A theory about who becomes religious (for everyone)?
461904
Here's one you missed - guilt.  How many people have you seen come out of prison spouting jesus?  Look at Gary Busey (not prison, but he WAS a bad boy).\n\nMy friend proposed a theory that many of the most vociferous bible thumpers have the longest rap sheets.\n\nPersonally, I think prison is the NEW house of god.
1004457
I think the answer lies in historical context.  As I understand it, a group of people came to believe that rather than many gods there might just be one.  So those people who recognized one God banded together, and became known as Israelites, and all this got written into a book called the Old Testament.  These people intermarried and become a people called the Jews.  And then Jesus arrived and spread the idea that God loves every individual, that anyone who chooses to accept God is in the special fold.  Some people felt that Jesus' message was so perfect that he was the long-hoped-for Messiah.  Certain Jews went with this and become Christians, and others did not and remained Jews.  And still other people were none of these things are retained indigenous religious values -- Hinduism, for example, seems to me to be largely a collection of varying spritual practices.\n\nI suspect my answer won't work for people who think that the holy books were handed down fully-formed and perfect.  But the key to understanding and peace, I think, is trying to understand where others come from.\n\nI always find that the difficult part about understanding religion is clinging to the beauty of its ideals without being sidetracked by the human need for rules and absolutes.  I think you are quite right that "Divine expression would manifest in as many ways as there are people on the earth and infinitely throughout the universe."
165748
I think all religions are fundamentally the same.  All religions arose out of trying to explain the unexplainable.
789554
Religious people believe that everything ultimately emanates from God...even the doctors and the drugs etc.
53214
You know, I grew up being a 'religious hopper'. My mom would change our religion every week, and we would be forced to go and I hated it. We were over my childhood Baptist, Fundamentalist Baptist (perhaps the most traumatic experience in my life), Catholic, Lutheran, Church of Christ, etc, etc. You get the point. The only thing we weren't was Mormons....lol. Right now we are sort of trying out a Free Methodist church, because I would like my kids to have some idea of God. I myself don't feel as if I'll ever be done looking. There is always knowledge out there for us to find. Your religion is not what defines you, it is what you believe that defines who you are. =) I hope everyone finds what they are looking for no matter what you choose.
853775
In order to explain this, let me tell you my theory:\nThere are three kind of religions and each one reflects on the society structure and the governing of it!\nMONOTHEISTIC (example: Judaic religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam) In this the ruler should be ONE. Who is not with us is against us. Who is not under us is an enemy and not wort of living.\nPOLYTHEISTIC: (Example: India, Native Americans, etc.) Since they are polytheistic, they accept a variety of leaders and are open to new ideas, but do not move away from their basic principle, of course. If they would, they would have changed their basis.\nONETHEISTIC: (example: the Greeks). Each city had her god/ goddess. Every person for every act/ feeling, etc., would have a certain god as protector. Thus, every one is important and equal to the rest. Here, the ruler is not the strongest or mysterious, but selected by the people. Democracy is the outcome of this group. The leaders are not only political but the people are willing and selecting the wiser, the philosophers to govern and rule, for some time. After their term, the rulers, kings, etc., are judged by public courts and they are either thanked for good work or punished for bad! \nAmericans are MONOTHEISTIC, but also, start thiniking and geting paedeia (education), wich lead to freedom and Greek open mind! \nTHus they are confused in the sense to select between the MONOTHEISTIC behavior ordered by their religion and the vision their cultivated mind leads them!
785017
Not all prophecy comes from reliable sources. Those who see the future can also change it.Etc. Some things might just be misinterpreted. Maybe we won't need anymore religious leaders then. Hopefully we won't be converted to Islam.
1170875
An interesting qustion.  I'm assuming that you are saying that people who have religion, are doing it to have some sort of hope?\n\nThis would be true.  Faith in God, and our lives lived in service to Him, make us participants in salvation.  Thus we live our lives with hope.  Hope for an end to our suffering, and to at long last live in peace with Him.  It is hope that enables us to endure this life and its struggles and difficulties.  \nIf your suggestion was to say that people turn to religion cause they don't have any hope...hope that they could get somewhere else...then the answer would be no.  Its not.
1144721
I will ask him just for a brief moment to show the origin of every religion its purpose,and to show the current path that world religions are travelling.so people can wake up and start searching him within themselves.and see the reality they are all living in.then everything will be settled
1125886
I think it is an excellent theory.  While many different religions may call their god (and goddess) by different names, I think in the end we are all worshipping the same god.  We all just have different ways of worship.  God/dess is not confused - the Divine knows we are speaking to it and loves us all the same.
