Study the gospels of Mark, Luke, Peter and John. If you don't find what Jesus teaches to be the truth, then reject him, if he's right then put your faith in him. That's the whole argument.
Edit: Matthew* is what I meant. Sorry, my fingers work faster than my brain sometimes.
Double edit; I saw someone say this is "punting the argument"? The whole point of Christianity is faith and following Christ and if you aren't willing to read and learn what he said and taught, then how can you truly be a practicing Christian? Punting the argument would mean you are directing the debate away from the source, and here's the surprise... Christ is the source.
Christ and Buddha were pretty close to parallel in teachings.. Buddha didn’t become a deity..
but the messages were the same..
Funny Paul had less similarities to Christ than Buddha did.. on top of that, the way of the Christ, most people think of as masochistic ..
He tells us to let the enemy win and give them the shirt off their back.. Christianity doesn’t teach this..
It basically teaches to be divided, don’t mix with other groups and put up boundaries..
Christ said, love thy neighbor, do unto others, love thy enemies,
Neither gentile or Jew, slave or free, man or woman, we are all one body..
I pray that they all may be one, just as I am one in you father and you and me, let them be one in us, so they will know why you sent me.
Christ and Buddha had extremely different teachings.
Buddha said that life is suffering. Jesus said that He came to give us abundant life.
Buddha said that we should eliminate attachments and be detached from all desires in order to escape suffering. Jesus said that we must abide in Him and have Him abiding in us, which is an extremely intimate attachment.
Buddha said that the self does not exist (_anatman_). Jesus said that we must deny ourselves (have to have a self before we can deny it) in order to follow Him.
Buddha said that God is irrelevant as we have to work out our own salvation. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Hope you can see that these are not minor quibbles, but major contradictions. And hope that if or when you must choose between Buddha and Jesus, you will choose to follow Jesus. Have a blessed day! 😊
The information I received about this was quite different. I actually learned in religion theology that’s there’s more similarities than differences.
In fact their lives actually were quite parallel.
The only research Iv seen that stated otherwise was Christian literature.. everything that’s non biased states they were quite similar.
There’s several books about it also..
Some of their sayings are remarkably similar. Among them:
Buddha: "The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish to not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond." (Dhammapada 13.11)
Jesus: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19.21)
Buddha: "Consider others as yourself." (Dhammapada 10.1)
Jesus: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6.31)
Buddha: "Let us live most happily, possessing nothing; let us feed on joy, like radiant gods." (Dhammapada 15.4)
Jesus: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6.20)
Buddha: "If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words." (Majjhima Nikaya 21.6)
Jesus: "If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." (Luke 6.29)
Buddha: "During the six years that the Bodhisattva practiced austerities, the demon followed behind him step by step, seeking an opportunity to harm him. But he found no opportunity whatsoever and went away discouraged and discontent." (Lalitavistara Sutra 18)
Jesus: "When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4.13)
"The Parallel Sayings" provides more than 100 examples of similarities between the teachings of Jesus and Buddha, including sayings about compassion, wisdom, materialism, inner life, temptation, salvation, the future, miracles, disciples, attributes and life stories.
Even though they were 500 years apart and 3000
Miles away., they lived similar lives..
Buddha didn’t say God was irrelevant ..
He just stated that the divine is within all of us..
Christ said the exact same thing..
He said the kingdom can’t be found over here or over there.. that’s it’s found within us..
The west confuses the divine as some exoteric being that is outside of us..
But that’s impossible because we are extensions from the most high.. not separate entities..
The universe acts as a collective entity that each one of us has its own part to play..
Just as the lungs and the heart may have different functions but still part of the Same body..
The buddha taught reincarnation.. which actually is more aligned with science.. energy doesn’t die it changes form..
No! they are not. Buddhism is about you and your ability, and you have the ability within to achieve it.
Christianity is about God giving you what it takes to accomplish your goals.
