After reading some nonsense, you have probably asked yourself; "How could anyone in his right mind believe that?" There is an answer to your question. In. fact, the person who believes the nonsense will usually provide the answer himself if you give him half a chance. Go to the source. Read the believer's account of how he came to believe. He will probably give a clear enough description that you can see where he went wrong.
Usually they build on some preexisting system.
A lot of people misunderstand the Torah and stress trivial issues, ignore or downplay significant ones, or garble concepts because they find certain concepts in the the Torah not to their taste or mode of thinking.
In some cases people who disagree with the traditional monotheism of Torah will attempt to redirect it into a form very different from the original, or take it over entirely. The cult that the Gra signed the excommunication on are a good example.
They changed the Torah to make it more tasty. But it says about the incense "if one had added honey to it no one would have been able to resist it. So why did they not add honey? because the Torah say all leaven and all honey thou shalt not add to it." [I hear once someone say a slight twist on this. "Why did they not add honey to it? Because the Torah says. Period."]
Some adhere to the Torah out of inertia. They feel a need for some kind of spiritual activity, and the Torah is the best (or only) game in town.
Many adhere to the Torah for social acceptance. They like participating in special occasions, or may value it as a symbol of national or group identity
Once Torah becomes really established, the Torah itself can be a route to power, prestige, and privilege. Not only do some people adhere to the Torah for cynical reasons, they are entrenched at its very center. They are the leaders.
Usually they build on some preexisting system.
A lot of people misunderstand the Torah and stress trivial issues, ignore or downplay significant ones, or garble concepts because they find certain concepts in the the Torah not to their taste or mode of thinking.
In some cases people who disagree with the traditional monotheism of Torah will attempt to redirect it into a form very different from the original, or take it over entirely. The cult that the Gra signed the excommunication on are a good example.
They changed the Torah to make it more tasty. But it says about the incense "if one had added honey to it no one would have been able to resist it. So why did they not add honey? because the Torah say all leaven and all honey thou shalt not add to it." [I hear once someone say a slight twist on this. "Why did they not add honey to it? Because the Torah says. Period."]
Some adhere to the Torah out of inertia. They feel a need for some kind of spiritual activity, and the Torah is the best (or only) game in town.
Many adhere to the Torah for social acceptance. They like participating in special occasions, or may value it as a symbol of national or group identity
Once Torah becomes really established, the Torah itself can be a route to power, prestige, and privilege. Not only do some people adhere to the Torah for cynical reasons, they are entrenched at its very center. They are the leaders.
