Question for the religious: Why?

Question

Why do you choose to believe what you believe? What impels you to believe in something that has no proof?

Please, no "I believe because I believe" or any other similar tautological, meaningless statement.

I'd like to believe that the religious are not just mindless sheep that believe what they're told to believe.

A belief system is not like a physical/emotional sensation, so if you believe something, you should be able to articulate why.

And if you have evidence that you "honestly" had to agree with, by all means share it here.

Answer 1

for the same reason you choose not to believe.

everyone has a unique experience, and an exposure to something greater than themselves. Whether this is seen in nature, in other people, in history, or internally, some arrive at a conclusion based on that experience.

Most people are looking for peace, happiness, and a meaning to life. For some, that means believing. For others, that means not believing.

I believe, because, in my experience, it has brought me the most peace.

Answer 2

For me, it started by being raised in the Catholic Church. I had a good experience as a kid - people were willing to let me ask questions and admit when they didn't have an answer.

As an adult, it's a bit more complicated, obviously. I can sense that there is a "truth" out there, one that I can try to verbalize and still only scratch the surface. In that truth is that there must be a reason for being here, something greater than us, and a way to treat others. For me, Christianity, Catholic Christianity in particular, has done the best job of putting form to that truth. It just "clicks" and the more I read and reflect and discussion, the more sure I am of that click.

I don't think my religion has the only expression of the truth - I just believe that it has the "best" expression of that truth, especially for what I personally want and need.

Answer 3

Why do you wear shoes everyday?

I could sit here and tell you story's and drop scriptures but that wouldn't answer your question. Of course there is no hard evidence that there is a God.

How do you explain medical miracles? Even the ones the Dr's cant explain. There are so many things that are not concrete that no one can find the answer to...ever. If everything was "Science" wouldn't there eventually be an answer? There is an explanation as to why things happen even when there is no "answer".

I know that there is a God because of all of these things. I trust that they fit into his marvelous plan. And I trust in him because there is always one constant in my life and its his love. I feel it. so I guess my answer is not because I believe but because I know.

Through everything that has ever happened to me (and a lot has) I have his eternal love. And no I am not brainwashed. Believe me I have picked apart God and Religion as much as I could, but I always come up with the same answer. There is a God, he does have a plan for us, he loves us, and will always be there.

Answer 4

I believe what I believe due to personal experiences and revelations.

I have read things that boosted my views and helped give them coherency, but they did not give me the ideas, they merely gave them more distinct form and vocabulary.

no proof? define proof. I have had personal experiences that very distinctively "proved" to me that certain things were so. why would my being able to endow that knowlege/understanding/experience on anyone else, have any influence on my knowing it or not?

if you know Calculus, does being in a room with a bunch of kindergardeners, mean the calculus no longer functions, is true, or applies, because the people you are around, can't understand it?

if you were in a room full of people who were blind, would you doubt that you could see, or what your eyes showed you, because the others in the room, could not see?

do you feel that you have seen all there is to see, and there is nothing that you cannot percieve? the fact a person born without eyes, cannot see, does not change that a seeing person can in fact, see. if a blind person were only exposed to other blind people, and were not shown sighted-people with seriousness, would they be prone to beliving that they were "missing" anything? or is that "lack" only in comparison to the status quo that HAS that.

something for you to think about... what if in some sense, anyway, that some portion of spiritual awareness is simply a sense similar to seeing, compared to a status quo of blindness.

Answer 5

I can feel Him!! Living for Him has changed my life for the better!! I used to be an alcoholic (25yrs) When he took that sin from me, I know that He took it because when I woke up one morning without a hangover, there were no withdrawals, the cravings were gone, just as if I never had a drink in my life!! 6 yrs and not a drop!! When I praise Him, I speak in an unknown language that the Bible calls tongues, and it feels so GOOD!! It is the Ultimate High!! My initial High lasted for days!! Now I get it when I am in prayer or praising and worshipping Him!!

Answer 6

Because I have continually tested my faith and it came out stronger each time. I read Thomas Paine's Age of Reason several times over. I learned Greek to see if the Bible was mistranslated. I studied history to see if the Bible was altered. I studied the dark points in Christian history and found many bright spots that people omitted from the history books.

I have always investigated my faith, and never have I been let down, in fact the more I would probe the more evidence I would find.

Answer 7

I have seen no much that cant be explained even by the best scientists and doctors. There are parts of this world that according the the laws of science just cant happen, and other parts of this world that are just to complex to be evolving by chance.
To much happens with prayer. And not just those the mind believes kind of things, but things happen when the person doesn't know they are being prayed for, or if they don't believe at all.
Most people are scared by a final end to this life, or they just dont want to admit to themselves what they think in the back of thier mind. I just happen to know that my gut feelings (while not alway agreeing with the set belifes) are to close to them to say that something is not going on. I have felt a presence when I totally belive with all my heart, and truly listen for it. I cant deny what I have experianced and more than I could deney my eye color, or who my family is. It just is!

Answer 8

Well I wouldnt consider myself "religeious" because even Jesus didnt like the "religious" but the only reason I believe what I believe is because when I almost gave up in life I gave God one last try and it was the ONLY thing that made me feel like I had purpose in life and i'm definetely not one for fairy tales my favorite websites were all Theology and science (still are) but I want to be able to feel what i believe and know that its real so when put my life complely in God everything I was looking for was found.

Answer 9

I'm wondering what it would be like not to believe? When you do believe you have a comfort inside.It's hard to explain,maybe everyone has this I don't know .But if something make's you try and be a better person can this be so bad??When you believe you don't need proof It's called faith.So maybe I'm a mindless sheep.I think maybe I have a new name for myself " HEY" I hear his voice.

Answer 10

I base my life on Islam.

Believe in God, believe in muhammad(pbuh) and Quran.
Don't lie,don't annoy,don't kill,don't steal and many other good things.

pray 5 times a day, by praying 5 times a day i automatically wash my hands and face and feet 5(3)times a day. and it's a good thing since i always have to do it and it's good for the health too.

i see Islam as a good way of life which will make me succesful(i don't mean rich and powerful). and it has already helped me alot in my decisions and my plans for the future.