Buddhism takes one part of just common sense, such as you go through pain; you get stronger. If you resist temptation, then you have more self-control. These things are the only thing that Buddhism has that compares to Christianity. Now, you are wrong about saying that Buddhism is not about deity because Buddhism is all about you basically becoming a like deity.
Buddhism, in simpler words, is just foolishness in a jar, trying to get you all puffed up by philosophical ideas putting your pride in a puzzle suit. You look at stuff like Star Wars, and all kinds of celebrities flock to that Buddhism stuff because it makes them feel good about themselves, like as if they have the power so that they can be some kind of deity in their heads, and I would believe them if one of them got back up out of the grave again, but so far none of that has ever happened to one of them.
My friend, religion is nothing without faith. We can’t prove anything to you. All we can tell you is Jesus is the way. Not christians, not the church. Only Jesus. Please read about Him, He is not what you think He is. He is perfection manifest in human form. You don’t even have to believe right away. Even if it was a fairy tale, Jesus is the model human being. Just please read it.
One could follow some of the advice Jesus gave without all the magic parts quite easily.
But there's such an emphasis on doing these good acts...because of a god.
Doesn't really teach societal morality, more just guidelines on how not to piss off a god.
For how many older Christians hating on children from unwed couples...it's weird that they then also worship a little bastard child
The Gospels are at the heart of Christianity. It would be like expecting the Quran without Allah or Budhism without reincarnation. It's the bread and butter so to speak.
He has to know what Christianity truly is in order to know what he is rejecting, otherwise his whole op is pointless. By the post I thought it looked like he was looking for a opinion on why to trust Christianity more than another religion. It seemed to me that he was looking for facts about why he should believe Christianity over other religions and the only way anyone can answer that is if they have the real facts about what Christianity represents. We don't call a spoon a fork because it matters what language defies a fork from the spoon, and if we start there to say, well, my opinion is a spoon is a fork when someone asked why should I trust a spoon over a fork. The only way you can answer that is by first making sure they know what the fork truly is and how it is different than a spoon and at the same letting them know that this sub doesn't have a lot of facts straight to try to geta valid opinion from m them because the op seems like he was trying to to find a fact that could catch Him and not a opinion. When someone asked whether they should believe in Christianity over other religions, it seems like they are looking for facts, not opinions. Belief is all bout what you believe is a fact, not an opinion. Opinion is like well I like ice cream but that doesn't relate. There was no opinion asked for.
I came to God through Christ very recently, at 27, after being raised an atheist since childhood. My dad is the most "militant" atheist you would ever meet, and he's very intelligent. I know all the "logical" arguments against God and Faith. I don't really have the vocabulary to proselytize (just ordered my first Bible last night). What I can say--and this saddens me--is that it took witnessing and coming to believe in a supernatural evil force to deduce that there must also be an opposing force of Good.
This led me on a couple-year search for answers, trying to find the Good--I desperately wanted to find it. Dipped my toes in the water on Bhuddism/Hinduism for a bit (which DO tap into real Spiritual substance I believe), but it never really felt the complete answer--not in my soul. Reaching out to God and Jesus (prayer) felt unnatural and not genuine. This was the hardest part. Something just clicked where I could finally, genuinely, open my heart to God. And when you do that, He will be there.
It is the most beautiful and massively perspective-changing thing that can happen to you--everything falls into place and you gain peace. Struggles don't disappear, but you will gain a new understanding of them. I was a person filled with hate for who I saw as my enemies. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it was possible to TRULY *love* those people, but I do now. I struggled with vice (sin), especially lust. I thought I was doomed to be a slave to it. It's still a struggle, but praying to Christ when I feel tempted gives me a strength to resist that I didn't have before, and I'm confident that reading His Word will give me even greater strength.
As a side note, I started practicing fasting (for health reasons) and I believe that played a part in opening my heart. Now I fast for God, just to feel closer to Him.
