Is religion really a choice?
921787
Depends.  A lot of people are raised to be of a certain faith.  These people often don't question what they are taught.  In that way, it isn't a real choice because they just believe what their parents/church told them to believe.  However, it becomes a choice if the individual thinks about what they believe - accept or reject certain aspects of different religions and make a decision to follow or not.
331923
No. Christianity is about who you are, not just random choices you make.\n\nGrace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.\nBut also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.\nTherefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  II Peter 1:2-10\n\nLet us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:\n Fear God and keep His commandments,\n For this is man’s all.  Ecclesiastes 12:13
1029963
Ahh, religion is full of guilt and rewards... A little too conveinient wouldn't you say...  Religion is man made, so it is full of the wildest dreams that man can have...
934245
More and more research is showing that humans make decisions based on emotions.  The next step is to set up "good" reasons to justify what was selected.\n\nOne person than rejects religion based on "reason" and another accepts religion on the basis of "belief."   In effect both are doing the same thing.\n\nFor the 6.7 billion on earth the answer is neither.
433770
Nope; it follows one of the fallacies of logic.  It is called a "loaded question".\nAs with religion, as much as I feel Christianity is correct, I also believe we are made and given the freedom to choose.  It doesn't get much worse than a false Christian who chooses it due to pressure/obligation; it is best done on free will.
360851
I really don't think God likes religion much at all. He does want us to have a personal relationship with Jesus, though.  As long as that's all we're relying on to make us right with God, nothing else really matters, I suppose.
304473
Christianity is not a religion. It's a relationship with God. Of course it's up-to-date. The Holy Spirit guides us and helps us apply the Bible to our daily lives.
964073
I came to this conclusion about politics and religious types a few years ago and I will share this with you now ok...\n  Religious people feel the need to believe there is a greater force out there so that they think their lives have meaning. They have a Bible, they follow the Bible, they think that if they do not do exactly as the Bible says they will not go to heaven. Part of the Bible is to spread the word of God to as many people as possible. Part of the Bible is also that mankind has freewill to make their own choices and do as it pleases. \n\n      So the problem I have with religious zealots is that they remember the first and forget the second. \nWhy would someone want to join a religion where you come across sounding like a half baked loon to anyone you talk to about God?\n Wouldnt it be better to be loving and accepting of everyone and happy with yourself to the point where people ask you wow why are you so happy what are you doing right with your life? Rather than trying to cram it down our throats and legislate morality.\n Teach through example, be a good kind tolerant person who respects peoples wishes.  Uh there is more to is, but yeah Jesus would most definately be a liberal.
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.
735315
Those who follow rationality do not object to religion existing, but to the way the religious claim to have special knowledge.  In fact people follow religion without really understanding it or knowing why it exists.
162991
All the religions are true. \nThere are different religions for different people. No one is alike so they want different concepts as per their nature and social behaviors. Religion is meant to be true otherwise its not religion. Religion tells how a person should live his life to know that truth. \nwe have many choices and we are supposed to choose a religion tha fits to our likings, interests and culture.
626005
Humans have free will to turn their backs on God, it's a choice not a guarantee.
1023755
you know, you get to choose your religion. its not wrong unless you think it is
1103439
I don't think there is any point where you can just *decide* to believe.  At least, I never found a way too.  Instead, I researched different religions, and tried to determine which ones would have positive effects on me.  Once I found a few that I thought might work, I put them into practice. When nothing clicked, I moved on to another.   After going through this several times, I realized that I DID have firm religious beliefs, but they didn't come from any one religion.  Mine come from Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Wicca, to name a few.\n\nI think calling mine a "path" is very accurate, because I am constantly searching for Truth, and I will follow it wherever it leads me.
1025514
Religion IS just a way of life.  It is also man made but is helps one keep some sort of focus on life for the better.  There is only one main religion, the religion of the heart which teaches LOVE.
911678
Basically we are talking of the difference between Religion & Spirituality.\n   \nIn this case, I will assume Religion teaches of one God, a Supreme Being. We are taught that there are given truths & rituals of that religion, one & only one true faith, which must be followed if we wish to avoid certain, negative consequences. Our discipline comes from outside ourselves. They teach us it is dangerous to think for ourselves in many instances. We are judged by that God (& usually by the people of the common faith).  Faithfulness to the faith promises a definite, specific reward.\n  \n  Spirituality has no set truths, no specific set of guidelines, no specific method, no specific outcome for specific behaviors. It is strictly a process, a journey each takes toward personal enlightenment & meaning. Our own efforts determine our spiritual fitness & quality of life. We learn self-discipline through practice. Along this journey we have the choice to either choose a God or something else. The choice is infinite, limited only by our level of enlightenment. \n\n    Religion always left me cold, & for a long time my life had no meaning. Friends convinced me to try a spiritual (not religious)  path. I read & meditated a lot. I came to realize we were given brains for a reason. Eventually I chose a god of my understanding that I choose to call God. I have not tried to define & limit God  For me, mine works without a specific faith. For others, their spiritual life does not require a Supreme Something, & that works for them. Others go back to their places of worship because that is what works for them. To have a truly deep faith, we must make that personal choice. When we truly make that personal choice, we have no need to impose our beliefs on others. Peace.
293525
There is always going to be a difference of opinion and different ways to handle any situation. It all comes with the territory whether you're religious or not. Therefore it would not have any bearing on my decision as long as they don't preach and push me into their beliefs. The only aspect that matters to me, would be my future children. They will be raised of neither faith, but left to choose their own. Only educated as much as possible.