Have you ever investigated other churches? Not just relying upon what people say, but actually doing some investigating? It seems to me that once a person embraces a faith, they become very narrow minded and almost deaf to any other thinking. If you have honestly investigated other churches, can you please tell me which ones, and why they were not for you?
2007-01-23 10:09:29 · 35 answers · asked by cclleeoo 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my whole life - 26 years.
I have visted several other churches - Catholic, Baptist, Christian.
I can tell you, the spirit felt at MY church and the spirit felt at the others are totally different. I have never felt a "bad" spirit being at another church - just different.
At my church, there is such a feeling of peace and love and truth I have not found anywhere else.
The Holy Ghost has witnessed to me in my heart and in my mind many many times that the church I belong to is the only completely true church on the earth. Many others have half-truths and some good, but not the fulness of the gospel as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
*Also, I do not believe there are "false" religions, just "not complete" ones...I believe mine is the only complete.
2007-01-23 10:28:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have visited on several occassions the following churches and religions and lack thereofs:
1. Baptist
2. Catholic
3. Mormon
4. Nazarene
5. Lutheran
6. Methodist
7. Universalist Unitarian
8. 4 Square
9. Open Bible
10. Non-Denominational
11. Greek
12. 7-th Day Avanists
13. Jehova's witnesses
14. Protestant...
15. Satanist
16. Buddhist
I've also been agnostic and an athiest. Now i'm sure there were more...but those are the only ones i can recall. They are all relatively the same, yet have their differences. None of them were for me. Wicca was/is. Blessed Be!
2007-01-23 10:16:07 · answer #2 · answered by Moon Goddess 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, I'm an atheist but I have investigated a bunch of other churches, everything from catholicism/christianity to buddhism to laveyan satanism and quite a bit more. But then I think it's the nature of atheists to educate ourselves! :)
I have noticed a trend for people of faith to only pay attention to their own beliefs and not even take the time to consider others. I've seen christians laugh off other beliefs as "pagan gods", and so on. However I will be interested to see the responses to this question...
2007-01-23 10:15:55 · answer #3 · answered by Kit 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Born/baptized Byzantine Catholic (studied that analytically for over 20 years, including Roman Catholicism - found no logic in it and lots of dogmatic changes, hypocrisy, etc.)
While questioning my main religion of birth, I studied Islam for over 10 years, analytically from every angle, compared and contrasted it with Catholicism, etc. studied Shia, Wahhabism, Sunnis, liberal and conservative.... found no logic to support the claims made there either, too many dogmatic arguments and very little agreement and some serious hypocrisy)
While studying the 2 above I also examine LDS for 3 years, Lutherans, Baptists and so on and quickly "bored" with them, writing LDS off totally as "cultish".
While studying Catholicism and Islam I started studying the history of religions all the way back to before monotheism, and ran into neo-Paganism and Wicca but left Wicca when I ran into Buddhism while studying Hindu pantheons and Hinduism for fun. The logic of the Buddha's teachings kept hitting right home and became, through more skepticism and analytical study, irrefutable to me.
I still respect all religions and non... whatever works for others is good unless it's being used by someone as some kind of ego boost or weapon.
_()_
2007-01-23 10:24:57 · answer #4 · answered by vinslave 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i'm a Christian and I married a Jewish man. I've studied the faith, talked about it, annoyed my mother-in-law just for existing. Frankly I just didn't feel "the call." I love the Jewish holidays. I believe we worship the same God. But to the Jews I know, God doesn't have much to do with their everyday lives, and if I were going to convert, I'd want it to mean something.
Also, Jesus has shown up in my life in an amazing way. I couldn't live without Him. This is more true now than it was then.
2007-01-23 10:24:12 · answer #5 · answered by rcpeabody1 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I have. I'm Jewish, and I know a great deal about Catholicism and Islam. They just don't make sense to me.
Catholocism - and all Christianity, for that matter - doesn't make sense to me. How can we know that Jesus rose from the dead? He was a great teacher, and might have been a prophet, but someone could have just robbed his grave. Also, why do I need to use a mediator to apologize for what I've done? And if I just tell someone what I've done, how does that grant me forgiveness for my sins? One more thing, strictly about Catholicism, and I'm sure many Christians agree with me as well: worshipping the saints seems like idol worship. I understand it's because the Church needed something to make the transition to Christianity easier, but still.
Islam - Closer to Judaism, but it seems a bit too focused on Muhammed. If he was a prophet, but everyone else was too, then why do Muslims not use the Christian Bible? Or the Jewish Bible? And if he was just a prophet, why pray to him? Jews don't pray to Moses. A story actually says that God buried him without marking where the grave was to make sure people didn't get too focused on Moses and start to idolize him.
2007-01-23 10:18:13 · answer #6 · answered by Sarah 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Hi, cclleeoo. My dear friend, instead of investigating the churches, mosques, temples etc. devote a little time to enter into your inner church that is inside your body. Don't waste time in exploring your religious belifs outside. God is in you, with you, of you, by you and for you. Open your inner eye by closing your outer eyes. Embrace no faith but entangle yourself with super consciousness that is within you. Let there be a silent communication between you, the created, and the Creator, the God. Pray for the welfare of all creatures: SARVE JANAH SUKHINO BHAVANTHU.
2007-01-23 11:07:44 · answer #7 · answered by SRIRANGAM G 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I didn't start by investigating churches. I started by defining my personal beliefs, and then seeking out a religion that matches. In my case, that's Wicca.
I'm open to all ideas. That doesn't mean I AGREE with all ideas, though. When someone says "I disagree," a lot of people hear, "I'm intolerant of your beliefs" or "I need more convincing." I think most would agree that the Christians are the ones most often guilty of these attitudes.
2007-01-23 10:15:37 · answer #8 · answered by Huddy 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Well, I'm Jewish, and we learn alot in school about other religions, so I guess that's kind of the Same thing. But I mean if you're totally satisfied with your religion, and you have no questions, than why would you need to research others? Unless someone asked a really good question that really stumped you, than a logical person would just assume that he's doing the right thing, no?
2007-01-23 10:22:32 · answer #9 · answered by way2kewl4u1224 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
actually i looked into quite a few. the one i liked best was with the Buddhists.
i kind of think that i take a little of this and a little of that and do what feels good for me.
the thing i do not like is when a certain religion, like you say, gets narrow minded and everyone else is wrong.
if worshiping god requires me to have to kill someone of a different faith that makes me think that that particular religion is not right for anyone of that faith. i don't think god sat down and said if someone doesn't believe the way you do kill them. not very religious to me!
2007-01-23 10:21:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