# Which religion is most likely correct? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 5, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173 "2003-08-05T19:02:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![akrako1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@akrako1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akrako1)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/41 "2003-08-06T20:44:27Z")
all organized religions are unfortunately correct - but have been corrupted and perverted by man. Each religion at it’s core teaches love, forgiveness, and kindness. Ask a B’hai, or a follower of Maher Baba, and they will confirm that all the avatars of past religions are all incarnations of the same god, come down at different times and places, giving humanity a push in the right direction. Answer this, assuming there is a god, how could the majority of the world (from any perspective) be worshipping a false god? God would have to be pretty powerless to allow such a thing. So it comes down to this. Either all religions are true. Or they are all false. Your choice. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/42 "2003-08-06T22:10:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\*Why? If your initial premise is flawed, then the rest of the argument isn’t likely to make much sense. I could, for example, start an argument off by saying, “first, let’s assume that anybody who believes in God is a child molestor…” Sure, we could have all sorts of interesting discussions based on that premise, but unless I can prove the original premise is true it’s all rather pointless. > \*\* I don’t think that it’s unrational to make an assumption for the purposes of historical discussion. That’s how hypothetical situations work. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\* > Well, some religions teach that the fullness of his plan was revealed in detail to Adam and Eve, and that everything kind of went downhill from there. \*\* And if it can’t be shown that Adam ever mentioned being told that the earth was round (and that he didn’t pass that information down the chain to Moses), then I think that that puts a bad light on Judiasm’s claim to the “most likely correct” title. Any other claimants? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\*So, according to this theory, whatever religion that was practiced by the ancient Sumerians is most likely the “correct” one. Pity nobody follows that particular religion any more. > > You also forgot option #3, which is that both religions contain stories to explain a very real, non-miraculous event. The fact that two religions describe a “great flood” can possibly be used as evidence that there was, in fact, such a flood. It doesn’t mean, however, that the cause and/or moral lessons ascribed to the flood are valid. \*\* The fact that one religion repeats the same story later means that it has less of a claim to the afore mentioned crown. Please keep in mind that the title of this thread is not “which religion is correct”. We’re looking for the [theistic, for the purposes of this debate] religion that’s **most likely** to be correct. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\* > As I stated before, the older a religion is, the more likely it will be based on ignorant superstitions. According to your logic, only a modern-day religion that purports to agree with what we now “know” to be true could possibly be the “most correct” one. This, however, conflicts with your other premise that the older a religion is, the more likely it is to be the “correct” one. > > I don’t think you can find an “old” religion that is also “scientically accurate” (unless you count those religions that have constantly changed their doctrines over the years to adapt to scientific advances). And if such a religion did exist at one time, it has long ago disappeared, which also doesn’t say much for its being correct. > > Regards, > > Barry \*\* I think that a religion whose texts stated 7,000 years ago that the earth is round has a better claim to the title (I’m working on making the title belt right now) than another whose texts stated 1,000 years ago that the earth travels around the sun (instead of vice-versa). Also, I don’t think that the number of followers is much of an indication, or that a religion no longer having any followers necessarily disqualifies it. Otherwise, a religion’s lack of tolerence for other religions would be indicative of it’s truthfullness, which I don’t think is the case. (i.e. If muslems killed all the Mormons, would that make Islam any more likely to be “(the most) correct”?) ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/43 "2003-08-06T22:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rucksinator \* > \*\*I think that a religion whose texts stated 7,000 years ago that the earth is round has a better claim to the title. \*\* Sorry, I must have missed something. Which religion was it whose texts stated this? Are we talking about real religions here, or hypothetical religions that don’t actually exist but would be correct if they did? If the latter, I’ve got to go with the religion that explained quantum mechanics in detail 10,000 years ago… Barry ---
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/44 "2003-08-06T22:42:36Z")
I think an ancient religion that explained the Grand Unified Theory would have to take the cake… if the theory worked out, who cares if the religion was right? I’d join up anyway, just for kicks. ---
**Author:** ![Tejota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Tejota](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tejota)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/45 "2003-08-06T22:42:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonmarzie \* > **In my biased world, Christianity is the correct one. C.S. Lewis’s book, Mere Christianity** has something to say on the subject as well. It’s something like since Christianity is the world religion that makes the least sense, it is the most likely not to be made up by people. > > And **John Mace** , you seem to make the point that since adults are older, and presumably wiser, they would make the better choices about religion. You have to remember though, that children didn’t elect George W. Bush. Adults did. 😃 \*\* Neither did. Dyanetics is an even less sensible religion than Christianity, and yet we know for a fact that it was made up by humans. Religion most likely to be correct? - Strong atheism. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/46 "2003-08-07T00:55:39Z")
Zoastrianism. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/47 "2003-08-07T01:55:51Z")
