Are your religious beliefs a choice?

[Teshin Est]

18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.

Posting different translations that still look bad doesn’t actually help

Again you are wrong it does because you people miss interpet the kjv so sorry you are wrong and they don't look bad you just are not looking at the whole bible just one part

[Excelsion]

If religious beliefs are a choice, I would invite the people in this thread to change their beliefs. Start believing in Santa again. Don't just say you believe in him, really believe, believe with the same conviction that you believe that your hand will grasp the handle of a door when you reach for it and not phase through like so many ghost movies.

The origianl question was, at least to my interpretation, if people could "choose" the religion of their liking or if it was "forced" upon them by family, friends etc...

It's obvious that you can't force yourself to believe something you simply don't believe in, however that's not at all what this thread was about.

[Battlion]

Some really interesting points raised so far, when talking with my boyfriend about this, we did end up going down the rabbit hole of what constituted free will so I’m not surprised some are heading to that route.

I think the basic, on the face of it, argument explores the renewal of belief that many people in religious families eventually either accept or reject on the basis of their experiences and social groups. In that respect, I certainly do think this is a choice as far as we can understand it to be.

Society, I think, also agrees with this - a commonplace example I keep thinking of is when it comes to filling in census’ or forms and you’re asked for religious group - somebody doesn’t rebuke you and come back at you saying “You’re xyz but you’ve said your zyx”. I could be barking up the completely wrong tree.




EDIT

If religious beliefs are a choice, I would invite the people in this thread to change their beliefs. Start believing in Santa again. Don't just say you believe in him, really believe, believe with the same conviction that you believe that your hand will grasp the handle of a door when you reach for it and not phase through like so many ghost movies.

The origianl question was, at least to my interpretation, if people could "choose" the religion of their liking or if it was "forced" upon them by family, friends etc...

It's obvious that you can't force yourself to believe something you simply don't believe in, however that's not at all what this thread was about.

That was the starting point yes, but I’m not surprised it’s gone where it’s going so i still think it’s entirely on topic.

[Teshin Est]

If religious beliefs are a choice, I would invite the people in this thread to change their beliefs. Start believing in Santa again. Don't just say you believe in him, really believe, believe with the same conviction that you believe that your hand will grasp the handle of a door when you reach for it and not phase through like so many ghost movies.

The origianl question was, at least to my interpretation, if people could "choose" the religion of their liking or if it was "forced" upon them by family, friends etc...

It's obvious that you can't force yourself to believe something you simply don't believe in, however that's not at all what this thread was about.

TRUE

[Ifreann]

That doesn't really sound like choosing your beliefs. That sounds like your beliefs are a function of your life experiences and the most you can do is try to keep yourself from processing experiences that might challenge your beliefs.

I suppose the choice of belief comes beforehand. Maintenance of belief, which is what I was alluding to, also involves choosing to react to it in a certain way.

Then you should be able to choose to believe in Santa until December comes and no magically delivered presents are forthcoming.

[The Blaatschapen]

Recently I’ve been thinking about my beliefs. I used to be a liberal, but Trump is doing great. Threr are religious groups following him and I think I might do the same. Trump is a very respectable man and there is nothing wrong with saluting him. Maybe we could make a religion out of him?

Only after he dies, until that moment it can only be a cult

To answer the OP, yes religion (or lack thereof) is a choice, one heavily influenced by the culture they are in, but one nonetheless.

[Teshin Est]

The origianl question was, at least to my interpretation, if people could "choose" the religion of their liking or if it was "forced" upon them by family, friends etc...

It's obvious that you can't force yourself to believe something you simply don't believe in, however that's not at all what this thread was about.

TRUE

though belief is anything you want to believe and religion is something you always believed

[Meikaii]

The natural state of humans is atheism. An infant is incapable of understanding religion in any way. As such, with atheism being the lack of religion, an infant is born an atheist. Any sort of religion is brought out solely as a result of nurture. While some people are inherently more gullible or prone to use emotion in place of logic, it requires the act of an outside force for a child to pick up religion, whether that be family, friends, or even just seeing a church on the side of the road. Therefore, the acceptance of religion into one's life is entirely a choice

[Excelsion]

welp anyway.
I will just throw my 2 cents in and say that Confucianism is best religion. Fight me.

[The New California Republic]

I suppose the choice of belief comes beforehand. Maintenance of belief, which is what I was alluding to, also involves choosing to react to it in a certain way.

Then you should be able to choose to believe in Santa until December comes and no magically delivered presents are forthcoming.

And I do. I get traumatised anew every Christmas.

[Teshin Est]

The natural state of humans is atheism. An infant is incapable of understanding religion in any way. As such, with atheism being the lack of religion, an infant is born an atheist. Any sort of religion is brought out solely as a result of nurture. While some people are inherently more gullible or prone to use emotion in place of logic, it requires the act of an outside force for a child to pick up religion, whether that be family, friends, or even just seeing a church on the side of the road. Therefore, the acceptance of religion into one's life is entirely a choice

wrong that is what you are we were made by jesus so it is christianty

[Korhal IVV]

It is basically “shut up, for I have been there before and I see no need to return to that miserable middle state that offers no satisfaction in life whatsoever”

You must have been looking in the wrong places.

