Is there any chance that you could be wrong?
2006-11-21 02:26:38 · 36 answers · asked by shoby_shoby2003 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
May I just add that I am not questioning anyone's faith, I am merely trying to resolve a discussion with one of my friends about the narrow-mindedness of regligious people.
2006-11-21 02:38:55 · update #1
NEVER
2006-11-21 02:30:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Thank you for this very interesting question.
My answer depends on what exactly you are asking about. If you are asking about details of religion like, what time to pray or how to follow basic rules then yes. It is entirely possible to be wrong. In fact one of the principles of scholarship in Islam is that you should always believe your analysis to be right but also leave open the possibility that the other person might be right. This is the basis for the 4 major schools of Sunni Islam. Each has a slightly different take on some exegesis of Quran or Hadith and has very strong and valid arguments to support their views. But each also looks at the other three schools as having valid views as well and admits that they could be right. You still follow your own teachers and have tolerance for the others.
However, if you are asking a larger question, like, for instance do I think that I might be wrong about the existence of God or the oneness of God or that God is the creator of the universe? No. My personal experiences, my faith and my knowledge of the scriptures of many religions all lead me to the inescapable conclusion that God does exist.
In a retreat I once attended we had to spend an entire morning meditating and contemplating the "via negativa" of the Kalima which is "la illaha" and basically means "there is no God". With true heart I entered into this space to find a world that was hollow, colorless and without life. Nothing made sense, nothing seemed worthwhile, there was no force in the world that created or destroyed, only monotonous existence without purpose. Upon the end of that morning, more than ever, I was thankful for the existence of God and all creation is his domain.
And Allah knows best.
Peace and Blessings,
Salim
2006-11-21 03:01:47 · answer #2 · answered by إمام سليم چشتي 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course! To think otherwise is the height of conceit and arrogance, and the seat of pure stupidity!
We are human beings with five known senses. We therefore filter everything through these five senses. This is highly personal in nature and means the impact of events varies from person to person. Consequently, there is a very good chance that we can be dead wrong!
Spirituality and religion should not be looked at as the end goal but rather a process. This gives room for personal spiritual development. It also allows us to make mistakes and laugh at ourselves as we quest for truth and understanding. It also leaves us room to respect the paths others take while leaving us human enough to see ourselves as imperfect creatures all struggling for the same thing.
It's a mess but it's a good mess!
2006-11-21 02:44:08 · answer #3 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely! I am a Christian, but what I believe, I believe by faith. I have no proof of anything so I could be totally wrong.
However, the one thing that makes sense about Christianity (even to a non Christian) is that if we treat others the way Jesus treated people* and asks His followers to treat others, this would be a much loving, safer, caring world.
* History is replete with "Christians" who didn't always treat others the way Jesus taught.
2006-11-21 02:45:58 · answer #4 · answered by Guitarra727 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How people answer this question is telling. Many assume you are talking about wrong in the grand sense. But you ask if someone can simply be wrong.
Someone who doesn't even understand the literal question you ask is not likely to be an authority on truthfulness in grand questions or belief systems.
Most people who are oh-so-sure that their belief systems are right in an absolute sense attempt to ascribe goodness and truthfulness inappropriately, and do this as a short-cut to prowess. The Bible mentions this as the intial sin of mankind, and it has come to be known as Original Sin.
A great many people fail to sse that they do this even with Holy matters.
The answer to your question is YES -- without a doubt.
2006-11-21 02:44:36 · answer #5 · answered by shutterbuglet 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not from all that I have studied.
Aside from what is written, I can look all around me and in me and I have this inate knowledge that I have a creator and everything that surrounds me has the same creator.
Aside from human weaknessess and the chaos that it brings, the world itself works in perfect harmony with itself.
Once I accept that I have a creator, of course I am human and curious and I want to find out who or what my creator it.
Only one explanation has panned out that tells me everything that I was looking for. I call my creator God, although he is called by many names even in his own word.
Outside of the word of God, no one else has an explanation for the beginning and how I was created and why I am the way I am inside. No one else explains that the universe and myself were created to work together and were spoke into existence.
So, no, I am firmly convicted that my creator is the one to whom my loyalies remain. I believe in all that he has done, all that he is still doing, and all that he will yet do. If and when God wants you to believe upon him, his is all powerful and can and will make it happen. I urge you to read his word apart from what man has explained of it and then and only then will you receive truth.
2006-11-21 02:40:00 · answer #6 · answered by cindy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While I'm convinced by my own logic that there is almost no chance that a relevant God is intervening in the natural laws, of course I could be wrong. I would be EXTREMELY surprised, but I don't have all knowledge.
Hmm... And after reading the comments of believers here, they present the best case for never electing a religious person to the presidency ever again.
.
2006-11-21 02:31:16 · answer #7 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I don't know everything. No one does. So yes, there's a chance.
I practice my faith because it is what makes the most sense to me and, based on MY experience in MY life, it is what defines truth.
If I am wrong, I am still confident that I am living my life in the best way that there is to live.
2006-11-21 03:03:37 · answer #8 · answered by krobin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is safe to say we all probably hold a part of the truth. How big a part we will not know until we are given all the answers. That said all of us are probably right and wrong to some extent because as humans we are limited in our ability to grasp the totality that is God. I will stick to my faith though as it is truth to me. God knows we have imperfect minds, bodies and hearts. All we can do is the best we can with the information we are given and our limited understanding of it.
2006-11-21 02:34:16 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
As long as you follow something that cant be wrong (Bible) niether will you. I thought once that I could have been wrong, but I was wrong about that!
But if you follow the teachings of Christ, even if you are wrong, you would leave the world a much better place than if you did not follow.
2006-11-21 02:47:08 · answer #10 · answered by ricks 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd love to answer your question but it's too vague for me. Could you explain a little more? Wrong about being happy with my religious persuasion?
Look forward to hearing more.
2006-11-21 02:29:11 · answer #11 · answered by octoberbabye 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