Religon: rednotblueity. main belief of rednotblueity: “it is the law that red is not the same colour as blue” ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/48 "2003-08-07T04:48:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\*Sorry, I must have missed something. Which religion was it whose texts stated this? Are we talking about real religions here, or hypothetical religions that don’t actually exist but would be correct if they did? > > If the latter, I’ve got to go with the religion that explained quantum mechanics in detail 10,000 years ago… > > Barry \*\* That’s what _ **I’m** _ trying to find out! Seriously though, I was just using this as an example of why age (along with demonstrating some scientific accuracy) would tend to give a religion more credence. Perhaps I should have asked this in GQ, but I assummed that it would get into a debate. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/49 "2003-08-07T11:00:00Z")
“all organized religions are unfortunately correct - but have been corrupted and perverted by man. Each religion at it’s core teaches love, forgiveness, and kindness”. So do many philosophies and theories of life teach us to be real nice to one another . What have the above four things got to do with Religion? “Ask a B’hai, or a follower of Maher Baba, and they will confirm that all the avatars of past religions are all incarnations of the same god, come down at different times and places, giving humanity a push in the right direction”. So does that make it true? “Answer this, assuming there is a god,” To answer this question, I have to assume that there is a God? “how could the majority of the world (from any perspective) be worshipping a false god?” Well that’s what what they’re doing. You ask me to tell you why? I could, but not in this post. Look, maybe there is a God, but your arguments do not lead one to think in that direction. “God would have to be pretty powerless to allow such a thing.” God: powerful, powerless. Al this is from the imagination. One has to be pretty weird to postulate in the first place a Supreme Being who is separate from all the other beings. “So it comes down to this. Either all religions are true. Or they are all false. Your choice.” They are all a load of horse pucky with the principal aim of preserving the life of their own organization and nothing more. This does not speak to whether there is a Supreme Being or not, whether a spiritual life is better than a non-spiritual life, whether there is life after the death of the human biological machine, just speaks to the topic: to wit, all religions are horse pucky, b. ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/50 "2003-08-07T11:16:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rucksinator \* > \*\*That’s what _ **I’m** _ trying to find out! Seriously though, I was just using this as an example of why age (along with demonstrating some scientific accuracy) would tend to give a religion more credence. Perhaps I should have asked this in GQ, but I assummed that it would get into a debate. \*\* Ah. I thought perhaps you had a specific religion in mind that you were planning on offering up as “the most correct” religion based on what was decided in this thread. In that case, the only answer to your question is that no religions are “correct.” Some are less correct than others, but they are all basically misinformed attempts to explain the universe by reference to supernatural events. As I stated earlier, the only “correct” religion would therefore be whichever religion made no claims about the universe whatesoever, but it would be hard to classify this as actually being a religion if it made no claims. I still think you’d be better served looking for the religion that has the most beneficial teachings, that helps people feel the most comfort and leads them to do the most good works. Regards, Barry ---
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/51 "2003-08-07T12:03:14Z")
As far as I can determine, philosophical Taoism is the most correct ‘religion’. Try reading the Tao Te Ching. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173/52 "2003-08-07T13:49:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVAA \* > \*\*As far as I can determine, philosophical Taoism is the most correct ‘religion’. > > Try reading the Tao Te Ching. \*\* Why? \>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\> I know that most of you don’t believe in any religion, and a few do, but please don’t just say “none are correct” or “I think mine is correct [period, without offering any reason why]”. I started this as on offshoot of the thread about Pascal’s wager, where somebody stated that 3 things needed to be weighed (I’m paraphrasing from memory): 1. Which religion is correct. 2. Which has the best payoff (heaven) 3. Which is most tolerant of those who are wrong. I just wanted to concentrate on #1. Now, it might be that if we score all theistic religions based on their claims and how many have been proven correct and how many have been proven wrong, weighted somewhat by age, that the winner will have a .3% chance of being correct, beating out all competitors by a large margin. I don’t know. I’m not very familiar with religions that predate Judiasm, but I’ve heard that, for example, many parts of Christianity are retold parts of stories about Krishna. I was hoping that some scholars of ancient religions would weigh in with candidates. Thanks [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-religion-is-most-likely-correct/193173.md?page=2)