Believers: Why do you believe what you believe?

Question

Pagan Dan: Well? My question is rather vague as you rightly point out...but you gave a reasonable, honest answer which was not vague. Cheers!

I appreciate everyone taking the time to answer..some in significant detail. If I chose a 'best answer' it would be one in line with how I see it. That really wouldn't be fair under this circumstance.

Answer 1

Believers don't exist.

Answer 2

Interesting question.

I believe it is very much the same as believing in our school teacher - why do we believe the teacher when she say studies could get you a better life?...but when we grew up and face the world, we knew it's not necessary true. We were taught that by studying hard in mathematics you 'could' be like Einstein (no offence), do you believe the teacher?...I do...when still in school!

So, basically...everybody will pretend to be a believer when they are being taught something new, and when the new found knowledge were put to test and delivered the right results...the pretender will become a true believer by virtue of "experience".

Religion wise, if from the beginning, humans were taught that a Creator, Force or Power of some sort do not exist, I doubt that we will have so many kinds of faith now in this day (no offence). It is quite similar to your question, because I personally feel that you will have some degree of difficulty to accept other "people's" religion and it is perfectly normal, but unless if you get some "special" experiences, you might give it a try. So, that is why people find it easier to believe what their own people were telling them.

And their faith and beliefs would grow stronger if they were to face persecutions and injustices at the hands of others. Some would exploit and some would be exploited just to pass down a certain message that what "I believe is the right beliefs".

In this modern times, I personally find it hard to be attached to one single religion and pronounce my loyalty. It is very artificial and degrading to humanity. I can bravely say that I believe in God and His spiritual powers but I am without any religion. I wake up and would say there is God and I believe in You and thats about it, after that it's all about 9-5 and getting back for dinner or have a drink with my friends. I respect humanity and hated violence against it, I am not spiritual enough, but I am doing my small part which religion can't do. Which is RESPECT for HUMANITY and all LIVING things!

So, I believe in what I believe because of what I SAW and EXPERIENCED. And I will wait for that TIME, we all will and it is only then we will understand. Be it God or the Big Bang once more. :)

Answer 3

Hello M,
While in College, I took a course that was an overview of different religious views and I really studied them thoroughly. It was just after a near-death experience that I had my senior year of high school. I met, dated, and married the love of my life and we both graduated from college and began our family life. Then, we began studying the Bible with an older couple that we both knew rather well. We decided that we needed to be baptised and become Christians and did so the same night that we finished our Bible Study. We have been faithful Christians since that time (20 years ago). Have a wonderful weekend and a glorious week to come.
Thanks,
Eds


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Answer 4

Technically, I'm a Calvinist. My belief is that all humans are born evil and can in no way beseech God. I've come to believe this by being taught (FamilyRadio.com) to interpret the Bible in a different way than what is now being taught in modern Christianity and what I, personally, believe was through God's mercy.

The proof of Family Radio's teachings became evident from my personal experience. I was taking drugs and then managed to get involved in the televangelist movement. Basically, the televangelist movement has a lot to do with speaking in 'tongues' and seeing 'visions' etc. These are all things that are outside of the Bible... Basically, things that mankind may find trust in, but cannot verify 100% that are Godly. The visions and such can be compared to a lot of pagan and 'heathenesque' rituals.

Family Radio dropped a ton of bricks on me by quoting "Satan comes as an Angel of light." from Revelations. Through the mercy and divine intervention of God, I came to realize those 'signs', 'tongues' and 'visions' as Satanic. I realized I was still (a duration of months) under the influence of LSD that I had taken months ago and how that (an ungodly drug experience) could've been mistaken as something Godly by certain Christian denominations.

From Family Radio (familyradio.com), I came to learn that man is a sinner from birth. I came to learn a harsh reality of the judgement and wrath of God. How decent people, who may be decent in the eyes of humanity, may not be up to the standards of God. Family Radio, explained how God himself was Jesus (God in the form of a human) and how the death of Jesus was the only way to salvation. Mankind can make no ritual to pay for their sins. Mankind can only pray for God's mercy, by understanding how righteous God is and how far mankind falls from God's perfection. Man cannot simply 'accept' Jesus, God must do the deed of salvation, by letting people know the only connection we have of God (the Bible).

Some passages explained the above, such as: No man can come to me, unless the Father draw him. No man does righteous. No, not one. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. If you know me, you will keep my Commandments. Psalm 30. And countless others. These are just verses that can be seen as what they are. Family Radio teaches and interprets the Bible by the Bible alone. No verse or meaning is given a manmade interpretation... Everything is checked against what the Bible (God's word to humans) says. I can tell you, when the Bible is undertood ("Seeing, they do not see. Hearing, they do not hear." Is how God must let you truly understand it), you can be sure that it was no mere manmade book.

Besides my personal experience with the televangelists (leading to my current beliefs), I have always seen the worst of humanity. I cannot believe that people can do such horrid things and not be held accountable for it, in some realm. I can't believe that man is not evil from birth. The one thing Christianity does teach, is the one thing no one has yet to disprove... One day, you will die. If you want to stack up and play those odds, then you're a pretty high roller.

My mind is at ease (though never unafraid of a righteous, almighty God, who I must one day answer to) from what Family Radio has taught (through the mercy of God) me. I see the evidence of their teachings in the world and the false churches.

Family Radio can be discredited, as they have made prior assumptions of when Judgement Day may be, but that was never the intenion. It was a study of what they believed may be true (what they gathered from the Bible) and they did their duty of warning and explaining.

Answer 5

I believe because over 30 years ago God supernaturally intervened in my life at a time I was not expecting it and in a way I did not even know was possible and instantly lifted me out of a state of deep despair and hopelessness and filled me with a sense of love and peace and joy and hope and forgiveness and acceptance.
No man explained this to me, it came in an instant, when I was bitter in my heart against God, as a direct revelation from God concerning the truth of the message of the Gospel.

It was at least a year later, when reading the Bible, that I realized my experience was something Jesus referred to hundreds of years earlier, when speaking with a man named Nicodemus, as recorded in the Third Chapter of the Gospel of John.
Since then I have become a student of the Bible, and have proved it to be true and reliable in its testimony concerning spiritual matters.

Answer 6

Your question is too vague for anyone to give an intelligent answer.

It's Friday afternoon here in Taiwan. I believe I'll have a beer after work. I believe that because I'm thirsty.

Seriously, I am a Christian because it is my spritual and cultural heritage--not because I made a careful study of all the world's religions and picked this one.

Answer 7

They prayed for a parking space and they believed jesus fulfilled their prayer. Therefore jesus must be true. Sounds ridiculous, but that's how they start believing. And of course, the times they weren't granted any parking space, jesus still answered, but he just said, "no".

Answer 8

I believe because...1 1/2 years ago I almost died in a car accident...the fact that I am still alive proved to me that God was real. I know that alot of people don't believe...and that is ok for them...but my personal belief is because God has performed many miracles in my life.


It is really annoying that someone is being the thumbs down fairy and judging people on their beliefs!!!

Answer 9

What i believe does not require "why i believe". Simply put there is no need for a "why"because there isn't any.You either believe or you don't.Those who believe,no explanation is necessary. Those who do not believe ,no explanation is possible.

Answer 10

Because I'm optimistic. I believe because of what I have seen, felt, hear; I live to pass on my experiences to others and hopefully make a difference. This is what I believe.

Answer 11

I believe Jesus Christ came to earth to pay the price of my sins and that he is one with God in heaven where one day I will go.