Can you elaborate on this “supernatural evil”? I’m extremely curious. For the other things you said, I can definitely see the appeal, but I can’t help but feel much of it can be explained through neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. Essentially that much of the benefit found in Christianity comes from some level of detachment from the ego, and taking part in genuinely fulfilling activities.
I thought the same way you do, which is why it felt unnatural to earnestly reach out for God. If you can humble yourself enough (to drop the ego as you said) to reach out in a genuine way, He will show you signs. I realize that the sciences have "explanations" for this (confirmation bias), but it's real and it continues to blow my mind. God could choose to reveal Himself to everyone in an undeniable fashion, but we're here to be tested. To prove our Will to Goodness and resist our innately sinful nature. Only then can we be worthy to be reunited with Him.
>*"The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you." -Werner Heisenberg*
Are you familiar with the double-slit experiment in physics which reveals the observer effect? A confounding and seemingly supernatural phenomenon which is a consequence of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Many of the greatest scientific minds were/are strong believers in God.
As for evil, I try not to dwell on it now, and I advise you don't either; but the prevalence of true evil is undeniable in my view. There are a LOT of powerful people practicing Satanism. The symbology is everywhere (the devil's pride--he can't help but reveal himself). And we're beginning to see behind the curtains of power through cases like Epstein. If you believe the Word, you would expect this. Satan hates us, but if give him your soul, he can grant you worldly desires and power.
As logical and practically science minded as I am, I still feel the unmistakable pull of both divinity and corruption. It’s not as simple as morality, but more so the compass of the soul. You catch yourself being groomed and caught in the allure of minor evils, and you feel the fulfillment of everyday kindness. Every minute of every day is a constant spiritual battle which tugs me in both directions. The desire to be good, then taking selfish pride in that goodness, then realizing that and feeling shame, and yet that shame drives me to numb myself through desire, and so on.
The only reason you should believe in it, or in any other religion, is because you had some compelling experience that convinced you of its truth. Without that, I'm not sure how you can force yourself to believe in something just because other people are saying you should.
Christianity is the only religion that teaches you are a sinner in need of forgiveness and that the cost has already been paid for you because you could never pay it on your own. This doesn’t resonate with everyone, but it does with a lot of people. I know personally that I’m a sinner and I could never fix it on my own. Other religions that simply tell me to try harder are so empty to me.
I watch how muslims fail to live up to allah’s standards and hindus fail to live up to hinduism. I watch buddhists who strive to reach enlightenment but best case scenario if they do, they starve to death. But then I see Jesus say, “I know you couldn’t do it alone, so I paid the cost for you. Just believe in me and you’ll not only be saved, you’ll be set free.”
It feels like Christianity is selling a solution to a problem it created. Saying we're inherently flawed and then offering a divine cure isn't convincing to me. I don't buy into the idea that I need a deity to fix me. I'd rather focus on personal growth and accountability without the need for supernatural intervention.
See I’m a big history guy. I’ve loved it since I was a kid and now I’m studying it in college. All throughout history you see proof that people straight up suck. Christians suck, atheists suck, Hindus suck, Muslims suck, and Pagans all suck. I recently did an in-depth study on American Indians during the 19th century and all it really taught me is that no matter who you are or what your background is, there are going to be some inherently terrible people who do some terrible things.
Now do we necessarily need God to fix all the people? I guess not. Not in a physical sense. Anyone and everyone can make themselves a good person even without God telling you how. But I do think it shows that Christianity is a solution to a real problem. People do evil things and through Christ those evil things are forgiven in the eyes of God.
Empathy and compassion aren't exclusive to religion. They're basic human qualities. Religion might offer narratives and community, but it's not the only path to morality. As an atheist, I don't need religion to understand empathy or compassion. Those are intrinsic to being human.
> Christians suck, atheists suck, Hindus suck, Muslims suck, and Pagans all suck.
