Why should I believe in God or call any religion the true religion for that matter?

Question

paki · Answer

because God is the creator of this world....

anonymous · Answer

i totally agree bailee im not putting down any religion but as honest as a god as they say he is... you'd think he'd show his self when someone is losing faith or not believing or when someone is in the moment of killing there self cause of depression. thats just one of the many questions he/she hasn't answered and the questions are coming faster then the answers are...

kenljw · Answer

Sadly there's a saying "there's no atheist in a foxhole", it appears that some have to be in great need to call on a god.  Truthfully man has progressed so far that this generations believes there's no need for such a being.  This may be true, the first commandment is to be "fruitful and multiply" which means be productive and procreate, but this doesn't mean that there won't be a time when God will show himself to some and not all.  It may seem impossible to think mankind is getting "scraps from the table' while what he has in store for some is unfathomable, man likes to be in control and it appears they may well be in control of the scraps.

anonymous · Answer

Jesus said that he would manifest Himself to those that willfully obey. John 14:15-21. God is a personal, relational God he's into a relationship with His creation. If all you want is something from Him and not want a relationship, then what's the point. He gave us all a free will to choose to follow Him and ultimately have a relationship with Him, NOT!!! religion. I hate religion because what is there to gain, but when I have a relationship with the Father Son and Holy Spirit, I don't need anything else.

anonymous · Answer

The question is, if God really exists then would you obey Him, follow Him and love Him?Because He actually died, and no other God in any other religion died for the people who follow them. Jesus is the ONLY  one.

kenljw · Answer

It depends on what you mean by obey, people have a misunderstanding that freedom means you can do whatever you want good or ill.  Frankly you can do any good that you see, but sadly some choose to do the ill.  Its the ill that will be removed and anyone can choose any good they find.

aaronq · Answer

"Why should I believe in God or call any religion the true religion for that matter."

No one in their right mind can assert that a god exists, or that a religion is true, with certainty. They merely believe in it for one reason or another (e.g. we're brought up in a religious household). You shouldn't feel obliged to believe in anything you don't want to.

kenljw · Answer

Following that logic, I can follow my biological urge for anger and violence regardless  of consequence.  I can plan to kill for gain and rationally convince myself its my right, and with this be quite cunning so as not to get caught.  Serial Killer do it for some perverse reasons, can it be their only following their biological imperative.  Without rational teaching that human being are to be above their biological origin, animal, then what you end up with the principle survival of the fittest.  The modern teaching of people only being biological and allowing something because there natural and not others is in itself irrational.

anonymous · Answer

"Why should I believe in God or call any religion the true religion for that matter?"

For two reason:
Ax: God [exist].
Ax: [One] religion is [true].

Why should you not believe in these axioms or assumptions, if they are true to you? If they work they work, if they fail then you move on and try to find the truth. (Which might me another religion or atheism, or some other philosophy.)

This world does not require you to explain your beliefs to others. Justifying your belief shows a that you hold a lack of belief in that what you are justifying is true that you are seeking agreement that your view is in fact the $\textit{correct}$ view. (Of course there are exceptions in these matters, some cases such as answering questions about your beliefs, etc.) 

Note:
While you are not required to explain your beliefs of theism or atheism it does help if you can defend your beliefs against critical thinking and are able to provide rationally and logically sound refutations. 

$$\textbf{On Commentary:}$$

I disagree with aaronq's statement:
"No one in their right mind can assert that a god exists, or that a religion is true, with certainty."

Yes, someone in their right mind can assert that a God exists and if a religion is true with certainty if they have convincing evidence or a model that proves their argument for their belief. 

From my view, no amount of logic or reasoning will be worth anything if not accompanied with genuinely earnest efforts carried out with self-honesty, searching for truth with an open mind. This is a point I can never over-emphasized. Not bashing on atheists or theists here, but if an atheist ever wants a physical proof of God’s existence. The demand is illogical by nature, especially when it comes from intellectually and rationally well-equipped scientific person. This is because it is irrational to ask for physical proof for a non-physical entity that can only be recognized by indirect evidence and by the use of reasoning and logic, just like scientists who do not have any physical proof that there was a phenomenon called ‘Big Bang’ that started the Universe, justifiably believe that it did occur by indirect evidence through mathematical calculations.

