Believers: most of you think that at least 2/3's of humanity's deluded. What have you done that they have not?

Question

Christians for example... 2/3's of the world are not Christian. And many Christians think that only their particular denomination is correct while others are wrong.

Yet ALL people of all faiths believe God has spoken to them. Muslims and Jews say they KNOW they have the one, true book of God. Hindus know they have the most compassionate and historically accurate texts that could only have been divinely inspired.

Muslims KNOW that if one does not follow the Koran, one will go to hell. They also say that their book has produced more accurate predictions and prophecy than any other books.

So what have YOU done DIFFERENTLY to make sure you are not deluded like these other folks?

Thanks in advance.

Faye and Opiniona: everyone believes there scriptures are correct and that they have accepted the right savior.

DC: You really didn't answer the question; you just avoided it.

JC is the Man: followers of many faiths do that.

Brian: give it a shot. I'm always open to reasonable arguments.

Empanada: It has been my experience that most Christians do believe others are deluded. You have illustrated that in the latter part of your response. And you have not really told anyone what you do that is DIFFERENT.

Someone who cares: lots of people of different faiths recieve personal revelation. So please tell me something DIFFERENT.

muzacmas: that's fine if it's what you believe. But it's not different and you are basiclly saying that a Hindu's belief is just as good as yours... I would agree.

Lexis m: many people have given up their addictions. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me something they have done that is DIFFERENT.

DC: I'm not asking for certainty. But you must be willing to admit that a Hindu is equally likely to be right as you are.

As for your comparison to atheism... people do that all the time with Hinduism, wiccian, and other religions and know that they are much happier.

So, again, I wait.

Answer 1

Dude, if I had all the answers, I wouldn't be here.

Answer 2

First of all, I think it is a great over generalization to say that the rest of humanity is deluded. I think everyone has some light and truth and to a large degree it has to do with where they were born and what they were taught. I also believe that whenever someone interacts with others, of whatever belief or faith or even non-belief, that they may gain more truth and wisdom and light and knowledge. But this does not mean all impart this equally as some have more light and knowledge than others. In this sense people are not deluded (deceived), but are often acting in good faith on the knowledge and inspiration they have.

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

What have I done differently? I don't KNOW that what I have done is different than anyone else since I don't know what the rest of humanity has done, but certainly I have received a witness and testimony from God himself through the power of the Holy Ghost as anyone can.

...you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge. …

“Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

“Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation.”

Answer 3

I believe that most time-tested religions are reflections of same spiritual experience. People experience it and then share it by naming it and coming up with mythology to describe it and explain why things are the way they are in relation to it. The next generation is brought up already seeing things in terms of the language game, they can't really experience it without seeing it in these terms.

So, by virtue of being human we're all deluded a little bit. Atheists, for example, often experience spiritual energy, love, and inner peace and are unable to associate this with faith or spirituality because they also see these things in terms of the language games people have created for them. If those games seem silly they must all be factually incorrect (rather than just all giving finite names to infinite truths).

What have I done to make sure I am not deluded? Nothing. I am deluded. As a human, a social animal with cognition and language, I can never not be deluded. I merely seek the most authentic subjective experience I can find. I have done so through spiritual disciplines like meditation, prayer, liturgy, charity, volunteering, community-building, etc and through studying all those things which affect human life, from economics and war to psychology and theology.

I'm still learning, becoming more and more authentic and with plenty of room left to grow further. That is the mystery of the wonderful journey we're all on, is it not?

Answer 4

The reason I am a Christian is because I was searching for the truth, and for God. (To be honest I never really considered going outside of Christian faith. I was 20 ) I am glad I did not. I was reading the New Testament and all of a sudden I was looking inside myself and there was light shinning in the dark. I knew that God had shown me the Bible is true. Then I started looking for a church that I could feel comfortable in.
As far as other faiths go I try not to judge if they are going to hell or not. I will leave that up to God.
I would like all faiths to try harder to accept each other. I need to try a lot harder too.

Answer 5

I know this might sound like I'm not answering your question, but it really is if you stop and think about it. Your religious walk should be a one-on-one relationship. It's not denominations that are correct, but what you feel is the correct way God wants you to walk. Denominations have caused problems and confusion (it all started at the tower of babel and when it fell down). If you pray and believe, you will receive the walk that you should be given. When you place a denomination in front of your walk with God, then that denomination becomes what you worship, not God.

Answer 6

You bothered to make another question to draw attention to this one, but your question is fundamentally flawed for a couple of reasons.
1) Christians do not believe Jews are wrong. Jesus was a Jew who fulfilled Jewish prophecy, so Christianity is an extension of Judaism.
2) Christians do not, by and large, KNOW that they are right. They BELIEVE that they are right, which is why religion is referred to as "faith". Even Mother Theresa's memoirs state this.
3) Christianity is based on first-hand witness, historical documents, which are the fundamental basis of the religion. That is the source of Christian faith.
4) Other religions are rejected for being inconsistent with Christian revelation. Jesus prophesized his return and warned of false prophets. Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism (among others) are inconsistent with the teachings of Christian revelation and are therefore reasonably rejected by Christianity as the teachings of false prophets.

Answer 7

They *think* they've picked the one true path, even though what they've really picked in the majority of the cases is the path they were raised to follow. Sure, they know intellectually that there is exactly the same proof that the Bible is true as that the Koran is true - therefore their decision of one over the other is based on personal feeling and not evidence - but they'll pretty up their decision with all kinds of personal anecdotes, scripture quotes (as if that proves anything) and pseudo-science.

Just watch and see if they don't....

It's really not surprising that we're so willing to believe anything our parents or other authority figures tell us to believe. After all, paying attention to the things that your leaders tell you in that stern, solemn voice probably saved a lot of early hominids from cutting their survival short back in the ancestral days, yes? I think the need to believe that you're on the right path is part of our evolutionary heritage.

Anybody who is interested in learning more about the concept of religion as an evolutionary trait should read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. A very enlightening, interesting book!

Answer 8

I honestly tried religion thinking I was serving the right God,but someone told me about the bible and what Jesus did for us and I was truely touched by the story.I decided to pray and give my life to Jesus, and soon after my life was totally changed.I had been an alcholic and went to AA, and was addicted to meds.I prayed for deliverence and not to long after I had no urge to drink and also was not sick.I just stopped taking the meds I was on and didn't get sick.
*So I know I have given my life to the real living God,Jesus ! He totally changed my life just by praying.He is alive and is changing lives around the world!

Answer 9

i'm a believer. i'll answer your question. i respect everyone else's beliefs, and realize that no one truly knows until they are dead. all i can go off is my own thoughts and experiences with God. i'm probably not the best to answer your question because i'm not a fundamental christian, and have basically created my own beliefs taking parts from many different religions. the core of my religion is christian, though.

Answer 10

I myself am fully accepting of the fact that humanity has contradictory experiences with spiritual matters. As a subjective area, that is to be expected.

For me, this is no more a problem than that you, I and they have different favorite foods, or different favorite books/films. Religions of personal experience welcome and respect differences; only religions of revelation expect conformity.

Answer 11

I haven't done anything differently. All humans, even you, are affected by outside influences.

Since matters of faith can't be proven by any evidence other than experience, belief or non-belief requires a willing suspension of disbelief.

No, it isn't rational or logical, but for me, it's a reality.