Why do people insist on belonging to a specific religion?

Question

I worship the one God the creator in my own way and don't need a church or religious group to tell me how to do it. Is it just a case of the sheep mentality which permeates our culture.

Answer 1

For most, it is because their religious books and teachings say that theirway is the only way that works. They will show yo scripture that says you can't just believe, you have to show your belief a certain way for it to matter. As for a sheep mentality, in most peoples view of God, you are SUPPOSED to be like sheep to him.

Answer 2

I think you are being very tough on people who have decided to belong to a religion and follow it. Just because something is right for you does not make it right for everyone. That is what is so good about our country, it gives everyone the right to have their own thoughts about religion. You can worship god in your own way, others can not worship god at all. Then there are those that feel they want an organized religion. It gives them comfort. It makes them feel like they belong. You have no right to call them sheep, it is not what they are, they are individuals who have made up their own minds to do what they chose. Many have been brought up in a religious home and do follow what their parents taught them, but they have the freedom to leave, they choose to continue to stay within their religion. Some chose to leave, some chose another religion. I see among my friends who are religious a feeling of contentment with their going to church and their following holidays. What right do you have to say that this is not the correct way for them to live. For them they would say that your life is empty, you have nobody to share your feelings and prayers with. It is everyone's choice to do as they please. Just as it is my choice not to believe in a god at all. Am I a sheep of a different color.

Answer 3

Religion when properly defined is a two-pronged knowledge system. One prong gives rise to individual growth and transformation. The other prong, the organizational one, gives rise to the practices and institutions that care for the affairs of the particular religious community. These prongs have a reciprocal relationship in that each affects and complements the other. When the religion is fresh and new in its ascendancy, the organizational prong is vigorous and vibrant. Many are attracted to its beauty and efficacy. During this period, the religion has a powerful positive effect on civilization. Civilization flourishes. However, over time, the life gets sapped out of the institutional prong when self-interested, self-serving individuals begin to insert and promote their own agendas over those of the religion itself. These individuals craftily and carefully disguise their agenda of course, to the unquestioning, uncritical masses. It is then the religion becomes a dead, even detrimental force in the world. People become either apathetic and cynical or desperate and fanatical in the death throes of the religion. Then it is time for a renewal in the form of a fresh outpouring, a new Revelation with new institutions, from God. We can see this pattern again and again in history. About every 500 to 1000 years religion is renewed, gets a new name, a new focus, advances civilization and brings great good, then along come those with their own agendas, etc., the pattern repeats.

Answer 4

I believe that God has a specific orginization with ordinances and principles that must be followed. He has established his church here for the saving of mankind. In many ways the finding and following those principles and ordinances is the opposite of the "sheep mentality" because they are so different from the views of the world. This makes the question not why belong to a specific religion but which religion to belong to.

Answer 5

People insist on belonging to a specific religion based on what they have learned to believe as a way of life. It would be difficult to determine if it is a case of sheep mentality since each individual is responsible for every choice they make.
What is far more important than religion though is how each one act upon their faith towards thyself and others; with love, compassion, consideration and understanding.

Answer 6

Protection, so they can hate in groups, start wars, kill, and at the end of the day say it was all in the name of God and take NO responsibility for their own actions.
Well a lot are like that, but to feel they belong, it's a human craving, just look at history, or at the amount of people who can live without some kind of group interaction weather it be work, sport, book club, whatever! It's in our nature.

Answer 7

Just 3 things.

1. worship is a deeply personal thing. It must be a part of you just as blood or your liver. It must be in your heart.
2. Jesus said there is only one path to proper worship of His Father. He also said broad and spacious is the road leading to destruction. It would have to be for all the number of false Christian and otherwise religions out there in the world.
3. The apostles in writing to the early congregations instructed them "to not sorsake the gathering of ourselves together" meaning attending Christian meetings.

That is why a specific religion is so important. It means our lives to find the right one.

Answer 8

human nature compels us to seek safety in numbers
I knew a woman who joined a church after she had shopped around all the various churches in our small town. She joined the wealthiest one, where the congregation supported each other financially, and would ask the Bishop for money to pay her rent and car payments. When I asked her if she understood the principles of her particular religion, she was clueless.

But many people are born into a culture where the religion is a part of their lifestyle and customary practices.

Answer 9

Most religious organizations have produced bad fruitage. It is not the fact that groups are organized that is bad. But many have promoted forms of worship that are based on false teachings and are largely ritualistic instead of providing genuine spiritual guidance; they have been misused to control the lives of people for selfish objectives; they have been overly concerned with money collections and ornate houses of worship instead of spiritual values; their members are often hypocritical. Obviously no one who loves righteousness would want to belong to such an organization. But true religion is a refreshing contrast to all of that. Nevertheless, to fulfill the Bible’s requirements, it must be organized.

Heb. 10:24, 25: “Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.” (To carry out this Scriptural command, there must be Christian meetings that we can attend on a consistent basis. Such an arrangement encourages us to express love toward others, not only concern about self.)

1 Cor. 1:10: “Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.” (Such unity would never be achieved if the individuals did not meet together, benefit from the same spiritual feeding program, and respect the agency through which such instruction was provided. See also John 17:20, 21.)

1 Pet. 2:17: “Have love for the whole association of brothers.” (Does that include only those who may meet together for worship in a particular private home? Not at all; it is an international brotherhood, as shown by Galatians 2:8, 9 and 1 Corinthians 16:19.)

Matt. 24:14: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (For all nations to be given the opportunity to hear that good news, the preaching must be carried out in an orderly way, with suitable oversight. Love for God and for one’s fellowman has caused people around the earth to unite their efforts to do this work.)

Answer 10

rivers springs oceans seas all have different names but they are all water just like religion some say that Christ is God some say that Allah is God some say Buddha is God, it really makes on differences because, God is God. God needs no names. think about this, if you go anywhere in the world if you say God, they know what you are talking about.