What is the basis of your belief?

Question

Last weekend I noticed a question about letting Mormon Missionaries or Jehovah Witnesses into your house. I can’t find the question now, but except for a nice person in the North West, people said that they would not let them in. Some would consider this close-minded, but I realize I would not let other religions into my house, yet I do not consider myself close-minded.

I don’t want this to be about being close-minded, or proving anything. I want to know what the basis or reason for your belief is. I do not think it is simply people with faith and people without faith. There are too many different religious views. Even within Christianity there are many different views. If reading the bible was enough I would think the Jehovah Witnesses would be given more respect in their beliefs. Why reject someone claiming to know something new or different about God?

If you don’t believe in God hopefully you can come up with more than a one liner.

I guess I did not word my question as I thought. I wanted to know why you believe what you do. If you said "because the bible says so" I would want to know why you believe in the bible. If you then said “because I feel that the things in it are true” I would accept that, but I would still want more if you said “because it is true”.

Answer 1

I was raised in the Catholic Church, but was lucky enough to be surrounded by people who not only allowed but ENCOURAGED me to ask questions and learn about other systems of belief. So I do question and listen, but I've chosen to remain Catholic.

The basis? Seems like you're asking me WHY I believe what I believe. As lame as it may sound, it just "clicks" for me. There is something that rings true in Catholic Christianity and its practices that I haven't found anywhere else. Now, that doesn't mean I agree with everything the Church teaches and does (far from it), but it's the best fit I've found to help me live a life pleasing (I hope) to God.

I don't invite missionaries into my home for a couple of reasons. One is that I just don't invite strangers into my home, period. (Single woman here, I like to be safe.) A second reason is that since I work, I usually only encounter missionaries during my off time, which is usually meal time. Not exactly when I prefer to discuss theology, for the most part. And third, I've found that most of them are only interested in converting me, not having a meaningful discussion.

So I will often offer them a bottle of water or cup of coffee for the road and with them well, but I don't invite them in. Maybe one of them would like to meet me for coffee some place for a discussion some time... never thought of that.

Answer 2

Consider, some 4000 years ago, how the people of the world viewed Jews with their strange idea that there was just one God?

Consider how some 2000 years ago, how the Jews viewed their fellow Jews who were teaching that an uneducated, carpenter and member of the Jewish lower class was actually the Messiah? They knew this could not be possible, because when the Messiah appears, the enemies of the Jews are to be destroyed.

Now consider another group, JWs, have come out with what their brethren Christians consider strange ideas. They see the signs of the second presence of Christ, but their brethren Christians see that as impossible, as he has not destroyed the enemies of Christians.

Isn't there something about three events in the Bible meaning something?

Answer 3

Now, perhaps more than at any other time in the history of humankind, many people are confused and disoriented, and wonder about the reason and purpose of their lives. Over 95% of all the people in the world claim to belong to an organized religion. Almost all religions preach the value and dignity of human life and how to attain salvation. But, with the exception of Judaism, which is not obsessed in trying to convert others, these religions have as a major goal to increase their adepts. The lack of conscientiousness in most human beings, despite being self-labeled as religious, is evident. The only way to eliminate corruption and violence is to BECOME AWARE of the many things we hear and say but do not heed....

Answer 4

"Faith comes by hearing". (Romans 10:17)

What your faith is depends on what you hear.

If you believe in evolution, it is because someone has taught you about evolution. (Very few have examined the evidence for themselves.)

I believe Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. I have never seen Mount Everest, and I have definitely never measured it, but I believe it is the tallest because someone taught me that.

True faith in God comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Multiple times in the Bible, we are instructed "he that has an ear, let him hear". The voice of the Father said of Jesus "Hear ye Him". (Matthew 15:5)

I believe the Bible is the word of God. My faith, therefore, comes from hearing the words of the Bible. I want a "thus saith the Lord" (a book, chapter, and verse) for everything I believe and practice as a Christian. I demand a Bible answer for Bible questions! I will not settle for an answer that says "I think...", "I feel...", "My opinion is..." or "This preacher says..." I will welcome those opinions, but then those must be compared to the scriptures to see if they are true! (Acts 17:11)

There are many conflicting opinions in the world on religious doctrine, "nevertheless what saith the Scripture?" (Gal. 4:30) I want to hear the Word of God on the matter!

Answer 5

I am an agnostic. I've studied all kinds of religions. I like religion as a subject to be studied. While I would not let these people into my homes it has nothing to do with religion. Creeps come from all walks of life. That's what I won't let in.
I like to think I use common sense when it comes to my basis for beliefs. I like facts, and religion is mostly speculative.

Answer 6

we've no singular text fabric or supposedly infallible e book to attraction to from. There are some products of cloth that we detect powerful for coaching others, yet no longer something that we are able to element to and say, "that's our holy e book." As for evidence of our ideals being "real"...Wicca is a faith of adventure. we don't purely examine our ideals--we live them. We make each attempt to speak to the Lord and lady and hear what they might desire to assert. We pass out to sense the sunlight on our faces, the wind in our hair, and the turning of the earth under our ft. We carry out rituals with others and adventure the flexibility that rises and builds, finally washing out to alter the international, possibly in straight forward terms a sprint, for the extra effective. We see examples of "as above, so under" and the regulation of three-fold return everywhere we seem. that's element of the explanation why Wiccans, even from those of an identical custom, will all prepare their faith slightly in a distinctive way. We each adventure the Goddess in a different way, because of the fact we are unique beings. And this, i think, is to be inspired.

Answer 7

Teaching bible truth is good.

Teaching bible truth "more correctly" is better.

(James 2:19) You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.

(Acts 18:24-28) Apollos... was well versed in the Scriptures. This man had been orally instructed in the way of Jehovah and, as he was aglow with the spirit, he went speaking and teaching with correctness the things about Jesus... When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him into their company and expounded the way of God more correctly to him.

Answer 8

Basic beliefs

You may have questions about what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe. Some of the basic beliefs of the Church are:
God is our Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to return to Him.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is our Savior. He redeems us from death by providing the Resurrection. He saves us from sin as we repent.
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can return to live with God if we keep His commandments.
The Holy Ghost helps us to recognize truth.
The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth.
The priesthood authority of God exists in His Church today, just as it did in the original Church.
The Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God.
God reveals His will to prophets today, just as He did anciently.
Our life has a sacred purpose.
Families can be together forever.
Through serving others, we can experience joy and draw closer to God.

Answer 9

Because God is God. His Word, the Bible, says who he is. He is never changing. He is the same.

You can't create God in your own image, which is what alot of religions do, and even people who are not particularly religious do.

People try to conform God to a God that fits their needs -- therefore, "all roads lead to God." Hogwash. We are not to create God to our needs. He created us!

Alot of faiths do this. Mormonism and JWs, included.

I don't invite them into my home. But, I do witness to them about the truth.

Others won't believe as I do. But, think about this:

Who is bigger? Us or God?

Who is the Creator? God
Who is the created? Us

God made His rules. They are in His Word. Any religion that tries to alter His Word is a false religion.

Answer 10

My beliefs are found in the God's Word the Bible.