How Did You Decide Which Religion To Follow?

[naomi24]

Leading on from Goodlife’s ‘Atheists: When Will You Finally See The Light?’ thread, most atheists reach their conclusions through analysis and a process of elimination, so how thoroughly did you investigate all the other religions before finally deciding that one of them was right – and what convinced you?

[beso]

Well said LazyGun. It is worth repeating at the top of the current page.

LazyGun //@CannedGranny "LazyGun, maybe that was a bit defensive but it is rather irritating to virtually be told you are a fool for believing in God. And don't say that has not happened on here, because it has. Lets face it, you atheists strongly deny the existence of God. I, on the other hand believe there is a God, and because of that belief do not feel it is necessary to delve into what others believe"

People of faith who post on here have been called fools, that true. I have called a few fools myself, probably. But not just because they have faith, not just because they believe in a life after death or whatever. I would only do that if their beliefs cause them to reject evidence or twist teachings to conform with their interpretation of scripture. So, Young Earth Creationists, would be an example. Those schools, opened in this country, whose science teachings are tainted by the religious beliefs of their teachers. We have seen much evidence of this in some of the Muslim free schools, such as the one featured recently in Derby.

And I take great exception to those of religious belief who use that belief to assert some kind of moral superiority, who condemn others for their sexuality, or who wish to see the imposition of a hierarchy within society where women are seen as being submissive or unequal to men. And such views tend to go hand in glove with a fundamentalist view of religion.

And finally, I do get irritated by those whose minds become closed because of their belief - whose curiosity and spirit of inquiry becomes blinkered, because "god did it".There are also those who denigrate human achievement in fields of medicine, or technology, or engineering, or science, claiming that such advances are "gods will".

If your belief gives you a source of comfort and peace and well-being, that is fine. My problem is when such belief is imposed upon society by the well- meaning ( I assume) religious fundamentalists. Examples abound - Muslims wishing to impose Sharia Law in the UK.Muslim societies in Universities wishing to impose gender segregation for some lectures. Christians opposing gay marriage. Fervent believers of both Christianity and Islam rejecting science. I will call people like that fools, idiots or worse, in all probability :)

[naomi24]

Lazygun has mentioned the scandal of Young Earth Creationism being taught in schools, the moral superiority often assumed by the religious, the inequality imposed upon women by religion, the denial and the criticism among the religious with regard to medicine and science, fundamentalist Muslims wishing to impose Sharia in the UK …. and homosexuality …….. and from all of that the one thing that has been picked up by a Christian is homosexuality. When there are so many other worthy considerations that ought to be addressed - most not confined to Islam - it's strange that other people's bedroom habits, which are no one else's business, take precedence. 'Why is that?

[jomifl]

Keyplus, how long before you were born did you pronounce the shahada?