Why Does Christianity Tell Us that "Amen" Means 'I Believe'? How Self-Centered!

How can "i believe" be self-centered? That's too much harsh words for something so little. Nobody even said anything about "i believe". Your making a fuss about something that doesn't exist. Try talking about something that actually makes sense and has a bigger impact. What you're talking about is just a childish display of arrogance which by the way is out of place.

Whoever told you that "amen" means "I believe" was wrong. Many enthusiastic people who claim to be Christians are wrong. Perhaps their hearts are in the right place (or perhaps not) but they are wrong, misguided and ignorant (either through innocence or by design). It is, indeed, through such ignorance that many people are turned away from Christianity. As you say, "Amen" is a strong affirmation of the intent previously expressed and means "Let it be", "So be it", "Truly" or "In truth". It is also the word which Jesus used before many of His statements and which is translated (especially in the King James version) as "Verily".

If you are an Atheist you don't need the definition to make you turn away from Christianity.I use the word Amen when I mean "Oh yeah that's right!" Most of the time it isn't in prayer. If you don't believe in G-d , the use of Amen doesn't even come up. I'm an outsider . Does today's Christianity make you self centered?

For all I know AMEN means "I agree" and that is why AMEN is not only use by Christians when praying, but they also use or reply amen when they agree with someone who speaks or something that they agree with.

I only used the word Amen when I pray. I am a Christian myself but honestly, this is the first time I heard that Amen means I believe. I think that some people have really gone bad, I don't blame that as I think that they are just being used by Satan who is working overtime to mislead more people as he knows that his days are already counted. As far as I know, Amen came from the Hebrew root word a-man which mean 'be faithful' and the word amen itself means 'so be it'. I actually do not understand how this word related to God being self-centered. With everything that we have, everything He has given us, our lives, this earth, the air we breath, I don't understand how God can be called as self-centered. I also don't think that God is the reason why people lead to atheism. I believe that it is Satan's doing as he wanted people to worship him instead of God. Satan leads people to wrong teachings, distorting the truth about God. This actually what he did during the early days at the Garden of Eden. He lied about God. He disgraced His Name. I think that those people who try to mislead other people from Truth are the ones referred to at 2 Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." They are apostates so the truth is not with them. God has nothing to do with them. I don't think that it is right to blame God if one has bad experiences in his own religion as the bible said that there two kinds of religion, one true and the other false. Like the verse I mentioned, we're warned to turn away from those people who uses religion for their own desires. We have to seek for the truth as the bible stated that there is only one true religion. There are Christians who are Christians in name only.

I always thought "Amen" meant "agreed." Hmm... very interesting concept.... "Christianity as a 'disease of self-centeredness....'" A lot of people do tend to believe that what is spoken must be truth because it's what they said. (Just because the election is tomorrow I have to say this:) And that is EXACTLY why I don't get into political or religious discussion; words get twisted and manipulated, and people speak in such a way that you cannot believe anything. And people like to believe, "oh, he's from my party," or "he leads a church of my religion, so what he says must be correct, regardless." And THAT is wrong! Even conversations outside of politics and religion are spoken of ignorantly and blindly, and when it reaches that point, I often leave the conversation. When people are ready to listen, I will explain the FACTS. And if I myself do not know the FACTS, then I simply do not speak about it until I know ALL of the FACTS, enough to form an EDUCATED opinion on the subject.

Hi mythociate, I know of what you are talking about. In my primary languaje "spanish" "amen" means "so be it". If you pray or attend mass, or talk, you can replace the word "amen" for "so be it". No problem at Mexico, it`s so natural, and common use. So it makes sense. Whatever you pray to God you say "so be it". Isn´t it? Blessings mythociate... dainy

I was taught Amen meant "So it be" so I don't really understand what you're talking about. If you were taught it means, "I believe" then you were taught wrong, which could have been a simple human error on the part of the person who taught you. No mass-conspiracy based on self-centeredness needed.

That is interesting; I never knew that before.. Thank you for sharing that I love to learn new things.. I can see your point why people could be swayed to go towards atheism.. But I would not totally agree with your statement.. Why? First off I am more of an open mind person.. The believes of one may not be the belief of another... Each religon has a leader.. (HUMAN) We all make mistakes we all sin.. So therefore even a leader sins.. No one is immune to sin.. With this is mind the congergation is like a flock of sheep they will follow their sherpard regardless of what is told to them. Believers that are blinded by faith or what they feel is right according to their leaders should not be judge!!! There are extremely faithful people out there that help many people with their every day lives.. You do not hear of them because they are humble.. Doing Gods work.. To call them self centered is so wrong.. Every religon has its flaws; they were based on the word of God but not etched by God.. We as humans add and subtract things from a converstation all of the time.. The telephone theory.. A line of people first one states a sentence. By the time the sentence reaches the last person the sentence is altered... God may have shown us how to live; what the rules are, and what the consequences can be.. The bible was not written for many years after God taught everything to us.. So the bible or any other religous book was written based on the telephone theroy.. A lot of it is true; but with the twist of human nature..

mythociate: To be perfectly honest, I had never given much thought to the meaning of "Amen" before your post. I had just always considered it as the ending of a prayer and the affirmation of agreement. If taken to mean "I believe", I do not perceive this a being self centered. Again, it would be an affirmation or confirmation of agreement, not conceit. If we agree that it means "so be it", we can still understand it to mean an acceptance of God's will.

Yes I also agree it means "so be it". It has nothing to do by being self-centered. When we pray, who is the center of attention? In order words, when we pray, we're putting situation in God's hands.

OUR self-centered God? The way i see it you're the one who is self-centered. If you do not agree with the ways of our religion, how come you still are a part of our religion. With your way of thinking, you should be an atheist.

Amen to me is the acknowledgement of the the thing that has been said after a sermon or prayer. So basically, it is 'I believe' in what has been said and I trust it fully. Much more, if you have faith in what you say and hear, there is no reason to doubt it.

As others have mentioned, "Amen" means I agree. In the early stages of christianity, this was said as "I agree" in reference to what that priest said. Also, how could the words "I believe" be self centered? Must you not believe?

I've never heard that it means "I believe" though it does seem to be used more as an "I agree" usually with an exclamation point!

Thank you for that. A nice little anecdote for my data banks

Amen means so be it, and by doing so, gives God all the glory and HIS word is true. It also means I believe that what God says is true, so in reality it means more then the translation. It also says in the Bible, that the demons believe and tremble, so it is not just enough to say that one believes, but to trust that God will accomplish and when we pray and or sing and say amen, we are saying that such a such is true and God's Will will be accomplished even though at the present time it might be impossible.

I have never heard that it means I believe. I was always told that amen meant "So Let It Be" When I end my prayer we always actually say so let it be not amen. For us that is just how it is. I think that like many words its meaning has been lost in translation.

Opinion over the exact translation of Amen is actually debated by academics.Though I can't see the problem with either translation so be it or I believe. So be it is us wanting Gods will to be done,its our way of saying we accept what you choose to do for us as you are all knowing and only wants what's best for us.We were taught in the Lords prayer to want gods will to be done.The other is a declaration of faith to ones creator.Personally I'm not sure it matters which translation is correct I think the important thing is the faith with which the prayer is said.

Ouch, those are rather strong words on a translation-issue. Amen, so be it, I believe... I mean, religions have different beliefs and interpretations of things. Let's just respect one another.