Question to the religious: What makes Religion A more believable than Religion B?

[Strelok]

I'm talking about theistic religions. Some religions have similarities and some of them have differences in terms of rituals and ethical guidelines. Ultimately my real question would be: what makes the existence of Deity A more believe than Deity B?

[removeduser_487563287433]

Typically the location of your birth.

[MaximiIian]

For the most part, nothing. We all might be wrong, so my belief in a certain series of deities is no more or less valid than, say, a monotheist's belief in their one god. Though certain conceptions might be fragged in the fine details- inconsistency generally lessens a concept's validity.
So, for example, while I believe that there are numerous gods and thus I believe that monotheism is incorrect, I also consider that I might be wrong and they might be right. So neither one is more or less valid a belief, at least in general.

Of course, when you get into religions it's somewhat different- with them, you have to consider compatibility of ethical and metaphysical beliefs as well as theological. And different theologies allow for varying levels of mutual recognition and respect.

[Strelok]

For the most part, nothing. We all might be wrong, so my belief in a certain series of deities is no more or less valid than, say, a monotheist's belief in their one god. Though certain conceptions might be fragged in the fine details- inconsistency generally lessens a concept's validity.
So, for example, while I believe that there are numerous gods and thus I believe that monotheism is incorrect, I also consider that I might be wrong and they might be right. So neither one is more or less valid a belief, at least in general.

Of course, when you get into religions it's somewhat different- with them, you have to consider compatibility of ethical beliefs as well as theological. And different theologies allow for varying levels of mutual recognition and respect.

So, exactly, why believe in any of them?

As for ethical beliefs, those can be derived from all the same without a religion, can they not?

Typically the location of your birth.

I doubt anyone who is not-Islamic can tell me with a straight face that they would not be Islamic if they were born into an Al'Queda-type group/society who teaches fundamentalist islamic beliefs throughout your youth. Yes, you utlimately have a chance to strive away from it, but not everyone does so. Teaching any belief from birth will make it much harder to later on disregard those teachings.

[Fiyenyaa]

I doubt anyone who is not-Islamic can tell me with a straight face that they would not be Islamic if they were born into an Al'Queda-type group/society who teaches fundamentalist islamic beliefs throughout your youth. Yes, you utlimately have a chance to strive away from it, but not everyone does so. Teaching any belief from birth will make it much harder to later on disregard those teachings.

This interests me actually, because I've actually met one or two converts to Islam who were raised Christian - and they didn't convert in order to facilitate marriage.
It's not common, but it makes me wonder what the rationale behind it is.

[MaximiIian]

So, exactly, why believe in any of them?

Personal experiences and the aforementioned fine details. Which vary from person to person, hence the broad range of beliefs.
What you don't seem to be understanding from my viewpoint is that acknowledging that others might be right is a piss-poor reason to not make a decision. Especially if one's own experiences infer certain conclusions.

As for ethical beliefs, those can be derived from all the same without a religion, can they not?

Of course. When did I say they couldn't?

[Strelok]

Personal experiences and the aforementioned fine details. Which vary from person to person, hence the broad range of beliefs.

Have you had any 'personal experiences'?

What you don't seem to be understanding from my viewpoint is that acknowledging that others might be right is a piss-poor reason to not make a decision.

What reason is there to make a decision?

Of course. When did I say they couldn't?

Then I don't exactly see the point of the statement you made.

[MaximiIian]

Have you had any 'personal experiences'?

Everyone has personal experiences. Unless they're in a coma.
Oh, you mean religious experiences. To some degree, I suppose.

What reason is there to make a decision?

As I said, personal experiences or UPG influence one's conclusions.

Then I don't exactly see the point of the statement you made.

While ethics isn't limited to religion, just about every religion has a coherent stance on ethics. To degree to which the ethics of different religions are compatible affects the degree to which mutual recognition of validity is exercised.

[Orko]

How many guns are pointed towards your head.

[The Dude]

I've always wondered this too. If you're born in America then you're a christian, if you're born in Pakistan then you're muslim. Yet both the muslim and the christian are equally convinced that they just happened to be born to the religion that happens to be true.

I don't see how that makes sense.

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

I'm talking about theistic religions. Some religions have similarities and some of them have differences in terms of rituals and ethical guidelines.

This assertion is too vague to serve as a starting point of the question that you put forth. Sure, there are similarities to and differences between various religions in terms of rituals and ethics, but it is hardly an indicator of their similar or different views on the ontology of the supernatural. There may be ceremonial discrepancies within the same religious denomination, yet its followers worship the same God.

Ultimately my real question would be: what makes the existence of Deity A more believe than Deity B?

This question presumes that the different concepts of God refer to different metaphysical realities, but this presumption can hardly be examined from the aspect of the phenomenology of religion as you suggest in your first sentence. This question might be approached by comparing the different theological views of theistic religions, but even then you have to disregard the possibility that under different concepts they mean the same. Yet another misconception of yours is to assume that one has to "believe" in God, as opposed to being aware of its existence, which by the way, is the same as being aware of being itself. How and why various religions depict and explain this truth, is completely irrelevant to the existence itself, but might be relevant to the various attributes they give to the same truth.

If you view this as different paths leading to the same peak, your question would sound like this:

"What makes the existence of Path A more legitim than Path B, both leading to the same point?"

The answer is obviously: ultimately nothing. So after all it boils down to personal preferences. For example, I prefer pork, so I'm not a Muslim, but preferring Indian takeout does not necessarily make me a Hindu and so forth.

[Phier]

I'm talking about theistic religions. Some religions have similarities and some of them have differences in terms of rituals and ethical guidelines. Ultimately my real question would be: what makes the existence of Deity A more believe than Deity B?

Age of indoctrination.

I gave up religion at 8, but I still hold more respect for it than other religions, even though logically I know they are all quite silly. This is from my indoctrination.

There seems to be an imprinting time, a time where you just TRUST your elders, and really believe everything they say. This is good evolutionarily, you don't want a 6 year old questioning that you don't swim with crocodiles, or that eating the shiny red berries is bad for them. Its subverted into religion though.

[Arch-hereticK]

Get them while they're young and the possibilities are endless. It's whoever gets you while you're young that decides mostly I think.

[Justinian]

The religion of your parents.

[Arch-hereticK]

The religion of your parents.

Or adults that spend the most time with the children.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Partly covered here:

[Thanatos]

Nothing makes Religion A more believable than Religion B, other than:

1) You were born into that religion
2) You were surrounded by said religion
3) Your own personal ethics say "X" is right while "Y" is not.

[Sir Winston Churchill]

What major Monotheistic religions in the world today believe in a different God? To the Christians, Jews, and Muslims, God is one in the same. It's more of a fight of prophets in all honesty.

[MaximiIian]

What major Monotheistic religions in the world today believe in a different God? To the Christians, Jews, and Muslims, God is one in the same. It's more of a fight of prophets in all honesty.

Sikhism, Cao Dai, Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism specifically), Deism, and Dianicism are monotheistic. And do not believe in the Abrahamic deity. Though there are probably other examples, those are the most easily ones that come to mind.

[Sir Winston Churchill]

Sikhism, Cao Dai, Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism specifically), Deism, and Dianicism are monotheistic. And do not believe in the Abrahamic deity. Though there are probably other examples, those are the most easily ones that come to mind.

Thank you for this long list of study material that will have my head raking for about a week.