Is it more common for people to make decisions regarding religion on the basis of reason or by faith? Explain!

Question

Any and all answers are appreciated. I look forward to hearing what you all think. If you have any sources to go along please cite it :)

Answer 1

This is a false dichotomy. And people don't usually make religious decisions on the basis of faith, reason or any combination of the two. They usually base such decisions on desire -- for comfort, for meaning, for belonging, etc. They use rationalizations to make their decisions sound reasonable, and they label the decisions 'faith'.

This is the normal way of proceeding, but it's not the only possible way. It clearly isn't the best way. Faith and reason should walk hand in hand. Authentic faith should cause people to challenge themselves -- to push out of their comfort zone. Reason should be used as a means of rigorous self-criticism, which yields deeper faith and greater self-knowledge.

But this isn't what most people are interested in.

Think: Kierkegaard.

Answer 2

It depends on what you are searching for. For me I went to church as a child because I was told to go. I had an interest in knowing about God but not a clue what He was all about. I felt that throughout my early years I sensed a strong lack of fulfillment in the church I attended. As an adult I wanted to know this God who "loved me" as those bumper stickers say! When I would go to various churches or be around people who were talking about God I would certainly "reason" in my mind whether this met my criteria of truth and sincerity. I finally resolved myself to the fact that there most certainly is a God and He is all knowing and all powerful and I could put my faith and trust in Him and Him alone! I realized that mankind is far from flawless and you can only trust people just so much. My favorite thing was, once I put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, I had a strong desire to read this book called the bible, it seemed that the words leaped off the pages and saturated my being. I found that "true love" that I yearned for all my life and internal peace. On an ongoing basis I look to the Lord in every situation every day. He has been my constant companion thru the good, the bad & the ugly. My life is not perfect or without struggles and pressures, on the contrary but I have a source within that has caused my faith and love for Him to grow. So to sum it all up, initially by reason, committment by faith.

Answer 3

Regrettably, I think many, if not most people, make religious decisions on blind faith usually based on the direction given to them by their families. This approach can create a shallow belief system that is not self-realized as I think religion should be. In some cases I am afraid that this approach gives rise to fundamentalism. Many of those who make decisions on reason may get trapped in arguments that fail to be conclusive because of the "duality" or "maya" that is an inseparable part of the material world. So I would suggest that the best approach is to trust the inner light of wisdom that each of us will find if we invite God into our hearts, minds and souls.

Answer 4

Personally, I think religion is simply man's understanding of the notion of a superior being i.e. God. However reasoning cannot provide all the answers and so simply put one must have an understanding of faith. As a christian I believe the bible to be the uncontroverted word of God handed down to man that we may have a record of how He wants us to live.

If you are seeking answers then a good starting point is the Holy bible. Inform yourself and then make a decision. For me Christianity is a lifestyle and not a religion and to understand this you must inform yourself regarding God's plan to save mankind from eternal damnation. Get a copy of the bible and read the gospel of John. Then read the old testament from Genesis to Malachi. i wish you well.

Answer 5

I think faith will never come without reason.
think about it, how can u have faith in God and a certain religion without being 100% convinced with what it tells, convinced with existence of God and his book, in my case (Holy Quran), i'm speaking about all religions, i bet christians feel the same but believe in the bible.
i cant talk about other religions as i'm not completely aware of them but for me its Islam.
for example, the dos and donts that my religion tells me to do or avoid, are so convincing to me.
To make it short, before i make any decision regarding my religion, i think about it first, but what makes me think about it and try to search for the reason behind it, is Faith.
so both reason and faith are strongly connected, if u do something out of faith but ur not convinced of, then u cant call it "faith" in the first place.
God bless

Answer 6

i decide to miss church, (whereby popularly we practice religion) because i wanted to watch all of the game on tv., thats a decision based on reason. i decide to accept some fellow name jesus christ as my personal saviour thats a decision based on faith. there are many decisions regarding religion and many different impeti for each.

Answer 7

Faith because it's very difficult to come up with a logical argument for religion. Actually I think it's more wishful thinking then anything else.

Answer 8

Those who reject religion usually do it based on reason.

Since it is impossible to accept religion based on reason, those who accept religion do it based wither on faith or by default.

Answer 9

Faith. There is no reason that provides one iota of evidence for any religious belief.

Answer 10

a little of both.