Christians: Why did you choose Christianity after methodically exploring the other religions?

Question

Have you studied every other religion (Islam, Wiccan, etc.) and found them not to fulfill your spiritual needs? What methods should one use to choose a religion? With the internet available the possibilities are endless.

I'm not looking for a "Bible told me so" answer. The interest is in how you choose Christianity after researching all the others.

Answer 1

I know you asked this of christians but I just HAD to respond. I'm an atheist. But I was raised in a very strict christian household. I never knew there were other religions until I got older and got more educated. My parents taught me christianity so in essence I was brainwashed into believing that was the truth. I was just going merrily along as a christian until I began to explore other religions. You see I had started having doubts about god. As I learned more and really began to soul search that is when I decided that I am an atheist.

Answer 2

THANKYOU for asking a question not designed to provoke!
I am a christian and yes i have researched other religions and spiritual beliefs.
I have found that the foundations of the other faiths is often... not to my liking.
For instance i believe Wiccan beliefs, whilst fundamentally good, are not going to achieve anything. We join the earth spirit or something along those lines (from what i was able to research i found that). Buddhism was the same an excellent way to live - i'd recommend it to people - but i dont believe it is a religion: it simply says be peacful and do nice things.
Essentially it comes down to the idea of death and what happens there after - for that i even went "back in time" and explored ancient religions. I've found however that many contemporary and ancient religious beliefs require physical struggle or "death" sacrificing.
Christianity i think has all the positive aspects (well most) whilst saying "god knows you aren't perfect; if you acknowledge it too and ask for his help he'l give it" AND step two "ask for forgive through the sacrifice of Jesus" thats it.
Live your life how you want... maybe it appeals to me because it could be called the lazy mans religion... but hey it works for me. Some people it wont so its really personal choice. I think i am right but i have no problems with people disagreeing with me.

Hope that helped a lil...

Answer 3

I thank all the atheists who answered for Christians but not so much. Unlike some assume my parents were not practicing Christians. I do not go along with things just to be in the swing of it. I have studied other religions even joined a Wicca group where everyone 'got along' not so much. It came to me at an early age when I realized there must be a God, not at an emotional breakdown.
Science says there must be a God as 'nothing' could have possibly created DNA or a living cell. There are ancient artifacts and etchings depicting Biblical accounts. The Ark is on Mt. Ararat right where the Bible says. I believe the Shroud of Turin has to be real with all it's detail. There are accounts of Christian persecution and the man Jesus that agnostics wrote of during that time.
God does answer my prayers and since I reckon there can only be one Creator I pick the One that makes sense to me, the God and Father of the Living Word. God bless.

Answer 4

The answer is simple, yet more complex than any concept we can know. I did not 'choose' Christianity based on its religious qualities. When viewed as a religion, Christianity is no different than any other religion. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other religion. Christianity is different as a relationship. It is not a religion, it is a lifestyle you live and a path you follow, holding true to the greatest relationship you will ever know.
Yes, I've studied religions, but all are the same. Not in their values, or traditions, but differences to not separate, marr, or mark each religion. I have felt the closeness of that friend which is closer than a brother, which I have seen nowhere else. I have seen miraculous sights, and felt God moving in ways I did not, until I became a Christian, know were possible. So I suppose, in answer to your question, I did not choose Christianity. I found my Breath, my Reason, and my Saviour. The title of Christian simply came with Him.

Answer 5

I haven't really chosen any religion. But Christ's teachings are spot on and no other religion really conflicts with his teachings. It was Christian teaching that started me wanting to find the truth and I ended up reading virtually every scripture of every faith.

I became more troubled as there seemed to be so much difference between the varying scriptures. I prayed and found that I had to look inside myself for my answer. I'm not a huge believer in people who say they had a "great revelation!" and were filled with joy etc. as they sound like fraud's to me. Most end up flitting from one faith to the next and have another revelation.

Mine wasn't a big deal. I just felt very different and the anxiety went away very quickly. Now I look to all scriptures for advice.

i'll go on record that I gave away my copy of the Qur'an a few days after 11/09/01 (I'm English - I haven't got the date wrong).
I still don't feel that I should accept it as part of my faith while those who proclaim to be it's strongest adherants have such a vile and evil way of expressing themselves. The strongest muslims I have ever met are quiet, considerate, kind, faithful, tender human beings and have always listened and understood how I feel about the Qur'an.

I suppose i try to live life like a Taoist and a Christian and a Sadhu and a Buddhist - there is no conflict there for me...there just is for other people as they want definite answers as to what I am. I am what I am and refuse to jump in to somebody elses rigidly defined
box of conformity. I'll get some thumbs downs for that!

Answer 6

I grew up being taught about Christianity, although I didn't become a Christian until I was 22. I recently took a world religions class, which focused on the other 'major' world religions... I spent the most time on Islam. It's really hard to say 'I would have done this' or 'I would have done that'... but I will say the one thing that is totally different with Christianity is that we worship a God who loves us. From my class, I did not see the same kind of love/compassion/sacrifice/forgiveness that comes through from God to people in Christianity in any other religion.

Answer 7

I grew up with parents who were not Christian an actually into spirituality by other forms. I am a Christian and made that decison for myself after be exposed to many other forms of Spirituality. My mainly choose Christianity because i knew after experiencing having a life, having a personal relationship with my maker that i was in the truth. Ideally Christianity should be spiritual and not religious it is very personal and it is sad that many people are turned off by Christianity do to the regulations, doctrines that main has put into to Christianity.

Answer 8

i guess it depends on the individual as some christians don't bother to look at different religions as they were brought up as christian and have stuck with while others have decided to become christians after studying different religions and feel that it met their demands anyway i was both a catholic and protestant christian and now i'm not and i studied islam and the qu'ran but none of those religions is for me i will keep looking at different things anyway i have a few interests so far but ahh whatever lol

Answer 9

I won't lie I honestly don't know if Christianity is the best for me. I was born Catholic and raised Catholic. The people I grew up with was Catholic. Our grade school was very close and we loved each other a lot. I loved the love that we had because we together we're all Catholic. I have prayed to God and he has shown me what to do. He never really has shown me what religion, but he has shown me that love is the answer for the world. Catholics are very loving, particularly my parish. For example I just got back from our confirmation retreat and it was the most loving experience I have ever had. You could feel the love in the air. That is why I want to stay apart of the Catholic community. I kind of like Islam to because I have seen it is very loving to, but I know that Christianity is right for me because of the personal experience I have had.

Answer 10

Atheist Eye Candy-since when have you had the power of mind reading?That's a very arrogant assumption of yours.You would do well to ask each person individually,instead of making such blind,false statements.But perhaps you won't take heed to anything I say-because you believe that most Christians are lying.