No U.

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

"But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you." (Deuteronomy 22: 20-21)

Asides from this applying purely only to Israel in the OT times, I must ask if this is the classic “Promiscous premarital sex-committing women get stoned but the infidel man gets no attention.” shtick. If it is, well, men and women get regularly stoned for adultery in Israel regardless of who was first, and this is in Leviticus 20:10.

As Israel was to be a holy people, sexual fidelity is similarly demanded as part of their covenant with God; it is a contract with benefits and obligations. If you will say that sexual fidelity is not a big concern, well, that is your own problem now.

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

Asides from this being merely an emphatic declarioj of the qualifications of the priests, their required physical perfection is a foreshadowing of who is to come (Christ), who would be perfect in all regards.

Whosoever he be … hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God—As visible things exert a strong influence on the minds of men, any physical infirmity or malformation of body in the ministers of religion, which disturbs the associations or excites ridicule, tends to detract from the weight and authority of the sacred office. Priests laboring under any personal defect were not allowed to officiate in the public service; they might be employed in some inferior duties about the sanctuary but could not perform any sacred office. In all these regulations for preserving the unsullied purity of the sacred character and office, there was a typical reference to the priesthood of Christ (Heb 7:26).

Basically, it is to prevent anyone from throwing ridicule at the priests. Wouldn’t be wholesome if someone was laughing at the priest’s deformed nose, no?

[The New California Republic]

You must have been looking in the wrong places.

No U.

[Teshin Est]

No U.

you are wrong accept the facts look at them and weep

[Internationalist Bastard]

welp anyway.
I will just throw my 2 cents in and say that Confucianism is best religion. Fight me.

Confucius wouldn’t want to be worshipped

[Korhal IVV]

No U.

What do you suppose is going to make one satisfied and content in a life without a higher power to believe in? Hedonism that would cause the creation of a giant floating reality tumour of pure desire that would turn Earth to a swirling rift between the Warp and realspaxe?

[The Blaatschapen]

I believe in mod.

I warship USS Monitor.

[Korhal IVV]

I believe in mod.

I warship USS Monitor.

Ba dum tss

[Teshin Est]

You must have been looking in the wrong places.

No U.

"But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you." (Deuteronomy 22: 20-21)

Asides from this applying purely only to Israel in the OT times, I must ask if this is the classic “Promiscous premarital sex-committing women get stoned but the infidel man gets no attention.” shtick. If it is, well, men and women get regularly stoned for adultery in Israel regardless of who was first, and this is in Leviticus 20:10.

As Israel was to be a holy people, sexual fidelity is similarly demanded as part of their covenant with God; it is a contract with benefits and obligations. If you will say that sexual fidelity is not a big concern, well, that is your own problem now.

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

Asides from this being merely an emphatic declarioj of the qualifications of the priests, their required physical perfection is a foreshadowing of who is to come (Christ), who would be perfect in all regards.

Whosoever he be … hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God—As visible things exert a strong influence on the minds of men, any physical infirmity or malformation of body in the ministers of religion, which disturbs the associations or excites ridicule, tends to detract from the weight and authority of the sacred office. Priests laboring under any personal defect were not allowed to officiate in the public service; they might be employed in some inferior duties about the sanctuary but could not perform any sacred office. In all these regulations for preserving the unsullied purity of the sacred character and office, there was a typical reference to the priesthood of Christ (Heb 7:26).

Basically, it is to prevent anyone from throwing ridicule at the priests. Wouldn’t be wholesome if someone was laughing at the priest’s deformed nose, no?

Dude you are so right

[Korhal IVV]

I myself was raised Baptist, became an atheist, and then became Evangelical after that.

Now we just need to nudge you back to that middle state.

Should I mention that there is a long line of people before you that said the same thing to me?

Failure, they had.

[The New California Republic]

What do you suppose is going to make one satisfied and content in a life without a higher power to believe in?

One's work. The arts. Family. Friends. To name a few.

[Excelsion]

welp anyway.
I will just throw my 2 cents in and say that Confucianism is best religion. Fight me.

Confucius wouldn’t want to be worshipped

Right, Confucianism is just a believe system that's called after Confucius because it was born due to his school of thought.
It's not about worshiping my boi as a god.

[Excelsion]

What do you suppose is going to make one satisfied and content in a life without a higher power to believe in?

One's work. The arts. Family. Friends. To name a few.

I understand the notion of not wanting to believe in religion, however the urge of stripping it from people that need it as a pillar of support in life, I do not understand.

[Teshin Est]

Confucius wouldn’t want to be worshipped

Right, Confucianism is just a believe system that's called after Confucius because it was born due to his school of thought.
It's not about worshiping my boi as a god.

Confucianism is wrong

[Internationalist Bastard]

Confucius wouldn’t want to be worshipped

Right, Confucianism is just a believe system that's called after Confucius because it was born due to his school of thought.
It's not about worshiping my boi as a god.

There ya go
More a Taoist then a Confuciust myself