When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Matthew 6:7 NLT
Jesus, talking to his followers corrected the popular belief of what makes a prayer to be answered. Aside prayers, man has his beliefs about several other issues.
Many of the acts of men and words spoken by men are product and reflections of their thoughts. As much as a man might want to conceal his thoughts, he is eventually betrayed by his words and actions. It is amazing, the much effort put in by man to organize trainings on how to speak and how to act via public speaking, communication and etiquette classes. However, the causal agent of words and actions is rarely considered significant enough to have her faculty.
Over time, people's thoughts are shaped by many things, chief of which is religion. Their belief and practices are influenced by how they have been made to think by religion. Several protocols have come to be accepted and revered because they have been practiced for long. Therefore, hardly do anyone question the age long norm. Even, when you ask, you are told it has always been. This is where religion becomes dangerous; it cannot be questioned and encourages a blind following. Jesus punctured the balloon of religion by offering his opinion on issues and practices that have been around for long but not as long as he has, since he is the beginning. Little wonder he put himself forward to be followed.
Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23 NKJV
What makes some to hold on to their school of thoughts is the place they were taught. The sacredness of some places makes some opinions to be accepted as true. Popular among these places are the worship centers, the synagogues of the diverse religions we have had and have now. Rarely noticed among these synagogues are our institutions of learning with their array of scholars. Virtual places such as websites and apps are gradually becoming authoritative places whose opinions should not be questioned. It is time we took a closer look at our thoughts and ascertain the influence they are subjected. There is a need to look at them independent of the sacred places where they originated. Jesus presentations are good enough standards to vet these opinions put forward in our synagogues; after all, he is the most sacred temple. Little wonder he put himself forward to be followed.
Some opinions are held on to because of the person who proffered them. From time immemorial, men have been following men. Every religion has their priest or equivalent who is assumed and regarded as more knowledgeable and godly by virtue of the position such hold. One can only imagine the billions of people whose words and actions in life are influenced by thoughts shaped by their leaders. Even for those who claim not to be religious, they are political adherents and economic faithful with the world political leaders as their priests. In addition, for the knowledge type, the leading researchers are there to educate their thoughts. However, such leaders could be wrong due to either type 1 error or type 2 error. By human fallibility, they could be wrong at times. Also by man's selfishness, they could be wrong. Jesus thesis about life could be trusted over others, because he is infallible and selfless. Little wonder he put himself forward to be followed.
Not a few have gathered many, to pass across opinion formed by experiences. The fact that some results were garnered does not make such true. At times, some principles seem to work, because other responsible factors could not be identified. Therefore, the thoughts are thickened because they have worked before. Collation of such thoughts gradually becomes a creed written deep in the hearts and practiced unconsciously. This is a positive for the spiritually correct ones, but misleading for the seemingly few otherwise. Forming a life with experience shaped thoughts could be limiting, as experiences are limited. Jesus's database of knowledge is vaster; it is the Holy Spirit. Little wonder he put himself forward to be followed.
Following Christ will change the way you think and consequently your outlook of life.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. Romans 12:2 NLT