Is it all just a Contest????

I become suspicious on anyone who talks pf speaks of his/ her religion as though he/she is a good follower. I found too often, they are just covering what the bad things they did in life...

The one who refers to it as a contest is the one who sees it as a contest. Some of us see it as trying to bring the lost to the truth of God's plan of salvation for man through Christ. We care enough about the lost to try to help them.

Isn't discovering the truth the same as winning?

Well, i hate it when people fight over religious matters, as no one will ever win..because people look and read the bible differently and translate it differently. So it is pretty useless to argue over it.

Hi bird: This feeling is quite depressing but I think you are right. People want to always be right that they fight because of that, to defeat someone more than really to look for the truth. And that's one of the main reasons why intolerance exist. ALVARO

If we discover truth then aren't we then dedicating ourselves to it by belief? And if we have the truth, don't we want everyone else to find the truth also? And if that's so, is it really a contest? It isn't right to set the discussion up as though these are two opposite ends of the spectrum, they are not.

Discovery of the truth is the ultimate thing, but you know even that can be influenced by others, since you are discovering something based on what others have to say, for example all the religious stuffs that you talk about, people who argue has to come to a conclusion based on the aspects that are discussed right? So what ever truth you are discovering is still not the ultimate thing unless God himself comes down and shows you whats right and whats wrong. It all matters on your perspective of seeing things.

I was very religious as a youngster. I sang in the church choir, taught Sunday-school and never missed church, wondering all the time if it was real, or just a fad. Finally after much study, I followed my inner feelings and walked away, never to return. It was hard to do, but I knew it was the right thing, and now, after more than 60 years I know it was the right move. I believe that Religion is a Great Scam that has made the Catholic Church the wealthiest business the world has ever seen. No one can even estimate the incredible wealth stolen, the innocent people murdered, and the blameless children molested,in the last 2000 years, all in the name of Jesus the Christ, and God the father!

Thought provoking discussion bird. :) Why do we always want others to look at things from our angle? It is one thing to want others to look at things from our angle when we are wronged, it is another thing to want such gregarious stuff for the sake of "winning". Where is the unwritten law that the more people who follow you makes your belief the right one? Another thought that came to my mind..there are a lot of uneducated daily wage earners in my country, above them are people who are lucky enough to find employment in homes like my maid. This class is also fairl large but not as large as the uneducated daily wage earner. The pyramid goes up with the number of educated people and professionally qualified people being fewer in numbers. So if I were to look at religion in those lines, and if there were more people following the religion, then chances are that it is the lower strata of the society who dont really comprehend the things! I wish people would not put religion and god in boxes and brand them. Gods must be feeling stifled in there.

When I think of what I believe and what others believe I don't look at it as a challenge to who is right and who is wrong winner or loser. I agree with you that it is like that with many people. I live my life the way I see it best for me and raise my children to hopefully follow that path but like any parent hope for better for them. My ex-husband is very much the type of person that feels good about himself when he can strip someone of their faith and leave them wondering. I don't hide what I have faith in but I don't shove it off on someone else either. I personally think that with religion one person's truth may not be another person's. I strongly believe in what I do, but it is not my place to judge what is right for someone else. For me it's not a contest but again like you said for many people it is unfortunately.

It depends upon you if you are to believe if it's just a contest. It's a contest of faith, not a contest over religion. It's about what you believe and it wikk be all worth it. :)