4320
Considering all that I've read on the topic from multiple sources, multiple religions, and various ideologies, I've come up with this concept.\n\nJesus, by his very nature, would appear to everyone differently, in one of two forms.\n\nEither he would appear exactly as someone would want/expect him to, or he would appear as is best to humble and teach someone.\n\nIf he were to appear the same to everyone, and he was certainly going to appear as a human man, he would likely appear as a perfect blend of every race and culture on Earth.
800656
Luckily for me I had no formal religious up bringing. When I was little some one did give me a book called" The greatest story ever told." I was really impressed with a wizard that could walk on water and heal people.  I was probably in my early teens before I realized that it was jesus the book was about.  But  it did not change my perception of the book or jesus for that matter.  So today I am a pagan but I was not forced into any religion.  I did go to a catholic church with my friend once I was really disturbed by the wine and wafer aspect of the rite.. I thought that was a little on the cannibalistic side.
429197
For most people what they believe in themselves is their religion. Some are raised into a religion and then keep that religion all their life....but not everyone does. Many people go through periods in their life where what they believe in does not match the religion they are following. What they are experiencing in their life, their perspectives, their approach to life, etc all start to come into play. Some may not leave their first religion (birth religion), but may start to definately develop their own personal theology and philosophy within the confines and language of that religion...others may leave that religion and either go to another religion that more closely matches their experiences, perspectives, approaches, etc....they will still start to develop their own theology and philosophy but they will do so within the confines and language of a new religion. And then there are those that do not turn to a religion at all, but instead create their own theology/philosophy using everyday language or language that they create to explain their beliefs, experiences, perspectives, approaches, etc.\n\nIn the end, as one Hindu teacher said, for every person in the world, that person is a religion in itself.
879027
I DO THINK THAT RELIGION IS THE CAUSE OF NEARLY ALL THE WARS.YOU ARE MISTAKEN WHEN YOU SAY THAT THERE WOULD BE NO AFTER LIFE. JUST BECAUSE OF THERE BEING NO RELIGION. THE THOUGHT OF AN  AFTER LIFE IS THERE EVEN WITHOUT RELIGION. BECAUSE OF EXPERIENCES OF NON BELIEVERS AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE A RELIGION. PEOPLE FIGHT ABOUT OTHER THINGS AS WELL AS RELIGION. SO WHO KNOWS IF IT WOULD BE A BETTER WORLD?
246522
Here's something I've always wondered about:\n\nGiven we're all God's creation, then He necessarily created all people - with different races, sexual orientations, etc.\n\nThen who are WE to judge any of God's creation?  For those who hate or discriminate people of different races or sexual orientation, isn't that a type of blasphemy?  Wouldn’t you teach or discipline your kids if they’re fighting/hating each other?  \n\nFor those who justifies discrimination on religious grounds, I wonder what will God say to them when the judgment comes.  After all, I cannot believe ANY religion would teach hate and intolerance. \n\nAnd for those who believe sexual orientation is a choice therefore a sin, ask yourself if you can simply “choose” to like the other sex?  I cannot imagine if people tell me that it’s wrong for me to like girls and I must like guys.  I seriously doubt if anyone can just “choose” like that.  \n\nAnd one last thing – I heard from some people that you’d go to hell if do not believe God/Jesus, regardless of how good of a person you are, or how many good deeds you’ve done.  Conversely, you can be a mass murderer/rapist but can still go to heaven if you repent the moment before you die.  How fair is that?  I have ancestors who’s never even heard of Christianity in their times, are they all doomed in hell for the eternity?  Without any chance of redeeming themselves?
711887
this is a really good question...i just sat here for 5minuts, thinking about this....theres is a song that comes to mind. though i cant remember the name of the song, part of it says "hes got fire in his eyes, and a sword in his hand, and hes riding a white horse, all acrossed this land.....hes asking you and me will you ride with me......(will you ride) i think maybe the song. i think that's how i see God......as for organized religion, I'm not sure if religion is organized..churches are.   i no I'm not a religious person, i only want to be Christ like(christian)and i do not belong the any religion. i go to church, because Jesus say to. Now would the world be better off w/o religion, there are some good things in every religion, and those things are being taught. where do your personal beliefs come from, from the religion you were brought up in. that is where it starts i believe, i do however believe, God wants us to do whats right, religious or not.
1044093
Everyone needs something to believe in, and religion gives many people that.