Believers' Gullible-ness

[Duck]

In your opinion, is being a believer (especially in christianity) a sign of being gullible or at least influencial?
I am asking your opinion. This question is based on something I heard not my own thinking.

[vivere_in_pace]

I think being a christian is all about finding the answeres...I dont think being gullible has anything to do with it. Im a christian and I believe that im not gulible what so ever. To be a christian you must feel stongly about that religion and only. If you are gulible then you will worship other gods...and that is stricktly against the 10 commandments.

[seamonster66]

I think beleiving things only because you are taught them makes you gullible....so yes, some are

[Sera Michele]

I think some are gullible, but you definitely don't have to be religious to be gullible. But the religious meme of christianity especially calls for a believer to not ask too many questions, and to rely mainly on faith. Some may call that gullible. Others simply call it faith.

I may not be the best person to answer the question, though. Most christians I know were raised christian, raise their children christian, etc...so they basically don't have a chance. They believe in god because they were taught it from the time they were able to comprehend it, even before. And christians put a lot of dogma around questioning the faith. It is almost wrong to them to question it. So they basically accept what their pastor says as truth, and don't even think about it beyond that.

[Duck]

they have a chance, I was raised christian and I even went to a catholic school but, I am no longer christian
"I think being a christian is all about finding the answeres...I dont think being gullible has anything to do with it. Im a christian and I believe that im not gulible what so ever. To be a christian you must feel stongly about that religion and only. If you are gulible then you will worship other gods...and that is stricktly against the 10 commandments"
so what you are saying is you have to be gullible to belivee in any god but yours but, being gullible has nothing to do with believing in your god
I got it you don't have to be gullible to be a christian you just have to be stupid

[thumontico]

They are not gullible per se. It is about the perceptual set they have become accustomed to. While an atheist may first want to assure validity based on scientific probability or evidence, the religious have a far different way of looking at things. They first accept God (their first unfounded presupposition) and within this outlook there lies the possiblity for the improbable existing [necessarily if it applies to what they want it to] (this desire is not premeditated, but ingrained through doctrine and conditioning)

Similarly the value I hold for science, the religious value the possibilities presented by the concept of God. Mine presents a real view, and theirs presents a desirable view.

[Disarm]

I don't think some religious people are gullible, because to me gullibility is accepting or believing anything presented to them; I think it's the opposite. I think many people are far too pedantic and set in their beliefs, and will attack anything which they feel threaten their faith, which is far worse!

I'm gullible by nature so I refuse to believe nearly anything I hear until I have total proof from heaps of sources, which is quite good but kinda bitchy. I wish everyone was brought up exposed to everything, so even if they chose a path and stuck to it they'd appreciate other ways of life.

[BlackGuardXIII]

In your opinion, is being a believer (especially in christianity) a sign of being gullible or at least influencial?
No, I disagree completely. I used to think that for years, about followers of organized religions. Now I have seen enough miraculous events that I don't think it is for me to say whether gullible or influenced. If someone is an atheist, are they gullible for believing the theories of science? Many of those are based on accepting certain things as fact that are unprovable as yet.

[Hikaru Zero]

In your opinion, is being a believer (especially in christianity) a sign of being gullible or at least influencial?

Hehe ...

If you are a believer (I mean, you stick to that religion), then you aren't gullible. You're gullible if you change your religious views constantly based on the suggestions or ideas of other people, but if you have certain unwavering views, you can't really be considered gullible.

And if you grew up under a certain religion, and just so happen to stay that way, I wouldn't call it gullible then, but weak to influence, as all infants are weak to parental influence.

"Gullible" means you often end up believing things that someone said, when they aren't true and are at least somewhat unplausible. Since we can't take ANY religion and call it unplausible (though some of us try way too hard to do that, hahaha), then a believer can't be called gullible just because he or she is a believer.

In my mind, believers in religion are not any worse off than atheists or agnostics just because they believe in a religion. I do believe that most believers, however, haven't (or don't) questioned their faith, and simply take it for granted, and I also see more believers than non-believers that start and escalate conflicts between them and other people, based on beliefs.

That being said, I don't deny that there are still a fair amount of religious people (even those who belong to Christianity, etc.) who actually do challenge their faith, and who don't start fights over religion, and who do have good heads on their shoulders, like Jatom from these boards. Despite the fact that I don't agree with Christianity (and I'm sure he doesn't agree with my religion), he's the first person who I wasn't able to defeat in a religious argument/discussion, or at least completely dumbfound with logic. So, those kind of people DO exist, but unfortunately, the majority of them don't have the courage to challenge their faith, nor the intelligence to think for themselves. My parents being a great example of those kind of people ...

