Choosing your Religion (mythology, Revelation, prophets, atheist)

[BONA FIDE]

Choosing your Religion

Each person is born into a religious environment that is not of his/her own choice. From the very beginning of human existence in this world, they are assigned the religion of their family or the ideology of the state. By the time individuals reach their teens they usually accept the beliefs of their parents or those of their particular society.

However, when some people mature and are exposed to other beliefs and ideologies, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs.
Some of them take a materialistic approach and become atheist. The strange thing about many athiests is that they claim to be following science. They claim that nothing proves the existence of a Creator. We say to those of our brethren in humanity, think about it. If you are walking in the snow or in a desert and you see some footprints one after another in twos you infer that there was someone who had walked through this place. Yet you didn't see that person. It was the organized set of footprints which made you sure that someone had walked through there. Anyone who has played scrabble knows you can't throw up the pieces and they land in a sentence much less a complex poem. The same thing goes for the universe. We see a vast system of complex organization, especially here on the Earth. Yet still some educated people agree to this fact, but disagree that there has to be a creator for there to be a creation. So where did everything come from?
The answer is in your heart and you know it. We ask you what makes your heart beat? If you go to your science book you will say electricity from your brain. Ok, where did that electricity come from? Are you plugged into something? How does your body know how to digest food? etc... etc... etc...

Everything exists most intelligently designed by the command of the absolutely wise and merciful creator and sustainer.
Because the All-Knowing Creator knows that most people won't see this reality He sent His Prophets performing miracles to clearly prove their being sent by the only One who is in control of the laws of nature and can change them at will. These miracles were recorded throughout history.
Seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion upon realizing that believers of every religion, sect, ideology and philosophy all claim to have the one and only correct religion or ideology. For those who believe in God there are only three possibilities:
They are either all correct, all wrong, or only one is correct and the rest are misrepresenting God by the hands of man.

1- They cannot all be right since all religions are different from each other in their basic foundations including; who is God and what His nature is or what will happen after we die.

2- It can't be that they are all wrong. In the past, governments have failed us and haven't properly ruled by the message of God and much evidence of corruption in religion and scriptures have surfaced throughout the centuries. This reality led to atheism and the claim that everyone should individually decide who God is and how they relate to him (make up their own religion). The truth is that corruption in people or even scriptures doesn't negate God or His message. The reality is that Islam is the only religion in which all of its own scholars throughout history agree to the infallibility and absolute perfection of its own scripture.

Be sure, the Most Merciful God didn't leave us alone without any guidance to lighten our path and lead us back to Him. We lack the knowledge and wisdom to hold such a responsibility. Plus this would lead to spiritual division among man. And finally it would make God unjust, leaving us to figure out our own purpose in life, and then judging us upon our faith and works.
How then would we achieve this ultimate goal of pleasing our Creator?

3- The truth is only one of these religions can be the pure truth. The All Merciful God sent human Prophets among mankind to show us the way and to teach us how to believe and how to have a true relationship with our Almighty Creator. The responsibility of preserving the scripture from Prophet to Prophet and nation to nation was with the religious leaders. Indeed those scholars allowed the previous scriptures to be corrupted. All Muslims believe that God revealed the same religion to each Prophet. That was to worship God alone without assocating others with Him. This worship should be in accordance with the example of the Prophet. This religion is called Islam. With corruption of the scriptures, came the names and labels as well. Christianity has the more adherents than any other religion and there isn't one verse claimed to have been said by Jesus which mentions the name Chirstianity and neither does Jesus command them to be called Christians.
So, which religion is the right one and how can the seeker of truth know it? In beginning one's search for which religion is true, one should keep four things in mind:

First, God gave us the ability and intellect to make this crucial decision, hence it is our decision and we don't need our parents, family, or society to make it for us.

Second, God did not leave us to go astray without any guidance. Indeed, He sent us Prophets (pbut) with scriptures to show us the right path. The proof of this is in the various miracles performed by these Prophets (pbut) which have been recorded throughout time. These Prophets all claim to have been sent by God to teach us His will for us.

Third, seeking the true religion is the most important decision in one's life because our eternity depends on it.
Fourth, one can only make a fair rational decision about the true religion of God if emotions and prejudices, which often blind one to the truth, are put aside.

We would like to present Islam to you as an option. We would like you to consider the following characteristics about Islam in making your decision:

* Islam is consistent with logic and rational thinking.

