Pure chance

I find very few converts from a different religion. From what I see it depends for the most part on where you were born, and what religion was the dominant religion of the region or country as to what a person takes as Truth. I know theire are Hindhus that now have become Christian, but that's rare in comparison. You know I don't think I know of one Christian that has become a Hindhu. That is unless you call the practicioners of Transcendental Meditation Hindhu's. Pure luck or chance as to how most of us end up it seems.

Originally posted by buckky
I find very few converts from a different religion. From what I see it depends for the most part on where you were born, and what religion was the dominant religion of the region or country as to what a person takes as Truth. I know theire are Hindhus that now have become Christian, but that's rare in comparison. You know I don't think I know of one Christian ...[text shortened]... Transcendental Meditation Hindhu's. Pure luck or chance as to how most of us end up it seems.

gee, I don't know anyone who became a Hindhu, either.

then again, I know how to spell Hindu

Originally posted by Scriabin
gee, I don't know anyone who became a Hindhu, either.

then again, I know how to spell Hindu

But you don't know how to start a sentence with a capital letter...

It's never right to give critics about things that you are not perfect in. (I'm excused since I don't have English as my first language. But then I don't give critics about others linguistic shortcomings either. Well this is an exception.)

Okay, now it's time for some famous rudeness and personal attacks from Scriabin!

Originally posted by buckky
I find very few converts from a different religion. From what I see it depends for the most part on where you were born, and what religion was the dominant religion of the region or country as to what a person takes as Truth. I know theire are Hindhus that now have become Christian, but that's rare in comparison. You know I don't think I know of one Christian ...[text shortened]... Transcendental Meditation Hindhu's. Pure luck or chance as to how most of us end up it seems.

It is the old arguement that the belief in ones religion is a result of the culture you are surrouned by and nothing more. Having said that, you can then argue that the "fix is in" when it comes to what religion you will turn to as well.

I say that this demonstrates a belief of mine that the morality one clings to is based upon a percieved moral authority. It is simly how we are wired. For example, that moral authority often comes from your parents, or the state, or society at large, or a religious leader, or God etc. So the real question is, what moral authority do you look up to or respect and which do you disdain? This will be the real indicatinon as to what you will believe. For example, from what I can ascertain, most adhere to the states moral voice. Back in the 1800's alavery was the law of the land in the US so the moral consensus was that it was "OK", however, hundreds of years later being outlawed, it is no longer "OK". The same can be seen with a secularized government. The more secularized it is the more secularized society tends to become and vise versa.

Of course, there are a few odd balls out there who do not hold the state as the "know all" authority. They are the policitically incorrect crowd who claims to look towards a higher authority than that of the state.

Originally posted by buckky
You know I don't think I know of one Christian that has become a Hindhu.

That presumably means you do not live in India. I am sure a lot of Christian in India have become Hindu.
The amount of conversion that takes place though can have a lot to do with the attitudes within beliefs about other religions. The Hindu's I have met were quite happy to go to a Christian Church and pray along side everyone else. I don't know any Christians who would feel comfortable going to a Hindu Temple to pray. Similarly I suspect that it is easier for Christians to become Muslim than Muslims to become Christian because of the reactions of their families, though in neither case would the conversion go down well.
I do know that people frequently convert (or claim to convert) as a result of marriage, and again the religion the couple usually ends up with tends to have more to do with social pressure than some agreement on which religion is more likely to be the truth.

Originally posted by twhitehead
That presumably means you do not live in India. I am sure a lot of Christian in India have become Hindu.
The amount of conversion that takes place though can have a lot to do with the attitudes within beliefs about other religions. The Hindu's I have met were quite happy to go to a Christian Church and pray along side everyone else. I don't know any Chri ...[text shortened]... do with social pressure than some agreement on which religion is more likely to be the truth.

Agreed!! I would say that most cave to social pressure because that is what the esteem above all else. However, as I said there are a few odd balls out there who go against the grain and buck the system and don't really care if their family disowns them or not for embracing a belief that may even cost them their life. For them, the reality of what they believe far outwieghs that of the society/government at large. In my opinion, these are the true converts. All others are there mainly because they simply want to conform to society at large. They simply want to go with the flow as they say.

Originally posted by whodey
It is the old arguement that the belief in ones religion is a result of the culture you are surrouned by and nothing more. Having said that, you can then argue that the "fix is in" when it comes to what religion you will turn to as well.

