Do most people have copy-cat faith and tend to believe what those around them believe?

Question

Is copy-cat or hearsay faith a sound foundation for belief?

Answer 1

People tend to copy-cat the faith of their parents. If you are born in a Muslim country to Muslim parents, there is a 99.9999999% chance that you will grow up to be a devout Muslim who believes the Qur'an is the undisputed word of God and that all other religions are false.

If you are born in a Christian country to Christian parents, there is a 99.8% chance that you will grow up to be a devout Christian who believes the Bible is the undisputed word of God and that all other religions are false.

Do you see a trend here? The same rule applies to other religions and locations as well. In today's world, the failure or success of a religion depends completely upon the ability of that religion's followers to make lots of babies. (Which ironically, is why the Catholic Church has been opposed to birth control all this time. It's only since the women's liberation movement that Muslims have started to outpace non-Muslims).

Answer 2

Of course all people relate to what they are exposed to. But then we all are products of our environment, aren't we? We are on this site now reading and writing because our parents sent us to school. Of course too, it is human nature to follow ones parents.
If that means we copy-cat, then, of course, that is so. Also there is the sense that humans want to belong to the group, that is human nature also.

But if not for others, where would any belief system come from?
Surely a person can be self educated but even then all books were written by someone whose opinion is what they wrote. One could, I suppose, be kept in the dark, so to speak, but still sooner or later the traits and opinions of others will govern what they think and believe. It is not possible to not show ones opinions of things without reveling ones belief system. All of the world is based on, as you say, "hearsay faith", since we are all products of our environment. Surely many Christians over the years have doubted their faith, and just as many non-believers have become Christians. Same is true of all beliefs, isn't it?

Answer 3

It's a good start. That's the whole point of simple sound foundation (interesting wording on your part) ministry. If someone tells people enough about everything that THIS religion has to offer, hopefully the people will investigate further into that religion and decide that maybe there's something TO it.

Answer 4

studies have shown: imitative behavior is common among social creatures. often one elder leading a pack, geese flying in a v or bees following a guide bee to work together. Humans indeed have this trait in spades, early games like follow the leader and repeating your parents speach are essential to us. Group studies showed that many people would give knowingly false answers to fit in. Asked which line is longer many would eventually give in after a couple examples and they'd start answering the same as the group who was lying.

This whole thing has led to many unfortunate consequences, wars, hate, and suicide in response to a celebrity suicide (Cobain et al). and suicide bombers reflecting the image of the martyr or hero.

Answer 5

When people are truly led by the Holy Spirit they may very well be members of a particular church with certain rituals and dogma but they put their hope in God and not man. Man has failed in attempts to contol man whereas God never fails to bring about His Will at His appointed time!

Answer 6

Its not a corner stone just how many little girls are gonna be wanting to shave their heads because Brittany Spears did..Sounds like Idol worship

Answer 7

this is actually not far from the truth. i have no doubt that they dearly believe in their faith, but they fear too much to venture off from the paved path that others have set before them.

i consider myself a christian, not because i agree with its teachings, but because its teachings agree with me. when you venture off the paved path you get a sense of vulnerability. when you become vulnerable, you question that which you know. what i know now is that, because i haven't truly copy-catted faith, i have my own convictions founded on my own experiences. many of christian teachings happen to just see eye to eye with me.

Answer 8

You just described most religions. People need to put more faith in God alone and alot less time in what their religion says.

Answer 9

most people are 'sheep' and follow, herded along to all sorts of things, whether it is religion, news, politics, oil, media, clothing/fashion, television, food, fads, weight, diet - the list is endless. It seems to me that 'people' are becoming stupider every year, i personally blame reality TV and Global business greed.
There is another way...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_lama

Answer 10

It's not unusual to be influenced by those around you.

For example, someone who grows up in the US is more likely to be interested in basketball rather than soccer.