How does a theist decide which beliefs to have?

[MRC_Hans]

How does a theist, or other believer, decide which beliefs to have? In another thread, a Christian asks how an atheist makes this decision, but I think it is a much more interesting question how a believer does it.

This is because the atheist's life is NOT centered around a belief system, and he/she does not identify him/herself with one, whereas the believer does both, so the way the believer selects belief systems must be much more important to the individual.

So, theists/believers, how do you select your belief system? For most theists, the salvation of your soul depends on making the right choice. How do you make sure you did not select one that will send you to hell/oblivion/whatever?

Hans

 

[Beerina]

 

[M.H.Mubarak]

There is only One God The Creator of All that Is

The Creator is One. A Oneness which is Imortal with no begining nor end, and no shape nor form that can be imagined by the Mortal Mind.

The Universe by its intrinsic nature is a Relativistic Holistic Matrix on which time and space, energy and matter, are given structure and purpose.

The first premise above has been transmitted to Mankind by The Creator via his chosen Messengers, which have been elevated above others and who have been given knowledge of the seen and the unseen elements of the universe.

The second premise is rooted in the Objective and Subjective nature of Mankinds Psyche. The Continuum of Time and Space with infinite beginnings and endings of actions and reactions, have given Mankind more to measure and define than the human mind can concieve.

According to the first premise, amongst the vast realms of knowledge given to Mankind through the "Prophets" (messengers), is the dictum that we all are owners of a soul which exists in "The State of Felicity", which then becomes attached to the fetus in the womb, and which subsequently returns to "The State of Felicity" to await the reckoning of it's deeds and actions, which will finalise it's relative "state" in the hereafter.

My name has not always been Muhammad Hasan Mubarak. I was born into a Protestant family whose roots in the "New World" date back to 1650. However, as I aged, my soul began it's Spiritual Quest to transcend the physical boundaries of "Organised Religion" for a deeper understanding of my personal spiritual reality.

I have studied and experienced many of the world religions. As to how I came to embrace Al-Islam is a rather lengthy narration, which at the moment I am not pepared to undertake in today's post. It was a gradual processs. The most which I wish to impart today is simply that there is so much disinformation on Islam and Muslims in general, that we must begin with the first premise above - that The Creator is ONE. beside whom there is no second. In the Arabic language Al (definite artilcle meaning "The") lah (means "Diety") Putting them together you get "The Diety" Allah.


But this is what you want to know. "How does a theist decide which beliefs to have? " When you come accross a set of beliefs that strike you as being most universal, and which strikes an inner chord of recognition of you and your relationship to your Creator, then go with it. Research it, understand it, then embrace it.

If you like, in my next post I'll give you the six articles of faith that govern Al-Islam.

 

[fuelair]

How does a theist, or other believer, decide which beliefs to have? In another thread, a Christian asks how an atheist makes this decision, but I think it is a much more interesting question how a believer does it.

This is because the atheist's life is NOT centered around a belief system, and he/she does not identify him/herself with one, whereas the believer does both, so the way the believer selects belief systems must be much more important to the individual.

So, theists/believers, how do you select your belief system? For most theists, the salvation of your soul depends on making the right choice. How do you make sure you did not select one that will send you to hell/oblivion/whatever?

Hans

Usually by going along with whatever the church/preacher says to believe.

 

[Damien Evans]

Indeed.

I shall join you.

 

[Damien Evans]

The Creator is One. A Oneness which is Imortal with no begining nor end, and no shape nor form that can be imagined by the Mortal Mind.

The Universe by its intrinsic nature is a Relativistic Holistic Matrix on which time and space, energy and matter, are given structure and purpose.

The first premise above has been transmitted to Mankind by The Creator via his chosen Messengers, which have been elevated above others and who have been given knowledge of the seen and the unseen elements of the universe.

The second premise is rooted in the Objective and Subjective nature of Mankinds Psyche. The Continuum of Time and Space with infinite beginnings and endings of actions and reactions, have given Mankind more to measure and define than the human mind can concieve.

