I do not understand.

[Curious-one]

Why all religions think they are the only chosen belief. I see I believe, but what makes all religions think they are the chosen religion? Pride, what? There was a instance where one religion heard one of there members was going to quit, they killed him. Curious-One

[knightofalbion]

The power and privileges of the priesthood depend on the 'our way is the only way' philosophy holding sway.

Most people do not 'free think' when it comes to religion. What generally happens is people have a particular Orthodox religion rammed down their throat when they're young, and then in adulthood hedge their bets by sticking with it or drift away from it into casual indifference.

Few actually set off on their own spiritual voyage of discovery. Most take the Orthodox package tour.

This is why Orthodoxy never goes overboard with excitement about NDEs and spirit communications. In theory, survival of the spirit, it ought to be something they'd delight in.

But, of course, then people would see the great spiritual reality that 'religion' comes down to LOVE and SERVICE, and no creed or faith, of itself, exalts the follower.

So, 'our way is the way'? Love is the way!

[Serrao]

Originally Posted by Curious-one

Why all religions think they are the only chosen belief. I see I believe, but what makes all religions think they are the chosen religion? Pride, what? There was a instance where one religion heard one of there members was going to quit, they killed him. Curious-One

It's a variant of the need for superiority.

[jimrich]

Originally Posted by Curious-one

Why all religions think they are the only chosen belief. I see I believe, but what makes all religions think they are the chosen religion? Pride, what? There was a instance where one religion heard one of there members was going to quit, they killed him. Curious-One

I'd say its about: fear, greed, envy, stupidity, ignorance, ego, but mostly it's FEAR!

[MARDAV70]

Originally Posted by jimrich

I'd say its about: fear, greed, envy, stupidity, ignorance, ego, but mostly it's FEAR!

I don't think 'stupidity' is a fair description. Many people who are very intelligent are also religious, and it's sad and alarming that for such people all reason flies out the window because of beliefs. I'd say, and agree with you, that deep rooted fear...through indoctrination...is what has affected such people.
I hands down agree with all the other reasons you've given.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Curious-one

Why all religions think they are the only chosen belief. I see I believe, but what makes all religions think they are the chosen religion? Pride, what? There was a instance where one religion heard one of there members was going to quit, they killed him. Curious-One

I don't think that secularism and orthodoxy was the intended direction for any religion...this is going to be a bit difficult for me to explain, but I'll try.

Each religion has a set of doctrines and dogmas within it, handed down through centuries of 'sacred texts', so that the seeker, who is interested in divine commune with any particular deity or deities can do so.

For example, if you want to find out about Jesus and Jehova, you look into Christianity. If you want to find out and devote your consciousness to Allah and Mohammed, you join Islam and if you want to worship Krishna or Shiva, you become Hindu.

Although it's all the same in the end, and all of these religions or spiritual pathways lead to the same destination, trying to walk on more paths than one or just walking a little way along a path before choosing another path and walking a little bit on that one...and doing this your whole life won't get you very far.

This is why these religions say they are the 'only religion', to stop people chopping and changing it up...or cherrypicking only the bits out of it which have the sweetest taste.

To a Christian who is very faithful and steadfast in their belief system, they don't need any other religion other than Christianity. To a Hindu person, it's much the same thing...whatever their heart desires can be found within the contents and confines of their own chosen faith and this is why all religions think they are the only chosen belief...it's for the purpose of the spiritual aspirant.

[row37]

I think that it is spiritual pride too. I come from a spiritual lineage where there is no deity (Zen Buddhism) so this would be impossible. No deity, no problem!

When a religion that has a creator god sort of thing going, and to my knowledge they ALL have this except Buddhism, then since no one can actually show this god to anyone (which is enough to make people question things, hopefully), one has to invent all manner of explanations for that very big and obvious shortcoming. It makes people more than a little insecure in their beliefs, because that's all they have. Beliefs, or a book, or a teacher of some sort. It very quickly devolves into MY god against YOUR god.

Not a good place for spiritual practice to happen.

..... "fear, greed, envy, stupidity, ignorance, ego, but mostly it's FEAR!" Yes, this is the normal mind state of nearly every living being, human or otherwise. Nothing wrong w/ it, and nothing right w/ it either. It's just acknowledging a truthful insight into reality. If we see it and are fed up w/ it, then we are in a position to do something about it and change our lives into something more positive, but we must first acknowledge and understand it. We dismiss it at our peril.

[Light the Human]

..........

[Within Silence]

The religions do not think they are the chosen ones, but rather the religions founders and its followers think they are because that is just what they think/believe. Who cares what they think unless you want to be a follower, which I do not. I am not saying that others thoughts/concepts/ideas are not beneficial for humanity, but none are the absolute truth as they all arise out of the truth which is no-thing, impartial, undiscriminating, without limitations, without divisions and without separation. In other words, everything that arises out of the whole is a fragmentation and limited, hence all the divisions and separation between humanity and all the religions. But the underlying thread/fabric upon which all of this happens is the undying truth, unbroken, whole and perfect as it is, it needs not any religion, concepts, ideas, thoughts, beliefs or anything else to describe it, that would be like thinking words could actually describe the sun better than actually seeing it in complete silence, and feeling its heat. "It is" as it is and that's it, it needs not any description, thus any attempt to describe it is an immediate fragmentation of it run through the filters of your own perception. For example, some say the sun is..good, bad, too hot, too cold, to bright, beautiful this and that and on and on and on it goes, but in actual reality the sun is not any of those words/fragmentations/abstractions, it is as it is and that's it. In other words, words are fragmentations of reality, abstractions of reality, so no word can improve upon that which is already whole and perfect in its silent wordless state. Once one sees through words; all "words" scriptures, beliefs and religions loose their grip, one over-comes "the world" so to speak.

Hence the Taoist statement:
Those who know do not speak, those who speak do not know. In other words, "He who knows doesn't talk, but words are not a hindrance for him, he uses words like he would use gardening tools." Stephen Mitchell

So, are garden tools the garden? What do garden tools do? Words act in a similar fashion.

Verse 72

When they lose their sense of awe,
people turn to religion.
When they no longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend upon authority.

Therefore the Master steps back
so that people won't be confused.
He teaches without a teaching,
so that people will have nothing to learn.
By Stephen Mitchell

[secretscribe]

Originally Posted by Curious-one

Why all religions think they are the only chosen belief. I see I believe, but what makes all religions think they are the chosen religion? Pride, what? There was a instance where one religion heard one of there members was going to quit, they killed him. Curious-One

You're not the only one who asks such questions, if that makes you feel any better. In his book "Falling Upward", Richard Rohr talks a lot about unenlightened religion; one of the metaphors he uses is that of the "loyal soldier" within you who only understands tribalism. He says: "....your loyal soldier gives you so much security and validation that you may confuse his voice with the very voice of God. If this inner and critical voice has kept you safe for many years as your inner voice of authority, you may end up not being able to hear the real voice of God."

Although even with an answer like that, it's still hard not to wonder at the way some people behave. But remember that what you give thought to, expands, so don't spend all your time worrying about the loyal soldiers of the world and their spiritual poverty. Good luck!