It is not a matter of what you should or should not believe, but a matter of rational and logical thinking. Which argument convinces you more? The argument of atheism or the argument of theism?

Peace.

aaronq · Answer

(This is directed to Algorithmic)

"if they have convincing evidence or a model that proves their argument for their belief"

While this is true, there isn't a religion that has $convincing$ evidence. 

"The demand is illogical by nature.. This is because it is irrational to ask for physical proof for a non-physical entity.."

How $\sf do~ you$ know that a god is non-physical to being with? The mere lack of physical evidence for any? You seem like a very smart person, so I don't understand why you would make an assumption that, clearly, cannot be supported.

anonymous · Answer

$$\textbf{On Commentary:}$$
This is meant to be directed to aaronq. (Apologies if I am supposed to capitalize the a, I am unsure whether I should or should not.)

I never really put forth that any religion had any convincing evidence. I said it was merely $\textit{possible}$. There are many arguments for God that are convincing, but either are supported by axioms which one can easily deny or they are ill formed arguments. A convincing argument does not have to convince you, but it has to convince others who will defend the argument. For instance take the Abrahamic story of Moses staff turning into a snake, this is convincing evidence for everyone who was there, but less convincing for anyone who was not. In short, convincing evidence can be a personal reason such as by emotions, or a rational and logical meaning by logical arguments for God, an afterlife, etc. However I do agree with you, there is no current 100% proof of God, or that a religion is true. (At least for me that is.) 

Good point, the reason I know God is a non-physical concept, is due to God being defined in the Oxford dictionaries as a creator-God, which hence must not exist within time, since if God is to be the creator, the first cause, he will have need to exist out of the frame of time. This is valid reasoning and is supported the detonative definition of God. (Nothing physical existed before the big bang, or so that is what some scientist says. If God is to be the creator of the universe, he thus therefore not be a physical concept because there is no before the big bang.)

Peace.

kenljw · Answer

Personally I don't believe God is the creator, there are different supposed names of God that are assumed to be the same being.  Generally I use the commandment, Exodus chapter 20 verse 3, "Thou shall have no other gods before me.".  The crux is what's meant by "before", I don't think it means in time, as creator, but in is his presence so as to have a higher authority them him.  Elohim, Hebrew for plural gods, were actually the creator as in our big bang theory, I also correspond this to the 10 kings in revelation chapter 17.  I can also so you where prophecies in Revelation have come true literally, but then again you must believe that it was written 1900 years and not yesterday.

anonymous · Answer

$$\textbf{On Commentary:}$$
This is meant to be directed to KenLJW.

If you argue a God which is not a creator-God, then God takes the property of $\textit{being created}$. 

If God is created, that means there was something greater before Him that created Him. This brings other implications, if there is a greater force or God that created $\textit{your God}$ then why pledge alliance to your God if he is not the ultimate force, and judge?

$\textbf{On אֱלֹהִים (Elohim):}$

Hebrew defines אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) as both a grammatically singular and plural noun for "God" or "gods". To differentiate between "God" or "gods" you normally look at the verbs and adjectives used. If the verb and or adjective used is singular. אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) will be usually singular, the logic also works in reverse.

Further research into the suspected etymology shows אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) seems to come from a background where it meant God, not gods. (There is no exact etymology since Hebrew is prehistoric.)

