Download Free Apps & Games @ PHONEKY.com
Download Free Apps & Games @ PHONEKY.com
Subject: WHICH RELIGION IS CORRECT???
Replies: 4 Views: 417
ray777 26.03.11 - 04:52pm
There is no doubt that the number of different religions in the world makes it a challenge to know which one is correct. First, lets consider some thoughts on the overall subject and then look at how one might approach the topic in a manner that can actually get to a right conclusion about God. The challenge of different answers to a particular issue is not unique to the topic of religion. For example, you can sit 100 math students down, give them a complex problem to solve, and it is likely that many will get the answer wrong. But does this mean that a correct answer does not exist? Not at all. Those who get the answer wrong simply need to be shown their error and know the techniques necessary to arrive at the correct answer.
How do we arrive at the truth about God? We use a systematic methodology that is designed to separate truth from error by using various tests for truth, with the end result being a set of right conclusions. Can you imagine the end results a scientist would arrive at if he went into the lab and just started mixing things together with no rhyme or reason? Or if a physician just started treating a patient with random medicines in the hope of making him well? Neither the scientist nor the physician takes this approach; instead, they use systematic methods that are methodical, logical, evidential, and proven to yield the right end result.
This being the case, why think theologythe study of Godshould be any different? Why believe it can be approached in a haphazard and undisciplined way and still yield right conclusions? Unfortunately, this is the approach many take, and this is one of the reasons why so many religions exist. That said, we now return to the question of how to reach truthful conclusions about God. What systematic approach should be used? First, we need to establish a framework for testing various truth claims, and then we need a roadmap to follow to reach a right conclusion. Here is a good framework to use:
1. Logical consistencythe claims of a belief system must logically cohere to each other and not contradict in any way. As an example, the end goal of Buddhism is to rid oneself of all desires. Yet, one must have a desire to rid oneself of all desires, which is a contradictory and illogical principle.
2. Empirical adequacyis there evidence to support the belief system (whether the evidence is rational, externally evidential, etc.)? Naturally, it is only right to want proof for important claims being made so the as*ertions can be verified. For example, Mormons teach that Jesus lived in North America. Yet there is absolutely no proof, archaeological or otherwise, to support such a claim.
3. Existential relevancythe belief system must conform to reality as we know it, and it must make a meaningful difference in the life of the adherent. Deism, for example, claims that God just threw the spinning world into the universe and does not interact with those who live on it. How does such a belief impact someone in a day-to-day manner? In short, it does not.
The above framework, when applied to the topic of religion, will help lead one to a right view of God and will answer the four big questions of life:
1. Origin where did we come from?
2. Ethics how should we live?
3. Meaning what is the purpose for life?
4. Destiny where is mankind heading?
But how does one go about applying this framework in the pursuit of God? A step-by-step question/answer approach is one of the best tactics to employ. Narrowing the list of possible questions down produces the following:
1. Does absolute truth exist?
2. Do reason and religion mix?
3. Does God exist?
4. Can God be known?
5. Is Jesus God?
6. Does God care about me?
First we need to know if absolute truth exists. If it does not, then we really cannot be sure of anything (spiritual or not), and we end up either an agnostic, unsure if we can really know anything, or a pluralist, accepting every position because we are not sure which, if any, is right.
Absolute truth is defined as that which matches reality, that which corresponds to its object, telling it like it is. Some say there is no such thing as absolute truth, but taking such a position becomes self-defeating. For example, the relativist says, All truth is relative, yet one must ask: is that statement absolutely true? If so, then absolute truth exists; if not, then why consider it? Postmodernism affirms no truth, yet it affirms at least one absolute truth: postmodernism is true. In the end, absolute truth becomes undeniable.
Further, absolute truth is naturally narrow and excludes its opposite. Two plus two equals four, with no other answer being possible. This point becomes critical as different belief systems and worldviews are compared. If one belief system has components that are proven true, then any competing belief system with contrary claims must be false. Also, we must keep in mind that absolute truth is not impacted by sincerity and desire. No matter how sincerely someone embraces a lie, it is still a lie. And no desire in the world can make something true that is false.
The answer of question one is that absolute truth exists. This being the case, agnosticism, postmodernism, relativism, and skepticism are all false positions.
This leads us to the next question of whether reason/logic can be used in matters of religion. Some say this is not possible, butwhy not? The truth is, logic is vital when examining spiritual claims because it helps us understand why some claims should be excluded and others embraced. Logic is absolutely critical in dismantling pluralism (which says that all truth claims, even those that oppose each other, are equal and valid).
