World Religions?

Question

In what ways has learning about world religions influenced the way you think about religion?
Why is it important to learn about other peoples' beliefs?
How can you use this in the future?

Answer 1

Being open minded enough to look into other religions is a bonus. It means you have a seeking heart and that is good. Being able to look at various religions, I have been able to rule some out because their teachings do not match their books at times, and also some of their prophets did not behave in a way that they teach others to behave.

It is important to understand other religions because it can strengthen your belief in your own. If it does not strengthen your belief and only shakes it, then obviously there is something that needs to be changed about your belief system. Also, as far as Christianity is concerned, it is good to understand other religions so that you can witness to them in a way that they understand. If you know where someone's priorities lie in their belief system, you also will know how to show them the error of their belief system in a way they understand.

Example: If I were debating with a Catholic about the Bible. If I were unaware that their beliefs are based more on traditions and edicts passed down from the Pope. I might keep trying to force the Bible as the ultimate Truth, when obviously they do not accept that. Knowing that Catholics believe that the keys of heaven have been handed to them through one of the disciples allows me to combat that idea in a more effective way, thus opening the pathway to at least the idea that the Bible might have more authority than the Church.

How can I use it in the future? The same way I do now. Trying to meet people on their level and debate those issues that need debating. I am not saying to argue with hostility only to debate and find truth. (And yes, there have been times where I have altered my view on the Bible due to debates)

Answer 2

I think learning about different religions makes me more tolerant toward them. So one of the things I learned that there are Muslim groups that take the Koran out of concept just as there are Christians taken the bible out of concept. Now I know not every Islamic believer is some suicidal nut. The thing I learned for the future is to learn something about somebodies belief before I judge them about it.

Answer 3

The experience and the credibility of each religion is equal to all others. Since they cannot all be right, and none has a more believable claim, then there is no reason to accept any one of them.

Further, looking into the claims about "god," there are no indications that any described god exists, and so it seems abundantly evident that belief in God is irrelevant to the success in life, the happiness one has, and the relationships one develops.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^