* Islam opens the door for anyone to challenge its authenticity. It also provokes you and shows you how to challenge it, that you may achieve certainty in it.

* Islam provides the needed answers for all important and fundamental questions concerning God, the purpose of life, and the hereafter.

* Islam is supported by contemporary miracles and proofs. For example Islamic texts revealed 1,400 years ago are 100% compatible with recently established science. Read "The Bible, the Qur'an, and science" by Maurice Bucaille who accepted Islam after researching for this book.

* Islam combines the Hereafter with our daily lives and makes a strong bond between the two through our sense of accountability.

* Islam is more than a "religion" in common terminology. It truly is a comprehensive system of life with a detailed law and ethical system. It establishes systems for worship, family living, government, politics, education, economics and social relations.

* Islam is based on a firmly established system of law founded on authentic revealed texts which have been put under deep scrutiny. It is not based upon individuals' ideas, emotional attachments, or religious hierarchies which have no solid foundation in authentic revelation.

* Islam encourages people to seek knowledge and contribute to the world.

* Islam provides true equality, solving the age old problems of race and gender. Islam treats all believers as equal irrespective of race, gender, nationality, or social status.

[sanspeur]

Even if I were a believer, I would no more accept Islam than I would any other organized religion...To me they are nothing more than disfunctional social clubs.

[camping!]

Islam certainly works for many many people throughout the world, and if it brings them peace and contentment -- good for them. I do mean that very sincerely.
For me, while Islam has many good points to it, imho it is not an especially merciful religion.

[MontanaGuy]

BONA FIDE wrote:

However, when some people mature and are exposed to other beliefs and ideologies, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs.

I completely agree with that statement but as you also said most people just accept the religion of the society they were born into so it's just an accident of the place where they were born. I think you write some excellent posts that are well thought out but I truly don't see anything appealing about any religion. It's my honest belief that all religions are false and I don't mean any disrespect to any religious people by that statement. I feel that religion may have served a purpose for mankind to explain the unknown and provide comfort when the death of a loved one occurred at some point in our past but I think we have reached a point probably a couple of centuries ago when it gradually became apparent that the various religions were actually just mythology and not based on historical reality. I see nothing negative about atheism, in fact I just see it as realism, and that is my own personal view. However, I do appreciate your posts. They are informative, intelligent and nonconfrontational which is a refreshing change. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

[texdav]

Personally I thnik that reigion only comes to thsie that seek answers.God is not going to come down and force it on anyone.If your a christian you know that the bible says their will be many more that parish than those that are saved. mI never think that I can make anyone beleive in god and jesus.Each of us has to seek and discover.

[KrisKr]

Yaah; there is also the Sharia which may be either the actual state of a love relationship expecting a wedding, or the look upon a broadly ranged conformism which may involve the love of commonly related couples: we are all equal in LOVE. Man of man, woman of woman, and of course the traditional man of woman.

Just quoting Ellen Degenerous speaking to John McCain last week I believe.

[Charlotte,NC Humanist]

" So where did everything come from?" ...and so here we go again!

Lets start with a Basic that any bright kindergarten student might ask:
'Where did "God" ( your implied source of "Everything" ) come from? To respond
that he/she or it "is eternal and was & is always there" is simply a "God" fearing
masturbating process with words. It may make the "God" believer feel good but simply does not answer the question with any degree of truthiness.

Further, you write, "The truth is only one of these religions can be the pure truth"
Well, first off you sort of forgot to include lack of a 'God Concept' and No Religion
as possibilities for your "pure truth" concept. Very poor experimental design on your part by not including other reasonable known variables in any attempt to establish your hypothesis, ie. Islam being the one truth.

However, scientific methodology does not seem to be as high on your Faith value scheme of things as does religion, and in your particular, one of thousands of ,religions choices, namely Islam .

Belief in a 'God concept' or Religion, or lack of both is what I refer to as a "TWEACH" situation. [TWEACH = To Each His Own.] IMO we should keep it that way.

As a Non Theistic Secular Humanist I strive to be ecumenical. However, I do have a non paranoid concern with religious "Dominionism". ( Google that term & "Christian Reconstructionism" for an education as to what nefarious religious processes go on in the US; and Islam ,spread by force, with its Sharia laws are not a whit more comforting to one who values freedom from religious hegemony.)