For example, Islam and Judaism claim that Jesus is not God, whereas Christianity claims He is. One of the core laws of logic is the law of non-contradiction, which says something cannot be both A and non-A at the same time and in the same sense. Applying this law to the claims Judaism, Islam, and Christianity means that one is right and the other two are wrong. Jesus cannot be both God and not God. Used properly, logic is a potent weapon against pluralism because it clearly demonstrates that contrary truth claims cannot both be true. This understanding topples the whole true for you but not for me mindset.
Logic also dispels the whole all roads lead to the top of the mountain an*logy that pluralists use. Logic shows that each belief system has its own set of signs that point to radically different locations in the end. Logic shows that the proper ill*stration of a search for spiritual truth is more like a mazeone path makes it through to truth, while all others arrive at dead ends. All faiths may have some surface similarities, but they differ in major ways in their core doctrines.
The conclusion is that you can use reason and logic in matters of religion. That being the case, pluralism (the belief that all truth claims are equally true and valid) is ruled out because it is illogical and contradictory to believe that diametrically opposing truth claims can both be right.
Next comes the big question: does God exist? Atheists and naturalists (who do not accept anything beyond this physical world and universe) say no. While volumes have been written and debates have raged throughout history on this question, it is actually not difficult to answer. To give it proper attention, you must first ask this question: Why do we have something rather than nothing at all? In other words, how did you and everything around you get here? The argument for God can be presented very simply:
Something exists.
You do not get something from nothing.
Therefore, a necessary and eternal Being exists.
You cannot deny you exist because you have to exist in order to deny your own existence (which is self-defeating), so the first premise above is true. No one believes you can get something from nothing (i.e., that nothing produced the universe), so the second premise is true. Therefore, the third premise must be truean eternal Being responsible for everything must exist.
This is a position no thinking atheist denies; they just claim that the universe is that eternal being. However, the problem with that stance is that all scientific evidence points to the fact that the universe had a beginning (the big bang). And everything that has a beginning must have a cause; therefore, the universe had a cause and is not eternal. Because the only two sources of eternality are an eternal universe (proven to be untrue) or an eternal Creator, the only logical conclusion is that God exists. Answering the question of Gods existence in the affirmative rules out atheism as a valid belief system.
Now, this conclusion says nothing about what kind of God exists, but amazingly enough, it does do one sweeping thingit rules out all pantheistic religions. All pantheistic worldviews say that the universe is God and is eternal. And this as*ertion is false. So, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and all other pantheistic religions are ruled out as valid belief systems.
Further, we learn some interesting things about this God who created the universe. He is:
Supernatural in nature (as He exists outside of His creation)
Incredibly powerful (to have created all that is known)
Eternal (self-existent, as He exists outside of time and sp*ce)
Omnipresent (He created sp*ce and is not limited by it)
Timeless and changeless (He created time)
Immaterial (because He transcends sp*ce)
Personal (the impersonal cant create personality)
Necessary (as everything else depends on Him)
Infinite and singular (as you cannot have two infinites)
Diverse yet has unity (as nature exhibits diversity)
Intelligent (supremely, to create everything)
Purposeful (as He deliberately created everything)
Moral (no moral law can exist without a lawgiver)
Caring (or no moral laws would have been given)
This Being exhibits characteristics very similar to the God of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, which interestingly enough, are the only core faiths left standing after atheism and pantheism have been eliminated. Note also that one of the big questions in life (origins) is now answered: we know where we came from.
This leads to the next question: can we know God? At this point, the need for religion is replaced by something more importantthe need for revelation. If mankind is to know this God well, it is up to God to reveal Himself to His creation. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all claim to have a book that is Gods revelation to man, but the question is which (if any) is actually true? Pushing aside minor differences, the two core areas of dispute are 1) the New Testament of the Bible 2) the person of Jesus Christ. Islam and Judaism both claim the New Testament of the Bible is untrue in what it claims, and both deny that Jesus is God incarnate, while Christianity affirms both to be true.
There is no faith on the planet that can match the mountains of evidence that exist for Christianity. From the voluminous number of ancient m cripts, to the very early dating of the documents written during the lifetime of the eyewitnesses (some only 15 years after Christs death), to the multiplicity of the accounts (nine authors in 27 books of the New Testament), to the archaeological evidencenone of which has ever contradicted a single claim the New Testament makesto the fact that the apostles went to their deaths claiming they had seen Jesus in action and that He had come back from the dead, Christianity sets the bar in terms of providing the proof to back up its claims. The New Testaments historical authenticitythat it conveys a truthful account of the actual events as they occurredis the only right conclusion to reach once all the evidence has been examined.
