the only way, etc...Christians aren't the only people that have faith.Also, not all Christians are blind followers of every word the Bible says. A principle Christian belief is to love others as you want to be loved and to accept your neighbors, not to have "enemies". Maybe you should take a look at yourself and stop being so "narrow and ignorant" on your veiws of Christians.

Answer 7

Every major religion in the world feels that way. Why do you think fanatical Muslims all over the world are killing as many non-Muslims as they can. The Jewish faith teaches essentially the same thing. I am not intimately familiar with many other religions around the world but i would be willing to bet that most teach that only followers of that religion are the true believers. That is how religion works.
Your question is very narrow minded and shows little forethought.

Answer 8

All religions have that problem. In the US, Christians are the worst. In other parts of the world, it's another religion. The worst of the worst is undoubtedly Islam. Muslims are actually taught that they can kill nonmuslims and there is no penance. Nonmuslims have no souls so God (Allah) doesn't care. All religions teach that they and they alone are correct and everyone else is wrong. Actually, though, there is no such thing as a true religion on this planet. People have messed every belief up.

Answer 9

I think you are touching on the true problem that Religion introduces into society.
A lot of the principles that Christianity promotes are GOOD and provide a solid foundation for a good life...but so do MOST Religions...it is just this aspect of religion that you have emphasized that is the precursor for hate and sometimes even war. My ignorant guess is that Religious leaders put in these types of scare tactics in order to pressure individuals to convert to their religion which in turn meant more $$ and power for that church. A pretty far-reaching and devastating impact wouldn't you say?

~** Objectivity...Learn It...Live It...It's the only chance we have**~

Answer 10

Not to be simplistic but if they didn't feel that way, what's the point of being in that religion, or any religion?

Everyone is in the religion they are because they think it is the correct one.

I saw the idiocy of it all that you see now and that's why I'm out of all of them.

I have to respect the first guy that answered, at least he's honest. That is the kind of guy that will never change his mind, no matter how reasonable your argument will be.

Answer 11

The Bible is truth and it has been tested and tried and it remains the source of all truth to this very day.

Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:

A. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8).
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

WIth this in mind and many more evidence it is clear that the Bible is the word of the true and living God.

All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)