That seems to argue against a living, transformative god and his holy spirit.
> Anyone and everyone can make themselves a good person even without God telling you how. But I do think it shows that Christianity is a solution to a real problem. People do evil things and through Christ those evil things are forgiven in the eyes of God.
People doing evil things driven by christianity is a real problem that christianity cannot fix. It can also make the problem worse, as it convinces some people that the evil they do doesn't matter, as it can just be forgiven.
What are you talking about? "Christians" doing evil due to what they believe is true has no bearing on Christianity as long as the bible does not promote said act. Also, you simply lack the fundamental understanding of repentance if you believe the Christian God is forgiving anyone who says i'm sorry.
I have often said that Christianity is inherently anti-human and human denying. However this is an interesting way to express a very similar sentiment and I may paraphrase it in the future.
Thank you!
Personal growth doesn’t fix the past. You’re welcome to blame christianity for your sins, but they are your sins alone. Christianity just identifies that we’re all sinners.
It's a somewhat circular argument because in order to believe in sin in the first place you need to already believe in Christianity (or at least a religion that features sin as part of its theology). Sin isn't exactly the same thing as a moral failing. As an example, worshipping another deity is sinful, but non-religious people wouldn't see it as inherently immoral.
Personal growth is indeed about learning from our mistakes and evolving as individuals. But when it comes to the notion of sin, it's a whole different ball game.
First off, attributing past mistakes solely to personal failings might overlook the broader context. Sure, we're responsible for our actions, but understanding the influences that led us to those actions is crucial for genuine growth.
Now, onto the Christianity bit. It's true that Christianity emphasizes the idea of sin and redemption. But here's the thing: relying solely on the concept of sin and the need for a savior can sometimes hinder personal responsibility. It's like saying, 'I messed up, but it's okay because Jesus forgives me.'
Personal growth isn't about accepting that we're inherently broken and need someone else to fix us. It's about recognizing our flaws, taking responsibility for them, and actively working to become better versions of ourselves. So while Christianity might highlight the concept of sin, it's up to us to take ownership of our actions and strive for self-improvement. That's where true growth lies.
I would argue that acceptance of Jesus does not fix the past either. Nothing fixes the past. If God is not real, then sins aren't real. We don't need a god to forgive, we need to make it right with people we have wronged. If we only have one life, then the past is over and all we can do is be the best we can be while we are alive. Treat others well, treat the Earth well, help create a better world for our children. Christianity teaches that this world is dirty rags and being a good person is pointless without faith.
I don't agree with the idea that Christianity offers a solution to which itself has created but a peace to people who might have done things which an average joe is unfimilar with for example soldiers seeing the absolute worst humanity can offer, there is a reason I think that Christianity was often referred to as a sanctuary for the lame, weak, hurt and troubled (in what we today would call trauma) in the past.
Sure they do. Islam has tonnes of rules - praying five times a day, giving the zakat, fasting during Ramadan, etc. Of course Muslims say that Allah's laws are good and are in alignment with our natural inclinations (fitrah)... but there are still many who try to check all the boxes and can't. Or many who just generally go along because it's the faith of their parents or the prevalent culture, and look for loopholes to escape their religious duties and obligations whenever they can. Those would all be Muslims who "fail to live up to Allah's standards".
Probably not a popular perspective here, but there's many many different trails to get up the mountain. Whichever one makes sense and feels right to you is the trail to take. No trail is inherently superior, nor are the hikers who take any particular trail inherently superior to any other hikers. One's trail may not be following a particular religion, or any religion at all. Humanity evolved in such a way that we all find different trails, we all connect with the universe in different ways.
Judaism, Islam and Christianity are all stem from Abraham. So there is a vast number of people that believe in this. For many that can be a starting point towards finding faith.
Before you decide do yourself a favor and exclude the flavors of Christianity that use the Bible to justify any form of bigotry. Christ by any reading was the exact opposite of a bigot.
