Why are Christians so confident in having the “one true faith” when so many other religions are just as old and deeply followed?

[Breanna83727]

If so many other religions are just as old, deeply followed, and believed in around the world why are Christians so confident that theirs is the only true one? What makes them so sure everyone else is wrong, especially when most people just believe what they were raised with?

[MisterCake]

The psychology of the absolute plays into it.

Consider perspectives of empiricism & rationalism. Mathematics and physics effect us all regardless of how well we understand them.

Say it comes out that I have some gross misunderstanding about physics. You might be concerned about how it affects my driving.

For contrast, say you and dozens of others have been through a gallery exhibit and vote unanimously, picking out the prettiest picture in it. Say I don't know I'm the last to vote, and my pick is one of the other pictures.

Fair bet you'd be surprised since I broke the consensus! Fair bet also, though, that you can understand and respect an outlier opinion.

Christians are accustomed to a community of believers. Meeting a non-believer will come as a surprise to them often. The nature of faith is to blur the difference between belief and empirical certainties, so some will have a harder time reconciling their surprise.

Then there's the belief that they must convert the rest of us to to save our souls. They're pressured to try to convert us. They'll succeed with some people, therefore the Christian faith grows.

Again, I'm putting this out there as part of the answer, not claiming it's the whole of the answer. In large part, we'd need a forum of historians and sociologists before we have any hope of working out the whole answer.

[Bklynbadboy12]

For the same reason your confidant that your religion is the one true faith. Think about it. You wouldn't practice it if you didn't believe in it right

[Bklynbadboy12]

Thanks for the MHO

[MisterCake]

OP hasn't shared whether or not she practices a religion. Not everyone does. Maybe we could say that everyone has a religious PERSUASION. Is every persuasion a faith, though?

Consider two perspectives on atheism:

1. Atheism is a faith. One must have faith to conduct one's life while believing that deities aren't real.

2. Atheism isn't a faith. Believers in deities have the burden of proof if they want to make their case.

In contrast, does agnosticism require faith? Why don't we all go agnostic?

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

You kind of answered your own question in asking there: they believe what they were raised with. That religion is all they’ve ever known. They know no other way to exist, so of course they believe it when they’re told they’re special and because they did everything right, they’ll be rewarded when everyone else is punished.


Now, admittedly, there are some people who do truly experience moments where they’re called to serve others and follow Christ. Good for them, that’s not an easy choice to make. It’s also true that in a predominantly christian cultured nation, that’s going to be where a lot of people look first when exploring spirituality. This wouldn’t be the case if the same experience happened in somewhere like India, where Hinduism is the oldest and very popular religion.

[jennifer_bloom]

If somebody asks you to make a vegetable salad, you do not have to plant the same vegetables for your guest to consume vitamin C in their food. Religious ideology and religious morals are the same way, a story about turtles from India and a story about monks from China might both teach the same morals.

[jshm2]

Depends what sect of Christian you mean. They can't agree on anything - each denomination has their own bible, their own church, their own creed, and their own political structure.

But the funny thing is that it's all defunct as the founder of Christianity was Paul, not Jesus.

Hence Christianity is a cult on steroids, based on a Jewish bloke who was not Christian, founded no church, wrote no bible or gospel and absolutely told no one to do either!

Jesus was Jewish and preached the Torah, and absolutely hated white people (Romans) for what they were doing to his people, the Jews.

Jesus would probably laugh at Christians today.

[Jay-_-]

Only Christians huh? Typical.



Also to inform you in the Bible it says to spread God's word and God's love, now if you see God's word spread with hate or ignorance then you blame the person not "Christians" it's the person who isn't perfect and is letting the wrong emotions get involved, as it states in the Bible. I know you haven't given the Bible a chance but you let imperfect humans feed your ears instead of truly giving it a shot, I'm assuming because you find it "boring". Read the Bible it was influenced by the one and only God, stop listening to people.

[Lliam]

A book of debunked mythology, written by Judean scholars 2500 years ago is the word of God?
Alrighty then. LOL

[Jay-_-]

Sure, whatever, yet nothing in the Bible advises you to do anything destructive but you still have a problem with it. "LOL" 😐

[Jay-_-]

"Alrighty then"

[Jay-_-]

Keep coping my guy.

[Jay-_-]

There has been evidence little by little time and time again but there's always something

[Jay-_-]

At first "Jesus isn't real" he has been proven to be a real person now it's "but but but". Truly ignorance at this point.

