Choosin' My Religion

CHOOSIN’ MY RELIGION
by J.P. Moreland

J.P. Moreland shows how to make a non-arbitrary choice about one’s religion.

True for You but Not for Me

"Hey, I gotta question!" yelled a student from the back of the room. I was sharing the claims of Christ at a University of Massachusetts fraternity house when he interrupted me. "Yes, what is it?" I queried. "I think Jesus is great for you, but I know Buddhists and Muslims, and they’re just as sincere as you are. And they think their views are true just like you do. There’s no way a person can know his religion is the ‘right’ one, so the best thing to do is to just believe everyone’s religion is true for them and not judge anyone."

Ever heard something like this? It’s hard to believe you haven’t. What should we make of these ideas? How should we respond? I think there is a good response to this viewpoint and I hope to provide it in what follows. But before I do, we should carefully note what seems to underlie such a claim. The student was assuming that there are no objective principles that, if applied to one’s religious quest, would help one make the best, most rational choice of religious options. In the absence of such principles, any choice is either purely arbitrary or totally based on emotion or upbringing. In either case, such a choice would in no way put a person in a position to judge someone else’s choice as being wrong.

Are there objective principles to guide one in choosing a religion? Indeed there are. I believe the following four principles should be used to guide one in choosing which religion he or she will follow and, if properly applied, I believe they will point to Christianity as the most rational choice.

Facts About Creation

Principle 1: A religion’s concept of God should harmonize with what we can know about God from creation.1

I will not develop the argument here - I want you to look into the matter yourself - but a powerful intellectual case can be made from facts about the creation that a single personal God exists.2 This case claims that the existence of one personal God is the best explanation for (1) the existence and beginning of a finite universe, (2) the beauty and order of the universe, including the existence of biological information, (3) the existence of finite minds such as our own, and (4) the existence of objective moral law and the equality of human rights.

Please note that Principle 1 points to monotheism, not because the Bible requires it, but because monotheism is the best explanation of these facts about creation. Principle 1 leaves Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the running.

Miracles

Principle 2: An adequate explanation of a religion’s origin and success should have to appeal to divine activity.

One should not be able to explain a religion’s origin and success simply as a result of brilliant human insight or philosophical wisdom. As important as these factors are, by themselves they do not indicate whether the religion is a human invention or a divinely sanctioned revelation. For example, Mohammed claimed that he received most of the Koran in a cave. Clearly, there is nothing about this aspect of the origins of Islam that escapes naturalistic explanation.

By contrast, at least two factors indicate that Christianity has supernatural origins. First, there is fulfilled prophecy. Jesus fulfilled numerous centuries-old prophecies and this fact cannot simply be the result of human wisdom. Such a fact defies naturalistic explanation. Again, I will not develop the argument here, but one should familiarize oneself with some of the Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled, along with the evidence that he really did fulfill them.3 Second, based on the historical evidence that the New Testament documents are reliable, one can argue that Christianity is based on real miracles done by Jesus and his disciples, including his resurrection from the dead.4

If Jesus really fulfilled numerous prophecies, and if he really performed miracles and rose from the dead like the New Testament claims, then we need supernatural explanations for the origins and continued success of the Christian faith in a way that we do not need them to explain the origins of Islam and other world religions.

I believe Principle 2 leaves only Christianity and Judaism in the running.

The Human Condition

Principle 3: A religion’s diagnosis of and solution for the human condition should be more profound than its rivals.

A student of mine came from India to study at Talbot School of Theology. Having been raised a Hindu, he began an intense search for religious truth as a teenager. His search led him to study the religious texts of the world’s leading religions. His search also led him to Jesus Christ. Why? He said that, by comparison, the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament towered over the others for their depth, profundity and power. While all religions have some truth in them, one should choose a religion that does the best job of diagnosing what is wrong with human beings and how their condition can be solved.

When one does a cross-cultural study of the human condition, one finds the following universal human experiences and desires: All humans (1) experience threefold alienation- they feel alienated from God, from other people (including those they love), and from themselves; (2) experience deep and abiding shame and guilt; (3) desire personal life after death in which their loves and ideals may continue to be a part of their experience; (4) desire that their individual lives have meaning and purpose; (5) desire a life of beauty and drama, to be a part of something big and important, to be part of the struggle between good and evil, and (6) experience the need for help and empowerment to live a life of virtue and character.

I believe that if one carefully compares the New Testament with other religious approaches (including atheism), like my student, one will discover that the religion of Jesus of Nazareth provides the deepest, most penetrating analysis of these six factors, along with the richest solution to these longings of the human heart.
Principle 3 points straight to Christianity.

