Why do Christians choose to follow instead of educate themselves?

Question

Christians today learn and practice what ever they happen to be taught by a paticular church. Usually the closest one to their house. Why do you people choose to follow a man in no position to determine your faith. Only you can determine that, and you can only reach it by educating yourself.

Answer 1

Not this Christian ( as I do not have one denomination) and tonnes of other Christians I know.

Like, dude, get your freaking facts straight.

Answer 2

You mean the educated do follow?

Tell me about your education? What do you know about life after death? Tell me about a God who existed before he created everything you can observe? How do you find a God who exists in the observable and the unobservable?

I guess the only question your can answer is your education.

There is "revealed" knowledge and "observed" knowledge. Revelation and science. None of my questions can be solved using science since science deals with only the observable. And your education deals with the observable which education can take you so far. Experience even further. But we are in the observable and without some reveal knowledge, that is as far as you can get.

As educated person, you know there are claims about the unobservable. You hear someone claims that have the answer. You heard many messages, but how do you choose with one to act upon. You education is limited and most likely useless.

You can claim only the observable matters. Anything that is unobservable has no meaning (Rational Positivism). That may be right or be wrong. Only this world matters.

On the other hand, there are other alternatives, which may or may not make any sense to the educated. There are those who choose to believe that unobservable is where the solution is. In my case Christianity and the bible that documents it.

Let's say some ground rules. The bible is the word of God as spoken through the prophets. You hear the word, and you believe. There is no augment or rational thought, only belief. You become a follower of Christ, and as requested, you teach all nations about Christ. Just because you teach all nations, not everyone will believe. The bible is not a conversion manual; it is for the believer.

If you think you can educate yourself to believe, think again. We worship God in spirit and in truth because God is spirit (wind).

Now for your homework assignment, read Ecclesiastes. With that background, you may hear enough to believe.

Answer 3

I have educated myself. I read the Bible for myself, History of it, etc. I have done many years worth of research !
Most, tend to trust the pastors. Jesus said not to do that. If the blind lead the blind, they both fall into a ditch !
The mainstream christianity has confused doctrine so much, that they are still teaching on the first day of the week.
None have noticed that in Exodus 31:13 it clearly states that the Sabbath day is the only SEAL of God. Many are not sealed or saved that believe they are because they have been deceived by the false preachers in todaysworld, and mainstream christianity. Sabbath was a derivative of the hebrew word shabbath and it means this>
SHA=eternal one
Ab = Father
bath =house of or sign of
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day to keep it Holy.
Why is that the only commandment that starts with REMEMBER ?
In genesis it is also written that God hallowed and sanctified the SABBATH day, what other day did he sanctify ?> None
all the way to Revelation 14:12 . Here is the patience of the SAINTS.here are they that KEEP the commandments of God, an the faith of Jesus.
WHY DO MOST PASTOR NOT SEE THIS ?
Why do people not study to KNOW what the SEAL OF GOD is. It is the ONLY mention of the seal of God in the Holy Bible.

Answer 4

I won't make this an argument, even though i disagree with you. You see I am much older than you and I have frequented many churches in my lifetime. I have gone to many services from each and I have my own preferences. You are in no position to tell anyone which church they should go to or how they should worship the God of their faith. You are just plain wrong.
You need to take the blinders off and see the REAL TRUTH. People that go to churches that they do not like are misguided perhaps but never the less they are going to church. I however have read the bible many times over and I do not appreciate someone telling me that I am unlearned of the scriptures. You have not provided any in your short paragraph so that makes me wonder just where you are in the faith. But that's between you and GOD. !
However, . . . . If you would practice what you preach I believe that you will see a different view. Do not attempt to take the splinter out of someone's eye when you have a log in your own. Again, . . . practice what you preach and this world will be much off all around. There are more wars started by people spouting off with the tounge, instead of listening to what their own mouths are saying.

