Sandyquill has posted a very interesting and thought-provoking topic on her blog today. What follows is my reply:

 

Why do I believe what I do? Why does anyone believe what they believe? (That's a lot of believing going on.)

 

I read your post, I read the replies (so far). Everyone is right, yet everyone is different. Some question, some research, some were given their beliefs from their church an family.

 

For me, my beliefs come from faith. I have faith that my parents love me and would teach me what they know to be true. I have faith in my church family and my pastor because I have never found fault with them and have, to my knowledge, never been lied to by them. I do not think that they would intentionally ever lead me down a wrong path. I have faith in my education. High school and college are different and my education has taught me to question the facts and to seek out the truth for myself. I have faith in children--their innocence astounds me.

 

But most importantly, I have faith in myself. By this statement, just to clarify, I meant that I have faith in myself to choose what I believe is right. Not that I place myself above God or anyone else, because I don't. God is number One on my list. I just wanted to make that clear. I am still a shy, sweet, always-find-the-good-in-everyone person I always was, but I have grown. I am not so easily walked over as I would have been in high school, or even middle school. I have learned that I am not Super Woman and there are times when I have to say "no" and stand up for myself. If I don't, who will?

 

But why do I beleive what I do? Well, honestly, until school, I never knew anything else. My parents were raised to believe what their parents believed, and in turn my sisters and I were raised to believe what my parents believe. But in each parenting cycle, there are changes, but the only thing that I have noticed that remained the same is their Christianity. And like mishap and nobody, I may have questioned certain aspects of my "religion" (and I use that term loosely), but I have always believed in the Holy Trinity and that Jesus was the one and only perfect man and God's own son, and I have noticed differences in my life based upon my closeness with Him, and that provides ME with proof that He does exist and that His Truth is truth enough for me.

 

Just on a side note, I've always tried to be understanding, and am even known among my family to be very tenderhearted. Therefore, I believe that I am an open-minded person, willing to give new ideas and thoughts a try. I try to love and support everyone.

 

I guess what all this means is that I believe what I believe because it is what I have always known and have always been taught, although new questions and lessons may make me change what I have previously thought to be true. It is who I am and I believe I am a better person for it.