Why do people so strongly believe in God and the Bible...?

Question

when they don't actually research what they believe, they just believe what other people tell them?
And then why do some people who do this criticise others for not believing?

I'm only talking about some people. But I myself have done a lot of research. I think it's obvious that I don't believe, but I respect the opinions of those that do, especially if they have a reason and don't just blindly follow the masses, or do what a person tells them to.

Answer 1

It's really a matter of evolution, ironically.

Almost all of us are raised as believers, in the United States, anyway. Of course people come in the whole spectrum of willingness to question their beliefs, with some completely open to questioning and research, others moderately open to it, and others completely opposed to such questioning.

Now, the evidence for God's existence is simply not there - there isn't any at all. That means that all of the strong questioners and moderate questioners will have to conclude that there is no God. That leaves as believers just the people who are unwilling to question their religious beliefs: the people you asked about, who "so strongly believe in God and the Bible".

At the same time, religions evolve, and for a religion to persist, it has to attract and retain adherents. In this situation, that means it has to exalt "not questioning" and "certainty in one's beliefs" as high values, something to be strived for and celebrated, rather than for the character flaws that they really are.

A religion also has to develop defenses against others' questioning - hence the believers here who read your question and responded by falsely claiming that they HAD researched their beliefs and all of the believers who come here claiming to have evidence or even proof for the existence of God. That's also why so many believers come here with no apparent purpose other than to berate and belittle people who don't share their beliefs, as well as why they are so susceptible to religious propaganda (e.g., the folks who cite "answersingenesis.org" as though it were a meaningful source of real information).

Answer 2

Your question indicates that you believe most people do not do the research but only believe what others say. I'd have to say my experience is that those who "strongly" believe are those who have actually done the research and have a basis for their belief not just because someone told them. Those are also the ones who have a relationship with God.

There is a move to discredit all Christians by pointing out the exceptions rather than the rule and trying to generalize everything to make them look bad. Is seems to me believing this without actually doing the research and meeting many different groups

Answer 3

Friend, I study my own Bible & have been for 37 yrs. I don't just take what someone says, If someone tells me something & it is not in the scriptures I will not acept it,I have done many researches, in my last 37 yrs. & when I first got saved in May 1970, I was caught up in a do as the preacher says or you are doomed, For 4 yrs. I listen to that & then I was starting to have problem them between 1970 & 1974 with my Pastor, Until one day he called me down to his house, I knew exactly what verse he was going to use, He try to tell me that Apostle Paul was only a preacher & nothing else except He did mention that Paul was an apostle to the geniles, & all we need to preah was salvation, Little did he know after 4 yrs. with him, I becaime hungry for the meat of the word & not just the milk of the word, Since we had already had a disagreedment, I was prepare to answer his complains. I open my Bible to where it says That I Paul n Apostle & a "teacher" unto the gentiles, When I showed that to my ex-pastor, He got very upset & said Well, then you are only trying to disprove me &Since I was the tresurer of the church, I was told I had one month to get all books in order & leave his church Or to forget about all the scriptures & ignore them & come back the way I was, There was no way I would come back the way I was. The night I gave him the church books in order, Is when I told him I will be gone Because, God is leading me, & the very words he said to me was, IF YOU LEAVE MY CHURCH, I will be back out in the world in less then one yer. Guess what, Tht has been 33 yrs. & I am now in a church for the last 33 yrs. That not even one time, Did I have to every ask my pastor what did he meant. God truly know how to lea a sincere hert.

Answer 4

Umm. It starts as a person believing what they hear, but most do research it. I am a Christian and I started out with the belief just because everyone else did it around me, but the more i learned and read and read up in history, i began to believe on a personal level rather than just doing it to fit in. As for them criticizing those who don't believe, wel, they aren't suppose to but they do. They even do that if you aren't as strong or still have some other views on certain things. I don'know if that made sense. Like, for example, i don't always think that it is bad to date people, but some of the people i know say u should wait till you find the right person and then just marry them. But that isn't what you were asking. Basically, those who judge are too concerned about themselves and making sure that they look good, and are't really concerned about you or anyone else. This makes them double standard and not as strong into their belifes as they migh lead on. I think that i talked to much lol but i use alot of words to explain something simple all the time. Sorry. Hope that was a good answer for you.

