Have you explored other religions?

[SedesDomi]

Interesting, but that’s a book by a particular Satguru, and that is his prescribed method, which is correct but not the only correct way.

Right, but it simply shows that one can indeed convert to “Hinduism” – that is, to a particular Hindu lineage, since there is no “one” Hindu lineage.

 

[SedesDomi]

Interesting, but that’s a book by a particular Satguru, and that is his prescribed method, which is correct but not the only correct way.

Right, but it simply shows that one can indeed convert to “Hinduism” – that is, to a particular Hindu lineage, since there is no “one” Hindu lineage.

Similarly, one cannot simply convert to “Christianity”, because there are many different “Christianities”.

 

[Sufjon]

Right, but it simply shows that one can indeed convert to “Hinduism” – that is, to a particular Hindu lineage, since there is no “one” Hindu lineage.

Similarly, one cannot simply convert to “Christianity”, because there are many different “Christianities”.

Hi SedesDomi: If that’s what you meant, then sure, that’s right - you can convert. My point was that there’s no universally prescribed formal process. The basic foundations are amazingly the same, but there are so many variations on the finer points. for instance, the guy you pointed out insists on changing your name. A lot of teachers tell you to do that, but not all of them. It’s not done as a Hindu initiation or to renounce whatever religion you came from. It’s more a matter of giving up your identification with your ego and taking on an identity more focused on who you are in relation to God. Very similar to the things Jesus said about giving up the things you know - dying to yourself so that you can become more identified with Him (at least that’s how I interpret what He said). So the names they choose will reflect that, like Krishna Das or Ram Das, which both mean “Servant of God.” It’s more of an aid in losing an ego-centric identity. Christian parallels might be the way Christ gave people new names and how nuns from some orders as I understand it will take on new names. I think it’s all very interesting. So you are certainly not wrong, and I am grateful to have people like yourself to discuss these things with

 

[Martin_Davis]

I was raised Agnostic.

I became a Baha’i in 1973, because it seemed to unify all religions - but soon proved to be all about REPLACING them all - it’s Administrative Order claimed undeserved authority and began to drive people away.

I then became a disciple of various Hindu “masters” and gurus. Chiefly Avatar Meher Baba.

Then in 1984, through the patient evangelism of a close friend I became a born-again evangelical Christian.

I became disenchanted with the shallow teachings and lack of spiritual direction.

A few years ago I became a Mahayana Buddhist - practicing Nichiren Buddhism, chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” for world peace.

I loved the liturgical practices of ancient Buddhism.

A friend pointed out that Christianity also had ancient liturgical practices. I was amazed…I really did not know. I loved the mysticism of Buddhism and Hinduism - when I discovered the deeply mystical teachings of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church I was hooked.

There’s a lot more to this story - but let me sum up by saying that in Catholicism I see the foundation and completion of all other religions. They ALL acknowledge Jesus as a prime example of their practices.

Religion is about mankind finding a way to reach God.
Christianity revealed through the Catholic Church is about God dwelling with mankind.

To me, being Catholic is the end of religion, and the beginning of life in and with God.

 

[RebeccaJ]

I was raised Agnostic.

I became a Baha’i in 1973, because it seemed to unify all religions - but soon proved to be all about REPLACING them all - it’s Administrative Order claimed undeserved authority and began to drive people away.

I then became a disciple of various Hindu “masters” and gurus. Chiefly Avatar Meher Baba.

Then in 1984, through the patient evangelism of a close friend I became a born-again evangelical Christian.

I became disenchanted with the shallow teachings and lack of spiritual direction.

A few years ago I became a Mahayana Buddhist - practicing Nichiren Buddhism, chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” for world peace.

I loved the liturgical practices of ancient Buddhism.

A friend pointed out that Christianity also had ancient liturgical practices. I was amazed…I really did not know. I loved the mysticism of Buddhism and Hinduism - when I discovered the deeply mystical teachings of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church I was hooked.

There’s a lot more to this story - but let me sum up by saying that in Catholicism I see the foundation and completion of all other religions. They ALL acknowledge Jesus as a prime example of their practices.

Religion is about mankind finding a way to reach God.
Christianity revealed through the Catholic Church is about God dwelling with mankind.

To me, being Catholic is the end of religion, and the beginning of life in and with God.