According to the first premise, amongst the vast realms of knowledge given to Mankind through the "Prophets" (messengers), is the dictum that we all are owners of a soul which exists in "The State of Felicity", which then becomes attached to the fetus in the womb, and which subsequently returns to "The State of Felicity" to await the reckoning of it's deeds and actions, which will finalise it's relative "state" in the hereafter.

My name has not always been Muhammad Hasan Mubarak. I was born into a Protestant family whose roots in the "New World" date back to 1650. However, as I aged, my soul began it's Spiritual Quest to transcend the physical boundaries of "Organised Religion" for a deeper understanding of my personal spiritual reality.

I have studied and experienced many of the world religions. As to how I came to embrace Al-Islam is a rather lengthy narration, which at the moment I am not pepared to undertake in today's post. It was a gradual processs. The most which I wish to impart today is simply that there is so much disinformation on Islam and Muslims in general, that we must begin with the first premise above - that The Creator is ONE. beside whom there is no second. In the Arabic language Al (definite artilcle meaning "The") lah (means "Diety") Putting them together you get "The Diety" Allah.


But this is what you want to know. "How does a theist decide which beliefs to have? " When you come accross a set of beliefs that strike you as being most universal, and which strikes an inner chord of recognition of you and your relationship to your Creator, then go with it. Research it, understand it, then embrace it.

If you like, in my next post I'll give you the six articles of faith that govern Al-Islam.

Now, I can recognise that as English...

 

[KingMerv00]

But this is what you want to know. "How does a theist decide which beliefs to have? " When you come accross a set of beliefs that strike you as being most universal, and which strikes an inner chord of recognition of you and your relationship to your Creator, then go with it. Research it, understand it, then embrace it.

Welcome to the forum.

When you come across a set of beliefs that "strikes an inner chord" do you also consider whether or not it is true?

 

[Darat]

The Creator is One. A Oneness which is Imortal with no begining nor end, and no shape nor form that can be imagined by the Mortal Mind.

...snip...

You say you can't even imagine it's form but you claim to know what it wants. Do you not a see a contradiction in that?

 

[ShowerComic]

So, theists/believers, how do you select your belief system? For most theists, the salvation of your soul depends on making the right choice. How do you make sure you did not select one that will send you to hell/oblivion/whatever?

Usually by going along with whatever the church/preacher says to believe.

Also what they inherit from their parents. And for that matter 'Salvation of the Soul' I think of as a Christian concept, if the person is brought up in another religion / culture (ex: Judaism) they may not have that particular concept and worry. -- Though Judaism as an example has it's own 'obligations' ex: (since it's Passover this week - 'so why do we have to tell this story anyway')

 

[RenaissanceBiker]

But this is what you want to know. "How does a theist decide which beliefs to have? " When you come accross a set of beliefs that strike you as being most universal, and which strikes an inner chord of recognition of you and your relationship to your Creator, then go with it. Research it, understand it, then embrace it.

Welcome to the forum, Mr. Mubarak.

Religions are a kind of cultural superstition. Cultural beliefs consist of a culture's values, morals and these superstitions. People are raised in one culture or another and usually adopt that cultural belief. Sometimes they look around and decide they are most comfortable with the beliefs of their fathers. Sometimes they go along with these beliefs because it is the path of least resistance. Sometimes a person, like Mr. Mubarak, decides there is something personally lacking in their cultural beliefs and goes in search of more. These people either find it in the beliefs of another culture or they decide that they are comfortable with atheism or humanism. It's all about finding what makes sense to you. Problems usually arise when someone feels the need to force their beliefs on others.

If you like, in my next post I'll give you the six articles of faith that govern Al-Islam.

Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass. In the information age, this is easy for the curious to find. MRC_Hans is more interested in how you chose, not what you chose.

 

[martu]

Most don't choose, most are indoctrinated.

 

[westprog]

How does a theist, or other believer, decide which beliefs to have? In another thread, a Christian asks how an atheist makes this decision, but I think it is a much more interesting question how a believer does it.

In theory, this should be a totally different matter. In practice, atheists and believers decide what's right in similar ways. The golden rule is 90% of it. Prejudice 5%. Doctrine the rest.

This is because the atheist's life is NOT centered around a belief system, and he/she does not identify him/herself with one, whereas the believer does both, so the way the believer selects belief systems must be much more important to the individual.

