Explain the mass belief of Christianity in our country? Mass Hysteria?

Question

I grew up Christian but as 1 grows up the grip on reality gets tighter and you let go of certain things you were taught as a child. I dont understand why people follow something so un-realistic and, to be frank, hoaky, based completely on hear-say from other people born into the same reality(refering to the earthly creator of the religion). And when you have dozens of major religions that are so much more feasable. Im trying to be as cool about this as I can, this is nothing new to me and I know how sensitive people are about their beliefs, but I'm at a loss. Please explain.

And complete and total blind faith is only validated through cliches so dont give me that.
Serious answers only please~

Dont give me that born again either I can get the same thing from mushrooms or love. I know what that feeling is I've been there as a christian and I even know the neurology behind it.

Buddhism, though im not a follower of, is an example of another religion.

Ill admit mass hysteria was a last minute addition and I, at the time I asked, was close but not quite on the def.
sorry.

Answer 1

Before I say anything keep in mind that I am an American, I am a patriot and I served in the Gulf War. I love my country but Americans have a tendency to be anti-intellectual. Americans will believe almost anything. Look at how many people believe in UFOs, ghosts, demons, conspiracy theories, urban legends, gods, magic, astrology, get rich quick schemes, Fox news etc, etc,.....

It is easier to just believe something than to actually go out and study the facts, not just study the authors and books that say what you already believe. Americans love to use the confirmation bias. If mommy and daddy told you that there was a invisible guy in the sky then that is all it takes. It is the same everywhere though. If we were in Asia we would be talking about Lao Tsu and how he hatched from an egg as if it were really true. Americans love to look at other religions and mock them not realizing that xianity is just as impossible as any other. Talking unicorns, flying serpents, virgin births, zombies are all silliness yet millions believe in that stuff.

Answer 2

"I dont understand why people follow something so un-realistic and, to be frank, hoaky, based completely on hear-say from other people born into the same reality(refering to the earthly creator of the religion). " I think that part sums up the part that you have the most problems with. Un-realistic. You have a problem believing in the possiablity of something not understood by science or maybe not being able to be explained by it. I know, I've been there. Its not just hear-say either, if your calling the correctness of the bible into question, if you mearly look at the dead sea scrolls, which showed just how correct the Bible is, even dateing all the way back to 2 BC. Again, 2 B.C. if you missed the first time.

I DON"T have blind faith. My faith is based on LOGIC. While some people may scoff at Intellenget Design, it explains a lot. Also, the theory of evolution is nothing more than a guess. Yes, a educated guess, but one thats never been done again, shown, or proven. Ok, so neither has ID BUT when you look at the complexity of a cell, and say all that happened my chance? The earth, if 1 inch too close would be too hot to support life and too cold if 1 inch away, just is too conventent to have happened by chance.

The problem is that people don't really study what we as christian are saying AND lots of christians don't know how to answer because they are taught by people in sundays schools that don't know how to answer.

Answer 3

Christianity has been around for 2000 years. It has grown in numbers almost exponentially. Mass hysteria? If you knew anything about psychology, you would know that mass hysteria cannot occur over 2000 years, over hundreds of cultures, over many geographies, over varied ethnic and people groups, at different times and locations. And just because you were raised in a Christian home or whatever you say, doesn't mean squat for you personally. If you grew up with monkeys does that make you a monkey? No. So just because you grew up with Christians it doesn't make you one.
It's not blind faith. If you blindly believe in something, anything, I would say you're an idiot. I know why I believe in Christianity. I know the history behind it. I know the science that supports it. I know the God that created everything. You know how I know? Because God answers my prayers. And not stupid stuff that could happen on their own, but some serious and specific things. I can look back on my life and see where and how God has influenced and impacted me, and often steered me away from harm. So, its like you're in a room with a door and the lights are off and I'm ouside in the sun. I can tell you its sunny outside and it's warm. But to you its dark and cold. You think you are right, but you wont know until you step outside to see if I'm right until you do. As long as you are in darkness you will never believe. If I were you, I would seriously ask God to reveal himself to you, to prove to you he is real and he is powerful.

Answer 4

There is a differance between religion and actually being a friend of God. People see others who are God's friends and do not understand it but know they want what that person has. That is how it starts. Many others see this and decide it is something that can be used to their own advantage, and they get in there and that is where it turns into religion. b4 it was a friendship, all the interaction was between two friends and sometimes there were interactions between friends of friends, just like what happens among people but with the added benies of haveing God as your friend instead of say bob, ted, mary or alice.
Here's the thing the path is narrow so there really are not all that many on it, like you people just do not get it. It can not betaught it is a knowing thing, so there's lotsa immitations. This does not mean you do not know some friends of God, but from your question it sounds like you never met one of us.

Answer 5

I think that you have been misled.

