what is more important ?

Question

1 how one behaves

2 what one believes

3 I never answer this type of question

you can only choose 1 - it makes it harder

I believe what steve says

Answer 1

I believe it is "how one behaves". You can believe whatever you want to and be the best holly man on earth, but if your kill, lie, cheat, steal and otherwise do things that are usually not accepted by any religion (other then fanatics), what good is it what you believe. What you believe should be reflected in how you behave.

Answer 2

I think 'What one believes' is the most important of the three. It is so because it is certain to influence 'how one behaves', thereby effectively affecting ones community and society in general.

A person with faith in God, behaves in ways that should mirror the commandments - a set of laws ensuring we always aim to do right as Christians. Most importantly belief in God provides us with the thoughtfulness to love God with our hearts and souls, and also our neighbours as we would ourselves.

Muslim and other religions have their own set of rules and norms by which their followers behave, and I am sure these aim for the same goodness of hearts in whatever they do.

If we could all behave in this manner, our communities and societies will benefit enormously. Good neighbourliness will help cut down on selfishness and other forms of crime ... and all goodness performed and generated by each person towards another would have stemmed from just 'what one believes'.

Answer 3

In my opinion, I think '1' (how one behaves) is much, much more important than '2' (what one believes). I do not think they are equal.

To use the Golden Rule as an example, the cornerstone of a just and civil society is that all citizens treat others as they would like to be treated. If what we see, hear and feel ('touch') in this world can be constituted as "real," our behavior can improve or harm others by changing what they see, hear and/or feel. In other words, behavior can translate into physical actions which can definitely change the lives of others around us.

Beliefs, which are largely kept to ourselves, and which stop at mere thoughts and opinions, produce no physical change unto others, unless behavior, an agent of physical change, is brought into the equation. In other words, one's beliefs alone are largely unimportant to the world at learge, without action to enforce or substantiate them.

I think tolerance is an important component to a sound & positive faith. Acceptance of others' beliefs which are different from your own is vital to a civil society.

Answer 4

What ever the answer is, we are not going to be perfect at it.

I actually think my behaviour is effected by what I believe because I use a basis which is a guide and a cannon. I have a structure which I think is important.

If I had to choose one it would be how I act, because that's a testimony to my choices in life. Not that I can ever be perfect in my actions and reactions.

Actually I just changed my mind, the two in no way can be separated.

Answer 5

I was going to say 1) but then I thought if you believed one thing and behaved differently you'd be a really mixed up person, and it's more important to be true to yourself, and you probably wouldn't behave THAT differently anyway

So ans = 2

Answer 6

1) How one behaves.

Believing something and actually doing something is so different. How many times have we thought about doing something but have never done anything about it at all?

There are so many people who believe in karma, reincarnation, etc and yet they do not watch their behaviour simply because death and reincarnation are things that they cannot see, do not know if they will actually feel the experience of and in short, it's simply too far away for them to care about.

Answer 7

How one behaves is the by product of what one beleives. If anger, bitterness, hatefullness, vile langauges constantly come out of a person then so it is in his heart. Nothingless consumes him. Hense, despair, insanity and suside. Exampe...Van Gogh

Answer 8

ones behaviour is ultimately a reflection of what he believes although it may take some time to show. if one has weak belief his behaviour is often fluctuating from time to time. belief does not necessarily mean religion, it also means a persons belief of what rights other people have over him.

Answer 9

1 is more important but is often influenced by 2

Answer 10

1. How one behaves.
Because that shouts out what you believe. If you have faith everyone watches you to see what you'll do, especially when trouble or temptation happens.