[Jay-_-]

And if you are an atheist over being agnostic you truly have a problem. Because you can't disprove it more evidence leads towards a God than without one, so if you truly believed in logic you'd be agnostic.

[Lliam]

I can tell that I made you hyperventilate.
All I said was that the Torah (Old Testament) is not the word of God. It was written by Judeans who, coincidentally, also claimed that THEY were that God's "chosen people".

[Jay-_-]

Nope then your guessing isn't that good I'm very calm actually, are you an atheist? Be honest.

[Jay-_-]

Just know depending on your answer this will say A LOT about you.

[Jay-_-]

I'm very firm in what I believe in can't be shaken, you believe, or you don't, that's not my problem. Now on the other hand I am sent to spread his love and words but never force them.

[Lliam]

I have opinions, not beliefs. I can modify or change my opinions as more information becomes available.
After studying the Bible, the history of Judaism and Christianity, world religions, mythology, ancient history, archeology, geology and other sources, my current opinion is that the Bible is bunk. It was written by people.

[Jay-_-]

Are you an atheist?

[Lliam]

Pagan, atheist, heretic I don't care how religious people label me. Their opinions are not my problem.

[Jay-_-]

It's a very simple question, is there any possible way you would give me a direct, up front response? (This isn't an opinion, you either believe in facts or you don't, there is no in betweens cause then you are hypocritical.) Are you or are you not an atheist?

[Lliam]

Oh nooo, I'm be interrogated by the Inquisition!!! LOL
You're one of those in you face Christian fanatics, aren't you.

I already answered the question. Do you have difficulty with comprehension?

[Jay-_-]

Clearly you have an issue with comprehension It's a very simple question, which you did not respond to, it was a yes or no and you are still tip-toeing around it.

you are worried about contradicting yourself aren't you? Let me guess you believe in evidence, only when you want too correct?

I'm not in your face about Christianity at all I'm asking you about another topic. (And then you say I have comprehensive issues, I think you are projecting.)

[Jay-_-]

"Pagan, atheist, heretic." Then you continue with "I don't care how religious people label me" implying you have not told me what YOU specifically are. Are you going to keep going around it until the end of your time or are you going to answer a very simple yes or no question?

[Lliam]

Because I have no desire to debate theology or spirituality with a Bible thumper who couldn't comprehend and would only argue and pass judgement. I'm fine with pagan, atheist, heretic. Anything but Jew, or Christian.

[Jay-_-]

Does that not sound like a biased standpoint from you, I'm going to leave you with this you have been traumatized by people, not religion.

[Lliam]

No trauma. Out of interest in the subject, I studied it. Simple as that. But I have also observed the charlatans who preach the "Word" for power and profit.

[Jay-_-]

You clearly have trauma, and you didn't study Christianity, you studied imperfect untaught Christians, how about you study the actual holy Bible instead of nitpicking at imperfect people who clearly don't follow God's word as intended.

[Lliam]

And I'm sure you know the "correct" Christianity. But I doubt if you ever questioned a thing or actually studied anything but someone's interpretation of the Bible.. Which Bible?
You no doubt think the Old and New Testaments that you have read are factual. "The word of God".
You don't have proof. You just blindly believe.

You are one of those annoying kinds of Christians, full of zeal and sanctimony.

[Jay-_-]

You are contradicting yourself as you are blindly disbelieving you don't believe I'm facts you are quite literally lost, if you truly weren't hypocritical you'd be agnostic, insult after insult and if it's "not an insult" it's assumption after assumption with you. Atheists are the most contradicting people on the planet, if you are agnostic then yes I can truly say you are not a contradicting person. We wouldn't be having this conversation, regardless of the fact I'm not persuading you for anything It seems like you are doing more persuading than I am. "Mr believes in proof" but has zero proof for his point of view. You are hypocritical... And if you can't see that you are more lost than I thought. This has nothing to do with religion being agnostic has nothing to do with religion in fact it implies you have more of a brain than an atheist does.

[Jay-_-]

You don't believe in facts*

[Jay-_-]

Now me on the other hand yes I am a Christian and I believe in the Holy Bible as it said you are under new law and this is what I believe in nothing in that Bible leads to your destruction and God has shown up many times for me like I said I don't care what you choose to believe but I'm not gonna sit here watching you lie and be hypocritical saying you believe in facts because you clearly DO NOT.

[Lliam]

You wouldn't know a fact if it bit you in the ass.

