What happens to religious beliefs when a religious tradition is confronted by the pressure to change?

Question

ahh yeah please a little more effort into the answer like 3-4 sentences cheers

Answer 1

It's facinating to read some of these answers. It's clear a few folks have no idea who God is and yet they boldly answer as if they are experts. That is the very reason most (if not all) of the "religious traditions" exist in the first place.
If one understands the Bible one realizes that God is not interested in traditions or ceremony. For us (New Testament church) none of these traditions are found in the scriptures. The salvation plan is so simple that even a "wayfaring man" can understand it. I'm not talking about the popular "just accept and believe" version. That is not fouind in the Bible. I'm talking about the "repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost" plan that is clearly defined in Acts Chapter 2. Beyond that I can't think of anything in the scriptures that could be "confronted". And for those who just cannot bring themselves to submit to God, even the basic salvation plan is optional. If you don't wish to exercise your option to pursue salvation you are certainly not forced to.
Religious traditions are inventions of men. If you can read something in the Bible then it is truth and must stand. If you don't believe the Bible then you are just spinning your wheels. And if these traditions of men you refer to can be "confronted" then they are not of God. Either way, man's ideas have no affect on salvation.
These "traditions" are the very reason there are so many different confusing doctrines anyway. All the different denominations and sects, even many of the major faiths are just inventions of men.
Do away with these traditions and you are left with the pure and simple truths of God found in the New Testament. Some times less really is more!

Answer 2

This is such a hard question because its extremly important to remember that holy books, such as the bible, were written not only by God, but by men who lived in a certain social context.

Back then the bible was essentially a law book, and considering the many of the laws looking at it from a social point of view they are extremly good laws. However a few thousands years pass and a few things that were great ideas back then, relating to the social context seem impractical now.

Such as the prohibition of eating shellfish and wearing clothes with more then one fibre (... lol jeans) you sinners you! These had great relevance back then, shellfish eaten at certain times of the year can be poisonious... Where as wearing clothes with mixed fibres could cause the cloth to break down at different times, be different weights etc. There were reasons behind it that made sense back then, but now they have no real applications.

So this realisation that a lot of the bible is influenced by social context raises the question, if the social context changes can the bible be changed too?

This is where it gets murky because no one really agrees, thus we have many many denominations around to accomodates these differences in belief.

Its really a personal choice about what you think are the details, whether homosexuality should take precedence of 'thou shalt not judge' or 'God loves children' etc. You have to make those decisions for yourself, the more you question the stronger those beliefs will become.

Answer 3

Sometimes, schisms happen. The greatest example in Christian history that I can think of is the split between the Catholics and Protestants - Luther was attacking traditions that were unbiblical. This lead to the greatest split the church has ever seen.

Look at the church today and all of the Protestant denominations - splits happen, but the church still manages to survive.

In the end, I hope that people realize tradition is something that should be left if needed. It is not the truth - its something that we grasp on to because we've always done it. Remember that Jesus accuses the Pharisees of glorifying tradition while ignoring the tenants of scripture.

Answer 4

This has been going on since religion has played a part in man's life. Even the Christian Bible has been changed many times to satisfy the current political climate of that particular time. Now don't you Christians get bent out of shape about that statement because if you study this history of the Bible you will find that it has been changed many times. Constantine of Rome, had a number of things changed to suit his political dictates. It continues to this day in the various denominations for their particular beliefs.

All religious beliefs change as time goes along. Give some time to read the information provided below.

Answer 5

I wonder this too, growing up in the Catholic religion where Divorce used to be a sin worthy of excommunication. Now many Catholic Churches have decided they must accept it or accept dwindling attendance. Or how about when Christians used to think rock was the devil's music and now they all play "Christian" rock at church to try to attract the younger demographic that they were slowly losing? So their beliefs seem to be somewhat dictated by the times and how much it affects attendance. Also all the different bibles they have out now....the "teen" bible, the "adventure" bible, the "hands on bible". All ways to attract the dwindling demographics of adolescents and pre-teens. Even the King James Version of the bible is a lot different than the ones the Jehovah's Witnesses use. So much seems to be interpreted different ways depending on which branch of religion is using it.

Answer 6

People often confuse religious beliefs with religious traditions. When traditions change, it often brings sorrow and mistrust of the organization. What is necessary is a clear teaching of what the tradition means and why the change is necessary. This teaching takes time and the people who need to hear it the most are often not the ones present when the information is given. If properly prepared, most people are educated enough to accept what their religious leaders are teaching them.

Answer 7

Good question. I think we're constantly trying to find that out.

I think one needs to decide that there is a DIFFERENCE between religious BELIEFS (doctrine) and religious TRADITION.

In my church (Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod), I'm constantly questioning what is Doctrine and what is Tradition. I don't think we should be afraid to change our Traditions with time, but I don't think we should be willing to change our doctrines...beliefs based on the Word of God.

If you want a good look at what happens to religious beliefs when a religious tradition is confronted by the pressure to change, watch the movie "Luther" starring Joseph Fiennes. It's the story of a monk who realized that the Catholic church was teaching things contrary to the Word of God, and the ramifications on not only the religious lives of the people, but also the political and educational and economical lives as well.

Answer 8

How about:

What happens to religious beliefs when it needs to be validated by the Truth...

religious beliefs, all of them, WILL NEVER be proven, 100% of the time...

and Blind Faith proves NOTHING...
and that's ALL the believers have...
Blind Faith...

Here's the Solution and 100% validated and proven:

Create a private, personal, direct, divine Relationship with Our Creator and save your Soul from religion.

Only with Our Creator's Love and Peace will we be Truly Free!

Love and Believe in Our Creator;
Love and Believe in Yourself.

"religion is Spiritual fraud"; "religion is the Worse invention of humanity" - Jesus Christ, Buddha and any one else with Spiritual intelligence.

Without God, there is No Love; Without religion, there are No Wars!

Answer 9

If a religion is strong in their beliefs (and they involve nothing like human sacrificing) they will not stop them due to pressure. Think, if you will, to Jesus' disciples. They were unmercifully tortured and killed, all the while professing that Jesus was the savior. If we denounce our beliefs due to pressure, what kind of Christians are we?

Answer 10

That is the PROBLEM today, Traditions, especially man's. Mans traditions do away with God and they think that they ARE GOD. That's OK though as GOD will NOT be mocked.