Why do people think they can pick and choose what aspects of their religion to believe?

Question

Long ago it was believed that stillborn babies never got to Heaven, they were in limbo for eternity because they weren't baptised.
Now we've decided that's not true.
And what about gay Christians? You can't believe in God and at the same time think you're going to Heaven if he says you're evil.

You can't pick and choose, people!

Answer 1

Why not? What's to keep people from picking and choosing?

The only reason to require people to strictly adhere to a set of religious beliefs is to keep that religion going. Are we really to be slaves to a belief system? That's putting the cart before the horse.

If you're just going to make it all up (as happens with religion), why be so picky about what you can and cannot believe? Once you accept religion over truth, you're pretty much freed of any responsibility to be honest about things. What other reason would there be to restrict belief?

Answer 2

All over the world preachers are avoiding certain topics from the pulpit. Divorce is one. In the course of fifty years it has become so normal and socially acceptable that the Biblical teaching on it is seldom mentioned. Homosexuality is, as you point out, another taboo topic. Chastity outside marriage and abortion mercifully still remain on the preacher's agenda, but one wonders whether social upheaval will ultimately oust them. The point is, while society changes at an alarmingly fast rate, God does not change. His Word remains constant and it is an incredible proposition that for some reason -- the not very convincing reason of the fickleness and frailty of mankind -- things which are denounced as sinful in the Bible can become acceptable in the eyes of God. You're right to ask this question. Sin remains sin and few indeed are the people who are prepared to say so.

Answer 3

You actually answered your own question in by saying "choos what aspects... to believe." Religion is exactly that: a system of beliefs. Everybody believes what they think is right and not everybody sees things the same way. Besides, even if you choose to follow a religious text exactly, people will still differ on their interpretations. For instance, look at just about any law that is at all vague. I don't mean one like "Don't murder." I mean one like, "A man is not to lie with a man the way he would lie with a woman." You can interpret this to mean tha homosexuality is a sin. Another person could argue that since it only mentions men that only women can be homosexual. A third person could argue that it's saying that 2 men may not occupy the same piece of furniture at the same time.

My point is that religions are just sets of beliefs. Beliefs, by definition, are what one holds for oneself to be true. This is complicated by the fact that much of what religion teaches is vague enough to be seen from different perspectives.

Answer 4

Religion is not a strict set of rules. It has always been changing, despite what you think.
Personally, I am atheist, and Im trying not to let my beliefs affect my answer. Im just telling you what I know historically.

Religions are a rather fascinating subject. But they constantly change and adapt to the current people or times. For example, in the bible, Jesus's name is Yeshua.(original scripts)

After years of translating , he has become Jesus Christ.

It is sad, because most people seem to think Christ is Jesus's last name. In fact, Christ means messiah.(prophet)

Christ is a title, not a name.

People pick and choose aspects of religion. It has always happened. The religion you are practicing has also been "picked at, and chose, and disposed of" by priests and others.

Answer 5

God says if we come to Him through Jesus He will change our hearts. You must realize it is journey and not a destination. Are you without sin. Jesus said that the person without sin should cast the stone. He did not mean the person not committing the sin they had accused them of but the person without the sin. Let God deal with changing the Christian heart and pray He changes yours. Discord in the members of God's church is never the right thing. Since we are human and have limits God only puts before us sins as He feels we are ready to let the Holy Spirit remove. In other words be patient God isn't finished with any of us yet and rejoice that He dwells within all Christians changing our negative personality traits into His attributes when and how sees fit. His plan is better than yours.

Answer 6

People pick what they want to believe and reject that with which they are uncomfortable. However, certain things are not known fully, such as the afterlife. No matter what any church says, we cannot really know, so it does not really matter as much as loving and serving God.

By the way, God does not say that homosexuals are evil. As a lesbian Catholic myself, I have done a lot of praying and studying on the matter. Homosexual *actions* are wrong, but simply being homosexual is not.

Part of me wonders why you are preaching hate if you are so concerned about what God wants.

Answer 7

Jehovah's Witnesses don't pick and choose.. and are noticed for being different than the mainstream of society. That's a good thing, as Jesus said his followers would be no part of this world. We take the entire Bible as God's word to us, and it is reflected in each and every aspect of our lives.

Answer 8

Because it takes a lot of commitment and self-discipline for follow all aspects of a religion, especially when it hasn't really been updated/adjusted to modern times. People these days are exposed to so many different ideas, lifestyles, religious/spiritual beliefs. It's harder to accept what they are told when everything nowadays is up for debate. And people these days are into self-gratification. They want what feels good to them, and if they don't like it they change it.

Answer 9

Because that is what people do.If you read the bible you will find examples of god ordering rape,murder,slavery and child abuse.But those with a religious belief will always come up with some sort of excuse for this.
"You are taking it out of context"
"The old testament laws no longer apply"
Either believe the bible or don't.

Answer 10

There are some aspects of religion that no longer apply in today's world. There is no way you can go along with every little thing that your religion teaches. Some of the beliefs are just way outdated.