In the initial question, you imply that people who are hysterical and afraid of the future turn to christianity to hide their fears. My observation has been that those who do not know God tend to be the ones who are hysterical. They hear of a curse or sentense of death to those who continue in their sins, and they perceive this as a threat and say "I can't (won't) believe in a God like that." Such people don't consider that God does not make idle threats, they are promises. In the opposite side of the promise of eternal death for disobedience is a promise of eternal life for those who are obedient. (Look at the example of the ancient city of Nineveh.) I also see hysteria a bit in those who have a wrong (in my opinion) concept of God.

God does not ask for a blind faith, but He does ask for complete faith and obedience. He says "Come, let us reason together..." and "search the scriptures..." so that we can have a complete picture of what he expects from us and what we can expect from him. The religions that teach that you must have a blind faith, have something to hide and don't want you to know the truth of the Bible teaches. And, when the minister gives a long drawn out explanation that contradicts what is plainly written in the Bible, then you can bet that he is not telling the truth; no matter how good it sounds.

I think that you are right not to believe what some people tell you, so search for the truth for yourself. Consider the prophecies of the Bible, and compare them with ancient history.

Answer 6

what,s up i am glad you refered to christianity as a belief because like that and every religion thats all it is, a belief in which we all know as to be something that may or may not be truth in which is obviously what you seek, so i,m about to very breifly give you the name of the group responsible for creating what we know as being religion.illuminati & the well known freemasons are responsible for creating these alternative societies mainly to hide the truths of the true and living GOD. we will talk more if you are atruth seeker but for now research the information on secret societies. this will be the first step in a long process of restoring you back to the time before youwere told THE LIE in the first place then work our way to the time you started believing it . just research what i told you to and thats the start of your long journey back home to your etheric conscious.watch your eyes will open wide.

Answer 7

All other religions are an attempt of man kind to reach God..... Christianity is a religion where God is trying to reach man....

Please dont give on up on Christianity....Please check into the book by Lee Stroeble....The Case for Christ... Lee was an atheist and a journalist by profession...

He set out to do the most detailed analysis possible to try to disprove Christ and Christianity...... All the evidence he found led him to become a Christian... This is a true story..

Please consider it from this point of view.... 2 out of the 4 gospels where written by "eye witness" accounts of the resurrection.... Over 500 people "saw" Christ after he was resurrected.... 11 of Jesus disciples were willing to die horrible deaths because they continued to try to tell others about Jesus Christ.....(Peter was Crucified upside down) etc... It is beyond reason or logic why men would be willing to die for telling others about a lie....

Please dont close you mind to this thought..... That thought is "the reason Christianity succeeded from its eariliest begginings is because people knew the truth.. That Christ did rise from the dead and that the miracles he did was true and thus who Jesus said he was, was true... That is the Son of God..." If these were all lies then how unlikely it would have been that Christianity would have succeeded... The bible states that "500 plus people" saw Jesus after he was resurrected.... These people formed the begginings of the Church....

You can find many peoples personal accounts of how they will tell you that trusting Jesus as their personal savior has helped them over come personal adveristy...(drinking, drugs, other crimes, etc...

The same can not be said of how athiesm has positively helped someone in such ways.....

The miracles Jesus performed it states in the gospel of John were done for the pupose of people believing Jesus was who he said he was, the Messiah...

Josephus, the jewish historian acknowledges Jesus as a "historical person" who performed many signs and miracles... This independend evidence a part from the bible that Jesus did exist and did perform miracles.....

Please think about all the prophecies that Jesus fullfilled... Being born in Bethlehem, etc... One of the most amazing prophecies is Psalm 22... right before the famous 23rd

If you do one thing only please read psalm 22...If you keep an open mind, I promise you it will cause you to reconsider.... This is a prophetic psalm.. It actually decribes Jesus Crucifixian.... The amazing thing is that the Romans invented the capital punishment of Crucifixian hundreds of years later... The psalm can be proven to have been written hundreds of years earlier BC..............

Please dont give up on Christianity my friend....I promise you that Jesus loves you and knows you as an individual.and that you can find true peace if you will truely trust him as your Lord and Saviour...

Answer 8

Mass Stupidity

Answer 9

So what's so unrealistic? The Bible and my faith in God provided me with the wisdom to avoid many "real life" obstacles, like children out of wedlock, std's, jail, alchohol, drugs and a host of others. Though man's technology grows man remains the same. The problems we face today are not new and they have answers. I've found those answers in the Bible.

Answer 10

It requires a complete suspension of logic and a complete avoidance of thought.

The threat of eternal damnation and hell fire are helpful too.

It works best if they are indoctrinated young and scared stiff with the idea of a judgmental God who would punish.

In any other situation this would be considered child abuse, and people would be arrested.

Love and blessings
don