I think what I learned by following Eastern religions/philosophies actually helped me to understand what it means to be a disciple. ie, one who follows the discipline of a Master. Of course, understanding and practice are two different things!

When Jesus is your Master, it is following God’s Love, and it is true when He taught us His yoke is not heavy and His burden is light.

I feel the same about being Catholic, that it is the end of religion and the beginning of life with Him. That is an awesome statement.

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Martin,

Welcome to CAF and to our Catholic Faith. That was a profound personal story you shared with us. God certainly does work in mysterious ways!

God bless

I was raised Agnostic.

I became a Baha’i in 1973, because it seemed to unify all religions - but soon proved to be all about REPLACING them all - it’s Administrative Order claimed undeserved authority and began to drive people away.

I then became a disciple of various Hindu “masters” and gurus. Chiefly Avatar Meher Baba.

Then in 1984, through the patient evangelism of a close friend I became a born-again evangelical Christian.

I became disenchanted with the shallow teachings and lack of spiritual direction.

A few years ago I became a Mahayana Buddhist - practicing Nichiren Buddhism, chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” for world peace.

I loved the liturgical practices of ancient Buddhism.

A friend pointed out that Christianity also had ancient liturgical practices. I was amazed…I really did not know. I loved the mysticism of Buddhism and Hinduism - when I discovered the deeply mystical teachings of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church I was hooked.

There’s a lot more to this story - but let me sum up by saying that in Catholicism I see the foundation and completion of all other religions. They ALL acknowledge Jesus as a prime example of their practices.

Religion is about mankind finding a way to reach God.
Christianity revealed through the Catholic Church is about God dwelling with mankind.

To me, being Catholic is the end of religion, and the beginning of life in and with God.

 

[rosemerry]

I have studied Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Greek “mythology,” but the only one that I have a deep understanding/have practiced is Christianity. I have tried Eastern and New Age meditation in the past, but this is still a quite limited experience with these beliefs. That being said, I would love to learn more about other religions, although I feel very rooted in Catholicism based on both religious understanding and spiritual experience.

 

[Todd520]

I think what I learned by following Eastern religions/philosophies actually helped me to understand what it means to be a disciple. ie, one who follows the discipline of a Master. Of course, understanding and practice are two different things!

When Jesus is your Master, it is following God’s Love, and it is true when He taught us His yoke is not heavy and His burden is light.

I feel the same about being Catholic, that it is the end of religion and the beginning of life with Him. That is an awesome statement.

It seems many posters on this thread are pursuing 'Mysticism’
I see it as a sincere and viable method of deepening one’s relationship with God

How does the CC view Mysticism?

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Todd520 and Rosemary,

Each one of these religions offers a unique set of experiences - that in reality - is a type of reflection of God’s Love. Unfortunately, adventures into philosophical efforts to imagine or intuit God are ultimately doomed to failure - and, you risk your soul in such activities (the Devils in Hell are more than willing to turn your journey into a true misadventure for all eternity!) Here is a link: newadvent.org/cathen/10663b.htm

Ultimately we run the risk of getting to the last man-made level of a particular man-made religion or philosophy (Scientology is a good example) and (after having enriched the particular group with many tens of thousands of dollars) find that there are real limits and we can go no further. Then people move on to another adventure with man-made wisdom as its foundation - but, the results can only be the same. There is a real limit to what we as humans can do, can imagine or can intuit when it comes to Infinite Love. I recall a quote from St. Augustine who said, “Our hearts are restless, Lord, and will only be at rest until they rest in Thee!”

My guess, Rosemary, is that you have had more experience with the limitations of man-made religions (as you named quite a few in your post). Ultimately, all of them have some type of appeal - or else they would have drawn no one to them. The problem is that each produces on a faint reflection of God - and people are easily mislead with various and conflicting false doctrines. To use an analogy, the problem that every moth encounters with every flame is that the moth finds out only too late that things are not what they seem. Since you claim to be a Catholic in your bio section - your desire to find out more about these man-made religions appears to be just for scratchiing an itch created by curiosity. To say this is a dangerous activity (which it is) may just inspire those who are so inclined to plunge head long into learning all they can. Let me invite you to discuss such a proposed adventure with your local parish priest. This man has had many academic courses on ‘other religions’ and would be well versed in giving you guidance. The soundest advice I can think of is to spend the time you would have invested in these man-made religions into learning more about your own Catholic Faith - truly, this would not only expand your personal knowledge - but, and more importantly, deepen your love and devotion to God, His Church and the Saints.

