Religious people. Why do you believe?

Question

The most logical answer I've ever gotten to this question was basically:

Because I just do.

Every other arguement that I've ever heard can easily be shown to be based on at least one, if not several, logical falacies.

Answer 1

Because how I spend eternity after my short stop here seems worth the bother.

If you're betting the house on this being all there is, bro, you'd better make sure you really really enjoy it. I don't like your odds.

Answer 2

Why do I believe what? Generally speaking, I believe because I have researched what I believe very hard, I have read the religious texts of the religion, I have practiced what they teach and have seen the fruits or benefits of the behavior, and lastly I have prayed and asked God to provide me with answers, and he has. In the end though, everything is very logical to me (although I understand the existence of God alone is very difficult from a logical standpoint). My wife actually gets frustrated that all I ever do is run things through logically. Provide specific questions and I will try to answer.

Answer 3

Because the Bible is inerrant in history, doctrine and ethics and has never been proven otherwise.
Because Jesus existed, claimed to be God and His words and actions were recorded by eyewitnesses.
Because it is a historical fact that He was crucified and laid in a tomb. It is also indisputable that the tomb was and is empty. No explanations given by any unbelievers stands up to scrutiny. He rose from the dead as He said He would and was seen by over 500 people in and around Jerusalem. Again, any attempt to explain this away such as mass hallucination is utterly ridiculous.
Because of the change in the apostles. The night He died, they were disillusioned and scared, hiding in an upper room. A few days later, they are boldly proclaiming Christ's resurrection. All but one were executed for this belief. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
Because of the conversion of Paul. A zealous anti-Christian who persecuted believers, then suddenly, he becomes a believer in Christ and the most prolific writer of the New Testament. This didn't happen by accident, nor of his own accord, he had an encounter with the risen Christ.
Because of my own conversion. Only by the grace of God could I be at this point in my life. I wouldn't have, nor could have got here on my own. He gave me the faith to believe and the eyes to see. I would, without qualm, die for what I believe, would you?

Answer 4

I grew up in a very religious family, declared myself agnostic in my mid twenties, and about 2 years ago finally went straight to the term atheist. So my answer is based not only on my own life, but the lives of those I grew up with.

1. Some people really just do believe "because". When you consider children, brought into religious families and told that simply, this is the way things are. Children trust their parents and believe them, so if a parent tells a 3 or 4 year old there definately is a God and he'll take you to heaven if you're good, or hell if you're bad, they believe that. Some get older and start to doubt, most don't.

2. Crutch. Many people believe simply because the idea of NOT believing is to much to handle. They need to believe that something awaits them after death, that they aren't living their lives with no goal in sight. Where people like myself consider the joy IN the living, they can only endure the thought of death if they 'know' there is more afterwards.

Answer 5

I reject all forms of religion... but your point that "every other argument that I've ever heard can easily be shown to be based on at least one, if not several, logical fallacies" is lost on those who are religious. As I've replied with other questions, religion has evolved over thousands of years and is very good at rejecting rational thought. Telling someone that their belief in god is illogical, is like someone telling a scientist that god makes chemical reactions happen.

Of course, there are very good logical reasons for why people believe in religion... The onus however is on the believers to demonstrate any truth in religion.

Read "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawking - It's an excellent book that explains why people believe in god, and why it's incorrect.

Answer 6

One day my boyfriend was in alot of pain. He ended up going by ambulance to the hospital for a morphine shot. Before that he had tried to make it to the bathroom but was in so much pain he screamed F...... God! The next day I cleaned my kitchen as always before grocery shopping, and my boyfriend still knocked out from the morphine, I went grocery shopping. On the way home I prayed to God to forgive him that he didn't mean the hateful things he said and he was sorry. I asked for a sign that everything would be okay as I chuckled a little cause his signs are so bold. When I got home on my kitchen counterwas a religous card. On the front a man in a white robe was holding another man up from behind him by grabbing him under his arms as if to catch this man from collapsing the man falling who looked exactly like my boyfriend, he had a hammer in one hand and a huge nail in the other and there beneth the two of them was blood trickeling as if my boyfriend was nailing God (the man in the robe) to the cross. On the opposite side of the card was the verse on Forgiveness Corinthians 5:17. Since than I have recieved three other cards when I said a prayer and asked for a sign! I BELIEVE and you should too!

Answer 7

It appears that Belief in something without question would, at least to me, be the easy way out. To seek "truth" on ones own would require to much effort. Easier to just accept whatever is given and leave it at that. Plus, being that everything people "believe" to be the "truth" has come from some outside influence, it is impossible to find truth anywhere; unless of course we talk facts, which most people cannot accept because it ruins their fantasy. If you cannot prove to me what you say is Fact, than it must by it's very nature be someones Fiction.

Answer 8

Logic ! what's that got to do with it ! ah ! You might as well ask what colour is Friday . You catch it ( faith ) like a cold . Sometimes it creeps up on you when you are not looking for it . Science has many answers except the big one . think hard and provide the question . Clue : it is to do with the whole thing and can be shortened to one word , WHY ?Take your time to answer , the correct answer will be provided at a time appropriate time for you .

Answer 9

When you say "believe" do you mean God? Because if you do, the answers you've gotten before are true. Even if we cant see him, we know he's real. We know he's there watching over us. The little mircles that happen, happen because of God. For example, when you're having a rough day, and all of a sudden, your favorite song comes on the radio, it's God telling you everything's going to be alright. We dont need proof. God is real, and he loves us.

Answer 10

Because I just do. Because I have since as long as I can remember and no, there's not much possibility of me being brainwashed because no one in my family follows any of my beliefs and I didn't get them out of a book.

And I know "if its not written down, what stops you from changing the rules to suite your purpose" Nothing really, besides the ideas of Hell (used so you might understand the idea of the place) and the fact that I just obey.

Answer 11

Gee, I don't know if I can beat the 'best answer' there, but that's pretty much it. I can't really explain religion. It's stuff not made of stuff, you can't see or touch, you just have to experience it for yourself. I've been a 'non-believer' I was angry at God, and told myself I'd never get involved with any of that again, but I did, and I don't know how it happened, but I'm pretty cool with it now. It feels good to resolve yourself.