How do we know the religion we follow is what it was meant to be?
917541
Terrific question. I wish more people would ask it.\n\n"Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience. Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."\n\nThat's what the Buddha said about how to discern religious truth from religious falsehood. Notice how similar it sounds to what scientist (and atheist) Richard Dawkins had to say on the subject in the letter he famously wrote to his daughter called "Good and Bad Reasons for Believing".
476760
I changed my faith to Hinduism from what I was brought up with, after YEARS of studying all I could about various religions, the Bible, and other Scriptures, ancient and world history, archaeology, etc.  I also "studied" myself.  I prayed a lot and came to understood that Hinduism is the religion of my soul, the religion I was when I was a child, before I was told what to believe.
911174
How the hell should we know?
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
1076778
Religion is what you want it to be. Islam focuses on the death and doom, Christianity on the false hope. In the end you get to decide what religion is.
343782
You just cant ask every one to follow one religion.  Espeicially when most of them feel theirs is right.  They are devout in their faith and they will not budge.  Would you want to change if some one told you to?  If you were a very religious person that is.  \nReligion is part of who we are as a person and a society.  You just cant go and change that.  If you tried that alone could start wars.
419660
well i did that i searched for the right one and i fond it i cant tell u how happy iam , i read about Islam , christ and Judaism , but fainally i know what i want, i was like u always thinking wither what i know is right or not but after searching i am in the right path\nhope the best for all of u don't wast Ur time in a religion that u don't believe in and do what i did and u well feel beeter, i promise u
180254
I was baptized Catholic as a baby, and raised that way throughout my early childhood. Eventually my parents stopped attending church, and so did I. I never really felt connected to what the Church preached, but I didn't question it because I had never been exposed to anything else. Eventually, I went on a self-exploration. I took it upon myself to find, research, and learn about other religions, views, beliefs, practices, philosophies, theories, etc.\n\nDuring my soul-search, I made a collaboration of different things I found to be logical, reasonable, logical, and sensible in my own personal opinion. I basically created my own religion. I followed that path for a while, and relished not conforming to an organized religion, because my beliefs were free to grow and change as I grew and changed (and learned). Then one day a friend introduced me to Wicca.\n\nWicca is a Neopagan religion, first reformed by Gerald Gardener in 1940 based on what is believed to be the beliefs of the ancient Celts. The more I learned about it, the more in coincided with the beliefs I'd already pieced together on my own. Its lack of dogma allows any follower to define his or her own beliefs within little restriction. This allowed my beliefs to continue to grow and change with me. It also does not require any follower to conform to any other follower's specific ideas, as you can either practice in a coven with others who hold the same views, or practice solitarily (like I do).\n\nI would recommend it to anyone looking for something to believe in. You can find out about it here:\n\nBut remember one thing! Because the specifics of the religion are free to be defined by the individual practitioner, no two Wiccans (or Pagans for that matter) will ever agree on everything. I am an open book to any questions you might have if you'd like to contact me through my profile page, or you can find nonbiased information about Wicca here: http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm
531346
Religion is nothin but beliving in truth and accepting what is right. Its a way of understanding the nature and submiting your will to the supreme power. Each individual may have his own perceptions about nature and its existence and may follow his own way in understanding it...this forms the basis for creation of various religions...its upto individual thinking and mindset how he analyses his surroudings and nature and follows whichever religion he feel is right in his sense...\n\nBut remember no religion is wrong in this world .....its the individual perceptions which are wrong in analysing the real teachings of a religion...\n\nIn my view we must not comment on any religion unless we ourselves are totally aware of the real teachings of our own religion....once we come to know the real teachings of our religion, we will realise that all religions has the same base.....
537855
No religion is right or wrong.  It's  all about faith.  If you feel so strongly about your beliefs, is it so hard to accept that they feel the same about their own.  Sometimes a rational question and answer session is best.  Ask why they feel the way they do.  Explain why you feel the way you do.  More often than not, people find  common ground even when they think there isn't any.  There are some fanatics that can't be reasoned with--They should be deposited into the nearest pit of fire!