Answer 5

If we were "blindly following the masses" we would not believe in God.
I have done my research. I question everything. That's just the way I am. God tells you to "test the waters." That's what I did. It's not a sin to question.
You are right, however. There are many people out there who do not educate themselves before opening their mouths to speak. And...that's not just on religion.
As well, I don't criticize anyone for not believing what I believe. I think everyone is entitled to their own belief system. We really can all get along.

Answer 6

I'm not going to lie to you, some Christians believe the Bible simply because...well, they have faith, and that's good enough for them. Most of them don't know who wrote the Bible, or when, and they don't care. They couldn't tell you which events have been corroborated by archaeology, nor could they tell you where Jesus is mentioned outside of the Bible. They have never doubted, never had questions, never wondered about all the stories in the Bible, and whether there's any truth to them.

I envy those people. I questioned for a LONG time (most of my life, though as a child, I accepted it because that's what was expected of me). I have faith in some of it, but the rest, I've done a lot of research to get to the point where I believe.

So really, the short answer is faith. That's all it is. Some have it, some of us (like me) are doubters. And many of those who have faith don't understand why others don't. Most of the Christians I know don't understand me at ALL.

Answer 7

Well I have done a lot of research on it.

Islam - Muhammad was a murderer, adulator, pervert, and hallucinater

Judaism - prophesized the work of the messiah would be done around 30 a.d. (somewhere in Daniel 9)

Other religions like Hinduism and Buddhism: too primal - very similar to a lot of other tribal religions - multiple gods or a god within everything

Christianity - makes sense - It isn't about doing some ceremony to make you a part of the religion - you can only be saved by faith, not works - fulfilled prophesy to Judaism

Answer 8

firstly do remember that not everyone belives blindly, and that some DO research.

some people find disbelief the appropriate "default".
some people find Belief the appropriate "default".

some see no reason to research,
some research, (on both sides) and change their view. (on both sides, towards the other).

each person sees, thinks, and feels things differently. you present the same situation to two people and they can have completely different reconings of the nature of that scenario. and there will NOT neccesarily be enough evidence to determine which perspective is accurate.
or in fact, both can be true, depending on how you look at it. (for example,depending on the definition of God, one person can say "God exists!" and the other person say "God Isn't Real!" now the person who says he may exist, might be thinking of an entirely different meaning behind the word "God", lets say, that the person who says god doesn't exist, would call "the laws of nature" where the "god" that the person who says "god does not exist" is referring to, the person who says God exists, would AGREE does not exist.
in that sense, BOTH are correct. even though they say directly contradictory things at face value.

its really a problem on both sides.

edit: some of the above posts prove my point quite thoroughly.

Answer 9

How do you know they don't do research? I've spent most of my life doing bible studies and research, actually.
And I find that the most critical ones are those that presume that religious people are fools. If you really want to know why people believe, just ask politely. I'm sure they'll tell you.
And no, I did a lot of reasearch in history, not just the bible.
But I am no longer a church goer, not because I don't believe in God, but because I don't like organised religion.

Answer 10

Some people like me know the truth that is God and His word the Bible because He has done many wonderful things in my life. I have faith that many don't. I will never criticize you for what you believe I just ask the same from you. I know from reading the Bible that I am not to criticize anyone for that is a sin, and if I am going to say that I follow God I am not to be mean about it. We as Christians are to show you how nice it is to have that faith and I am sorry to say that many that say they follow Him just don't know what Jesus meant when He said ( love your neighbor as yourself.) Maybe they skipped that page.