God bless

It seems many posters on this thread are pursuing 'Mysticism’
I see it as a sincere and viable method of deepening one’s relationship with God

How does the CC view Mysticism?

 

[Julia1996]

Hi, Todd520 and Rosemary,

Each one of these religions offers a unique set of experiences - that in reality - is a type of reflection of God’s Love. Unfortunately, adventures into philosophical efforts to imagine or intuit God are ultimately doomed to failure - and, you risk your soul in such activities (the Devils in Hell are more than willing to turn your journey into a true misadventure for all eternity!) Here is a link: newadvent.org/cathen/10663b.htm

Ultimately we run the risk of getting to the last man-made level of a particular man-made religion or philosophy (Scientology is a good example) and (after having enriched the particular group with many tens of thousands of dollars) find that there are real limits and we can go no further. Then people move on to another adventure with man-made wisdom as its foundation - but, the results can only be the same. There is a real limit to what we as humans can do, can imagine or can intuit when it comes to Infinite Love. I recall a quote from St. Augustine who said, “Our hearts are restless, Lord, and will only be at rest until they rest in Thee!”

My guess, Rosemary, is that you have had more experience with the limitations of man-made religions (as you named quite a few in your post). Ultimately, all of them have some type of appeal - or else they would have drawn no one to them. The problem is that each produces on a faint reflection of God - and people are easily mislead with various and conflicting false doctrines. To use an analogy, the problem that every moth encounters with every flame is that the moth finds out only too late that things are not what they seem. Since you claim to be a Catholic in your bio section - your desire to find out more about these man-made religions appears to be just for scratchiing an itch created by curiosity. To say this is a dangerous activity (which it is) may just inspire those who are so inclined to plunge head long into learning all they can. Let me invite you to discuss such a proposed adventure with your local parish priest. This man has had many academic courses on ‘other religions’ and would be well versed in giving you guidance. The soundest advice I can think of is to spend the time you would have invested in these man-made religions into learning more about your own Catholic Faith - truly, this would not only expand your personal knowledge - but, and more importantly, deepen your love and devotion to God, His Church and the Saints.

God bless

Wouldn’t it be beneficial to study other religions? That way, you can see why they are wrong rather than having people simply tell you that something is wrong. Trying out other religions without considering converting, would make that foray into another religion nothing but a hands-on learning experience. Wouldn’t that help someone understand better?

 

[JHow]

…Trying out other religions without considering converting, would make that foray into another religion nothing but a hands-on learning experience. Wouldn’t that help someone understand better?

Ummm, okay. Sacrifice any chickens lately? I’m not really going to convert but I want to get some hands on experience in Santeria?

 

[SedesDomi]

Ummm, okay. Sacrifice any chickens lately?

Are you vegetarian?

 

[Disciple96]

Wouldn’t it be beneficial to study other religions? That way, you can see why they are wrong rather than having people simply tell you that something is wrong. Trying out other religions without considering converting, would make that foray into another religion nothing but a hands-on learning experience. Wouldn’t that help someone understand better?

It depends upon what benefits you are seeking.

If I want to talk to others about religion, it behooves me to know, first of all, my own faith very, very well. Then I can look into other religions.

If I am studying other religions primarily because I am curious about them, then it would still be enormously helpful if I were grounded in my own faith first.

If I am not grounded in any faith but am searching for the truth, then I should make a sincere search for that truth. And hold fast to the truth when I find it. Truth exists and can be found.

The Catholic Church welcomes those who are seeking truth. She also encourages us to learn about other faiths in order to dialogue with members of those faiths. The best way to understand your own faith remains, however, sincere study of that faith, along with a sincere prayer and moral life and, if one is Catholic, frequent and worthy reception of the sacraments.

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Julia1996,

OK … that’s certainly a fair question - so let me see how I can direct you on this one…

Let me use an analogy… There is a certain collegate program (St. John’s University, I believe) that uses the Great Books of the Western World as the foundation to teach their 4-year undergraduate program. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books_of_the_Western_World ) These books go back to the original ancient authors to see what they had to say about certain topics. Obviously the body of knowledge has grown - but, actually seeing how it has grown is an education in itself. These graduates are given not only a truly classical education - but, because of their teachers and reading assignments - are also knowledgeable about current items so much so that they score quite well on the Graduate Record Exam. Note, these students are not just given this classical library and told to come back in four years - rather, they are given a systematic guide through the content and then other material is provide. In brief, what you have here is an organized program of study - an intellectual disicpline to achieve a very well defined outcome: a classical education.