Jesus

Principle 4: pick a religion in which one gets all of Jesus and not just a watered-down, distorted part of him.

This principle may seem to stack the deck in favor of Christianity, so let me explain. Have you noticed that all religions, including some sects of Judaism, want to claim Jesus as one of their own? For New Agers, he is a channeler, for Muslims he is the greatest prophet, and so on. Now why is this so? I believe this is because Jesus is easily recognized as the greatest figure in human history. Given that most people do not want to line up against Jesus, why not pick a religion that has the best chance of presenting an accurate account of who he really was, what he actually did, and what he really taught?

Find Out for Yourself

To review, I believe Principle 1 limits the choices to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Principle 2 limits the choices to Judaism and Christianity, and Principles 3 and 4 point directly to Christianity itself. But don’t take my word for it. I have refrained from including the arguments here so that you can find out where these principles lead.

If you agree that they are good principles for selecting a religion - and what makes them good is an interesting question in its own right - then start reading and studying so you can fill in the gaps I’ve left here. If you do this, not only will you gain a greater understanding of your own faith, you will be able to help people see that choosing one’s religion need not be an arbitrary step in the dark.

J.P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and director of Eidos Christian Center. He has contributed to over 40 books, including Love Your God With All Your Mind (NavPress), and over 60 journal articles. Dr. Moreland also co-authored the 2006 release, The Lost Virtue of Happiness: Discovering the Disciplines of the Good Life (NavPress, 2006).

1 Some readers will object that all we can know about God is what he has revealed to us through the Bible. The Bible, however, makes it clear that, from creation alone, even those who have never read the Bible should know certain things about God (Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:18-23). This means that when one begins to search for God by reading the various "Holy Books" of different religious traditions, one does not begin with a blank slate. One has the opportunity to "read a book" - the book of creation - every day of one’s life before one picks up the Bible, the Koran or anything else.
2 For a good place to start learning how to make this case, see Francis J. Beckwith, William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, eds., To Everyone an Answer (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2004).
3 See Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), chapter 10.
4 Strobel, The Case for Christ.

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Comparing Christianity to Other Religions

Comparing Christianity to Other Religions

Christianity is unique over all other religions because it is based on historical facts and acts. Other religions are primarily centered on the ethical and religious opinions of their founders. Christianity is based on the character of Jesus Christ and what He did. Its truth and validity rely on real events of past such as: creation, the fall, crucifixion of Christ, and His resurrection from death to life. The historical records of these events can be objectively investigated.

Christianity is the only religion which offers the possibility of physically investigating its factual nature because it makes specific claims about the world around us. It also addresses where we came from. If these claims are false, then all other biblical claims are also suspect. But if these claims are scientifically valid, there is every reason to believe the Bible’s claims (such as what happens after death or what God requires of us in order to spend eternity in His presence).1

Only the Bible starts with the special creation of all things by an eternal, all powerful, personal God. The Bible has a unique and reasonable solution to the origin problem - "In the beginning, God created ...". Other religious books reveal ignorance on this point. They all propose ideas for the evolution of the universe from existing matter but do not explain how the matter originated.

For example, the Babylonians stated in their "Enuma Elish", that the universe began with a primeval chaotic mixture of three kinds of water. The Greek myths proposed an initial state of matter randomly coming together. Roman writers, like Lucretius, assumed that there was a universal blind interplay of atoms. The Orphic myths supposed the universe developed out of a primeval world-egg. Similarly, the modern theory of evolution begins with eternal matter in one form or another. No other book (including modern evolutionary "science" books) is able to go beyond the present order of things to a real first cause.

Only the Bible explains the origin of matter by the existence of God. He is outside of matter, time, and space. He brought matter into existence and can take matter out of existence.2

The Bible is unique among all the religious writings of the ancient world in the following ways:

1. It is the only book that gives an account of the creation of all things from nothing.
2. It is the only book of ancient history that reveals a meaning and purpose behind events or the past.
3. It is the only book that gives a continuous historical record from the first man to the present era.
4. It is the only religious book which sets the moral standard required by man at an impossible level and explains why man, by his efforts, can never achieve this standard.
5. It is the only book containing detailed prophecies of future events that have come true with 100% accuracy.

The very words of the Bible are God-breathed. The Old Testament alone makes approximately 2,600 claims that it is God’s Word. No other religious work claims this.3

The final and greatest proof of Christ’s absolute uniqueness is His resurrection. Not only did Christ die precisely at the time of His choosing, but He rose on the third day by His own power. Christ predicted this when He said that He had the power to lay His life down and He had the power to take it up again (John 10:17,18). After three days Christ rose from the dead. Christians worship a "living" Lord. All other religious founders and leaders are dead. In most cases their tombs are known and honored. Only the tomb of Christ was occupied for only three days and thereafter it was empty forever!

