Why do some believe?

[brightlights]

There are clearly many different opinions on this issue. I would like to hear yours. Why do some believe the Christian message and others do not? What is the difference between the believer and the non-believer?

 

[kenvin]

There are clearly many different opinions on this issue. I would like to hear yours. Why do some believe the Christian message and others do not? What is the difference between the believer and the non-believer?

People tend to believe the religion they were raised in. Christians stay Christian Muslims stay Muslim etc etc.

 

[brightlights]

People tend to believe the religion they were raised in. Christians stay Christian Muslims stay Muslim etc etc.

This is generally true, but not universally true. You think this accounts for the primary difference between those of faith and those not?

 

[AlexBP]

People tend to believe the religion they were raised in. Christians stay Christian Muslims stay Muslim etc etc.

Some folks do and some don't. Obviously if everyone stuck with the beliefs they were raised with, no one would have believed Jesus Christ's message at the start.

Another common explanation is that people choose Christianity because they fear death and Christianity offers life after death. This makes no sense either, though, since mere fear of death wouldn't give anyone any reason to prefer one claim about the afterlife over another. Moreover, merely wanting to live after death wouldn't necessarily lead a person to believe in it.

While it's easy to shoot down false answers, I'm not sure it's possible to know the true one. Thought, after all, is invisible, unmeasurable, and intangible. None of us can ever know another person's inmost thoughts, nor can we precisely be sure of our own inmost thoughts. What causes a person to believe the Gospel? Well, what causes a person to believe anything?

 

[brightlights]

Some would say "evidence", but I find that claim highly dubious.

 

[kenvin]

This is generally true, but not universally true. You think this accounts for the primary difference between those of faith and those not?

Yes. People primarily stay as what they were raised.

Some change for various reasons. I bet the biggest reason for changing faith is desire to mate. People fall in love with someone of no or different faith and are persuaded to change.

Personal hardship is probably up there as a reason to change. Something bad happens. Some people look to a God for help, while some say God can't be real.

 

[brightlights]

For the record, I was not raised a Christian but became one when I was 17.

 

[kenvin]

For the record, I was not raised a Christian but became one when I was 17.

Why?

 

[iamauthentic]

you asked what is the difference between the believer and the un-believer.

the difference is that the believer's have been elected by God for absolutely no reason we can understand. God simply chose us and not the others. Its hard to swallow and a lot of people can't stomach it...but its the Truth.

ofcourse im speaking of true Christians, not just professed Christians. the Lord's elect will never fall away. i find that the majority of people who say they are christians are not actually saved...atleast not yet.

 

[brightlights]

Why?

Personal hardship. Life disruption.

 

[Oafman]

the difference is that the believer's have been elected by God for absolutely no reason we can understand. God simply chose us and not the others. Its hard to swallow and a lot of people can't stomach it...but its the Truth.

And atheists get called arrogant

 

[Dave Ellis]

And atheists get called arrogant

Amen!

 

[quatona]

This is generally true, but not universally true.

In your OP you didn´t make clear that you were looking for a universally true answer (which I think cannot be given).

 

[quatona]

you asked what is the difference between the believer and the un-believer.

the difference is that the believer's have been elected by God for absolutely no reason we can understand. God simply chose us and not the others. Its hard to swallow and a lot of people can't stomach it...but its the Truth.

ofcourse im speaking of true Christians, not just professed Christians. the Lord's elect will never fall away. i find that the majority of people who say they are christians are not actually saved...atleast not yet.

I call Poe.

 

[Davian]

Some would say "evidence", but I find that claim highly dubious.

Beliefs may not require evidence, unlike establishing the veracity of those beliefs.

 

[brightlights]

Beliefs may not require evidence, unlike establishing the veracity of those beliefs.

I say this to suggest that we believe what we want to believe and justify our beliefs with whatever can help us. I wish it were the case that we objectively gathered evidence and then formed beliefs but it seems just the opposite.

 

[jayem]

As a naturalist, I, of course, favor a neurobiological explanation. Belief or skepticism is probably a function of brain architecture. The link refers to a study showing that people who've had born-again religious experiences have a larger hippocampus. Obviously, if this is a real finding, we don't know if it's a cause, an effect, or just associated with religious belief. Our understanding is very rudimentary. But it certainly seems to me that believers and non-believers just think differently in some respects. So it would make sense that their neural circuitry is different. I'm not suggesting, or even implying, that one is superior to the other. Just physiologically and functionally different.

Is There a Difference between the Brain of an Atheist and the Brain of a Religious Person?: Scientific American

BTW: This would, in a way, relate to a Calvinist's unconditional election. It would be how God's elect come to faith in Jesus. He simply hard-wires their brains to be believers.

 

[madaz]

There are clearly many different opinions on this issue. I would like to hear yours. Why do some believe the Christian message and others do not??

One factor would be your geographical position. For example If you were born in say Syria, Iran or Saudi for example, the chances are you will be exposed to the islamic religion so it will be unlikely for you to believe the Christian, Jew, Hindu or any other message.

What is the difference between the believer and the non-believer?

I assume a non believer (in the context of this thread) would include believers of other god(s)?

 

[Eudaimonist]

Why do some believe the Christian message and others do not? What is the difference between the believer and the non-believer?

I highly doubt that there is only one filtering difference.

It may be that natural temperament may incline one in one direction or the other (e.g., people inclined towards tradition and authority may be inclined to accept religion without serious questioning) but for some individuals the deciding difference will be a rational consideration of the facts.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[crimsonleaf]

As a naturalist, I, of course, favor a neurobiological explanation. Belief or skepticism is probably a function of brain architecture. The link refers to a study showing that people who've had born-again religious experiences have a larger hippocampus. Obviously, if this is a real finding, we don't know if it's a cause, an effect, or just associated with religious belief. Our understanding is very rudimentary. But it certainly seems to me that believers and non-believers just think differently in some respects. So it would make sense that their neural circuitry is different. I'm not suggesting, or even implying, that one is superior to the other. Just physiologically and functionally different.

Is There a Difference between the Brain of an Atheist and the Brain of a Religious Person?: Scientific American

BTW: This would, in a way, relate to a Calvinist's unconditional election. It would be how God's elect come to faith in Jesus. He simply hard-wires their brains to be believers.

^^Interesting.