TRUTH VS OTHER FAITHS

TRUTH VS OTHER FAITHS

Christianity is not just a religion of faith; it is also a religion of truth. The term ‘truth’ is often used in the Bible to denote Christian faith. God has given enough reasons to believe what we believe. Though we cannot understand everything and though many things are incomprehensible to our human minds, God has given every reason to believe what He has revealed.

Christianity lost America because 20th-century evangelicalism branded itself as the party of faith. Secularism (science, university, media) became the party of truth. This is one reason why 70% Christian youth gave up meaningful involvement with the church when they grew up.

The five important reasons to believe in Christianity:

1)     It is verifiable and authenticated

2)     Only Christian system is livable (gives meaning to life)

3)     Christian system is unique

4)     Its values are superior to all other religious systems

5)     Its contribution to the world is appreciable.

1) It is verifiable and authenticated:

Christianity is the only religion which can be verified historically, archeologically & philosophically. God revealed Himself through scriptures. But this revelation is not private. Before expecting the public to follow it God gave enough signs to confirm it. The historic accounts of all the 66 books of the Bible has been time tested and still holds good. Never forget that the Bible was written in now what are dead languages. But the accuracy of the writings when checked with regular history, and archaeology has shut the mouths of many atheists. Many have believed since Christian religion has made sense philosophically also with the 66 books of the Bible written well over 1500 years bringing out one story and most importantly the true story. Many who wrote it were first hand witnesses to what they have written. Hence authenticated and verifiable if need be.

e.g Moses, prophets of old Testament and New Testament apostles.

Quran: Private revelation in a cave..the power of the sword is the only sign. Islam, therefore, rests on private, non-verifiable communications of an individual. Sometimes Mohammed went into “prophetic” trance in public, but no one saw or heard angel Gabriel talking to him. The power of his utterances rested on the sword, not on evidence. When his words about the past (e.g., stories from Old and New Testament times) contradicted documented history, his followers had to assume that contradictions mean that texts have been corrupted. Non-verifiable trance communications overrode documented history

Hinduism is full of stories & Myths like Greek Mythology – Not real space & time historic incidents as in the Bible. God divided the red sea through Moses and it was witnessed by more than 6 lakh men. The resurrected Jesus appeared to more than 500 people. Ram built a bridge through monkeys, But when & who witnessed it? More evidences can be given to show the authentication of Bible. (e.g  Luke – best historian, Many scientific facts found to be said in the Bible long before)

2) Only Christian system is livable:

Hinduism, Jainism etc teach that man will lose his personality and become ‘shoonya’ after attaining the eternal bliss. This drives home that point that once you die, your life is over. If this is so, there is no point in living a moral life at all. Or, in other words, if once you attain eternal bliss, you become ’shoonya’ which says that you are a zero when you have accomplished your goal of eternal bliss. It is not a bliss then, but a condemnation. Though a person may deny Christian system he unknowingly lives according to it.

Eg. 1)  Personality is denied in Hindu system but a Hindu seeks worth of his personality; that is why they have invented so many personal deities.

2) An atheist denies the existence of love, he says that man is just a product of chemical reactions but he goes on to love.

Though Quran teaches a personal God there  is no explanation for personality before man’s creation. But Christian system says that life is worth living because he is a person created by a triune personal God in His image and in His likeness and will not lose his personality even in eternity. We can join Job in saying, ‘My own eyes will see HIM’.  A Christian has a hope that he will live with His Creator for eternity without losing his identity.

3) Christian system is unique:

                                           Hindu                                         Muslim                                       Christianity

God                     Impersonal                      Personal but not triune                  Personal triune God

Salvation               Works                                                Works                                                           Faith

Assurance of            No                                           No                                               Yes                                               

Salvation                                            Insha Allah means God willing   

Man                        Maya                                        Personal  but doctrine                       Personal                                                                                            of free will is not clear                     with free will

In every possible way, Chritianity is Unique. Our God is Unique, our salvation is Unique, our position with God is Unique, our destiny is Unique, our faith is unique as our faith is based on truth, our Scripture is Unique, our Savior is Unique etc etc. the other religions are a make-up of human mind and is exposed at times when encountered with such high standard of uniqueness.

4) Its values are superior to all other religious system:

In Hinduism, Buddhism Jainism etc., there is no difference between good & evil. Just transcend yourself through yoga and meditation. You are God. Empty your mind through yoga and find the God in you.

Christianity says that man sinned and evil entered. God is absolutely holy and there are moral absolutes. Stealing is sin, Adultery is sin, Murder is sin etc & etc. These are moral absolutes and when we say absolutes, what we mean by it is that there is no talk of relativity involved. Sin is missing the mark and the mark or standard is the standard of the Bible. Its values are incomparably high and the carnal mind cannot digest it nor get to understand it.

For a post modern person there is no absolute values and no objective truth; everything is subjective and relative. For them adultery is subjective & personal but they will throw a terrorist in to jail though for the terrorist terrorism is subjective.

Mohammed lived a life of moral failures like Old Testament prophets. But Jesus who is the character of eternal God taught and lived superior values. He has set high standards for man to follow.

5) Its contribution to the world:

Modern science, Modern democracy, Modern freedom, Modern education, Modern languages were made by the Bible.

Along with the dissemination of the Bible after reformation grew modern science and the world with it. Most of the scientists who founded the modern science were Bible believers. Science actually flourished in the hands of Bible believing Christian scientists. Those who believe and follow Hinduism or Buddhism or Islam or any other religion has been fully occupied with rituals as it teaches only those. Whereas, Christian religion has revolutionalised the World with its ‘love God and love one another’ policy of living. In short Christianity is ‘Be blessed and be a blessing’.