Questionnaire for theists

[FatAndFaithless]

Heh, at least he's honest that he doesn't do that.

[DramaQueen]

Imagine asking a fundie these questions in real life

[Michael B]

Here's my two cents....

1. I enjoy the discussion.

2. Yes

3. I'd be amazed if I haven't got at least soemthing wrong somewhere.

4. Yes

4a. People, with inspiration from God

4b. I think 4 times cover to cover. (I think I'm on my fifth time through, but it could be my fourth). Other parts much more.

4c. I think it can be trusted to do what God wants it to.

4d. I think some is poetic (psalms, Song of Songs), some pedagogical myths (creation) and some simple factual, such as 1st Macabbees - it's mostly so dull it must be true :-) The reader, with the Church past and present, works through what they take literally and what allegorically.

5. I'm sure there are elements of truth in all religions.

6. Yes, and I continue to do so (meeting up weekly with Buddhists for meditation and friendly discussion).

6a. I certainly don't think my knowledge of other religions is comprehensive.

6b. Yes. I think our beliefs are always shaped by reflection and scrutiny.

7. I don't know. I have rejected atheism after identifying firmly as one for 15 years, so I can certainly change my mind.

8. No. Conscience that is further developed through prayer and Christian thought over the ages.

8a. The same

8b. No. I'm certainly not perfect.

8c. Yes. Conscience.

9. 1) Experience of constructive change in my life. 2) The sense of the numinous. 3) The satisfaction of an inner desire. 4) It makes sense of many things. 5) It makes the world a better place.

[Neo-Scholastic]

1) What was your reason to coming to an atheist forum? To learn by exposure to contrary beliefs.
2) Does it matter to you whether your religious beliefs are true? Better question: Do beliefs, religious or otherwise, matter? Answer: Yes.
3) Do you feel 100% certain that your beliefs are true? To the extent humans can have certain knowledge, yes.
4) Does your religion have an associated text? 4a) Who wrote the book? The writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
4b) How many times have you read it through entirely, cover to cover? The Arcana Coelesia alone is 22 volumes and haven’t even scratched the surface. I’ve read Heaven & Hell twice and important sections of Divine Love and Wisdom & Divine Providence several times. The following I have read at once: Conjugal Love, True Christianity, the Heavenly City, Life on Other Planets, and The White Horse. I have only read part of Apocalypse Explained.
4c) Do you think the book is exactly how your god would want it to read, with no mistakes. No. However, the essential doctrines are accurately expressed.
4d) Do you think everything written in it is literally true, and actually happened as stated? If not, who has the authority to pick the literally true parts? No and from a New Church perspective only the inner meaning is truly important.
5) Do you think that there are any other religions/gods, from past religions or other current religions, that could also be true/real? 6 [including parts a and b] Have you spent any time researching other current religions, or religions from the past, to consider whether they could be true too/instead? Depends on the god. I saw a movie about Thor so he seems to be real. ;-) However, even polytheistic
7) Say you were born in another country, where the predominant religion is one other than the one you currently believe in. Say you were raised in this different religion. Do you feel that at some point you would have rejected that religion and adopted the one you have now? If so, why? [i]Probably not.
8) Do you feel that all your morality comes directly from your religion? No. It comes from God.
8a) Say you drew up a list of all the things you consider are moral, and the things you consider immoral. Then say you did the same for what your god's opinion would be. Would your lists be the same as your god's? If not, where would you differ? Go to question 9.I do not believe in moral codes, but rather moral example in the person of Christ
8b) Do you feel you act in accordance to every moral and instruction in your religion/book?I have more work to do to be Christ-like, but I’m working in the right direction.
8c) If you had never known about your religion, or any religion, do you feel you would have any idea how to act morally, or to care about it?The ability to recognize what is good and true providential. So yes.
9) Can you give 5 reasons why you believe in your religion, starting with the most important to you? New Church theology is rational, empowering, conforms to my own mystical experiences. Those 3 are sufficient

[C4RM5]

I have written a series of questions for theists, because I would be interested in hearing lots of different views and answers. I’m not going to make fun of anyone afterwards, whatever answers they give. If it makes you think a little while filling it in, all the better I have put in bold directions to follow for certain answers, to avoid answering questions that will no longer be relevant.

1) What was your reason to coming to an atheist forum?
I found it on goofle and someone was asking for a christian point of view on something.

2) Does it matter to you whether your religious beliefs are true? If no, then end quiz.
Yes

3) Do you feel 100% certain that your beliefs are true?
Yes
4) Does your religion have an associated text? If no, go to question 5.
Yes
4a) Who wrote the book?
Normal people

4b) How many times have you read it through entirely, cover to cover?
Just started to do this

4c) Do you think the book is exactly how your god would want it to read, with no mistakes? If no, go to question 5.
I think it may contain human error.

