What percent of religious people actually do serious research before "choosing" a religion?

Question

Have you ever heard anyone say "i did not research, just fell into it and i refuse to honestly consider any other views"?

Everyone "claims" to have done real research and come their decision rationally after much thought. If your 30 or above, regardless your education, you know this research claim lie 99% of the time.

So why does everyone lie about having done research? I mean, sometimes people are straight about it, kinda...they might say "well i need to do more". But, they never really did any in the first place or they rationalize, that their theological download, from their religious authorities, did some unbiased "pros and cons" and this was sufficient research.

Most people know that they really should make informed decisions about religion but they havent the courage because for now, it works as a means for coping with death. Its wishful thinking and deep inside they are afraid, that research will confirm their fears that their religion is false.

Answer 1

If you look at global society in general, the odds are overwhelming that you simply are whatever religion your parents are. Not the religion with the best message, best miracles/magic tricks, best music.

Whatever your parents happened to be.

Hell of a way to go through life.

Answer 2

In Jehovah's Witnesses, they must have studied for at least one year, and upwards of two before being Baptized, which according to the Bible is your symbol of your conscience and informed choice to serve God and his Son. When baptized, every witness is a legal minister. They are taught how to do research, not just in their own books, but also using books from other religions, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia. They learn how to look things up in Greek Interlinear translations of the New Testament. They learn how to look at the history of Christian beliefs, and even study about Aristotle. They learn public speaking and how to teach the Bible. They have no rituals, and use no symbols, so there are none of those to learn. Finally, they are taught that should they live through Armageddon, they will be facing 1000 years of hard work to convert this old Earth back to a Paradise. Only after that is done will things become pleasant, though than we will likely be heading out to the other planets of the Universe to terraform them.

So, being a JW requires a great deal of work and dedication, with the only promise that there will be more work after the time of the end.

Answer 3

Because some people have a really hard time saying.... I Don't Know. Takes away their security blanket and leaves then naked in front of the world... at least, that's how they act.
So I would say about %5 actually do the research in order to help a decision on a religion. Now, some do research on other religions for the simple fact of finding anything they can wrong with it, in order to use it against people of that group. I wonder if there's a prize for doing that?

Answer 4

Well in my opinion it is a higher precentage of people research their religions before they join now than 50 years ago. But I believe most people still follow the religion they were brought up on. Although I don't believe they follow it whole heartedly.

But I am honest I did do my research, and I have learned their are a lot of similar teachings in any faith it is just how they are taught. Some are taught with fear and others with kindness, and stories.

I don't believe religion is false, or more pointedly what it teaches. Most religions teach kindness, forgiveness, and morals. So in that respect they are not false. But I don't think what they claim really happened, how the earth was formed, how all us people came to be is right on.

So I have concluded to let my future childeren choose whatever faith they want to follow, they have my blessing. And as for my faith, it is a mix of a little of everything.

Answer 5

You are correct. Doing something based solely on how you were brought up or any other sentimental reason is can lead you down the wrong path. There is a lot of false doctrine in the world. Unless you take the time to study and use the brain God gave you, you are a prime cadidate for following false doctrine. The bible even warns of this. The bible tells us to be wise and divide the word correctly. Now from your perspective, it seems you believe all religion is a lie. I can see how you can come to that conclusion. With all the lies and whims of doctrine it is easy to believe that. With some Christians uneducated in thier own beliefs and ignorant of what the bible says, I can see your point. You point is so clear to me. You make sense. That is what saddens me. It is sad that those who believe false doctrine so easily confuse and set people on this path. It is like Satan uses the Word itself against Christians and non Christians.

I was raised Catholic. I had friends of many different religions. My family was not devout, so I pretty much was raised to believe that God exisited and that was it. I could have maintained that path. I however set upon a new one. I tried to seek truth. Was there a God? If so, what should I believe? After doing, research and soul searching I found truth. I found that not in religion but in Jesus Christ. It was His Word and faith that led me to believe as I do today. I turned away from the catholic church because many of its belief were in direct contrast with the bible. I believed in the Jesus in the bible, not some made up Jesus. Not a Jesus that makes you feel good about sin or who satisifies your pride by using works to attain salvation.

Anyway, this is long enough and I find long answers loose a reader's interest. lol. In short, I did my research. My conclusion was that religion is false and man does make up Jesus. So, cut through find the true Lord Jesus Christ and allow him to be Lord over your life. I put aside my feelings and sentimental ties and found truth in Jesus.

Answer 6

Almost no-one does this. The vast majority of people adopt the religious beliefs of their parents, with only a few minor variations. Of course people do marry into other religions, and that's almost certainly the most common source of variation in religion. But if you look at the bigger picture, you'll see that people do not choose their religions - they inherit them.