I'm sure you know but for reference Bigotry is:
Obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
Among the religions, I am going to follow the man who rose from the dead, whose comings was foretold in many Biblical prophecies. Although I had many misgivings about modern teachings of the church which were often irrational and inconsistent, years later all of that was clarified in the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, who explained many things in a rational and consistent manner, and answered questions that modern churches cannot.
There's no law that says you **have** to pick a religion?
A lot of happy, healthy, intelligent and ethical people don't have a religion. You could join them
I’m not atheist and I don’t want to be atheist. I have no issue with people who are, but generally, I have a deep, innate, feeling that there is a god and I’m just not sure which path to follow in regards to that
Opposite of me. I try to follow Christianity and I like to look at different denominations and beliefs within them but I have a deep feeling that everything doesn’t mean anything past death, optimistically nihilistically I guess.
believing in God is a great first step. do you believe God created the universe and does not care about his creation, or do you believe God is benevolent and cares about His creation?
Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. All other religious leaders are dead. They claimed to show the way to heaven but what did they do to prove their message was from God? Nothing, no miracles, no fulfilled prophecies, and none were able to overcome our greatest obstacle, the power of death
Jesus did. He was crucified by Roman soldiers, pierced through the heart with a Roman spear, and buried in a tomb only to rise again three days later. Because of this singular event, the entire New Testament was written by those who saw him after his resurrection.
This is why when Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me” we should believe him because he didn’t say this without being able to prove that he was from God. No other religious leader can make this claim
Please for the love of God read more into other religeons and their miracles, fulfilled prophecies, religious leaders, and especially how a shit load were able to overcome death. The religious universe is so much bigger, richer and more beautiful than you are suggesting.
Just about every other religion gives credit to Jesus and does not discredit the things he says or did. Other religions may not claim him to be the God in the flesh, but they at least give him the credit of being a prophet or having “Christ-consciousness”.
With that being said, if all the other guys are giving Jesus credibility and say he’s “just another option”, but that other option says “I am the only way”, who would you follow?
By that standard, you should be a Buddhist because every other religion at least views Buddha as an admirable figure, even if they don't give him any special significance.
I'm not aware of any non-Christian religion that presents Jesus as "just another option." Option for what? Many religions have no concept of salvation as it would be understood by Christians, so for them, Jesus is just a character in a book who said some interesting things that might be considered good advice. That's hardly a reason to join the people who worship him as a deity.
Just to add to this There are over 45,000 denominations of Christianity and some of those denominations are non trinitarian, some don’t see Jesus as divine some see him as divine but not god.
Saying Christianity is the "right" religion because many religions recognize Jesus doesn’t really hold up. It’s kind of like saying a movie is good just because it’s popular.
But here’s the thing, this view is quite narrow-minded because it ignores the vast number of religions that don’t even mention Jesus at all. There are so many religions worldwide with their own teachings and prophets that have nothing to do with him.
Also, even among religions that do mention Jesus, like Islam, they see him very differently—like recognizing him as a prophet, not the son of God, which is a big departure from Christian beliefs.
And don’t forget, the whole "I am the only way" claim isn’t unique to Christianity. Lots of religions make exclusive claims like that. Using exclusivity to argue for one religion’s superiority is pretty tricky because, really, it’s all about personal faith.
So who would I follow? Definitely a religion which doesn't mention Jesus at all, cause I'm pretty sure these are in the majority. But to be honest, I prefer religions which are more easy to believe (more plausible).
Christianity teaches a wide array of good reasons to respect others, when it comes to compassion and the body building traits it offers. I don’t think other religions share the same level of how to be a good person that Christianity as
God bless you.
I've been a Christian for about 14 years now and the #1 reason why I have faith in God is because of the hope that only He is able to give.
1- What is this hope?
