WORLD RELIGIONS, WHO'S RIGHT?
A few years ago I read an article that stated 2 billion people worship 300 different gods along with their religions. They all claim that God has chosen them to be keepers of the way, the truth and the life. These are rounded off numbers, so they are not exact, but as the world population approaches the 7 billion mark, these numbers can only increase. To make it less complicated, let's work with the 300 different religion number. Could it be that all these religions are true, or at least have enough of the truth to satisfy God? Christians may site Matt 16: 13-16 as the bare minimum to gain entrance through the pearly gates.
Religious writer Lisa Miller writes, "truth cannot be shut up in one book, neither the Veda, the Koran or the Bible." She adds, "all religions have some truth but none have all the the truth." Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and A New Earth concurs, "all religions have wrong teaching." In today's world of academic enlightenment this sounds very scholarly. After all, who isn't wrong at least once in a while; nothing is perfect, right? The problem with this is that each of the three hundred world religions claim to have the truth, and therefore could have no wrong teaching. This being true, then 299 are wrong. For instance, truth can only have one meaning; truth is absolute. You can have contrary beliefs, but truth does not contradict itself. Truth does not change from culture to culture or from generation to generation. This is where the 300 align in claiming that only one possesses the way, the truth, and the life. The conclusion we have to come to is a no-brainer; 299 do not have the truth. It is only possible for one to be the authentic keeper of truth that comes from God. Ms. Miller and Mr. Tolle are both guilty of lazy research.
All religions demand obedience to their particular belief system. When a country infuses its state-run religion into its military, it becomes a dangerous and formidable foe. Japanese kamikazes who worshiped their emperor during World War II gave their lives by flying directly into American ships and killing thousands of Americans. The 9/11 Muslims who gave their lives to take down the World Trade Center lived from the time they arrived in America a riotous life of drugs, sex, and booze. Mohamed Atta, the pied-piper of the 9/11 attack, called for a prostitute to come to his motel room on the night before he was to board his flight to kill not only himself but also thousands of innocent people. That people purposely give their lives for their religious belief is a strong argument that they are indeed possessors of truth that only comes from God. However, the right question needs to be asked, "what is truth." Did all these people give their lives for the truth, or was it for their belief system? Were they brain-washed into believing a lie? For Mohamed Atta, it was 72 big bosom virgins waiting for him in heaven to continue his earthly life-style unabated. There should be no question in our minds that the 9/11 hijackers sincerely believed that a better place awaited them. They willingly made the ultimate sacrifice. Your country or your religion can ask no more from you. The question that begs to be answered is, "did God give us a Transcendent", that is a divine law, a standard above our own ideas of right and wrong, a standard to which we can all appeal, whether a prince or a pauper.
Epistemology; Is the science of religious knowledge. All world religions lay claim to the true knowledge of God; the control world religions have over the minds of people can pose a threat to others who are not like-mined. Therefore, all religions are fair game to be examined as to their claim and validity. All religions try to answer three questions; origin, morality, and destination. Every human-being believes something about God, even an atheist who claims there is no God is forced to render an opinion.
Deuteronomy records the final days of Moses before transferring leadership over to Joshua. Joshua would lead them in the coming war to conquer Canaan, but Moses prepares them for life in the conquered land. Deut. 4:39, "Therefore know this day and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and Earth beneath; there is no other." That was Moses, speaking to a naive generation who had grown up in the wilderness living on manna and his teaching. They knew nothing about God other than what was told to them by Moses. Their God is the only God there is; there is no other. He told them when they got into the land they were going to see a lot of different religions with many gods. Don't be fooled into thinking that they had a god just as we have one also. Deut. 4:40, "You shall therefore keep his commandments which I give you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time." Moses told them the stakes were high; as the first generation in the land, they would set God's standard for future generations to come. The Exodus agreement must be taught to their children so they can teach their children also.
Exodus 19: 5-8 - it was agreed by the Elders but not voted on by the people, "all that God has said we will do." Generation after generation tried to break the agreement, only to find that God was holding them to it. Truth is truth, and it cannot be changed through wishful thinking, nor can it be improved on. Deut. 4: 2, "Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you."
How does Christianity differ from all world religions?
- It is a relationship not a religion or system of work.
- It has a sin-bearer all others do not.
- It is done, not do.
- Only in Christianity are we greater in death than we are in life.
Epistemology; Is the science of religious knowledge. All world religions lay claim to the true knowledge of God; the control world religions have over the minds of people can pose a threat to others who are not like-mined. Therefore, all religions are fair game to be examined as to their claim and validity. All religions try to answer three questions; origin, morality, and destination. Every human-being believes something about God, even an atheist who claims there is no God is forced to render an opinion.
Deuteronomy records the final days of Moses before transferring leadership over to Joshua. Joshua would lead them in the coming war to conquer Canaan, but Moses prepares them for life in the conquered land. Deut. 4:39, "Therefore know this day and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and Earth beneath; there is no other." That was Moses, speaking to a naive generation who had grown up in the wilderness living on manna and his teaching. They knew nothing about God other than what was told to them by Moses. Their God is the only God there is; there is no other. He told them when they got into the land they were going to see a lot of different religions with many gods. Don't be fooled into thinking that they had a god just as we have one also. Deut. 4:40, "You shall therefore keep his commandments which I give you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time." Moses told them the stakes were high; as the first generation in the land, they would set God's standard for future generations to come. The Exodus agreement must be taught to their children so they can teach their children also.
Exodus 19: 5-8 - it was agreed by the Elders but not voted on by the people, "all that God has said we will do." Generation after generation tried to break the agreement, only to find that God was holding them to it. Truth is truth, and it cannot be changed through wishful thinking, nor can it be improved on. Deut. 4: 2, "Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you."
How does Christianity differ from all world religions?
- It is a relationship not a religion or system of work.
- It has a sin-bearer all others do not.
- It is done, not do.
- Only in Christianity are we greater in death than we are in life.
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