[_CT]

Meh, there's nothing wrong with having a bit more of a romantical viewpoint on how the world works, and dont forget most people are raised to be religious, and its hard to break from that.

[Duck]

No, I disagree completely. I used to think that for years, about followers of organized religions. Now I have seen enough miraculous events that I don't think it is for me to say whether gullible or influenced. If someone is an atheist, are they gullible for believing the theories of science? Many of those are based on accepting certain things as fact that are unprovable as yet.
miraculous events, you say? (this may get interesting) please just name a few, "miraculous events"

[BlackGuardXIII]

miraculous events, you say? (this may get interesting) please just name a few, "miraculous events"
My personal ones include half a dozen precognitive dreams, a visit my fiance's spirit made to someone hundreds of miles away, and the following event which happened 20 years ago.

I used to work with a fellow who's wife died of lung cancer, though she was a nurse who never smoked. It was less than a year from diagnosis till she was gone. Around a month before she passed on she told him that she was going to send him some kind of a sign. He is a very honest, family-oriented, devout Catholic. Then, from her hospital bed a week before she passed on, she told him she knew what the sign would be....lightning.
I have only been to one funeral in my life, hers, and it was at 1PM at St. Anne's Church. As we arrived it was pouring out, really hard, the sky was low overcast thick clouds, and it was dark like twilight. We sat down, and got settled in, and then boom, thunder, and the lights in the church went out for a couple of minutes. Kelvin told me that when the thunder struck, he looked at his watch and it was 1 o'clock on the dot.
After the funeral, we came outside to find that there was not a cloud in the sky, I swear. Everything was soaking wet, and dripping, and the sun was shining in a clear blue sky.

[Duck]

I have had "miraculous events" happen to me then to, did you ever think that religon had nothing to do with it?

Please don't interpret this as me attacking your faith, I am just trying to find mine. To do that I must be the enemy to all I talk to.

[roly]

I think beleiving things only because you are taught them makes you gullible....so yes, some are

I am a christian and don't believe because i am taught it..but because it is real and active in my life...im living it daily with God. I'm glad u said some are coz that implies that ur not closed minded and generalised - good on ya!
Roly.xxx

[roly]

Meh, there's nothing wrong with having a bit more of a romantical viewpoint on how the world works, and dont forget most people are raised to be religious, and its hard to break from that.
If anything i would say that being a Christian gives u a less romanticised viewpoint on the world, u see its flaws and the sadness of the worlds fall ever so much...its just we have a new found hope throug christ whihc helps us bear what others accept. As christians (followers of christ) we wish to change this by the way we live our lives ( just like christ) and that is why people think we have a romantic view of the world and are wrong.
Roly.xxx

[roly]

I have had "miraculous events" happen to me then to, did you ever think that religon had nothing to do with it?

Please don't interpret this as me attacking your faith, I am just trying to find mine. To do that I must be the enemy to all I talk to.
I do think that they were completely to do with religion...you just don't see it that way. ever heard the hymn amazing grace? the lines "was blind, but now i see" im not meaning this offensively...but because for whatever reason you are not acknowledging these works of God and therefore blind. I was too...but now i see. Being a christian is exciting...loads of things happen in your life that are really cool...God is ACTIVE in our lives whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.
Roly.xxx

[prism]

If you are gulible then you will worship other gods...and that is stricktly against the 10 commandments.
So does this mean that Hindus are gullible? You believe in your own god which is different than Hindu gods (or any other religion's deities). Would it be fair if a Hindu labeled you as being gullible just because you don't follow their religion? :confused:

[Diamond Gord]

As we are not aware of any god until we are taught, then belief in god all stems from the original teachings. It is only gullible if you have never questioned what you have been taught, asked questions and looked for answers that could strengthen or weaken your faith.

[Duck]

I get alot of talk about how I should open my eyes to the Lord, I am technically a christian I even go to church. I am just now opening my eyes and looking around, I see tons of fault in the christian belief and I have recently realized there is no substancial proof whatsoever of God's existence. If you think about it most christian's talk about non-believers like the are the ones at fault but, alot don't even think about if their own religon makes sense. If your religon is so believable, how do others automatically get ruled out, cause the bible says so? How come you never studied the ancient Egyptian religon, the Islamic religon, Judism, the ancient Greek and Roman religons? How come all of those are so far-fetched yet christianity is so fuckin' believable?