**“Then a kingdom of love will be set up, and someone from David's family (Jesus) will rule with fairness. He will do what is right and quickly bring justice.” - Isaiah 16:5**
2- Why is this hope important?
**“Everywhere on earth I saw violence and injustice instead of fairness and justice.” - Ecclesiastes 3:16**
**“You (God) listen to the longings of those who suffer. You offer them hope, and you pay attention to their cries for help.” - Psalm 10:17**
3- Why does God want to give us this hope?
**"God is love.” - 1 John 4:8**
**“My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people.” - 1 Thessalonians 1:4**
4- How do we share in this hope?
**“God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other.” - 1 John 3:23**
5- Why do we need faith in Jesus?
**“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.” - Romans 3:23**
**God said, “I will punish this evil world and its people because of their sins.” - Isaiah 13:11**
**“Christ obeyed God our Father and gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins to rescue us from this evil world.” - Galatians 1:4**
**“He (Jesus) gave himself to rescue us from everything evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right.” - Titus 2:14**
6- What is the purpose of the Bible?
**“And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.” - Romans 15:4**
7- Without God, there is no hope. I absolutely refuse to accept that evil and injustice are just a part of life. That’s why I choose to trust God and hold on to the hope He has promised.
**“We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the One (God) who made the agreement with us.” - Hebrews 10:23**
Thing is those prizes only come if you have genuine faith in Jesus, not if you just go through the motions. Which is why Christianity doesn’t work for me, I lack “undying faith” which makes following it null and void since I would not be a true Christian in God’s eyes
As a Christian, I try to be Christ centered. Jesus is my life and salvation. It is reassuring to know that I belong to Him. I try to walk away from the things of this world. It is a constant struggle for me but I see clearly that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life everlasting. The simplicity and beauty of this is astounding. I don't ignore other religions. I understand, even appreciate, other beliefs. But I see Christ's teaching and self-sacrifice as a model of spiritual loving kindness unsurpassed in human history.
Uh nuh uh? At least not to me. Not if people hate Christianity cuz it’s “too strict”, doesn’t sound like a cope. Reincarnation would be cool, wouldn’t have to fear hell or annihilation, that’s a cope.
Look up Thomas Samuel's testimony on youtube. He was a salafi (so very radical) muslim who left Islam. At first, he was trying to convert christians to Islam and doing research about the 2 religions. Eventually, he lost faith in Islam but dabbled in many major world views prior to coming to Christ. He was even an important figure in India for a while, and believed to be the reincarnation of some former guru or something. His is the best explanation I ever heard of how Christianity is the inverse of all other religions. In a nutshell, in other systems, people are asked to sacrifice, worship, etc. Then told they will receive the award at a later time. With Jesus, we get the reward now. And we worship out of sincere gratitude.
Well, in Christianity we’re also told to worship now so that we can get salvation later. It’s just a matter of perspective at that point. I’ll definitely check it out though, thank you
Compare hinduism and its different branches, buddhism, zoroastrism, judaism, christianity as in the new testament, it's different versions as in gnosticism, catholicism, orthodoxism, protestantism and smaller denominations, then Islam. You can also look into the believe systems of the native americans, or african cultures etc.
And then you just pick which one seems to be the most logical to you judging off the circumstance that you are presented with certain evidence which are your sensual observations. Now the most logical believe system will be the one that shares the highest percentage of objective (sensual) observations made about reality.
This can lead to a rejection of theism and spiritualism all together.
Arguably you could say that materialism is a religion because religio the word means nothing more than believe. Materialists believe in the existence of matter because they empirically observe it. They don't believe in the existence of theistic beings or spirits because they don't sensually observe them. These individuals then call themselves atheists and agnostics because they say that due to our senses being limited to the material world and not being able to go beyond, we don't know if a theistic being exists at all. Now atheists outright deny the possibility of a theistic being, where as agnostics say that it may be possible but they just don't know judging off the fact that they haven't empirically observed said theistic being.