You choose also, in the arguements that you make, to touch on the issue of "complexity". Ahhh, shades of not so "Intelligent Design". The old Eyeball business.
So complex ,to your way of thinking, perhaps, that surely it was a "denovo" event
when man was "created". I don't recall as to whether the Koran has "God" creating man twice ( as does the bible ) but if so, pray tell whether the eyeball evolved from first to second version?

Eyeball evolved, How? Vision is so complex how were all the functioning parts
assembled if not all at one fell swoop by one supernatural "God" and by the way
which one of the myriad gods before Mohammads "Allah" some 650 years CE.

Well try a concept as simple as that of existing genes ,for governing eyeball function, evolving the ability of added functionality over millions & millions of years of gradual eyeball functional abilities.

The above being said by me (pbut) .

[coosjoaquin]

Originally Posted by BONA FIDE

They claim that nothing proves the existence of a Creator. We say to those of our brethren in humanity, think about it. If you are walking in the snow or in a desert and you see some footprints one after another in twos you infer that there was someone who had walked through this place. Yet you didn't see that person. It was the organized set of footprints which made you sure that someone had walked through there. Anyone who has played scrabble knows you can't throw up the pieces and they land in a sentence much less a complex poem. The same thing goes for the universe. We see a vast system of complex organization, especially here on the Earth. Yet still some educated people agree to this fact, but disagree that there has to be a creator for there to be a creation. So where did everything come from?
The answer is in your heart and you know it. We ask you what makes your heart beat? If you go to your science book you will say electricity from your brain. Ok, where did that electricity come from? Are you plugged into something? How does your body know how to digest food? etc... etc... etc...

Everything exists most intelligently designed by the command of the absolutely wise and merciful creator and sustainer.

This is a big goddunit argument. Even if we assume it's valid, extra atributes keep being made up and attempting to get in like weasels: god exists........and she does this and that and this is what she believes but she wants us to do this....ect ect. It's the equivalent of seeing those same footprints and giving the guy a backstory based only on that.

Originally Posted by BONA FIDE

2- It can't be that they are all wrong. In the past, governments have failed us and haven't properly ruled by the message of God and much evidence of corruption in religion and scriptures have surfaced throughout the centuries.

Because you say so?

Originally Posted by BONA FIDE

Be sure, the Most Merciful God didn't leave us alone without any guidance to lighten our path and lead us back to Him. We lack the knowledge and wisdom to hold such a responsibility. Plus this would lead to spiritual division among man. And finally it would make God unjust, leaving us to figure out our own purpose in life, and then judging us upon our faith and works.
How then would we achieve this ultimate goal of pleasing our Creator?

As a nihilist I contend that even if there was a god, I have no obligation to worship her or try to please her.

[agnostic soldier]

[quote=BONA FIDE;3921925]Choosing your Religion

Each person is born into a religious environment that is not of his/her own choice. From the very beginning of human existence in this world, they are assigned the religion of their family or the ideology of the state. By the time individuals reach their teens they usually accept the beliefs of their parents or those of their particular society.

However, when some people mature and are exposed to other beliefs and ideologies, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs.
Some of them take a materialistic approach and become atheist. The strange thing about many athiests is that they claim to be following science. They claim that nothing proves the existence of a Creator. We say to those of our brethren in humanity, think about it. If you are walking in the snow or in a desert and you see some footprints one after another in twos you infer that there was someone who had walked through this place. Yet you didn't see that person. It was the organized set of footprints which made you sure that someone had walked through there. Anyone who has played scrabble knows you can't throw up the pieces and they land in a sentence much less a complex poem. The same thing goes for the universe. We see a vast system of complex organization, especially here on the Earth. Yet still some educated people agree to this fact, but disagree that there has to be a creator for there to be a creation. So where did everything come from?
The answer is in your heart and you know it. We ask you what makes your heart beat? If you go to your science book you will say electricity from your brain. Ok, where did that electricity come from? Are you plugged into something? How does your body know how to digest food? etc... etc... etc...quote]

If the answer is in my heart, then my heart is saying that the existence of anything supernaturnatural is so statistically improbable, Patrick Star has a better likelihood of existing.
There are several problems with the teleological argument. For one, there's absolutely zero empirical for an ultimate designer. It's just putting a label on what they don't know so that they can cover up their ignorance. Another problem with the teleological argument is that if there is a designer so complex that they were able to make the universe, then something equally or more complex would of had to create them.

[Samir_Abdul]

i'm muslim because i just love the teachings and stories of the koran....and because i only worship the one god....