I say that this demonstrates a belief of mine that the morality one clings to is based upon a percieved moral authority y incorrect crowd who claims to look towards a higher authority than that of the state.

…Of course, there are a few odd balls out there who do NOT hold the state as the "know all" authority.
..… (my emphasis)

What are you talking about? They are in some areas in the majority -and I am one of them! -nothing “odd ball” about them -they just think critically and independently and have a natural instinct to question old dogmas, that’s all.

….They are the politically incorrect crowd who claims to look towards a higher authority than that of the state..…

The majority of the population are theists and the state often supports the notion of there being a “God“ (and in some cases claim to be supported BY “God&ldquo😉 that has higher authority than the state -so to take all your “moral” guidance from the state generally means blindly accepting whatever religious dogma is supported by the state. I could argue that the ‘politically incorrect’ crowd are those that can think critically and independently for themselves and thus question such dogma.

Originally posted by whodey
Agreed!! I would say that most cave to social pressure because that is what the esteem above all else. However, as I said there are a few odd balls out there who go against the grain and buck the system and don't really care if their family disowns them or not for embracing a belief that may even cost them their life. For them, the reality of what they bel ...[text shortened]... simply want to conform to society at large. They simply want to go with the flow as they say.

I am therefore a 'true convert' to atheism. 🙂

I rather doubt though that you can genuinely draw a line. Many people I know grew up as more or less unreligious and at some point in their lives when they were going through a crisis started thinking 'whats it all about' and at that point became religious. However they still almost invariably went for the religion closest to them and didn't even consider other religions. In fact I think you would be extremely hard pressed to find a single 'true convert' that genuinely went for a religion that was totally opposite to their society/government etc, without at least some direct exposure to the religion. I doubt you will find many Muslims who on their own sought out a Bible then became Christian or Christians who on their own sought out a Qu'ran and became Muslim, there is almost always someone in their social circle involved, or some presence of that religion in their neighborhood. The spread of religions is largely therefore a combination of inheritance and marketing.

Originally posted by whodey
Of course, there are a few odd balls out there who do not hold the state as the "know all" authority. They are the policitically incorrect crowd who claims to look towards a higher authority than that of the state.

To add to Andrews comments. As far as I know it is mostly in the US where we see signs of blind patriotism and the rest of the world looks on in amazement. In most countries I have been to the majority of the populace are largely critical of government to a high degree, in fact I cannot think of anyone I know other than some americans that would not readily criticize their government. And before I get into trouble, this does not apply to all americans.

Originally posted by buckky
I find very few converts from a different religion.

I've converted several times

Originally posted by Scriabin
gee, I don't know anyone who became a Hindhu, either.

then again, I know how to spell Hindu

It's not an English word, smart guy. We can transliterate it how we want. Just like how we call the Iranian guy "Musavi," "Mousavi," "Mousawwi," "Moussawwi," etc.

And my spelling of the Lebanese Maronite family usually spelled "Gemayel," I spell "Jumayyil," etc.

In other words, get over it.

Originally posted by twhitehead
To add to Andrews comments. As far as I know it is mostly in the US where we see signs of blind patriotism and the rest of the world looks on in amazement. In most countries I have been to the majority of the populace are largely critical of government to a high degree, in fact I cannot think of anyone I know other than some americans that would not readi ...[text shortened]... criticize their government. And before I get into trouble, this does not apply to all americans.

Apparently 'blind patriosm' exists in australia and the uk as well as they ,and the u.s. , were the only three countries that formed the 'coalition of the willing' that invaded Iraq.

Originally posted by buckky
I find very few converts from a different religion. From what I see it depends for the most part on where you were born, and what religion was the dominant religion of the region or country as to what a person takes as Truth. I know theire are Hindhus that now have become Christian, but that's rare in comparison. You know I don't think I know of one Christian ...[text shortened]... Transcendental Meditation Hindhu's. Pure luck or chance as to how most of us end up it seems.

A true Christian is one that has been regenerated by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Once one recognises that he/she is a sinner,(separated from the life of God by sin) and trusts in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross on their behalf, one is instantaneously baptised "into Christ", and is from that moment forward, forever a son of God. The man or woman that has had this experience is spiritually made alive and has the life of Christ in them.

There is no turning back.