[BlackGuardXIII]

I get alot of talk about how I should open my eyes to the Lord, I am technically a christian I even go to church. I am just now opening my eyes and looking around, I see tons of fault in the christian belief and I have recently realized there is no substancial proof whatsoever of God's existence. If you think about it most christian's talk about non-believers like the are the ones at fault but, alot don't even think about if their own religon makes sense. If your religon is so believable, how do others automatically get ruled out, cause the bible says so? How come you never studied the ancient Egyptian religon, the Islamic religon, Judism, the ancient Greek and Roman religons? How come all of those are so far-fetched yet christianity is so fuckin' believable?
that is a great point, I wish more people thought about that.

[thumontico]

Why do you assume man has a limited comprehension of God's word?

[prism]

Why do you assume man has a limited comprehension of God's word?Because some ppl. take everything so literally & by that, maybe those ppl. think it's better for them to "stay true" to god's word. It probably has something to do with traditions. Just a guess...

[thumontico]

You imply an inability of man to comprehend --- WHY?!

[Disarm]

I see tons of fault in the christian belief and I have recently realized there is no substancial proof whatsoever of God's existence. If you think about it most christian's talk about non-believers like the are the ones at fault but, alot don't even think about if their own religon makes sense. If your religon is so believable, how do others automatically get ruled out, cause the bible says so? How come you never studied the ancient Egyptian religon, the Islamic religon, Judism, the ancient Greek and Roman religons? How come all of those are so far-fetched yet christianity is so fuckin' believable?
I have studied judaism, christianity, Greek g-ds, roman g-ds (greeks g-ds in a new garb), looked at buddha and muhammed (founder of islam)'s lives and techings.. I'll have to say that christianity is the most unbelievable. The greek g-ds were amazing, they were like someone said earlier about g-d being constantly active in our life? I've never believed that, but if you look at greek g-ds (one for water/ocean, one for love, one for war etc), it is really amazing and credible when you look at the personality of the g-d, for example poseidon (water g-d) is jealous, violent etc, and the way that the ocean and even water acts is so like his personality it's not a large jump for some to truly believe poseidon is angry/happy that day, and through selective memory you can attribute it to a single act you do while at sea..

Judaism to me is the more credible semetic (single-g-d) faith. You'll notice that at some point in the old testament (which is the jewish bible) g-d actually kinda says, look guys, I'm trying to make you moral and trying to make you listen to me but it's just not working. This is why he floods the world and noah builds an ark? To re-form a g-dly, moral society. But it doesn't work, not everyone is g-dly and moral, and g-d is so shocked at what he's done he swears to never take such an active role in shaping the world. In the context of the torah, g-d really is like us, he's optimistic with mankind, a tad liberal, punishes heavily, has favourites, makes mistakes (I forget the references but in one story a man reasons with g-d, to stop him destroying a city, and wins)..He has all the qualities we have. But he does realise that the part he plays in the world has to change, he can't, literally, 'play g-d' with our lives because we have free will, and so he chooses to remain an onlooker, a guardian if you will. So in judaism we are shown that we are in g-d's image, at least personality wise; we are told g-d does not rule our lives, we have to do that, which is very empowering; we are told g-d is an abstract, yet solid thing, which allows people who have an issue with the whole guy sitting in the sky thing to reconcile themselves to the idea of a presence rather than an actual thing... There isn't much in the torah which you can have a problem with, except imagining some things actually happened. Everything you are told, you can accept as a good and true way to live your life (although some eating requirements are considered outdated)

The issue I have with christianity, is that I am expected to swallow that now that g-d has tried and failed to create a g-dly society, and tried and failed to keep us all moral people, accepted this and said he will no longer involve himself in our lives.. There is no reference at all to a son of g-d, nor are there prophesies on a son arriving, which is odd, however I am supposed to accept that g-d suddenly decided to firstly try again with humans, that somehow he would cleanse us of our sins, that somehow his death would accomplish this... All the while the gospels are contradictory, any english professor could examine writing styles of matt, mark, luke and john, and say they had been tampered with, and and and that not only has g-d finally cleansed us of our sins and achieved his aim, but he has also decided to take an active part in running the world again, not helping out the environment, not helping world hunger by evolving or magiking a new species of plant which grew rapidly in africa, not giving cancer to true believes, nothing like that. G-d has decided to take an active role in the world by....(dun dun dunnnn) performing minor miracles, which reach one, maybe more, people. Give me a break. Christianity, in my belief, has more holes in it than a hole.

