Is reading what other religions say about a religion you're investigating the best way to learn the truth?
410704
I think Frat and Saintrose have the right ideas.  Read everything, study it, compare it to what you believe.  Then pray earnestly about it and God will guide you.  In fact, that's how I became a Baha'i -- I read a bunch of stuff & got so excited by what I was reading that I started copying down (by hand....) sentences that I wanted to remember.  I wound up with 12 pages.  And I prayed a lot... I just couldn't (can't) stay away!
810110
Yes, it is true.  You have to remember that not all religions are the true religion. According to the bible there is only one true religion.  Jesus and the apostles were only one religion.  The bible says that there is "one faith, one baptisim and one God.  Since  there are so many false religions, you have to really do a lot ot research to find the correct one.  Sincere prayer and a humble heart will help.  God allows people who really want to know the truth to be able to understand it.   You have already  eliminated most religions by asking your question.  If they teach false conceptions, then they are not from God. go to www.watchtower.org
1109470
For most people, including me, it's because of their upbringing.  However, I found many unanswered questions in my religion so I began looking into all kinds of other religions.  I decided that there is no one religion which is totally correct.  So I've developed my own belief system which is a combination of my experiences and the good things that actually work from other religions.
1010342
I have learned a lot from other religions.  The similarities show what could potentially be universal truth.  The differences show what is probably just subjective.
1142597
May Allah guide you all. and to the guy who said to read another book to see what the Quran really says. im sorry but that's stupid logic. you should read the QURAN to see what the QURAN says. \n\nMay You all see the truth one day.ameen.\n\nyou have nothing to lose by reading the Quran. whether you intend to read it to become Muslim, or just to read it to be more educated.
60118
Perhaps not.  But is it okay to ram your personal interpretation (of that which you have learned as dogma) down the throats of others if you never listen to informed critism?\nIf you have never read the old testiment in Hebrew, how do you really know what is says?  If you do not know Aramaic or Greek, do you really have an informed opinion yourself?\nDo you know the exact reasoning made by the men who decided what should be included in the Holy Bible and what should be left out?  Do you know that all of them did not agree with all of the books included?\nA good computer program can be written to look up an answer (or several rated answers) in the text of the King James Version of the Bible for just about any question, but that does not make the program holy.\nJudgment of others based upon whether or not they interpret scriptures in the same manner as you do may be a sin and certainly has lead to the disruption of the Christian religion into smaller factions.\nNo, it is never okay to critize anything that has not been studied.  Sure people do it, but that does not make it okay.
1008212
I'd ask him who was right about this religion thing. He'd probably say we were all wrong, but I'd still want to know, just in case. lol
1103074
I do not think, I am sure that you do not know what you are talking about.\nI have checked the reference you gave , you know what...? I could find nothing as you were referring to...\n\nI see some of our friends on the board, approved your words...blindly, without taking the trouble to check..\nIf that what you were looking for , you did succeed. Happy now.\n\nIt is clear that you are not looking to learn or for the truth. Are you so much scared, of you and others, to know the real true Islam?????
760177
I was raised catholic and taught not to question. - but never told it was a sin. When I became sort of evangelical I was encouraged to question "why do I believe what I believe". I even studied other religions over the last 15 years because it seemed like religious faith was a significant part of who many people are at their core and their cultural background. It was very fascinating. But, I also discovered there are absolute truths out there.\n\nI think some religious leaders think it is dangerous to "dabble" a little bit in a whole bunch of different religions because it's a "smorgasboard" approach. The danger lies in believing that we are all ultimately believing in the same God - (which would be very comforting) - but in fact we are not. There are fundamental beliefs in each major religion that just are not compatible with each other. For example, it is not logical to believe in BOTH reincarnation and the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. You also cannot claim to be monotheistic and accept the polytheistic religions' gods at the same time - as you may be insulting one or some of the gods by doing that. \n\nIn the end - it is good to question. Just be very thorough in your research and questioning rather than just picking and choosing based on what's easiest to believe in (or finding something "better"). Frankly, it's probably easiest to be a hedonistic atheist - than a follower of ANY religious faith because most want you to be a "self-LESS" person dedicated to a higher moral way of life. Please note that not all atheists are hedonistic.\n\nThere ARE absolute truths out there and if you are earnestly seeking the God that is historically correct and proven through thousands of documents - then you CAN find the One True God.