When it comes to Jesus, one finds a very curious thing about HimHe claimed to be God in the flesh. Jesus own words (e.g., Before Abraham was born I AM), His actions (e.g., forgiving sins, accepting worship), His sinless and miraculous life ( *
levi4u 27.03.11 - 11:07am
Ray, you said it all..
A cry for more power in our personal conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil is rising from many earnest hearts; also, there is a need for more power in our service for others. The Bible makes the way to obtain this greatly desired power very plain. There is no presumption in undertaking to tell how to obtain fullness of power in Christian life and service. The Bible itself tells how, and the Bible was intended to be understood. The Bible statement of way is not mystical or mysterious or a Jigsaw puzzle; it is very plain and straightforward. If we will only practice personally the power of the Word of God, the Power of the Blood of Christ, the Power of the Holy Spirit, the Power of Prayer, and the Power of A Surrended life, we will then experience the Fullness of Power in Christian Life and Service. Many do not even know that there is a life of abiding rest, joy, satisfaction, and power in Jesus. Many others, while they think there must be something beyond the life they know, are in ignorance as to how to obtain it..
The Power that belongs to God is stored in the great reservoir of His own Word: The Bible. 'Power belongs to God' (Psalm 62:11). If we wish to make it ours, we must go to the Bible. Yet people who are prayin for power but neglecting the Bible abound in churches. Many long to have power for fruit-bearing in their own lifes, yet they forget that Jesur has said, 'The seed is the word of God' (Luke 8:11). They long to have power to melt the cold heart and break the stubborn will, yet the forget that God has said, 'Is not My word like Fire?...And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?'(Jer. 23:29).
So if we are to obtain fullness of power in life and service, we must feed on the Word of God. No other food is so strengthening. If we will not take time to study the Bible, we Cannot have power, any more than we can have physical strength if we will not take time to eat nutritious food..
Remember that, under Universal Law, Light shinning from a mountaintop will inevitably attract Darkness in our lives!
A prayer spoken aloud and sincerely meant each new morning of each day..
Lord make me an instrument of your Peace
Where there is hatred, let me show love
Where there is injury, let me give pardon
Where there is doubt, let me have faith
Where there is darkness, let me spread Light
Where there is sadness, help me find Joy!
Grant that I may not so much seek... to be understood
As to understand
To be loved
As to love..
Then... Miracle shall follow miracle and wonders Never cease!
God bless you all! *
ray777 2.05.11 - 02:22am
AMEN LEVI n GOD BLESS YOU!!!! *
way2go 4.10.11 - 12:18pm
No,Jesus did NOT claim to be God. The 'I am'' rendering actually means that Jesus existed before Abraham. Other bible translations render the verse 'I have been'', ''I existed'', etc. He was simply stating that he was alive before Abraham. Trying to link the verse to Exodus where some translations render ''I Am that I Am'',is incorrect. This is trinitarian bias in trying to make scripture mean something it doesn't. What are Jesus' own words regarding God? - John 17:3, ''you, the ONLY true God'' Jesus said in prayer to his Father. ''The Father is greater than I am.''- John 14:28. He also said many times that what he taught was not his own and that he did not come of his own initiative - John 8:28, also he said ''I am God's Son'' -John 10:36. He never claimed to be God. The Trinity doctrine claims three persons co-equal, making up the Godhead. This term is also an incorrect rendering,made to make it look as if the Bible teaches the trinity. This is not so. Jesus is not equal to God Himself as 1 Corinthians 15: 24-28 shows him subjecting himself to God and handing the kingdom back to Him. Again,Christ is subject to the headship of God, ''the head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man;in turn the head of the Christ is God.''- 1 Corinthians 11:3. *
ray777 12.10.11 - 02:53am
Jesus is never recorded in the Bible as saying the precise words, I am God. That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus words in John 10:30, I and the Father are one. We need only to look at the Jews reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason. you, a mere man, claim to be God (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claimingdeity. Notice that Jesus does not deny His claim to be God. When Jesus declared, I and the Father are one (John 10:30), He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am! The response of the Jews who heard this statement was to take up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded them to do (Leviticus 24:15).
John reiterates the concept of Jesus deity: the Word was God and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Who bought the churchthe church of Godwith His own blood? Jesus Christ. Acts 20:28 declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!
Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, My Lord and my God (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, But about the Son He says, Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. The Father refers to Jesus as O God indicating that Jesus is indeed God.
In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11, 14:33, 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other verses and passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus deity.
The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death. *