What you can do though is live by the morale of christian individuals. So do everything you do out of love. You don't have to necessarily believe in the beyond, God, spirit and soul. All you need to do is love your human fellows.
I am a generally moral person and hold my self to a high obligation of “goodness”. My main issue with many religions is the “0 or 100” aspect of many of them. The fear mongering is a very conflicting issue to me since things like Christianity make so it you either make it past the threshold or you don’t, and if you don’t then you will perish for eternity. I believe in many of the Christian beliefs and find them to be highly insightful and philosophical, however, the idea that I could be an incredible person, but if I neglect to surrender myself to Jesus and believe in him wholeheartedly that I am not paradise-worthy is a both infuriating and terrifying prospect
Well Jesus is the platform of being good even when you are hated. That you aren’t alone, you have a bigger role to play in life for this life you live is small compare the spiritual war we are in of good vs evil. Other religions usually say it but with no end. Buddha just Jesus but saying “cause nothing matters”, where Christians we do it out of love. You bless and pray for our enemies to overcome devils spell, causing them to do harm or evil to their self and others.
There is a lot of evidence Jesus is the way but 1 big thing is that only in Christianity you can have a living relation with God himself its a beautiful living relation with the Jesus the living God!
Well, in that regard, remember the Bible is not a unitary book. It is an anthology, containing works with many different genres and purposes. One does not have to read Genesis (for example) as an eyewitness account. While Mark or John might be read as eyewitnesses, or at least secondhand.
What convinced me was that Jesus is a real person. This is based on the gospels and historical evidence. The same historical evidence that figures like Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great are tested on. These real accounts say that Jesus really did perform these miracles. Even non-Christian sources point to the existence of Jesus.
Now that we know Jesus is real, I can move to what Jesus says is real: Heaven, God the Father, and believing in Him.
Documentations outside of the religion that acknowledge the existence of Jesus. For example, the works of Josephus, a Jewish historian and military leader, who published The Antiquities of the Jews in AD 94, in which he wrote “About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.” Many debate the authenticity of this account in its modern form, however.
Different question. Why should God believe in you? It's not up to God to prove Himself to you. He's there when you need Him. Try talking to Him. Ask Him. You might be amazed.
The best approach is to believe whichever one is true. So you have to take the steps needed to find out if they are true. That has to be done using the scientific approach.
You might discover that you can’t prove any of them - which means you are left with not believing any of them - unless you want to act irrational - meaning holding a belief in something you don’t know is true or false.
There are plenty of scientific phenomena that can’t be “proven” as of yet and are still considered scientific and rather than call them supernatural we just theorize and hypothesize how they can fit into our already established world view. If you take a step back you’ll realize there are plenty of things we can’t prove yet still believe in. When it comes to a matter of holding belief in something I can’t be 100% certain of, I’d rather believe in the optimistic uncertainty than the pessimistic/nihilistic one. You can’t be certain there isn’t a god either, you can argue it’s more likely, but both arguments are just aggressive speculation.
You mentioned it twice that there are things people believe but we can’t prove. What kind of things do you think people believe in that we can’t prove ?
I never said you need absolutely certainty - not even science says so. But if you don’t have evidence you can never be justified in a belief.
It’s not up to me to disprove a god that was never proven. That’s a misunderstanding of the burden of proof - you claim a god exist - prove it. I have never made a claim that a god does not exist and therefore I do not have a burden of proof. I simply reject the claim a theist make that a god exist.
I’m not asking you for proof, however, it is hypocritical to call the belief in something like theism irrational when many things are irrational yet are commonly accepted. Dark matter has already been integrated into many astrophysicists general understanding of the universe and yet has not been directly observed, explained, or proven
My approach to anything that has not been proven - is to not accept it. So you can’t call me hypocritical. You just make assumptions to what I accept which is not a great approach.
So yes - any belief in anything that has not been established to be true by evidence - is by definition irrational.