173523
It's entirely up to you. \nThere is no absolute proof; therefore, whether the bible is true or false is merely an opinion. \n\nI, however, believe it is mainly fiction. If you compare Christianity to other religions, such as Buddhism, although many Christians are too close-minded to do this, you will see broad comparisons between the messages trying to be conveyed. Buddhism provides guidelines to live by, ways to live in self-actualization. The bible does the same in a different method. The ideas in the bible are hidden; they are dressed in a story as though it's needed to be interesting to be convincable. \n\nI personally take most books in the bible as a story with hidden symbolism. Many people take these stories more seriously; they refer to them as though they were there and that there is no other way. \n\nAs long as you are open to other's beliefs it doesn't matter whether you think the bible is a lie or it is the word of god. Just respect that, although some are placed in a seperate religion stereotype, we are all human and our beliefs are our individuality.
645258
your right religions should be under scientific scrutiny\n\nthat's why I prefer the Maimonides method\n\nThe medieval philosophical rationalists, such as Maimonides held that it was ignorant to read Genesis literally. In this view, one was obligated to understand Torah in a way that was compatible with the findings of science. Indeed, Maimonides, one of the great rabbis of the Middle Ages, wrote that if science and Torah were misaligned, it was either because science was not understood or the Torah was misinterpreted. Maimonides argued that if science proved a point, then the finding should be accepted and scripture should be interpretated accordingly.
149008
People should politely inform other people about their religion then leave it up to them to decide what they want to believe. \nI think expanding one's knowledge of different religions is always beneficial, whether you agree with their ideas or not.
840133
Well i already have found the Light in my religion....Its not only about light....ya can't simply say m gonna follow watever my parents did....ya have to learn about it....ya can't follow ya religon blindly.....learn about every religion...n then choose which 1 is the best...m Muslim and i think Islam is the only religion.faith......the word Islam means Peace....\nIts the fastest growing religion of the earth.....\n\nsalaam!
652787
No. I tried very hard. Verse by verse. The more you read the more convinced you are of the cover-up. Religions (islam and judaism as well, not only christianity) are scams. Why do you think everybody writing against religions is under a ton of threats? When you hold the truth you are not afraid of anyone talking about it...are you? If you are running a scam...you behave like they do now with DaVinci Code movie out. They are afraid so there's your answer about truth and the bible and the nothing in common they have.
925577
How do you know if anything is right? Most of the time you ask questions and you do research and based on what you've learned, you either choose the religion you were raised on or you choose another path. It's okay to choose for your self. Ask your self does it speak to me, am I drawn to it, and why am I drawn to it?
795608
What you did is absolutely right. The Qu'ran never forbids us to read any sources to find answers even if its the bible(if there is any answers which i don't think so). Your neighbour merely judged by single glance and assume. You know what you did is the right thing and Allah(S.W.T)(God) alone will judge your actions. That is my opinion.\n\nIf they come to my door and present a copy of the Bible, i will gladly accept it as sign of religious tolarance. Btw i did read the bible to gain my knowledge and insight. I don't think its sin to gain knowledge as long as YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
501702
I agree with flexin4uk.  To ask a Latter Day Saint if their church is the true church is like asking the pope if he's Catholic.  I'm sure many Christians of many different faiths would say their church is the only true church.\n\nYes, I do believe the LDS church is the true church.  I have also spent many hours studying the Bible and Book of Mormon.  I have done much praying to know the truth.  It is one thing to ask a question but you can't really know for sure unless you seek for the truth and sincerely ask God if something is true.  God is the ultimate expert in these matters.  Ask God.  He will help you find what you are looking for.\n\nIn The Book of Mormon, Moroni asks the readers to pray about the Book of Mormon and to ask God if it is true.\n\nMoroni 10:4&5\n   "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will  manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.\n   And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."\n\nMy definition of a true Christian religion is one that teaches that Christ died for the sins of the world and a religion that teaches the things He taught- such as: "love thy neighbor as thyself" (oops, I didn't mean to write "worlds" the first time so I edited).  My definition of a true Christian is someone who does their best to follow Christ. If someone claims to be Christian but they always say nasty things about people, I tend to see them as someone who follows Satan.  Those people aren't trying to be more Christ-like.  Christ taught us to love one another, not to argue and be mean.\n\nI think other churches have important truths to teach people.  Each church is good in it's own way and the world needs each of them.  I think people find God in their own way and I'm not about to tell anyone that they're bad just because they have different beliefs than I do.  Where ever you decide to worship is up to you.\n\nP.S.  I haven't really tried answering the second part of your questions.  It didn't make much sense to me.  I do, however, believe that God has not abandoned us as human beings.  I hope you can realize that God really does care about each of us, no matter the religion.