Now, let’s see what usually happens with contemporary religions. Someone says, “Would you like to come with me to the ________ Church. We have a great choir and the preaching by _____________ is truly inspirational!” Being both polite and curious,you say, “Sure” - and you show up at the service. Now, prior to hearing about this activity you many have known nothing about the basic beliefs of the group - so, you do some research. Then you show up - and, sure enough, the choir is great! And, this preacher can and does make everything clear and reasonable! Wow! The only issue matter before you: is this the true faith? How will you find out? Ask the preacher? Well, you could do that … but, it would be a unique experience for the preacher to say anything other than “This is the True Church of God!”

So, if you don’t use this approach, what else is available? You could ask everyone you meet about their religion and why they believe in that particular religion. You could do similar research on the various social net-working sites. You could sign up for a college course on contemporary religions or comparative religions and assume that both the professor and the author of the text book are without bias. You could … well … do a lot of work, take up a lot of your time, spend a lot of your money … and not necessarily have any valid results to show for it. Besides, how would you measure valid results, anyway?

While the immediate answer to your question about it being beneficial to study other religions is a “yes” - just jumping in to such a topic without one being thoroughly grounded in their own Faith is both foolish and risky, You see, you are not the only one interested in such a ‘study’ … The Devil is a real spirit with a real desire to have your damned soul to torment for all eternity! Naturally, The Evil One would never present himself in such an unflattering light - he is, after all, the Father of Lies! (John 8:44) And, when you look at all of the religions out there - here is a link to a few religioustolerance.org/var_rel.htm how are you to know that they have been accurately presented for your consideration?

There are no easy answers on this - and for those who think such a knowledge will foster greater tolerance - I do not think this even come close to the reality we see before us today. For example, certain religions truly believe that non-believers should either convert of be killed - there is no middle ground here. By their very nature, they are quite intolerant of others. Other religions truly believe that one religion is as good as another - and we all will get to god while creating friendships on earth.

The Catholic Faith for 2,000 years has demonstrated that it is quite different from these religions created by men. We have a real set of beliefs - the Nicene Creed (here is good explanation in this link: newadvent.org/cathen/11049a.htm). A thorough searching for the truth really requires a guide - one who can point the way to Christ and the teachings of the Church. I would recommend you visit your local parish priest - tell him of your interest and seek his guidance. What you seek will really require work and a sincerity of purpose that is both mindfull of our final ends and that the Devil will do everything possible to steer you in the wrong direction.

This is really the best advice I can give on this topic. I hope this proves helpful.

God bless

Wouldn’t it be beneficial to study other religions? That way, you can see why they are wrong rather than having people simply tell you that something is wrong. Trying out other religions without considering converting, would make that foray into another religion nothing but a hands-on learning experience. Wouldn’t that help someone understand better?

 

[RebeccaJ]

It seems many posters on this thread are pursuing 'Mysticism’
I see it as a sincere and viable method of deepening one’s relationship with God

How does the CC view Mysticism?

What is your definition of mysticism?

 

[Julia1996]

Hi, Julia1996,

OK … that’s certainly a fair question - so let me see how I can direct you on this one…

Let me use an analogy… There is a certain collegate program (St. John’s University, I believe) that uses the Great Books of the Western World as the foundation to teach their 4-year undergraduate program. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books_of_the_Western_World ) These books go back to the original ancient authors to see what they had to say about certain topics. Obviously the body of knowledge has grown - but, actually seeing how it has grown is an education in itself. These graduates are given not only a truly classical education - but, because of their teachers and reading assignments - are also knowledgeable about current items so much so that they score quite well on the Graduate Record Exam. Note, these students are not just given this classical library and told to come back in four years - rather, they are given a systematic guide through the content and then other material is provide. In brief, what you have here is an organized program of study - an intellectual disicpline to achieve a very well defined outcome: a classical education.