Christ alone conquered death, which clearly shows that Christ is exactly who He said He was, "the resurrection and the life". It is Christ’s resurrection that gives Christians hope in life, the realization that they have nothing to fear from death, and the assurance that they will see Christ again after their death.4

This article is a compilation of four entries (Jan. 22, Jun. 1, Feb. 16, Apr. 12) on the subject of "Evidence From Comparing Religions" taken from the book, A Closer Look At The Evidence, by Richard & Tina Kleiss.5 Although this amazing book contains evidence, researched from over 70 expert sources, for the existence of a Creator, for the reliability of the Holy Bible, and for the trustworthiness of Christianity, the information in this article all came from one source, the book, Many Infallible Proofs - Evidences for the Christian faith, another amazing book, by Henry M. Morris with Henry M. Morris III.

1. Morris, Henry M. with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs - Evidences for the Christian faith. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., October 2005 p.10.

2. Morris, Henry M. with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs - Evidences for the Christian faith. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., October 2005 p.11.

3. Morris, Henry M. with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs - Evidences for the Christian faith. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., October 2005 p.156-157.

4. Morris, Henry M. with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs - Evidences for the Christian faith. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., October 2005 p.14.

5. A Closer Look At The Evidence, Richard L. & Christina (Tina) E. Kleiss, Search for the Truth Pub., Midland, MI.

What Distinguishes Christianity From Other Religions?

What Distinguishes Christianity From Other Religions?

Christianity is unique among the religions of the world for several reasons.

First, unlike other religions, Christianity is rooted in history and evidence. Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign Caesar Augustus and was put to death by Pontius Pilate, a first century Roman governor. The testimony of his life, death, and resurrection is validated both by credible eyewitness testimony and by credible extra-biblical evidence as well. No other religion can legitimately claim this kind of support from history and evidence.

Furthermore, of all the influential religious leaders of the world (Buddha, Moses, Zoroaster, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Muhammad, Baha’u’llah), only Jesus claimed to be God in human flesh (Mark 14:62). And this was not an empty boast. For through the historically verifiable fact of resurrection, Christ vindicated His claim to deity (Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Other religions, such as Buddhism and Islam, claim miracles in support of their faith; however, unlike Christianity, such miracles lack historical validation.

Finally, Christianity is unique in that it is a coherent belief structure. Some Christian doctrines may transcend comprehension, however, unlike the claims of other religions, they are never irrational or contradictory. Christianity is also unique in that it cogently accounts for the vast array of phenomena we encounter in everyday life: the human mind, laws of science, laws of logic, ethical norms, justice, love, meaning of life, the problem of evil and suffering, and truth. In other words, Christianity corresponds with the reality of our present condition.

This article is from p.154 of The Bible Answer Book, by Hank Hanegraaff - The Bible Answer Man (Nashville, Tennessee: J. Countryman division of the Thomas Nelson Book Group).

For further study, see James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door, 3rd edition (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1997); and Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998).

What are some of the differences between Christianity and the Eastern religions?

What are some of the differences between
Christianity and the Eastern religions?

We are living in a day of increased technology and communication, and by means of such advanced media as television we can witness events as they occur around the globe. This has led to more familiarity with the thought and religious beliefs of other people.

East has met West, and we are seeing that there are vast differences between Christianity and the religions of the East.

The God of Eastern thought is impersonal, while the God of the Bible is personal. In some eastern religions, God is everything and everything is God, while the Bible teaches that God is independent from His creation.

One of the basic concepts of Eastern thought is the concept of material illusion (maya in Hindu); the material world is an illusion, and sin is nothing but ignorance about the fact of illusion.

The Scriptures teach that the world has objective reality, and sin, far from being mere ignorance about the illusion of the world, is willful rebellion against the very real, infinite God.

The law of karma is an intricate belief in many of the Eastern religions. Good karma or good works is the way a person will be delivered from the cycle of rebirth, while bad karma will result in a person being reborn in a lower form than the previous life. Salvation is based on works.

The Scriptures teach that human deeds are not even considered in the matters of eternal salvation. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus 3:5, KJV). Works do have a very vital place, but they come within the life that has already received the salvation God gives, and are to be the grateful and beautiful expression that salvation for that person is real (Ephesians 2:10).

As for the idea of the transmigration of souls or continuous rebirths until one reaches nirvana or eternal bliss, the Bible teaches no such gospel of the second chance. The teaching of the Scriptures is that each person is unique, not part of everything, and after that unique person dies, he will be accountable to God in judgement (Hebrews 9:27).

