Does "RELIGIOUS TRUTH" depend on your parents' religion, your culture, & the era in which you are born?

Question

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A person's religious beliefs are hugely dependent on their parents religion, the culture in which they are raised, and the time period in which they are born.

Biblical scholars can even track the changing personality of God through the Bible, as the culture shifted through the centuries.

Doesn't this indicate that so-called religious "truth" simply reinforces its family, cultural, and generational setting?

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Answer 1

Excellent, excellent point!! Although I lean towards Buddhism by choice, my parents brought me up to be a christian. for many years I did not question this. Then I realized that they could of told me that god was a carrot and I would of believed them just the same. Unfortunately religion is not the only thing that depends on culture and or family. Look at fashion and vocabulary. Its the age old question. Do we choose who we are or is it dictated by our surroundings? How can we ever know?

Answer 2

I agree with you. However, be careful on your conclusion. Scientific truth is also affected by your time era, and even your culture. (try publishing scientific data declaring a minority or a sex is inferior in some way, and see how far that gets in this culture) And like religious studies, science has gone through it's own periods of stagnation and enlightenment.

It also seems that you only have Christianity in mind for your example, while other religions have actually exhibited very strong tendencies for stability.

So while there are many true and amuzing arguments about the whimsy of religion, the evolution of thought within any discipline, even theology, is a natural condition, and is not an indicator of validity.

Answer 3

For many people it does because they don't want to travel too far away from tradition. For me, not in the least, lol! I grew up in a Baptist family, mostly white with the exception of a cousin who married a Jewish man, and my niece who is 1/4 African. To me religious truth was something I had to discover and learn for myself, as well as family and cultural values. I think if I hadn't gone out and searched I'd be stuck in the same cycle as my family, following tradition simply because it's tradition, it's how things go. I do believe that the culture, religion and era you are born into plays a huge factor, but I don't believe it is definite in how a person evolves within him/herself.

And this is slightly off topic, but revolves around the same issue: doing/believing in something because it is expected from you. I asked this question and unfortunately I haven't recieved very many answers. None at all from the people I was directing it to.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlrWrtclPTs22Wx6tuxUzwDsy6IX?qid=20070127080257AAzCpkD

Answer 4

TRUTH OR FACTS

God created angels Job 38:4-7; Job 2:1,2; Rev.5:11 [ angels are vast in number ];
John 17:3,5,24; Col.1:15-17; Rev.3:14; A SPECIAL FIRST CREATION [ It's Jesus ];
Gen.1:26 God Said,"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Jesus & Adam.

Truth depends on your knowledge of the bible in your life time.

John 8:32; You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
John 17:17 Sanctify them thru thy truth; thy word is truth.

Gen.8:21 The imagination of man's hear is evil from his youth. Man hard to deal with.
Man has fallen into sin, so he is born that way.
Gen.6:2,4 and Luke 20:34-36; Angels do not die, but they do deliberate sin, as before the flood, but these are confined at Jude 6; 1Pet.3:18-20; 2Pet:2:4 and 1Cor.6:2,3; Saints are judges. Then since the flood one third of the angels are with Satan.

BEFORE CHRIST SECOND RETURN AS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD John 3:16;

Michael of Jude 9; and Dan.12:1-13 end times with holy angel cast Satan and unholy angel out of heaven Rev.12:1-12; SATAN HAS A SHORT TIME.
Matt.25:31-34; Holy angels separate sheep from the goat that will have a short time.

2Pet.3:13; There will be a new heavens and a new earth. Rev.21:1-5 ALL MADE NEW.

TRUTH IS NEAR TO BEYOND THE IMAGINATION OF MAN

Answer 5

I don't believe a bit of that.

God may have had to deal with people differently throughout scripture, but that is because man is ever-changing.

Also after the flood, God said He would never do that to man again, so He had to exercise His power in other ways.

God has always used whatever power necessary to get the peoples attention.

I am not sure how you can equate these differences with a changing truth.

Any difference in the OT and the NT is this:
In the OT, God judged you by your works.
In the NT, God judges you by His grace.

That is not a changing God, but a God who went to unusual means to provide that grace for you.

Why did He do that?
It is not because He changed, but because man wouldn't change.
He was faced with destroying all of mankind or giving mankind a means to stay in His grace.

grace2u

Answer 6

I was brought up in a religious free environment so my beliefs are the product of my own objective study and exploration of different philosophies and religions. The only one I found credible from a logical viewpoint was Buddhism.

Answer 7

God understands the circumstances into which we are born, a good Muslim will go to heaven just as a good Christian.
Religous truth is being a good person and serving our God.
People of all faiths go to Heaven.
Only those who know the word GOD, and reject Him, they are the ones who will be punished.

Answer 8

In my case generational strongly applies. I have felt much of what I believe now since I was a child with a few changes acquired through age.

Answer 9

ALL of the above. Your religious belief depends on mostly where and when you were born.

If these Jesus freaks happen to be born in Saudi Arabia, take a good guess what their religion would be.

Answer 10

No. Neither of my parents are religious, but I am deeply religious and I am raising my children in a christian home. I believe it is a personal choice that everyone must make.