Peace.

kenljw · Answer

The question if something created can be greater then that that created it, this depends if what created it is only mindless and can be manipulation or changed.  The big bang theory only has certain physical laws, and we now know there may be punctual equilibriums and emerging qualities.  This may well change the paradigm of cause and effect to vise versa, ultimately it may turn there is only one  possible outcome for existence.  The human model to this question is can artificial intelligence surpass that of humans.  Scriptures can be understood in many ways, I'm not that dogmatic especially when the dogma appears to been created in a vacuum.

anonymous · Answer

so basically your criticizing me just cause i don't believe what you believe..? and besides im not atheist i just don't believe the biblical terms and meanings of the bible...

kenljw · Answer

I've heard a lot of people say "I believe in God" but I don't really know what they meant by that.  God has become so generic that they can be talking just about anything and that isn't what I mean by God.  I do follow the Biblical scriptures which tells me what I'm supposed to do not what God is supposed to do.  Generally my personal religion informs me what I'm to do in this world leaving my Lords to do their thing, in fact I generally don't pray for specifics because if I control them I become them which is against my religion.

anonymous · Answer

@grray7

anonymous · Answer

Well this is a long chat, so I've summarized everything I read and here is my beliefs/opinions/thoughts or whatever you want to call them on the matter. Now people may argue that they personally have not been shown enough evidence to believe in God, but that is where faith comes in. "Faith is being sure of what we hope for,and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 See, it is by faith that people believe, and I personally could argue many different angles where the Bible is proven true, and how prophecies that seem unimaginable came true, and how there is evidence everywhere of a "Creator God" as ya'll call him, but I think that can shouldn't matter anyway to a person of faith. I also would like to quickly point out that the difference in Faith and believing, as even Satan himself, "believes" in GOD. People also like to say "well I don't believe in God, because he let's innocent babies die, and any real God wouldn't let that happen." but these ignorant people have never read scripture, and don't realize that this tragedy is a result of the sins of the father. People take all the credit and self pride for everything, when all is going well, yet blame all bad things on God, (you know, that one they supposedly don't believe in.). I think this is for two reasons, A. people never want to take responsibility for their actions, and B. They have such a large ego and pride problem, since people have advanced so much, that they don't think they need an all powerful entity in their lives. Lastly, I just want to say that believing in God and following him is 100% a personal choice, If you choose to follow him, then great for you. If you don't well then best of luck. I would rather be a christian based on even the tiniest chance that there is a God, and sacrifice maybe 80 or 90 years (if I'm lucky, every breath is a gift and we aren't guaranteed tomorrow.) to live right, and have eternal joy, then denounce God's existence and then come time for Judgement day, get thrown in Hell and constantly think "only if I had said yes and had some faith." It's as simple as Romans 10:9 says, If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. I just want to say thanks for reading this if you did, and I hope you all have a blessed day! :)

anonymous · Answer

@mathgeek27 @PRAETORIAN.10 @JoshuaKNM @RabbiMordcha @KenLJW @Algorithmic @ericanoel912 @Jumperman @TheOrigin813 @aaronq @Bailee

anonymous · Answer

OK,that was super long! @grray7  basically said everything i was going to say,lol :) But yeah I totally agree with what u said Gav. And how are you so smart, being younger than me and all??????

anonymous · Answer

Aww thanks@mathgeek27... BTW, if any of you have any other questions, or comments feel free to PM.

anonymous · Answer

$$\textbf{On Commentary:}$$
@grray7 You address only one point out of the question, which is why to believe in God. If I read your post correctly, your argument holds that faith is of the highest virtue, while yes this mentality did well for Christianity from during the Middle Ages, it would have been obliterated by the rationalistic schools of thought during the Islamic Golden age (to elucidate, not Islamic schools of thought, however the fierce religious dogmatic thought of Aristotelian schools), as well as now days faith is equated to be the ignorance of man, claiming to have knowledge where he does not. 

The main issue with faith being a sole reason to believe in God, is that through repeated testing faith really has no predictability. Meaning under scientific scrutiny faith alone is a humours idea for why one should believe in a God. It lacks validity to it, from experiments. 