I have lots of Christian friends, but you, sir, are obnoxious and offensive. I've met flat Earthers and Creationists who were smarter than you.

Now get on your knees and let Jesus fill you with his love.

[Jay-_-]

I'm obnoxious and offensive because I hit you with a straight fact and it offended you... Typical... Atheists are the most contradicting people on the planet and I'll say it a million times again, that's not offensive at all It's factual and clearly it offended you because you are a part of that brainless group.

[Jay-_-]

Like I said people who are agnostic deserve full respect, I won't say you do or don't but it's written on the wall... Go search up the definition of agnostic, maybe you'll see who's really being the ignorant one.

[Jay-_-]

Only ignorant and biased people lean towards being atheists... That's not offensive... I'm not attacking you in any way, it's the hard cold stone truth...

[Jay-_-]

You haven't seen a single thing to know who I am, I've met a dodo bird smarter than you. I've also met a little baby who reacts less emotionally than you do. 😂

[Jay-_-]

You atheists always say that to defend your lies "I have a lot of Christians friends" no you do not with the way you speak about us you definitely aren't a friend to your Christian "friends" don't forget who texted who first keep adding lies to your pile, it won't help your case.

[glennos89]

Personally I don't understand why people are following a old book written by people in the past. I'm sure that all religions have good things written in their secret books but the way I see religion is being pushed into a certain direction that they want you to go.

I see it as form of mind control to control the population and herd them like we do with our herd animals ( cows, sheep's, goat's etc...)

[strateguy632]

Superb wording to self refute yourself. The increase in christians is in AFRICA and asia not the KIDS of European christians. Where birth rate is low.

Only 2 faiths have more followers than hindu... one spread by fear... the other by reasoning.

[OneViewpoint]

Because those "Christians" are deeply insecure about their religion and live in fear of everything they don't understand. Which is almost everything, as religion generally appeals to the dumbest people in society. It really is that simple. Stupid, ignorant people clinging to any hilarious belief to drive away reality.

[genericname85]

Cause they promise great things in the afterlife if you do not engage with other religions. So they keep deluding themself and trying very hard to ignore all the others. That's how every religion works and that's why they can all exist at the same time.

[wynning]

It follows that believers of a certain religion would also believe they're believing in the one true faith. Otherwise their faith is not as devout as they'd want it to be.

[ChicoFromThe305]

I hope you know all religions are confident theirs is the one true faith

[DishLady]

Members of the Jewish faith say the same thing...
Members of the Muslim faith say the same thing...

It's a basic marketing recruitment/retention tactic.

[Dargil]

Faith cannot be defined. devout followers of any religion have equivalent faith. Christianity is no different. Ask that question to Muslims Hindus or Buddhists.

[AndrésC64]

It's funny how every single religious person on the face of the Earth is absolutely certain that their religion is the ™One True Religion. The thing these people fail to realize is that they can't all be right. They can all be wrong.

[Gwendoline]

Why are Christians so confident in having the “one true faith"?

It's called Faith.

[katiesmuff]

They are all just a perfect scam to remove money from your pocket to their pocket.

[Kelly6]

@katiesmuff
Yes and no.
Same as all tax and retirement plans all.

[Pohjolan]

Its religion its not based in logic. Some muslims think its fine to murder a child because it was eating ice cream during the wrong time of the day.

[TwoToTooTutu2]

Religion isn't fundamentalist. Many Christians might be fundamentalist, but in the upper echelons of scholarship and clergy it all molds into a pluralist hodgepodge.

[WhitneySnow]

Most faiths are confident that theirs is the one true way

[jahaims]

It's so they don't feel insecure about their chosen coping mechanism

[Staximus]

Most people who are very religious feel the same about their religions. All religion is hogwash.

[worldscolide]

For the same reason that all of these other faiths say that they are the one true faith..

[Anonymous]

They are arrogant.

Buddhism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and Hinduism are much older, as well as all pagan religions.

I'm not religious, and I appreciate non-arrogant people.

[SmokinAces2000]

If you’re religiously indoctrinated why would you acknowledge that other religions can be right also?

[BarryLiverstone]

I’m not. I just kind that God is so big that He wants us to praise Him

[Agape93]

Hubris and arrogance.

[leahzrc]

They follow Jesus through signs from God.

[bddddd]

Christopher Hitchens. Google him.

[RedInnocent69]

It’s the nature of faith for most, unfortunately

[Anonymous]

Don't worry. Muslims think the same way.