Take a look at your own beliefs. Do you believe them because that is what you choose to believe? Or do you think that there is no choice in the matter you just believe what you believe?
Personally I am not sure about this one. In my situation regarding faith in God I really want to believe, but I just can't. Is this a choice I made, subconsious or otherwise, or is that just the way it is?
It is not going to upset me either way you think this works I just like to hear others opinions.
Thanks for any answers you might have.
2007-01-02 20:24:16 · 34 answers · asked by haiku_katie 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I was entering this question in when I found you had already asked it, needless to say, I think it is profound.
Most of the answerers here I think miss your point. Where do those beliefs stem from? How could anyone consciously change them?
I don't think belief is a matter of choice. I've never been able to believe in something because I decided I would. My experiences formed my beliefs, not my intellect. I don't think choice played much of a part at all.
2007-01-05 18:57:34 · answer #1 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Belief goes beyond just thinking and needs to be acted out in order to demonstrate the manifestation of that belief. It is a choice but it is based on how you view the evidence. The scriptures state that even if some did not believe it would not lessen the effect of God's word. Many people choose to believe something because they identify with it or somehow feel justified by the concepts. That approach does not change the truth. Jesus will lead you along the way.
Have you ever been lost in the woods, heading in a direction you thought was the way out only to find that you were going deeper and deeper into the woods? Your belief did not change the truth did it? No, you must first choose the right direction.
Jesus will lead you and guide you into all truth.
2007-01-02 20:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by G-Man 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course we have a choice in what we believe in because God created us that way. And I did choose my own beliefs because thats what I truly believe. I think you should believe in God because He is always there whether you know it or not and He wouldn't have sent us here to earth without protection. Has there ever been a time when you felt that you should avoid doing something you would normally do,ie, you decide to take a long route home; then later discover there had been a terrible accident you would have been involved in, had you not chosen to take the long route home? Thats what angels and spirit guides do for us to protect us out of their love for us and God.
2007-01-02 20:36:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have a choice. But people can’t believe what they don’t hear. The bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It also says that it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. It says it that way because the world in its wisdom rejects the word of God, so God brings the wisdom of the world down through preaching. Listen to preaching from a preacher that uses the unadulterated word of God, the King James bible. The modern versions of the bible were translated after we entered the last of the last days and they’re filled with error.
2007-01-02 20:49:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
MORE THAN THAT!! If you became so lost and hopeless that the only thing you had left was the Creator Himself. And you went to Him with a prayer that only a broken person would pray. It would be in that moment when He would pull you into His omnipotent hands and shelter you from everything that creates doubt, pain, strife and so on. There are so many things in this world that pull us away from His love, and so few, it seems, that bring us to Him! The need for grace is instilled in us all, and we think we already have it. But when things get rough and we don't look to Him, those things do not improve until we DO!
2007-01-02 20:37:51 · answer #5 · answered by DjSlinky77 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a choice you have made. I was not brought up in a religious house, nor do I have a religious house now. My husband comes from a deeply religious background, and I find he questions God more than I do. We all have choices we make in life. We can be taught by our parents, or not as in my case, but what we finally decide to believe is up to ourselves and what we choose to believe. If you are having a hard time believing and truly WANT to believe than you need to analyze what it is that is making it difficult for you to believe. My husband has his faith tested when he thinks about how ill his mother is and how much she believes in God. He thinks that she should be healthy if she gave her heart & life to God, why does he repay her with sickness. While his own mother thinks that it is God's strength that keeps her going and gives her the will to continue on. You need to do a little soul searching for yourself and from there you can decide what it is that YOU truly believe !!
2007-01-02 20:31:29 · answer #6 · answered by Michele A 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
John 14:6
2007-01-02 20:29:12 · answer #7 · answered by GoodQuestion 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ohhh yes very much so we all have a choice... that is why Jesus made himself blind to your beliefs meaning he has no idea where you will end up until you come to him... he wanted you to want to be with him.... i think what makes it so hard for you to believe is all the stuff you hear now days "de-bunking" the bible it's alot easier to hold on to that because you see it... it's hard "at first" to believe in something you know nothing about i suggest you check out Dr. Dino he will open your eyes to a whole new world
2007-01-02 20:57:56 · answer #8 · answered by drumin_phreak 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think I have a choice, I know I do. I have acted upon that choice.
I'm not certain that everyone really does have a choice, though. In order to *have* a choice, one must know that choice is possible.
I imagine that there are people who, raised apart from the rest of society, only learn one thing to believe, or perhaps there are people who are raised in a society in which there is no exposure to people of other religions.
2007-01-03 01:37:55 · answer #9 · answered by Praise Singer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel there is absolutely no choice at a certain point when I've decided on truth and reality as the base of my beliefs . And I don't feel I need a choice on those kind of matters either.
Peace out
2007-01-02 20:33:52 · answer #10 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