882608
Yes. I have researched Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity (orthodox, mostly), Islam, Zoroastrian (tho there is not much info out there), and many other ancient religions. I've learned that we are alike in our general beliefs for how a person should live (such as not to lie, kill, cheat, etc.). I've also learned that most of our differences lie in how we worship of how we attain truth, faith, and God.\n\nHere is a quote from Kahlil Gibran translated, "...each religion is merely a drop in the ocean of what is True faith..." - the human mind cannot grasp all that is there....
436575
all religions are just the paths. they take u to the same destination. Its like asking which is the best route from paris to newyork?.  All the answers u will get are like the ones that the eight blind men gave while describing the elephant in front of them. all are saying about the asame elephant but each cannot see the other.\n\nso decide for urself. do u want the 'means' of do u want the 'ends'. presonally, as far as religion is concerned, i feel that u sould not concentrate much on the means, the end is much more satisfying.
504164
How do I know if I'm doing what my store manager wants of me? I ask him, and then I listen to the answer. If he wants me to change something, I do. Same thing goes. If you want to know if you're in the right religion, pray sincerely, then sit down with your Bible. Compare what your religion teaches with God's word. Does it match up? Why or why not? Can you find more than one Bible verse to back up the teachings? Are you finding that some verses seem to contradict others? Does what your religion teaches make sense of a loving God? Do they use His real name (Psalms 83:18)? Why or why not? 1 Peter 3:15 says we should always be ready to make a defense to anyone who asks a reason for the hope within our hearts. Can you prove to me, from the Bible, what you believe? \n\nI am giving YOU a new commandment, that YOU love one another; just as I have loved YOU, that YOU also love one another. By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves.” (John 13:34,35) Does your religion TRULY love EVERYONE in that religion? Are there racist problems? Can you find peace at every church that claims to be of your religion, everywhere in the world? \n\nOh, and if your pastor/preacher/minister can't answer your questions and says "it's a mystery" you might want to consider changing churches. There ARE answers, and you CAN find them. God would not ask us to worship Him, to believe in Him and not allow us to get to know him. We could hardly love and worship someone we don't know or understand, now could we?
242653
"FIND YOURSELF" it took a while but I did it and I recommend it to anyone.  Forget what the church says, organized religion in the modern day is little more than corrupt brainwashing.  For once, follow your hearts.  Form your own oppinions because your mind and heart say it is right, not because a man of God tell you to think that way.  If you find that with no persuassion you still seek out God or whoever, than that is your way, but if you find you stray from their teachings, than perhaps you need something more than they could offer you.  None are right, none are wrong, you cannot prove otherwise and arguing is pointless.  Let God make the arguments and choose the rightcheous.
198606
Its a very good Question. \nIslamic Religion means Peacful Religion. \nIt is the best Religion available to follow. \nThe basis for Islam is The Quran (the word of God), which is unchanged to this date. so if someone wants to follow the Words of God then  Islam is the only way.
801123
A very good question.\nThere are several questions within your one. \nI believe: ( through research and not belonging to any one religion)\n\nReligions define God by a name which is inherent in the human mind to tag something to understand it( tree, dog, human).  With the understanding of infinite thought and probabilities the One religions refer to is the same God.  The Source.  The source of light, dark and all existence.  This is one entity or energy.  \n\nThe paths we as humans choose to find this source is our differing religions each with their merits and flaws.  We seek the same source.  Eventually. \n\nThe Source is no 'man' or 'woman' sitting on a throne being wise, judge mental and all knowing it (It) is simply everything.  That was, will be, is or may be.  It is the fabric which which binds everything.  Before man began to categories or define it.\n\nThe second question within yours hints at the 'prophets' question of the being the only way to the Source. Jesus, Mohamed, Quetzalcoatl, Buddha etc. (note we are speaking only of the prophets of Light) each proclaim that their way is their path God. The ultimate source.\n\nHumans are different in their perceptions of everything so it is reasonable that God would have conceived of different paths to reach the One, ie enlightenment.
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?