Answer 5

Not all Christians fall into your broad category of mindless rhetorical fodder, my church happens to be about 30 miles from my house and the man that leads us loves the Lord Jesus Christ and teaches the Scripture. Those are the criteria for determining who to follow, as to faith...

I did not determine my faith, it was and is a gift from the Lord.

Educating ourselves can only go so far as we are able, we are limited beings, I think I will let the infinite God educate me through the leaders he puts in my life.

Answer 6

First off I travel over 20 miles to my church over 2 to 3 times a week even though the same religion is around the block from me.
Second I follow Jesus Christ Our Church is called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Third We believe in my church That before we came to this earth we lived and dwelt with our father in heaven That he had a plan and that plan was when we came to this earth is we had freedom to choose. We actually vote on who does what job in the church from the Bishop right down to who's over the church library All baptized people from age 8 on up has a vote.

My religion does not determine my faith it adds to it.

I start out with missionary lessons and questions, then going to 4 years of seminary everyday before school. Then church every Sunday 3 hrs block. Then classes every few months on doctrine, going to the temple, Personal study many hours a week this is all on going all the time. Not about just my religion but others also so I can be tolerant of them and understanding.

Over the years before I was LDS I studied with JW for over a year Baptist many years Visited many religions Buddhist, Catholicism even delved in to witchcraft for a time and have a personal knowledge of why I wish not to be apart of that lifestyle.

I do not blindly believe I studied hard to get to where I am now and have been LDS for many years now.
I feel I have answered your question as compete as I can. Not all Christians just blindly follow we study too.
Hope this helps Diane

Answer 7

I don't know where you get your information, but you are way off. Many people commute, even long distances, to attend services at a particular church, because that group of people shares a common theology. The "pastor" or "minister" or whatever he/she is called, doesn't determine a believer's faith. The most they can hope to do, is educate people about certain spiritual points (that some haven't thought about before) and inspire/convict the fellow worshippers to live in a way consistent with what they say they believe.

Many of us already educate ourselves. I don't know why you think we don't?

Answer 8

Always seek knowledge.

One cannot have God for his Father, who will not have the Church for his Mother, and likewise, one cannot have the Word of God for his faith who will not have the Church for his teacher. It is the infallible teaching authority of the Church, as promised by Christ, which alone preserves God's Word from erroneous interpretation.

The means that God give us to know what he has taught must be an infallible means. For if it be a means that can lead us astray, it can be no means at all. It must be an infallible means, so that if a man makes use of that means, he will infallibly, without fear of mistake or error, be brought to a knowledge of all the truths that God has taught.

Christ sent His Apostles with authority to teach all nations, and never gave them any command of writing the Bible. And the Apostles went forth and preached everywhere, and planted the Church of God throughout the earth, but never thought of writing.

It is Divine Faith alone by which we give honor and glory to God, by which we adore His infinite wisdom and veracity. That adoration and worship is necessary for salvation.

Answer 9

Why do Christians choose to follow instead of educate themselves?

your statement cuts both ways. look at every class room in America from grammar school to major universities. students take in large part the opinions and attitudes of the respective instructors into their own thought & value process. just as in the world of academia the christian world emphazizes to study, test, and examine everything by being open minded to other possiblities but not just blindly accepting everything. the difference comes down to one of faith. some choose by the "evidence to put faith in God, His word and His People" others choose to put faith in "Science,Darwin,Einstien, & others"

if you truly wish to proof your theries about christianity then do as the Great aithiest C.S. Lewis did: study the bible with an open mind sincerely looking for the truth. even with a prebias intent he found the truth.

Answer 10

You certainly have a lot of wrong ideas about what Christians do, friend, and an unflattering readiness to present ignorant presumptions as facts. Sounds as if YOU could use some education, and I don't mean the do-it-yourself variety!

Answer 11

Wow! You just airbrushed Christianity! I was raised in a church and couldn't stand being there. I ran from it for 23 years. It is only when I sought truth and meaning to life did I question if God was really there. And if He was there, what is truth?.......Then He showed me "Unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven." John 3:3.