This is just a question, not in anyway intended to offend anybody.

If one religion was proven right with all the proof needed to show they are the right religion. Would you drop your religion and practice the right one?

Simple question. All the proof in the world says this religion is right and it isn't your current religion.

Interesting question, I'll bite.

Okay, if all the proof in the world (to my satisfaction) proved I was in the wrong religion, then yes, I guess I would have to "drop" mine and follow the true relgion. Okay, now that I have taken the bait, I am assuming there is a hook?

No hook. It was just a question I was curious about. Also it sort of makes you think a little bit.

Of course I would. No since in sticking to something that is proven to be false.

I'd say no. *shrugs*

Did that, allready.

No way, religion is a organized belief system with fear as the motivator, the only religion anyone should follow or choose is the one they find within, if that is standing on your head chanting mantras into a rock then thats the one period, why in the heck would anyone want someone to be the same as them its not possible, I don't want to be like anyone I want to be who i discover myself and decide and define myself to be. Its not possible to have a right religon if you think that then you miss the whole point of life. namaste sheri

Im with Miss Berri. i dont think i'ld switch because i belive religion is man made. The internal relationship u have with God is personal and more important. If another religion was proven to be the right one and their god the true God i still would stick to my beliefs because i belive that all the different Gods and Entities persivied as God are just differnt views and interpritations of the same thing.

The only proof I would accept is if I saw it myself. I will give an example or two.
1. premise: aliens are real and have visited the earth thousands of times.
proof: if I personally see the ship land in front of me, or get abducted by aliens, preferably along with several other reliable witnesses. They give a lecture about how they were the "gods" of human history and have artifacts to prove it. good examples would be: the ark of the covenant, which they rescued from the Temple, the Golden Fleece, the Holy Grail, the plays of Euripides, rescued from the Library of Alexandria. The actual original aliens that really were Ra, Isis, Jesus, etc., would still be alive and appear on t.v, etc.
2. premise: Jesus is the Messiah and has returned.
proof: if I personally saw him descend from the clouds, or saw someone disappear during the rapture. Everything in revelations comes true literally, with the great beast arising out of the ocean; everything.millions of witnesses.
3. premise: the real jewish messiah comes and Jesus was false.
proof: the real messiah is born somewhere, and all the other stuff: the jews all are drawn back to israel, peace is over the earth, etc.
4. premise: wicca is real.
proof: the God and Goddess manifest in physical form to thousands of people all over the earth at the same time, including me, of course.all of the chosen witnesses would each have a major psychic gift, such as prophecy or instant hands on healing.everyone on earth would begin to remember all past incarnations.a new age of peace dawns.
5. premise: buddhism is real.
proof: the Maitreya Buddha is born, maybe somewhere in the western hemisphere. he leads the world to enlightenment, speaking to groups of millions at a time, at mass peace gatherings all over the world. he floats above the stage during the entire meeting, and everyone understands his message in their own language. (Of course, I get to meet him personally.)Mankind as a group renounces eating meat, war, nuclear weapons, and internal combustion engines.


If any such events were to occurit would be a shoo-in, for "everyone"

Actually it is not really a simple question. You said that one religion was proven right, but does that mean that the religion has identified the one true god or that the religion is based on actual ongoing appearances throughout the ages (include the recent time period) of this god to crowds of people (captured on tape and film) and spoken with them, setting forth his rules? If it is only that the religion has identified the one true god, then I would have to meet with that god before I would accept the religion. I would accept the god, but would ask guidance from him/her/it, rather than accept the word of a mere human as to what that god wants. In the second scenarios, well DUH – no brainer!

Interesting question...

I wonder if the real issue is that no religions actually have proof?

I guess I would say yes, but this cant ever be proven though.

You can not stop believing what you have seen and felt and experienced, no matter what you do or think because it is a part of what you are inside.
If I personally wanted to deny the existence of God I would first have to deny my own truth and existence which is not possible because I am sitting here replying to you.
I wish I could give you all solid evidence for what is in my heart but its not meant to be that way for reasons I do not totaly understand myself.
There is evidence of a Creator everywhere we look. There is plenty of documentation in the scriptures. And many to attest to the truth, but again these are but words to the non-believer. It only becomes reasonable once you have seen the proof, but first you must come by faith and by faith alone.

All the Best
Irish

well said, Irish.. and I absolutely agree

Aye me Friend, that it is, but there is no evidence that the Creator is the blood thirsty god of the Jews and Christians. Rather there is evidence in the beauty and life-friendliness of the universe that the one creating everything, loves his creations and doesn't use them as targets of his wrath!

I somewhat agree with you Mako the God I know is much like you describe

From the beginning of mankind greed, hatred and anger has entered man’s religious and political ways and corrupted all that was meant to be.
A benevolent creator would ensure an escape for those that truly agape Him and adore His creation. And I truly believe with all my heart and soul that I have found that escape route.

HI Mako!

