How did you pick your religion?

[Beowulf47]

If you are religious, how did you pick your religion?

As someone who could be considered "spiritual", but not religious, I can't help but feel sort of smug when people buy into a certain faith. To me the biggest reason I wholeheartedly reject the bible in a very Christian society is not the theories presented by mainstream science that contradict it, but the literally thousands of world views that chatter on like no one disagreed.

So if you are, say, a Pentecostal young earth creationist, how can you be so certain that your beliefs are more true then a Shintoist Buddhist, a Hindu, or a Central Amazonian Animist? One would like to think that the answer is "I studied them, and I decided mine was best," but we live in a world ware virtually every religious person has the same religion as their family. A statistical anomaly? Probably not.

I hate it when people are smug, so give me a hand here.

Well, how did you?

[removeduser_487563287433]

The vast majority of people will have been born into their religion, and they get really pissy when you point out how stupid that is.

[PacSubCom]

And then they generally accuse you of being smug and/or too educated.

[removeduser_487563287433]

How could anybody be too educated, I ask you.

[David Deas]

I've heard that sort of thing before.

"He may be book smart, but the fool doesn't believe in anything he can't see"

As if.

[enoch]

How could anybody be too educated, I ask you.

one can be, education closes avenues of thought in many

I've heard that sort of thing before.

"He may be book smart, but the fool doesn't believe in anything he can't see"

As if.

Anyone who doesn't factor in things they can't see is bound to be bitten by said abstractions.

That said, it drives me mad as well, as do people who think book smarts are the standard by which intelligence should be measured.

While book smarts are invaluable, and I for one believe that people who do not spend time every day reading are typically less "intelligent" than readers, regardless sometimes of even what one reads;
Academics, for the majority, is a pursuit taken up by failures and frauds. Ideas have many valuable aspects, but the most worthy is the practice of them.

And while books and observation must be the primary sources for learning, it is through practice/experience that wisdoms are gleaned.

[Beowulf47]

Is anyone gonna answer the damn question, or are we just gonna talk about vaguely tangental topics?

[enoch]

answer


enjoy!