Now, let’s see what usually happens with contemporary religions. Someone says, “Would you like to come with me to the ________ Church. We have a great choir and the preaching by _____________ is truly inspirational!” Being… …other than “This is the True Church of God!”
To determine whether something is the true faith, all you have to go on is your personal beliefs. I guess you would have to compare the religion to what you personally believe, and see how it stacks up. I know that the truth is the truth no matter what you believe. I know that humans are capable of believing in something that is very wrong but this is the closest to reliability I can think of.
So, if you don’t use this approach, what else is available? You could… …without bias. You could … well … do a lot of work, take up a lot of your time, spend a lot of your money … and not necessarily have any valid results to show for it. Besides, how would you measure valid results, anyway?
Valid results depend on your goals. If your goal was to learn the basics of another religion, and by talking to someone of that religion you got the information you wanted, then you would have achieved your goal and obtained valid results. If your goal was to find a religion to settle down with, so that you can learn and grow, then finding that religion would be a valid result.
While the immediate answer to your question about it being beneficial to study other religions is a “yes” - just jumping in to such a topic without one being thoroughly grounded in their own Faith is both foolish and risky, You see, you are not the only one interested in such a ‘study’ … The Devil is a real spirit with a real desire to have your damned soul to torment for all eternity! Naturally, The Evil One would never present himself in such an unflattering light - he is, after all, the Father of Lies! (John 8:44) And, when you look at all of the religions out there - here is a link to a few religioustolerance.org/var_rel.htm how are you to know that they have been accurately presented for your consideration?
But jumping into another religion with the intention of converting would also be rewarding, provided that you picked the correct religion to convert to. You don’t know that they are being accurately presented. You assume that they are emphasizing their strong points and downplaying their weaknesses. Based on that assumption, you use human judgment to decide what you believe.
There are no easy answers on this - and for those who think such a knowledge will foster greater tolerance - I do not think this even come close to the reality we see before us today. For example, certain religions truly believe that non-believers should either convert of be killed - there is no middle ground here. By their very nature, they are quite intolerant of others. Other religions truly believe that one religion is as good as another - and we all will get to god while creating friendships on earth.
I don’t think that tolerance is going to disappear just like that. It is basic human nature to want to feel important. The easiest way to feel important is to pretend that everyone who disagrees with you is beneath you. This is where intolerance of other beliefs comes from.
The Catholic Faith for 2,000 years has demonstrated that it is quite different from these religions created by men. We have a real set of beliefs - the Nicene Creed (here is good explanation in this link: newadvent.org/cathen/11049a.htm). A thorough searching for the truth really requires a guide - one who can point the way to Christ and the teachings of the Church. I would recommend you visit your local parish priest - tell him of your interest and seek his guidance. What you seek will really require work and a sincerity of purpose that is both mindfull of our final ends and that the Devil will do everything possible to steer you in the wrong direction.
I find it slightly amusing that another church using the same Nicene Creed can have a different interpretation of it.
What final ends do we need to be mindful of?
This is really the best advice I can give on this topic. I hope this proves helpful.
This was very helpful. Thank you.
God bless

Julia

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Julia1996,

So, let’s see … you said,

"To determine whether something is the true faith, all you have to go on is your personal beliefs. I guess you would have to compare the religion to what you personally believe, and see how it stacks up. I know that the truth is the truth no matter what you believe. I know that humans are capable of believing in something that is very wrong but this is the closest to reliability I can think of."

This sounds like you are not only using yourself as an objective criteria (which is impossible) but willing ot play a type of ‘Russian Roulette’ in picking a religion (you have all eternity to evaluate the rationalizations you sued here). All I think I can do is point out the problems with this approach (and, I think I did that…) and tell you I will keep you in my prayers. I have really done all that I can do for you. What you choose and how you choose it are the issues confronting you. Chose wisely.

God bless

Julia

 

[Todd520]

What is your definition of mysticism?

LOL, after seeing your question, I realize I’m not 100% sure what the definition is.
Maybe I should not have read the encyclopedia entry here, it confused the def I had in my mind.

 

[Julia1996]

My apologies, tqualey. I don’t think I expressed myself very well.

What I meant is that there isn’t any real proof that one religion is true. If there was any such proof, there would be no religion, it would be considered science. So since there is no proof, there isn’t any way of determining which religion is correct. And as you pointed out, there are very few truly unbiased sources of information and they are hard to identify. So we don’t have much choice but to use our own opinions. I already acknowledged the fact that humans can believe something that is seriously flawed and I understand that personal opinion is not foolproof or a good way to look at religion, it is simply better than picking a religion out of a hat.