I want to tell you what I have always wanted to tell you. But I value our friendship so I haven't. But I know you think my God is blood thirsty. But I know you have read the Bible and don't you see a loving God too? It just hurts me everytime I read it when a person focuses on God's way of doing things. I know he did those things. But I know he must have had reasons. We don'ty know because we are not God. God was "bloodthirsty" as you call it prior to Christ right? So after Christ died his grace was sufficient and he has mercy on us. He protects us. If God were the way he was prior to Christs death I would understand why we would be upset with him. We all are in a life where God exists and we can see his love in our childrens eyes and everytime a leaf from the tree falls. WE find beauty in what we choose too. I choose to find beauty in God in my Christian God because he has provided for me. I have been in situations where I couldn't squeeze a dime out of my change purse and I would have food in my daughters mouth all because I have the love of God shining through my friends and family. Do you not see the love of my God through me. Am I blood thirsty? I love you and I know you are a deist and I just want to know why you cannot see my God as love when I show you his love all the time and you accept it.

very well said Mako I agree that is what I see evidence of.

Irish I am of the philosophy that FAith is hoping you are sure about something , knowing is a totally different thing I know what I am by looking within it took nothing more than to seek, I think religon teaches people not to trust in themselves so they dont' and say things like the only way to know God is by faith or I have Faith this is the word of god,
In order for religon to be effective is to get you to belive everything you know to be true is wrong and they are right, its unfortunate but many fall victim to religion, you don't need it to know god actually in My opinion its a very long way to divinity if you ever reach your destination, This is my opinion based on my experince, So for you it works the whole faith thing but that doesn't make it the gospel truth. If that was so there would not be people like me who have found divinity within truth has no opposite. namaste sheri

Are you saying you believe in god, but you refuse to follow any man made teachings sherri ?

No I don't believe in god as you would be defining it. Namaste Sheri

Do you believe in any higher up force that created and monitors the universe ?

No, Azalin do you know how many times I get asked this????IMO we are differing levels of awareness (not to say one is better than another 1st grade isn't better than 5 th grade just different) Its perspective Inner creates outer, versus outer creates inner. Nothing complicated, To be enlightened just means you see things clearly and do what works. Namaste Sheri

Not Sherri... but No, I don't. Odd.. given my faith, but I firmly believe that gods and "creators" are human concepts.. creations. Done to explain things that they feel are much to big for them to understand.

And after a long while of worships and numourous people believing in whoever.. it gets a life of their own....

But then again, I believe that everything has a spirit... inclueding the Earth herself.

Even Kitty cats have souls.

Even grumpy old men have souls!

I belive its ONE soul expressing itself in a myriad of ways I think that everything has a spirit is romantised (sp)SOUL is an acronym for singular outflow of universal life. namaste Sheri

Why thank you Mako

I wouldn't drop mine. People are the ones that would have proof, and what people say, though millions could follow and say it, doesn't mean I would fall out of what I believe because of what everyone else is doing. Nothing is ever all the truth about anything anyways, just my opinion.

This question does make you 'think' . . .

After pondering for a while, I don't think that I would change religions. I'll stick with what works for me and makes me feel 'whole'. I've tested the waters of other religions, who claim to be the one 'true' religion, but I've always went back to where I started. So I'll always stay with 'my' religion/church . . . I'll never convert!

I like your new icon NativeChick, are you getting ready for Halloween?

I dont believe in religion.....

Well Kratos:

I have to admit, since you posted this I have been thinking a lot about it, the past day or so seriously. When I posted, I did not put a whole lot of thought in, just kind of reaction. So, I would like to say this, as long as we try to be the best we can and strive for a better life, helping those around us along the way, can there really be a "wrong" religion. That should apply no matter what your religious beliefs or non-religous beliefs.

I guess what I am saying is that it should not matter what is considered the "right" religion. I don't think there is one specific "right" religion. We are all in this life together and saying one religion is right or wrong above another or saying it is wrong because one does not even believe in God, is in fact what is wrong. It is a lable that separates us and puts us into groups. And what do we do once we have settled into our comfortable little "group"? We usually never really venture outside it and therefore your personal growth stops.

So, I guess for me right now is to keep venturing and keep my mind as open as I can.

Agreed with Amy. Religion is all faith, thats what it comes down too. Your saying that a God came and pinpointed everything in the creation of the universe. He made it possible for us to understand everything about creation, and it all made perfectly sense.

Well, it still comes down to belief. There is no way he could prove that God does not exist. Me believing in this entity that created everything would only lead me to believe that something else of the same power or strength might exist, it's just not showing its face, this in fact could be God.

There is nothing ever, that could say my religious beliefs are not true. Even if we found out how the universe was created, I would still have my belief. Matter of fact, if something did suddenly happen, and some higher entity did in fact teach us the keys of the universe, I would be more inclined to label them the anti-christ.

Sherri:

I find this very interesting, but I am unsure if I am understanding it completely. Could you please explain a little more when you say ONE soul expressing itself and that everything having a spirit is romanticized? I am interpreting it as you believe everything is connected, but do you mean by one soul.

I'm sorry, I am feeling a little silly. I feel like I should be understanding this.

Thanks
Amy

If that were to happen I would give up on religion all together. I would never follow the Christian god.

It wasnt about Christian religion. It was religion in general, not christian in specific.

Thanks Mako!

Yep . . . starting to get into that 'spooky' mode.
~~~~~~~~
Ok . . . back on topic!

Then I really can't answer the question because it is to wide a scope. I would have to pick any religion that is not mine and decide based on what I know about each religion. There are some religions that would be ok, some I wouldn't no matter how much proof.

Yeah, I respect that. I understand it completely. Although I am a Christian I dont believe in religion. So I cant really answer the question either. Thats why all I put was that I dont believe in religion. LOL!