@grray7 you missed the part on: "or call any religion the true religion for that matter?"

$$\textbf{Note:}$$
Argumentum ad passiones also know appeal to emotion as is a logical fallacy, so your argument as well is not only lacks validity it also contains a logical fallacy.

anonymous · Answer

Well I guess You have a hardened heart as you need prove to believe, so your faith will never be any thing stronger than what you can see. I'm not going to continue arguing with an ignorant mind, and if Bailee chooses not to believe then that's on her. I urge people towards my beliefs as I wish to one day see them in Heaven, but as I said in my first post the choice is 100% on you. Bailee should "call any religion the true religion" by studying on her own, telling people the scripture their whole life only teaches them the selectively heard parts, to become truly knowledgeable in their religion and such, people nee to study read memorize etc. on their own. And lastly to address your comments on the Golden age Islamic  schools of "thought", that is where people's faith was tested and strong believers chose death or other forms of punishment rather than denouncing/renouncing their faith, the Muslims could think all they want on their radical crap and beliefs in killing Christians and such, but that has no weight on my beliefs I will not be wavered in my walk with God, and this is why all though I don't know for sure,because I don't make the judgement call if I get to go to heaven or not, I certainly hope that I will walk eternally with God.

anonymous · Answer

@mathgeek27 @PRAETORIAN.10 @JoshuaKNM @RabbiMordcha @KenLJW @Algorithmic @ericanoel912 @Jumperman @TheOrigin813 @aaronq @Bailee

anonymous · Answer

$$\textbf{On Commentary:}$$
This is meant to be directed to @grray7.

My heart is hardened? In what sense? I have complete faith in God (as strong as what I see, and more), however I do no have a blind faith in God which you assert is better than any rational and logical proof.

My mind is ignorant? Well I apologize for my purely natural skepticism, as well as for criticizing your opinion. Other users have criticized or challenged my opinions and they are valid to, for they are opinions and can be challenged or criticized freely. Resorting to calling me a person with an ignorant mind is amusing. 

$$\textbf{One lies and slander:}$$
And lastly to address your comments on the Golden age Islamic  schools of "thought", $\textbf{that is where people's faith was tested and strong believers chose death or}$ $\textbf{other forms of punishment rather than denouncing/renouncing their faith}$, $\textbf{the Muslims could think all they want on their radical crap and beliefs in}$ $\textbf{killing Christians and such}$, but that has no weight on my beliefs I will not be wavered in my walk with God, and this is why all though I don't know for sure,because I don't make the judgement call if I get to go to heaven or not, I certainly hope that I will walk eternally with God.

$\textit{You either skim read what I wrote or misunderstood me, I never said that Muslims}$ $\textit{were radical, or that, strong believers chose death or other forms of capital punishment.}$

$\textit{Please re-read the following:}$
Your argument holds that faith is of the highest virtue, while yes this mentality did well for Christianity from during the Middle Ages, it would have been obliterated by the rationalistic schools of thought during the Islamic Golden age to elucidate, $\textbf{not Islamic schools of thought, however the fierce religious dogmatic thought}$ $\textbf{of Aristotelian schools.}$ 

$\textit{Sola fide}$ would not have successfully live (in my opinion) through the Islamic Golden age is all I said.

anonymous · Answer

And I'm saying your opinion is wrong.

anonymous · Answer

@Algorithmic

kenljw · Answer

Read my previous post on the mater.

praetorian.10 · Answer

I suppose you "should" believe in God because He's a verity and to deny His existence would be ludicrous. But then you "should" also believe in Him because He is perfect and you are not and you need to be helped and He is the only one who can. But most importantly you "should" believe in God because you realise you're missing something in your life and that's Him. Don't come to Him the night before an exam and pray for good results and then not care about Him until the next time you need help. God want's you to just be yourself and that's all anyone can ask of you. He loves you and he made you and you "should" believe in him because those reasons and 999 others. But there's 'should' and "should" and if it makes sense I think you "should" just be yourself and that you 'should' love God because He's important to you.

praetorian.10 · Answer

@mathgeek27 probs an inferior answer but yeah

anonymous · Answer

Oh shut up  Prae!

kenljw · Answer

The statement "God loves me just the way I am" is very arrogant. and  assumes one has no faults and no need for salvation.  No one is perfect and continually requires correction in their life, like when you learned to crawl, walk, talk, read, write, ect., people get caught up in things by just being in the world their in, whether ignorance, intentional, or possession.  The salvation principle is in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam but my point it occurs while on is living not afterlife which may or may not be true.

anonymous · Answer

This is meant to be directed to @KenLJW.

