Why do people follow branches of religions?

Question

I read someone talk about this in one of their posts.
If the religion is clearly a version of another religion, except with a few changes that man made and admitted to making, then how can they possibly follow it and say it is god's will? I'm obviously talking about Christianity, but other religions apply too. Many Christians KNOW that their belief is a branch off the orthodox religion that people changed without gods permission? Wouldn't that OBVIOUSLY be the wrong religion, seeing as its changed from the original?

Like how there was Christianity from the roman empire, then came Baptism, Mormons, Jehova's witnesses, etc. etc. They all are diluted versions of a previous Christianity.

-Cobravetor & Suzy
You didn't really answer the question but instead just told me to learn about your beliefs. I'm asking why do people believe in things that they know have been changed by man?

O and just to clarify, I'm not religious, but I'm not ignorant of religion.

-LiveForJesus

Good reply, but If all that's required is to believe in Jesus, then why the hell do Baptists preach about how everyone, including other Christian branches, are going to hell except for them. Why do these branches, although all believe in Jesus, always have such disregard for one another. Is it just those religious nutcases that I'm well aware of, or is there more?

Answer 1

Hi^^

If you are trying to point out a point to harm another religious convictions it is so sad. If you are just trying to lay a point of who was first. Then maybe stating it with a softer touch would be more in the way we as Christians have been taught to do.

Even thou history dictates to us the history of Religions. Paul him self expresses..There are many parts of the body but one function.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
1 Corinthians 12:12-25

He knew as well as Jesus that many would follow but would be under different branches. Because it is human nature to agree to disagree. That is way also we are warned

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Mathew 7:5
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:10-13

Now I am not saying by any means that the orthodox religion is a false. But I am referring to other branches that are lead by false teachings. One does not have to be of a mainflow religion to be a Christian. Any and all religions that profess their believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior shall be saved. Is this not the most important thing.To live as each day is our last,to love, to follow Jesus and be all that he taught us to be. I feel that the reason we have so many branches is because we do not all like the same spiritual fruit.

Responce #1:

I understand were you are coming from. The "religious" followings we as individuals pick. According to all something someone did will make them go to hell. Many "religious" sectors in the body will say this to members of the congregation that they lead. But, What many seem to do is doctor the word to justify the opinions they want to put on the table.

It is strange to me in the studies I have done that one sector of religion that many Christians are aware of their own denomination's current beliefs, but are unfamiliar with the history of those beliefs, or of the teachings of other denominations. But, depending on the degree they all teach the old doom and gloom part of the word..We are all going to hell according to the word. But with out proper instruction and enlightenment they know no differently of hell.

Depending upon which branch your fruit hangs from depends upon the very foundation you believe. Many say you are going to hell to Non-congregation members when they try to convert them to the statues of that church. They the recruiters,leaders, what have you..will tell them they are filled with the devil. That is the radical movement and all "religions" have them.

It is a misunderstanding of the communal efforts that were placed in front of us.All need to relize.. Not one man has the power to judge another not one. We as a people are not called to judge. But, we are called to use the gift of discernment to know when a false leader is in front of us.

Many will tell new followers of Hell to make them turn from the path of unrighteousness. Before any one decides to convert to another sector of a church.

One should always read, study about them before grounding the feet in a faulty foundation. Or I should say one that does not match up to that individuals spiritual needs.

A quote you might enjoy seeing your view on the religious sector in the body of Christ..

"...if you believe in it, it is a religion or perhaps 'the' religion;
and if you do not care one way or another about it, it is a sect;
but if you fear and hate it, it is a cult." Leo Pfeffer

All my best,As always,
Seek,Learn,Discover,Love,
Your Sister In Christ

Answer 2

That's a good question.

It depends on what you mean by "branches."

If by "branches" you mean an offshoots or spin offs of the original religion, when there are differences in dogma and practice, then these would be brand new religions. That happened when Christianity was formed from the mixture of Judaism and Roman Paganism, or when Islam formed from Judaism, Christianism, and Arab Paganism.

If there are only more or less mild differences in practice, then that's not a new religion, but a new denomination.

Talking about Christianity in particular, it allows a lot of flexibility in order to gain more proselytes.

Answer 3

Greetings,
GEEZ---here you are talking about other people and you don't have a clue....... I would suggest that you re-invest yourself in the New Testament and study it with all earnestness. The scriptures found within will explain your question explicitally and without any reservations. It really is sad how true those scriptures are scince a lot of possible believers could be turned from their path of following false teachers and doctrines. If you have access to a Strong's Concordance then you might look up phrases such as-eyes but do not see---ears but do not hear--- therefore they understand not---beware of false teachers---they will have itching ears---will obey the word of man---and so on and so forth.

I would suggest that you look in the scriptures for any answers to questions that you may have concerning your belief and should you turn to human understanding then go and look it up scripturally so that you will be in accordance with the commandments of God.

Answer 4

Do you mean like how the followers of Jesus, like Paul, changed what Jesus had to say? Or how Catholicism changed when Constantine adopted it thus leaving other christian sects out there to be labeled heretical? Or maybe you mean how christianity is a branch off judaism? Or how judaism is a conglomeration of ideas from Babylon or Zooroastrian myths?

Answer 5

There are many false religions. The only true one is the one that was handed down from Jesus Christ. You must follow the Christ. Do some research and find it. You'll be very surprised that it didn't start in the later 1800's like many think. It can be followed back to Jesus. Sorry, can't tell you or you'll not understand. You have to find it for yourself so it's in your heart.

Answer 6

Good luck in trying to make any rational sense of why anyone would follow any particular religion. Sort of like trying to discover why some people believe in the tooth fairy whereas others believe in santa claus - just depends what myths you are brought up with.

Answer 7

Religion is man’s attempt to please their gods and control other people. Religion has rules, rituals and laws to follow. Every religion believes that they have the answers for redemption. The answer for redemption through religion, lies within man’s ability to perfectly follow it’s teachings.

Jesus is God’s way to reach down to mankind with love, forgiveness, acceptance and grace. Jesus is not a religion. He is God and He is the way for man to have fellowship with God.

When we come to Jesus, we are full of the original sin nature and the sins that we have committed. He cleanses us when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior and repent of those sins.

Our redemption and salvation results from Jesus’ willful and sacrificial death on the cross to take our place for our sin nature and our sins. He is the only atonement possible because He is without sin. Jesus does it for us because we are incapable of following any religion perfectly. He did follow the law perfectly.

Coming to Jesus, not religion, is what God requires for us to become forgiven, sanctified, and have the personal relationship with God that He intended from the start. Jesus is the only way to God.

James 1:27 states, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep onesself from being polluted by the world.

The teachings of Jesus.

Answer 8

simply because they are looking to man and works and systems instead of to the true and Living God and His way

Answer 9

No