how do you know your religion's the "right one"?

Question

how do you know you haven't been misled, or are missing some part of the picture? how do you convince yourself your beliefs are correct?

Answer 1

Well my "religion" is one of spirituality. i know my path is the right one because it is what makes the most sense to me. To me as long as a religion makes sense to a person it is the "right one" for them.

Answer 2

wow great question.

I believe the religion I followed was the one and only because that is what the church taught.
I soon realized that there are many religions that teach that same basic ideas and some are just a bit more arrogant then others.
I no longer follow an organized religion. I do believe there is a god and the God I believe in does not exclude.


Edit. An hour later I read some of the responses and want to say it's nice to see most people talk about a personal belief and how God is important to them in their lives. I have become jaded to many christens these days because it seems that only the fanatics come out of the wood work and scream fire and brimstone and intolerance, which makes me want to turn the other way.

Answer 3

I don't know. We can only question and trust and try not to judge others for their personal choices of religion. It is an entirely subjective thing religion. We are all missing a part of the picture. Even in the bible it says, "Now you see only half of the picture, then you will see it all face to face." That's a paraphrase for purist...what it's basically telling us is that we will never know the full truth of our faith until our end. The point is to have faith in the first place. I am a catholic and I know that many believe it to be a false faith but I see history and I see the mistakes of the church and the triumphs. I do read my bible unlike some people of faith. Finally I believe that God is not arbitrary like man. Just because I learned about him the way that I did does not mean a Buddhist hasn't had a spiritual experience or a Muslim or a Jew. People look too much for what makes them better. Let's look at what makes us human and search for the peace within and love as much as possible. In the final day you will only be looking toward God or your family. All the rest is only so much rubbish. Love one another. That's the best command of Jesus, himself born a Jew. I added this because I've heard many people who call themselves Christians say negative things about those who were actually the beginning of our faith.

Answer 4

I had the exact same experience that Adam's Rib had, except for the part where it says that the religion didn't ask anything from me. Actually, the religion asked for my complete enslavement by devoting myself to recruiting new members, which was presented to me as a Christian obligation to witness.

Because of the wonderful things about my religion, I tried to ignore one really bad thing - the fruitage of false prophecy which Jesus said would indentify the false prophets of the last days and for which my religion (Jehovah's Witnesses) was notorious.

I continued to convince myself that my beliefs were correct by simply ignoring the facts, pushing aside my doubts and common sense and altering my idea of what was acceptable, to whatever I was told. Until the day came when - in spite of the fact they told me not to - I looked under the sheep's clothing.

Answer 5

I've seen way too much in my young life to deny Jesus and God.
Coincidences are not that coincidental. Every week at least, I see something that just makes me go.... "There's God."

Look around you, everywhere. (That almost sounds buddhist but it's true lol). Just look. Asking this question - I think it's doubtful you will figure out religion or God. Gotta do it for yourself. If you get stuck though, He's a thought away.

take care, God bless


p.s. - I actually agree with Hey!! Spare change? in a small sense. Religion is not good - because religion is nothing without true relationship with God. Otherwise it's just a culture and nothing else. The world focuses too much on religion and not relationship, which is all that matters.

Answer 6

The peace I feel from God cannot be my own. I have checked into other religions in my past and never felt the peace I do know. I have seen miracles. I put my trust in God's promises and He does not lie which I have found to always be reliable. He has changed my life, my attitude and is still working on me until the day I leave this earth. Only God could have brought or bring such changes in people. It is not easy to follow God at times but in my heart, I have found it is truly the only way for me and it gives my life meaning. When I follow the bible's teachings, my life means something. I have hope in this hard world. It is a blessing to know I am not alone and that things do make sense if we only could trust in GOd.

Answer 7

Great Question.

I have a relationship with GOD through Jesus Christ. It is what I believe. I tried real hard not to believe for a while and I tried on many other faiths, religions,belief systems and philosophies, but in the end I believe what I believe. You can not change your beliefs. It is how you commune with GOD.

Answer 8

Your beliefs must be based on the Bible not on personal opinions.
John 4:23, 24 - "Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth."

We must go to people to preach rather than expect them to come to us.
Matt. 9:35 - "And Jesus set out on a tour of all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity"

Bible instruction should be provided without charge.
Matt. 10:8 - "Cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. YOU received free, give free"

The truth must be taken seriously, applying it in your daily life.
James 1:22 - "However, become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning"

Must be well trained to help people spiritually
1 Pet. 3:15 - "But sanctify the Christ as Lord in YOUR hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of YOU a reason for the hope in YOU, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect"

Must endeavor to live and work with others in peace.
1 Pet. 3:10, 11 - "For he that would love life and see good days, let him restrain his tongue from what is bad and [his] lips from speaking deception, but let him turn away from what is bad and do what is good; let him seek peace and pursue it"

for more info - www.watchtower.org

Answer 9

My religion is not the "right one" for everyone. It is only the right one for me personally (and for other Wiccans), and I choose to follow it because it makes sense to me and has withstood the tests that I have subjected it to over the last fourteen years. If at some point it stops making sense to me, I will take my leave of it.

I believe that there are many paths to whatever God exists. My religion is one among many. For that reason, I have no reason to attempt to convert anyone else -- what would be the point? Their road to God is between them and, well, God.

Answer 10

I don't think an all powerful benevolent God would truly care where you went to pray or which book to read to get to him/her/it.

I think he would be more concerned with what kind of life you had led. I'm convinced that if heaven exists, atheists will get in as long as they have led an overall positive life and has had a good impact on the people in their lives.

Answer 11

What is false religion?

Why does religion seem to be at the root of so many problems?
The fault lies, not with all religion, but with “false” religion.

False Religion...MEDDLES IN WAR AND POLITICS: How many religions can you think of whose members engage in war?

False Religion...SPREADS FALSE DOCTRINE: Most religions teach that the soul or spirit is some invisible part of a human that survives the death of the physical body. However, the Bible teaches a different doctrine. “The soul that is sinning, it itself will die.” Ezekiel 18:4 Jesus taught that the dead will be resurrected, an unnecessary action if humans had an immortal soul. Does your religion teach that the soul does not die?

False Religion...TOLERATES IMMORAL SEX: Church groups ordain gay and lesbian members of the clergy. What, though, does the Bible teach? It plainly states: “Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men.” 1 Cor. 6:9,10 Do you know of religions that condone immoral sex?

How to identify true religion.

True Religion...PRACTICES LOVE: True worshippers are “no part of the world,” are not divided by race or culture, and display “love among themselves.” Rather than killing one another, they are willing to die for one another.

True Religion...TRUSTS GOD'S WORD: Instead of teaching “tradition” and “commands of men as doctrines,” true religion bases its doctrine on God's Word, the Bible

True Religion...STRENGTHENS FAMILIES AND UPHOLDS HIGH MORAL STANDARDS: True religion trains husbands to “love their wives as their own bodies,” helps wives to develop “deep respect for their husbands,” and teaches children to “be obedient to their parents.”

True Religion is available, search for it.