The Christian world view is totally different from that in the Eastern religions. History has no purpose or meaning to the Eastern mind; it is a never-ending struggle. The Bible portrays a supernatural God, who is working toward the ultimate goal of setting up His eternal kingdom.

Another avenue which has served to introduce the Western world to Eastern thought is the drug culture. Along with the emphasis on drugs on the university campuses in the 1960s came an emphasis on Eastern religion, which matched perfectly for those looking for a way out. This increased interest in the academic community brought about new literature with Eastern thought forms which then began to permeate our culture. Authors such as Hesse, Casteneda, and Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) became popular. Even groups such as Transcendental Meditation (TM) gained respectability and sprang up everywhere.

There are many other differences between the Eastern religious thought and Christianity; there are few similarities, even of a superficial nature. The above differences are sufficient to indicate the lack of any correspondence between Christianity and Eastern religions on any major, fundamental tenet of belief.

This article is from p.108 of Answers To Tough Questions skeptics ask about the Christian faith, by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES

Andersen, J. N. D. Christianity and Comparative Religions. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1971.
McDowell, Josh and Don Stewart. Understanding Non- Christian Religions. San Bernardino, Calif.: Here’s Life Pubs., 1982.
Neill, Stephen. Christian Faith and Other Faiths. New York: Oxford, 1970.

Christianity is a Credible Faith

Christianity is a Credible Faith

True Christianity, as set forth in the Bible, is a credible faith and not one based on emotions, superstitions, or groundless belief. Christianity is founded on truth that can be tested and is for the thinking person. Followers of other religions can quote their texts and give glowing testimonies of how their religions make them feel, but their beliefs are based on feelings rather than historical facts. It is quite possible to be devoted and sincere about your religious belief; but wholeheartedly believing a lie does not make it true. Although some beliefs can bring comfort, will they ultimately help or harm us if they are false?

Christianity alone is based on verifiable historical truth. The Bible states in Romans 1:20 that no one has any excuse for disbelief in the one true God because God clearly makes Himself known to everyone through what He has made (His creation).

God also makes Himself known through His Word, the Bible. He challenges us to examine and test it. Each person is responsible to investigate the Bible’s claim of authenticity. Our eternal destiny depends upon it.1

... Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

This article is from the Jan. 1st entry on the subject of "Evidence From Creation Foundation" taken from the book, A Closer Look At The Evidence, by Richard & Tina Kleiss.2 Although this amazing book contains evidence, researched from over 70 expert sources, for the existence of a Creator, for the reliability of the Holy Bible, and for the trustworthiness of Christianity, the information in this article was condensed from the book, Many Infallible Proofs, by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D., LL.D., Litt.D.

1. Many Infallible Proofs, Henry M. Morris, Ph.D., LL.D., Litt.D., Creation - Life Pub., Inc. Master Book Division, El Cajon, CA, 1974. p. 7.

2. A Closer Look At The Evidence, Richard L. & Christina (Tina) E. Kleiss, Search for the Truth Pub., Midland, MI.

Many Infallible Proofs

MANY INFALLIBLE PROOFS
Evidences for the Christian Faith
by Henry M. Morris with Henry M. Morris, III

Christians today, especially in America, are woefully ignorant about the Bible. This book makes a very good attempt to answer many questions posed by Bible critics and by multitudes of Christians too. If you have doubts about the Bible and / or the Christian faith, read this very informative collection of evidences. The following is a copy of the table of contents. This will give you an idea of what topics are covered.

I. Why Study Christian Evidences?
II. The Uniqueness Of Christianity
III. The Authenticity of the New Testament
IV. The Authenticity of the Old Testament
V. The Unique Birth of Christ
VI. The Miraculous Life of Christ
VII. The Death of Christ
VIII. The Resurrection of Christ
IX. The Fact of God
X. The Character of God
XI. The Plan of God
XII. The Inspiration of the Bible
XIII. Problems in Verbal Inspiration
XIV. Fulfillment of Prophecy
XV. The Structure of Scripture
XVI. Alleged Bible Contradictions
XVII. The Bible and Science
XVIII. Scientific Fallacies of Evolution
XIX. Creation and the Flood
XX. The Bible and Ancient History
XXI. Pseudo-Christian Cults
XXII. The Old "New Age" Movement
Appendix A - Numerical Designs in the Bible
Appendix B - The Book of God in the Heavens

See www.drdino.com/article-categories.php Select "Doctrine/Religions" then "History Validates the Resurrection" & "That's One Body That Will Never Be Found" (1 page each)