I'd imagine that most believers fall into their religion of choice in a fairly random way. That doesn't mean they don't believe it.

So, theists/believers, how do you select your belief system? For most theists, the salvation of your soul depends on making the right choice. How do you make sure you did not select one that will send you to hell/oblivion/whatever?

Hans

I think most believers don't think that if they happen to get transubstantiation wrong that they will burn in hell forever. They tend to think that living a good life will do the trick, rather than the details of what they believe. Some fundamentalists might not agree with that, but they are atypical.

 

[KingMerv00]

In theory, this should be a totally different matter. In practice, atheists and believers decide what's right in similar ways. The golden rule is 90% of it. Prejudice 5%. Doctrine the rest.



I'd imagine that most believers fall into their religion of choice in a fairly random way. That doesn't mean they don't believe it.




I think most believers don't think that if they happen to get transubstantiation wrong that they will burn in hell forever. They tend to think that living a good life will do the trick, rather than the details of what they believe. Some fundamentalists might not agree with that, but they are atypical.

That's a good description of what they believe but not how they came to believe.

"Randomly" may be the answer but I doubt they would admit to that.

 

[Darth Rotor]

How does a theist, or other believer, decide which beliefs to have?

Haven't you heard? It's all about Religion 2.0 these days: a web based, menu driven, user friendly interactive interface. Takes less than ten minutes, and you get a fifteen percent discount for some featured bundles. Visa cards accepted, but we don't take American Express.

Visa.

We're everywhere you want to be, metaphysically.

DR

 

[Frozenwolf150]

Most stick with the religion they are born with, without it ever occurring to them that a choice even exists, or that it's theirs to make. Others may arrive at theism to help deal with the natural anxiety of a finite existence, the feelings of vulnerability, and the insatiable curiosity that comes with being human. But then there are some who are theists for no reason other than duress, which goes a little something like this:

God: You there! [Orally imbibe] my [lower anatomical extremities] or die!
Believer: Ulp! Okay! Just don't hurt me!

And once these irrational beliefs get lodged in there, they're really hard to pry loose.

 

[Freethinker]

Decide. Merriam-Webster says: 1 a: to make a final choice or judgment about <decide what to do> b: to select as a course of action —used with an infinitive <decided to go> c: to infer on the basis of evidence

Most theists do none of these. They make no judgement or selection, and they certainly make no inference based on evidence. They blindly accept what they are given.

 

[Furi]

Maybe a theist could tell us at what age they knew they were a theist and so chose their religion? and how many from a strange coincedence (almost as if due to a divine power) just so happened to be the same or of similar flavoured one that their parents luckily indoctrinated them into.

(mmm toffee pecan)

 

[westprog]

That's a good description of what they believe but not how they came to believe.

"Randomly" may be the answer but I doubt they would admit to that.

In terms of a materialist view of the universe, they selected their religion randomly. In terms of the religious view, God gave them the grace/karma/whatever to have their particular faith. Either works. The number of people who carefully went through all the doctrines of the major religions and selected the one that best fit the world must be vanishingly small.

It isn't reasonable to expect a religious believer to subscribe to a materialistic view of faith.

 

[MRC_Hans]

The Creator is One. A Oneness which is Imortal with no begining nor end, and no shape nor form that can be imagined by the Mortal Mind.

*snip*
But this is what you want to know. "How does a theist decide which beliefs to have? " When you come accross a set of beliefs that strike you as being most universal, and which strikes an inner chord of recognition of you and your relationship to your Creator, then go with it. Research it, understand it, then embrace it.

If you like, in my next post I'll give you the six articles of faith that govern Al-Islam.

Thank you for your carefully written answer.

If I'm to take the essence of your post, then you studied various faiths and decided on the one you felt looked most right. Have you considered the possibility that none of the established faiths may be true? That none of them has fully grasped the Truth?

Hans

 

[Ocelot]

Same way you chose what clothes to wear. When you're young your parents choose for you. When you're older you either stick with the same stuff or try on various alternatives. You stick with the choice that's most comfortable and projects the sort of appearance you wish to maintain.