I agree with you, in a way all is dependant on the divine. We live to worship God, and strive to better ourselves for him. It is our compound (meaning honest) ignorance, and our (arrogant) ignorance which pushes us away from Him. 

Peace.

praetorian.10 · Answer

lol so uhhh God hates us because we fail huh?

praetorian.10 · Answer

nah, i tend to think that he loves us just the way we are. despite us failing.

praetorian.10 · Answer

and i am so not arrogant.

praetorian.10 · Answer

what you wrote
The statement "God loves me just the way I am" is very arrogant. and  assumes one has no faults and no need for salvation.  
what i wrote
But then you "should" also believe in Him because He is perfect and you are not and you need to be helped and He is the only one who can.

praetorian.10 · Answer

so uhh you clearly didnt read what i wrote at all

praetorian.10 · Answer

look brothers, i love you all, and so does God. he also made you. he also knows everything about you before you do it. and he is the most loving loveably guy in the universe. he sent his son to die for us all. i really dont think he will hate us all because we're human. whats harder; giving up your son or saying i forgive you? its soooooooooo much easier to say i forgive you and yet he did both. no matter what i do wrong my God will forgive me and that doesnt mean i have a get out of jail free card so every friday i go and do drugs and say to myself "yolo god will forgive me so even if i mass murder a school i'll still get into heaven". what it means is that even though i strive to be holy every time i fall he is the one to pick me up and bandage my knee

praetorian.10 · Answer

without fail he will be by my side. every. single. time.

kenljw · Answer

There was a saying in my family "God helps those who help themselves" and was even joked when one one reach across the table for a slice of bread.  This is a true statement to me but I come to understand it differently then I think my family meant.  Today to me it depends on a direction a person eventually takes, you know a life changing event that changes your perspective and perception which I really can't say others in my family had.  Correlation to my name and experiences in this world which actually correspond to scriptures old and new, even though I know your not to mix threats in clothing I see in myself some end time prophecy in the Koran.  Life is a tricky, I talked to a young Jew on this site that studied the Talmud and their ancient scriptures who said he was not allowed to read the new testament, talk about mixing threads.

anonymous · Answer

You shouldn't have to believe in anything. Think for yourself do your own research on the creation of this earth. Don't just take other peoples word for it believe in what you want to believe in or don't believe in anything theres a saying I live by " Can't a garden be beautiful without magical fairies living in it as well" this means the world can be just as miraculous without having a magical entity looking over it

kenljw · Answer

I don't know if you ever had a garden, my father always did whether in a urban or rural area, he had it because it reminded him of his youth, he was born in 1915.  He worked up the ground, planted, and did what was required for his garden.  If you find yourself in a garden you may question who planted it and cares for it, scripturally you are partly responsible for it's care whether you believe in a Divine being or not.

anonymous · Answer

My grandmother has a garden and yes a lot of care goes into it, but I think the quote which I admit is off of memory so its not word for word, it is addressing to anything beautiful in general. Can't a beautiful woman be beautiful without having magical wings as well? see its saying the same thing. @KenLJW

kenljw · Answer

I guess it depends on what you consider magical, the union of any individuals or groups may in fact have what is called magical.  If you have ever experienced telepathy, communion, you'll recognize how others may effect you, sometimes in a negative way.  Magic is the apparent use of supernatural powers, what I's suggesting there's human ability's that people may be losing due to technology or even exploiting.  The extend of human capiblity's in a  supposedly magical manner may be a real as the divine itself.