I will choose as wisely as I can. I think I am making the right decision and I have thought about this for a while and tried to look at it from every angle. But at the end of the day, a person’s religion is determined by what their opinion is, not what is true.

Hi, Julia1996,

So, let’s see … you said,

"To determine whether something is the true faith, all you have to go on is your personal beliefs. I guess you would have to compare the religion to what you personally believe, and see how it stacks up. I know that the truth is the truth no matter what you believe. I know that humans are capable of believing in something that is very wrong but this is the closest to reliability I can think of."

This sounds like you are not only using yourself as an objective criteria (which is impossible) but willing ot play a type of ‘Russian Roulette’ in picking a religion (you have all eternity to evaluate the rationalizations you sued here). All I think I can do is point out the problems with this approach (and, I think I did that…) and tell you I will keep you in my prayers. I have really done all that I can do for you. What you choose and how you choose it are the issues confronting you. Chose wisely.

God bless

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Julia1996,

Only God is Absolute Truth. We, the human creations of God, get just a peek at His Truth and would do well to act as a mirror of God’s Love for all of humanity.

Now, when it comes to ‘proof’ we need to clearly identify just what it is we are looking for. It has been ‘proven’ over and over again that water boils at 212F at sea level. We can look around at the heavens and earth and clarly ‘prove’ to ourselves that we did NOT create these wonders - our parents did NOT create them - and no one has ever claimed responsibility for such creattion - except God (Gen 1).

Now, there are those who claim there is no God and all of creation just happened. You just have to wonder why, there are these constant laws of nature that keep on showing up (e.g., water boiling at 212F at sea level - never at 211F or 214F but ALWAYS at 212F) and there NOT be a Lawgiver Who set all of this boiling poin up… Maybe this is not proof enough for some - but, the issue remains. Nature is predictable because of Laws that science finds and then tries to work with. This does not mean Science established water to boil at 212F - only that they found out that this is what it does - every time. There are many other predictable things in nature - and we have uncovered only a small bit. But, the more you look the more complex you find the universe, the world, yourself to be. Look around and what else do you see? There is this tendency for things to break down - bread will mold and decay, gravity and friction cause things to slow down and stop, things tend to become simpler and break down. So, I just wonder why we are still experiencing all of this complexity - through Laws in nature. There are those who will argue smartly about this just being the case - the reality of the situation - in an effort to deny the existence of the Divine Law Giver - or simply act that way. There are others who are greatful for all that God has created and has given to us. On such a division, all humanity will eventually separate.

Proof is in the eye of the beholder - there exists today a group who officially proclaim that the earth is flat! theflatearthsociety.org/cms/ Really.

I think you have to carefully evaluate just what ‘proofs’ you are willing to accept. But, if you go about this in a random manner, or a simply wander through the Yellow Pages to find a church - this would be similar to you being placed in the middle of a forrest and told to find your way home - and then you put a blindfold over your own eyes. Your local parish priest can give you a lot of guidance that will help you evaluate your own understanding of truth - as you move closer to the Divine Truth of God. But, not everyone who asks about Truth is interested in really find out what or Who is involved.

There is an intersting dialogue in John 18:35-38. Jesus is handed over to Pilate who then proceeds to question Him. Christ says a lot more to Pilate than He does to Herod. Pilate ends this questioning session by asking Christ, “What is truth?”. What makes this so interesting is that the Author of All Truth is standing right before him and he walks away not even waiting for an answer. The Truth does not usually come wrapped in the manner we are expecting - even if we consciously are seeking it. Most often we are over-taken by it - the real root of ‘suprirse’.

God bless

My apologies, tqualey. I don’t think I expressed myself very well.

What I meant is that there isn’t any real proof that one religion is true. If there was any such proof, there would be no religion, it would be considered science. So since there is no proof, there isn’t any way of determining which religion is correct. And as you pointed out, there are very few truly unbiased sources of information and they are hard to identify. So we don’t have much choice but to use our own opinions. I already acknowledged the fact that humans can believe something that is seriously flawed and I understand that personal opinion is not foolproof or a good way to look at religion, it is simply better than picking a religion out of a hat.

I will choose as wisely as I can. I think I am making the right decision and I have thought about this for a while and tried to look at it from every angle. But at the end of the day, a person’s religion is determined by what their opinion is, not what is true.