4d) Do you think everything written in it is literally true, and actually happened as stated? If not, who has the authority to pick the literally true parts?
I think it is literally true.

5) Do you think that there are any other religions/gods, from past religions or other current religions, that could also be true/real?
No

6) Have you spent any time researching other current religions, or religions from the past, to consider whether they could be true too/instead? If no, go to question 7.
I have researched them, but never considered there value.

6a) Do you feel you have spent enough time researching to be convinced about whether other past/present religions are true?
Yes
6b) If you judge other religion(s) to be false using a certain standard or method, and you applied that method to your own religion, do you think yours would stand up to the same scrutiny?
Yes, I hink it would

7) Say you were born in another country, where the predominant religion is one other than the one you currently believe in. Say you were raised in this different religion. Do you feel that at some point you would have rejected that religion and adopted the one you have now? If so, why?
I would hope so

8) Do you feel that all your morality comes directly from your religion? If yes, go to question 8b.
Yes

8a) Say you drew up a list of all the things you consider are moral, and the things you consider immoral. Then say you did the same for what your god's opinion would be. Would your lists be the same as your god's? If not, where would you differ? Go to question 9.

8b) Do you feel you act in accordance to every moral and instruction in your religion/book?
It is hard ro follow them, I fail everyday.

8c) If you had never known about your religion, or any religion, do you feel you would have any idea how to act morally, or to care about it?
Religions vary in what rhey say is moral.

9) Can you give 5 reasons why you believe in your religion, starting with the most important to you?
Overall, I am a sinner and I need forgivness from my sins.
I am not a very creative person and I cannot get beyond this.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions

---

I really messed up on the quoting sorry.

[Tonus]

2) Does it matter to you whether your religious beliefs are true? If no, then end quiz.

3) Do you feel 100% certain that your beliefs are true?

4) Does your religion have an associated text? If no, go to question 5.

Conditionals, GOTOs, and line numbers? What is this, 1985???

[Exian]

The Bible does read like a pick-your-own-adventure.

[JeffofGallifrey]

1) What was your reason to coming to an atheist forum?

I enjoy hanging out with atheists.

2) Does it matter to you whether your religious beliefs are true? If no, then end quiz.

It matters.

3) Do you feel 100% certain that your beliefs are true?

100% certain on most days. I sometimes get extremely depressed and have random days when NOTHING is true but for the most part, I am very certain.

4) Does your religion have an associated text? If no, go to question 5.

Yes

4a) Who wrote the book?

God. Through the hands of men.

4b) How many times have you read it through entirely, cover to cover?

Zero. I have read all of it in pieces but I have trouble reading it like a novel... I usually get bored somewhere in Leviticus or Kings.

4c) Do you think the book is exactly how your god would want it to read, with no mistakes? If no, go to question 5.

Yes. He has protected it from serious error... any errors that are in it are errors that He was willing to leave there.

4d) Do you think everything written in it is literally true, and actually happened as stated? If not, who has the authority to pick the literally true parts?

There are parts of it that are clearly parables and parts of it that it explains are analogies. The rest of it is literally true.

5) Do you think that there are any other religions/gods, from past religions or other current religions, that could also be true/real?

Nope.

6) Have you spent any time researching other current religions, or religions from the past, to consider whether they could be true too/instead? If no, go to question 7.

Yes, I find them fascinating.

6a) Do you feel you have spent enough time researching to be convinced about whether other past/present religions are true?

Yes.

6b) If you judge other religion(s) to be false using a certain standard or method, and you applied that method to your own religion, do you think yours would stand up to the same scrutiny?

Yes.

7) Say you were born in another country, where the predominant religion is one other than the one you currently believe in. Say you were raised in this different religion. Do you feel that at some point you would have rejected that religion and adopted the one you have now? If so, why?

I hope that I would have. In a hypothetical situation like that, I think if I were to find out about Christianity, I'm pretty sure I'd adopt it.

8) Do you feel that all your morality comes directly from your religion? If yes, go to question 8b.

Very close to all of it. And, the parts that come from other sources also come from my faith.

8a) Say you drew up a list of all the things you consider are moral, and the things you consider immoral. Then say you did the same for what your god's opinion would be. Would your lists be the same as your god's? If not, where would you differ? Go to question 9.

If my list were different from God's list, I would start erasing things off mine.

8b) Do you feel you act in accordance to every moral and instruction in your religion/book?

No. I want to and I try to, but I can't.

8c) If you had never known about your religion, or any religion, do you feel you would have any idea how to act morally, or to care about it?

In that scenario I would probably have the moral standards of whatever culture I was raised in.

9) Can you give 5 reasons why you believe in your religion, starting with the most important to you?

1. God has made it clear to me that He exists.
2. God has made it clear to me that I need Him.
3. He loved me enough that I must love Him back.

[robvalue]

Thank you very much everyone for completing the questionnaire, and for the feedback. It's all very interesting to me

[fr0d0]