Why do people think their religion is the best and others should follow as they do?

Question

I don't understand why people feel the need to make people believe the same as them. Do they do it because if everyone thinks the same as them then that makes them right? Can people understand that the way one's conection with G-d is their own? What do you think?

Answer 1

I agree with you. I especially like your statement "one's connection with God is their own." That is a smart way to put it. If you haven't copyrighted it or something, I may use it! :-)

In answer to your question, though, the reasons are many and are greatly diverse. It depends on the religion and the individual. Here is the key that I personally think links most of these many different points of view together...

People feel that their beliefs are endangered. At some times in history and in many places even today, that may even be true. There is a backlash against religion, and our society has a history of discriminating against certain beliefs. Some of the discriminators are the religious people in question now, but they know from experience that it is easy to attack someone's beliefs. So they go on the offensive, thinking that somehow they will preserve their own beliefs by attacking others.

Another important factor is ignorance. A lot of people are ignorant of other points of view, and it is natural to be suspicious of something you do not understand. Then as small pieces of information on opposing or different views come in, some people automatically start looking for all the differences. Even an article in Newsweek recently had a writer say that he felt it was a falsehood to believe that there was any real link or similarities between the religions, which is a point of view I strongly disagree with. Regardless, the problem breaks down to this: people think that SOMEONE has to be right, because there ARE differences in views. Of course, this does not have to necessarily be true, but it is an easy logical fallacy to fall into, because in some cases it may possibly be true.

That said, I personally just look at the evidence. If God exists and created us all, he obviously created a diverse and individualistic population of people. We ARE all different in many ways, so naturally we may all have different needs, and therefore God may have provided us with a variety of ways to gain access to him. In other words, so long as our beliefs do not interfere with those around us, we can all co-exist and all be right. I would further add that most of the religious differences that are so incompatible are not really religious differences at all. They are cultural, societal, and human nature. One way or another we need to learn to live with our differences. It doesn't even matter what religion (or lack thereof) you believe in.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Great question. IMHO, it is has very little to do with spirituality or morality. It has more to do with power and money.

Most of the religions claim that there is only one g-d. If that were true, why would a benevolent being allow so many to be killed in its name? The believers will claim it is about choice and their book is the one that is true. Hogwash. Each of the books have been modified and changed by HUMANS so many times, that the Auto sales classified section inhas more authentic material.

The idea that humans should live morally and with dignity is a good one. There are many good things in the Judea-Christian-Islamic religions, but not one of the followers teache tolerance about others. Why? Because if one tolerated anothers' religion, then there would very little to justify conflict. With less conflict, you could not use it as an excuse to take something from another. Even the little known religions like African animist are the same. The cultures and norms are the creation of humans. Humans have spite and greed which no other being on this planet has. Combine the two and you have a mixture of religions that can create strife and wage war to get power and money

Look at the nuts on TV these days. As their markets shrink, they turn each others in on petty news. It is all about money. Look at the current war in Iraq. It is not about Muslims vs Christians. It is about who controls the oil revenue. They just use religions to justify the war.

What i write is not new. it has been said many times. Until the human race learns to get beyond its teenage years, we are doomed to be played by others within us. The human race is reaching for the stars but is stuck with its hormonal urges. Some of us have evolved beyond that like Buddha, some of us have de-evolved like the nuts running countries right now. All of us need to voice our opinions, respect others' and most of all treat others like we want to be treated. Unfortunately, most of us have very low expectations on how we want to be treated

Answer 3

now obviously bu the way of your question you've had some bad experiences with "Evangelical outreach" yet another victim of "beat you with a Crucifix" philosophy, but i feel there is a better way and it goes to motivation. you were trying to be "won" and that doesn't feel good, like walking though a used car dealership.

the way i see it, if a person found the cure for cancer, you'd expect them to share it. if you lost 30 lbs on some weight loss system, your friends would want to know, if you mad a killing in some business model, it wouldn't be unexpected to start a business getting other people to do business in the model. right. so why should our "religion" be any different, if people simply connected w/ the people they knew, the people they did life with, and share what's going on in there life, and the way Christ fit's you wouldn't feel any more attacked then when you co-worker comes in w/ some strange food they ask you to try insisting it makes the lbs roll away. it's not the message, but the messenger that has offended you

Answer 4

For the same reason that one believes that one's math answer is correct. I'm convinced that 2+2=4. Someone else may think it is 5. And another believes it's 40. Granted, theology is not a a science like math, but even a child can see that some religions are a bit kooky while others are more noble. Christianity happens to be the most noble (i.e. most correct) of them all.

Answer 5

they probably learned their religion from an early age, and were always taught that theirs was the "best" or the "only true" religion. now, when they hear about other religions they just automatically stick their heads in the sand and convince themselves that there's no other religion as great as theirs.

call it brainwashing if you want, but this is the way many religions are taught, and it's a way of keeping the existing people and gaining new ones. maybe it's to make money, or maybe they really do want to enrich our lives, who knows?

Answer 6

How to know if your right or not is if it has power behind it. God says we shall lay hands upon the sick and they shall be healed. You need to find a bible preaching church. A church that tells you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear. But alot of these religions now are just wack. They like to twist what God says in His word. And some churchs you go to you dont even feel Gods presence. Makes you wonder.

Answer 7

If you had a young child, and he was about to reach up and grab your hot iron off the ironing board and you stopped him, are you being mean to him?...I mean, can't he make his own decision?...Maybe it's right for him...

You see, people with a certain belief, such as Christianity truly believe in their hearts that God loves them, that He's made certain rules (commandments) like, 'don't touch the hot iron', not to be mean, but to protect them. The child might cry and whimper and throw a fit, but one day he's going to be very glad he never touched that iron and he's going to think, hey, mom was right after all.

We Christians see the unsaved as lost and on a crash run to the depths of hell, we don't want to see people spend eternity in hell and it's our desire and in fact our duty to warn others of the pending danger of grabbing onto that iron. We do it out of brotherly love, no meanness...

Answer 8

Even if we all believed the same (which is impossible) we would all think differently according to our own volition.
People are convicted of their belief and some have even had major life-changes for the better.... wanting everyone to share in it.... it happens all the time and with other things beside faith.

Answer 9

A person's religion should be a personal thing. I don't know of anyone who tries to force their religion on me -- and a connection with God likewise doesn't necessarily conform with that of other individuals.

This being said; those who disagree with your fundamental beliefs disagreeably are out of line inasmuch as the issues associated with religion cannot be 'forced' on another.

I think that people should celebrate their religion as they see fit and allow others to do the same.

Answer 10

I honestly think that religion is another way to conform or belong in society. Dont get me wrong I believe in a higher being. But for alot of people who find GOD at like age 40 when they are in prison or something like that i feel like they are just trying to find something to hope for or hold on to.