Further, if there is a true religion, I doubt we have found it yet. So yeh. But in my opinion, oldness is goodness and I don't need the new testament to make me know the old is true. But that is just my opinion, and many people prolly have a problem with that. All I wanted to do was to give you another viewpoint, sorry i only really talked about judaism and christianity, they're my forte at the moment.

My advice to you is to believe what you feel is true, open your mind by looking at other belief systems and other ways of life, but not necessarily trying to find the right one, just finding your true calling, what makes you feel true and good and at home.

[positive vibes]

perhaps gullible isnt the word, more one has been shown a certain path e.g. Christianity, and theyve stayed there and not questioned it, becuase of their family context etc, or perhaps others beliefs have impacted on them,,, who knows.

[forest_pixie84]

In your opinion, is being a believer (especially in christianity) a sign of being gullible or at least influencial?
I am asking your opinion. This question is based on something I heard not my own thinking.Well, if your talking about pop religion, then I don't think it's because the followers are gullible, it's because they were brainwashed with religion at an early age for one reason or another. Usually these people aren't easily influencial,( My sister for example is a hard core christian jesus freak, you can't tell her shit if it's not in the bible (even if it makes sense)) but they are weak mentally, which means they can still easily be subconsiously brainwashed.

[vivere_in_pace]

I think that it was really rude of you to call me stupid! we are having a simple debate on diff. opinions and you took a cheap shot. Being stupid has nothing to do with it.
Albert Einstien said himself that there was an after life and I BELIEVE that it is faith that keeps me together. as humans we cant understand exactley what anything is...I belive that if you dont believe in anything than you are missing out on so much...our minds cant grasp the concept that life is controlled by god. So tech. if you think logically if you deny yourself the right of learning more about a faith you are limitiing our intellegance...and that is stupid. To tell yourself that you dont need any more information than you have already is kinnda dumb. Im not telling you to believe what I do but calling someone stupid because they believe in some higher being than themselves.

[thumontico]

MidnightMoonlight that is a rediculous answer. It is my hope that that is not your real reasoning... MAN cannot comprehend God because he is super dumb? Why is he super dumb? Why do you assume that this super dumbness fits into to some sort adequate mold of ignorance?

Tell me the basis of your beliefs. If you believe something because that is how you believe it exists a priori explain to me why. Self evident you, yes; not to me.

Albert Einstein was a genius in the areas of mathematics and physics; but how does this qualify him to be a figure from which we should attain some sort of assurance of the rationality of faith???

You guys keep saying humans cannot exactly understand the divine or life itself. I say this is a method of hiding from the truth. Creating a set of circumstances in which rationality is suspended for the chance of God and spirituality to fit into the picture.

It is not too much to ask to inquire upon these apparently self evident conceptions that you possess is it?

[BlackGuardXIII]

MidnightMoonlight that is a rediculous answer. It is my hope that that is not your real reasoning... MAN cannot comprehend God because he is super dumb? Why is he super dumb? Why do you assume that this super dumbness fits into to some sort adequate mold of ignorance?

Tell me the basis of your beliefs. If you believe something because that is how you believe it exists a priori explain to me why. Self evident you, yes; not to me.

Albert Einstein was a genius in the areas of mathematics and physics; but how does this qualify him to be a figure from which we should attain some sort of assurance of the rationality of faith???

You guys keep saying humans cannot exactly understand the divine or life itself. I say this is a method of hiding from the truth. Creating a set of circumstances in which rationality is suspended for the chance of God and spirituality to fit into the picture.

It is not too much to ask to inquire upon these apparently self evident conceptions that you possess is it?
You are absolutely right, rationality and the spiritual realm are not a very good fit. I am lucky that the logic defying events in my life have continued for so long, becuz i dismissed the first couple dozen or so as 'anecdotal evidence' of some unseen force. This year I finally saw the folly that was my lack of acceptance. In my life, the faith in something working behind the scenes influencing events is now beyond my ability to dismiss. I would even say that faith is not the right word, cuz I have been beaten about the head and face with this stuff for decades, to the point of surrender. It is hard to describe, but the best I can do is say that my belief in this spiritual side of reality is no longer a case of free will. I decided for many years to believe that religious followers were wrong. I now believe the opposite, but still believe that atheists are no less correct in their chosen path. This may sound contradictory, but it is not to me. Not at all, it is just hard to explain how it can be possible so that others can see my perspective.


" If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and this is all that it proves. " Thomas Paine