Is belief in God "a choice?"?

Question

I ask this question because I read many answers here where people claim to have "made the choice" to believe in God or Jesus or Allah and the such like.

This makes me wonder whether belief is something that is arrived at through understanding and contemplation...or if it is something that one can just "adopt" out of convenience.

How for instance could I just "choose" to believe that I am the sexiest guy on Earth, (because that would be nice).

By the way I do believe in God, but it took years of being a curious questioning non-believer before I could make the transition. Is there another true path?

Answer 1

No... it is something that just has to click, or else it is not true belief.

I'm a staunch atheist, as the whole God thing just doesn't make sense to me; however I'd love to believe in God as I feel it would probably make my life easier. The thing is whilst I could choose to SAY that I believe in God, it wouldn't be true belief unless I really meant it deep down... and my logical mind simply won't allow that to happen.

The same goes for your sexiest man alive analogy. You could choose to say you believe it, but that's nothing more than words, and doesn't constitute true belief unless you actually mean it deep down.

Belief in any concept, whether it's God, evolution or whatever can come through contemplation, but it has to REALLY make sense to you, and answer your questions in a way that you find satisfactory for it to actually constitute a real bona fide belief.

Answer 2

Is anything really a choice? People create beliefs based on limited and often false knowledge all the time. For example, the belief that they are loved by a spouse. When the relationship ends, they may realize that this belief was an illusion. They say to themselves, "How could I have been such a fool?"
I suppose if a person is skeptical, and honestly attempts to read authors and talk to people on both sides of the God question, and then makes a decision, that is a choice.

Answer 3

No, there is NO OTHER path to heaven. Sure, you could assume that you're the sexiest guy on earth, but you're wrong. I am. Trouble is, everybody has different outlooks on that. Just like this question. Since God can do everything, which includes seeing into the future, people are debating whether we can all really choose God, because it's like God already chose for us. The Bible tells us to store up treasures in heaven and not on earth, so I think the people that choose God through understanding and contemplation will be rewarded more with the eternal treasures. You can accept God just because you feel like it, but that's more of using God as a get-out-of-hell-free card, so it's really like those people are saying, "Yeah, I believe in you, God, now I'll forget you until the rapture." So they're basically using God so they won't burn for eternity, and that's it.

Answer 4

I think belief is a choice . . . but for most believers in religious deities- eg., Allah, Jesus, 'God', etc., they didn't arrive at their beliefs at all, but rather, are told from birth to believe in this or that god or they will go to hell. If they do believe, they will be saved and go to heaven.

I wonder how many would develop a concept of God without parental and societal influences. For instance, had I been raised in a Muslim home, chances are great that I would be a Muslim. Raised a Christian, I believed all my life in Jesus. Now, I just don't believe in any particular 'God' but rather, a faceless, nameless, higher power of some kind that you can't pin down to any religion. Whatever/Whoever the source of life is, that's what I believe to be the only true 'God.'

Answer 5

Faith by choice is an arguable issue, and I don't think you will find one single answer that is universally accepted because of the many different opinions on the subject.

Some argue that people do have a right to choose what they believe in, and have the opportunity from the time their born to make that decision.

Other will argue that people are told to believe what they should when their young, and are "brainwashed" (for the lack of a less harsh word) when they are young. Also, I have heard that there is too much social pressure now a days to admit ones skepticism in deities, so they just go along with what they think people will want them to believe to be accepted.

Again, I don't think you will find a single answer to your question that everyone will agree with.

Answer 6

Yes it is a concious choice. Not only to believe in God Himself, but to choose between life and death. Choose God/Jesus and you choose life eternal. Choose no God, but gods/satan and you choose death/separation from God. The Bible - translation- ( breath of Life) states there is only one way. Jesus said," I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me. John 14:3. Narrow is the way: "You can enter Gods' Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to * hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the fatway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.. * Greek- the way to destruction. Matthew 7:13 & 14 New Believers Bible New Testament (first steps for new Christians) new living translation. Deut. 30 : 19 "I call heaven and earth to record (this day) against you [ that ] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore ( choose ) life, that both thou and thy seed may live. King James Version. I think this verse tells it like it is....you have a choice.... and you must not be foolish in making your choice. I mainly use the King James Version, But also use NLT, New King James, and some translations I have on my pc. Does God exist ? Yes even the demons tremble at His name. Did Jesus die and come back to life? Yes, His is the only empty grave. Mohamad is in his grave, Budda is in his grave, as are many others. But they were not and are not God. Look at the Bible this way....It is a never ending story of love, with each reading you learn a new lesson and you grow with each new lesson you learn. Hope you and anyone else who reads this is helped to make the right decisions concerning the Bible and God.

Answer 7

Sweet Pea and that is how it starts. We are curious about all things. Belief is a choice God doesn't kill us because we don't believe but he gives us a choice were we want to spend eternity. That's why we as Christians should plant the seed and let God do the increase. We have that choice heaven or hell. Which would a lot of people prefer? to burn or to live a comfortable life with God forever? God bless and you may be the sexist man alive the bible says" whatsoever a man thinketh so is he"!

Answer 8

Whether arrived at through "understanding and contemplation, adopted with little consideration, converted due to stress on the psyche, or even taken up in jest, one's beliefs are always a combination of one's history, philosopy, and, yes, choices.

As for your last question, "truth" is merely the value of a statement when considered within the context of a system with its own set of axioms and rules. So, any path is true to those on it (because they have adopted the system that supports that path) and likely false to those on another path (because they have a different system for analyzing those beliefs).

Answer 9

I think your doing the right thing by questioning God and what you believe. To tell you the truth i think the same way, but i also believe that theres alot of things that we haven't understood about life, and the universe yet. Im not saying i know i just feel that science and reasoning will continue to unlock secrets and who knows we may find out that there is other intelligence out there that we would call God because they seeded earth or find out something incredible we never thought of.

Answer 10

I don't think that believing in god is a choice.

Because if you do believe in God, then ask yourself this. Will God come and save you when you are in court fighting for bankruptcy? Will he send you or grant you 1 million dollars to save your *** and not be sued for unforeseen things?

If there is a GOD, would he tell you when to eat and what to do when you don't know what you want or when to do it?

If you make these choices yourself. Then you are the person in charge of your life. The God thing is there just for your moral support of your own self. Think about it. Why do people call you crazy for talking to yourself? Is because you are talking to your higher up and trying to forgive yourself.

Hope that worked for you/