I know, I know, you're all thinking about exceptions you know, and you're going to jump up and down shouting "That's not true! My parents are X and I'm Y". But the exceptions don't disprove the rule: easily the biggest factor in determining a person's religion is that person's parents' religion. The idea that we rationally choose our beliefs, or that we get them by having been "touched by the spirit" (or whatever) is simply false.

Answer 7

Lets see... I have been a Buddhist (passing interest), generalized Pagan (passing interest), Wiccan (studied enough to understand the basics, focusing on candle and elemental magick), Satanist (learned more than most would want to know, and have forgotten most of the details through time), New Ager (quite a lot, mainly focusing on Tarot and dream interpretation, and was quite unshakable in my faith for a while), agnostic (not much to know about not knowing), and hard core Christian-hating atheist (I could debate evolution vs. creationism all day long and not bat an eyelash, and I was VERY unshakable in my lack of faith here, that is, until I became a Christian).

Throughout my life, I also studied the mythologies of various cultures, Hinduism (to some extant, but nothing I can remember beyond a handful of names and general appearances), Native American beliefs (same as Hinduism), ancient Japanese beliefs (same as Hinduism), ancient Chinese beliefs (same as Hinduism), ancient Celtic myths (same as Hinduism), Greco-Roman myths (can recite tons of stories by heart, and can tell you who is which and what that one governed, etc), Nordic myths (same as Greco-Roman, but to a slightly lesser extent), Islam (have read the Koran and Hadith, can recall some verses, and understand the gist of a lot of it), various cultic sects of Christianity (same as Islam, read their book/remember some verses/got the general idea of it), and Gnosticism (same as Islam).

I'm sure there's others I've studied or were, but I can't remember them anymore. I suppose it's time to brush up on them again.

In the end, however, I became a Christian, moreso specifically, an apologeticist... that is, a defender of the faith. I use the knowledge of what I once was, and what I studied, and with it, I effectively preach to those who are like I once was. I have learned to read Biblical Greek, and am studying Biblical Hebrew (although I can't seem to get a grasp of it yet).

So, I suppose that might not be enough research for you. Let's just say, that as a homebrew game designer, I spend more than my fair share staring at the pages of pantheon.org, have had over two dozen large books (including the Time Life series!) of mythologies and beliefs, have spent several months on end checking out and renewing books on every belief I come across, and have (counting...) 35 copies of the Bible in 6 languages (5, if you don't count Middle English) [31 of those copies are digital, and I'm sure we've three or four more up in the attic and out in the shed], in a large and varied amount of versions, and a ridiculously large lexicon sitting on the computer.

After having weighed the knowledge of my whole life, from the time I was 5, until now, considering all research I had done for fun, for creating, and for learning.... there is no doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ is truth.

Answer 8

I would suggest that serious research and religious people are mutually exclusive, because serious research requires a reasonable amount of intelligence, which the majority of religious people seriously lack.

Religious believers are not really recognised as being intelligent.

My studies and research shows that religious people are not exactly rocket scientists, they tend to be below average intelligence, and also have a tendency to be more violent than non-believers. In some cases, the more violent the person, the more religious they are. I suspect that the vast majority of religious people are well below average intelligence.

I wonder if trying to improve the intellectual standard of our global community would help remove the various religions from our culture, and thereby improve happiness and peace for humanity.

Answer 9

I think that is a valid and honest question.john,17:3 states that we
must take in knowledge.at prov.2:1-5 it urges to seek wisdom,to
dig for it as we would a hidden treasure-not according to human
thinking,but in GODS own word.2Tim:3:16.the bible is benefical
for teaching. yes,one should definately research.and like its
stated at matt.5:11-be happy if you should be reproched and some
lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you.because when
you do find the truth you become unpopular with christendom
and in alot of cases your own family.but take heart,you've
most likely found the truth.but dont stop questioning,and digging
until all your doubts have been put to rest.

Answer 10

That's true enough. I took the religion my mother was for a while but began to think later I should have looked around more to be sure. I looked into other religions and found much that I liked and eventually incorporated into my own beliefs/traditions. For example, the Buddhist belief that all living things are reincarnations, and so you should avoid killing as much as possible anything because at one time it may have been your brother or mother etc. I took this idea back to Christianity with me when I rejoined the religion because while I don't think reincarnation occurs, God made ants or weeds or spiders (or any other thing you can think of) and He loves them as much as He does me. Therefore, I should avoid killing them whenever possible to show God I care about His creations as well. In time, I actually did begin to love animals (even the ones like spiders or snakes, the creepy ones basically) myself.

But in the end my search came back to Christianity, specifically the Jehovah's Witnesses (who believe in Jesus as God's son and our savior/messiah, but in Jehovah as God Himself). I came back with a better understanding of both my beliefs and of others' beliefs as well. So I consider it a good experience to have searched for answers elsewhere, which is why I always tell people to always be learning more. It will help you understand both yourself and others, and this can only lead to brotherhood among humans.