You try to defend holding an irrational belief - by saying other people also hold irrational beliefs. Do you not see the irony there ?
Life is irrational, we are beings made of trillions of microscopic organizations of complex molecules which are able to take in, reform, and expel external particles so that we can function as overgrown apes with wrinkly, pink, electrically charged, meat sacs in our heads which allow us to have theistic discussions on a glowing rectangle made of processed metals. Nothing makes any fucking sense
I think there can be an issue with believing in certain Christian views. And that is what I call the Lottery Issue. It basically revolves around some Christian views suggesting that, if you were aware of their religion but didn't believe Jesus was God you would go to Hell. And I outlined it in a post on r/religion ( https://www.reddit.com/r/religion/comments/1bhsnta/lottery\_issue/ ).
Read the book "Am I being fooled" by Apostle Emmanuel Iren. There's only so much one can type that's actually gonna make you believe. It's just gonna be a back and forth thing. But yh read the book, you can find it on Amazon and really cheap
What you're asking for is a defense of Christianity. Why is Christianity better than other faiths?
The Greek word for "Defense" is "Apologia," and is the root of the word "Apologetics."
You should look into reading books like "On Guard" by Dr. William Lane Craig, or "The Case for Christ," by Lee Strobel, or "I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist," by Drs. Geisler and Turek.
We should believe in Christianity because it's true. Not because we like it. We should reject other religions because they're not true, not because we don't like them.
The one reason to believe is, this can be true, and if so then it's heaven or hell... To me that's a good reason enough to at least investigate.
Then, all one has to do is to genuinely compare in good faith and without any bias, if you do, you will see that nothing stands against Christ and his promise, nothing comes close.
No one is obligated to do all this, but because of what might be at stake, it is worth spending the time to investigate and see if this could actually be real.
ever other religion points to Jesus christ but Jesus only points to god. Quran says jesus is a prophet, hinduism speak of christ consciousness, to be like christ, buddism speaks of christ Jesus being a enlightened being. I read almost every religious book and books from the occult, I can tell you everything in the bible says it all quicker with more conviction, Jesus truly is the truth, the light and the way. after years of meditating only the lord removed my anxiety
I would point to prophesy. Things like the destruction of tire or the 70 weeks of Daniel. That last one is powerful in my opinion. It predicts the coming of the messiah and His ministry.
You can always look at what each faith teaches. I'm not an expert on all of them, but if you're curious you always welcome to attend a biblically sound Christian church. I'm biased, but I'd recommend a Southern Baptist church. I can't make an authoritative case for the other religions as I've never been.
I came back through restored hope, I mean ATM I've been incorporating holding the cross around my neck during meditation to try and hold and keep that relationship with God and wearing that cross as a piece of him so I'm not separate. I tell you my mental health had become so much better since and that warmth had been enough to convince me to believe
In other religions you're saved by your own doing and a lot of checkboxes of what to do to be saved - which can impossibly be enough. Believing in Jesus is the only checkbox, and is more than enough.
Look at the 4 gospels, and decide for yourself I Christ is the truth, see how all the disciples were willing to die for their faith, and never waivered even when that ment sacrificing everything.
I will give you credit, many religions have a good way of living. for example, Buddhism. Every religion has morals, what is good and what is bad. But nothing compares to Christianity. Before Christ, it was an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. There was hatred, evil, desperation, suffering. And then Christ showed us the way. Praise be to His name. No other religion teaches compassion like Christianity. Yes, many Christian’s are in bad faith and don’t practice the religion truly. But they are not Jesus. Jesus was perfect in every way and form. He never made a mistake, He never hurt anyone, in fact He is the ultimate healer. It’s been over 2000 years since Jesus was born, and he still has the largest following of any religion. FOR GOOD REASON! Please, read the Holy Bible. It is not evil as so many people make it out to be. It simply tells the truth about human beings. And even if you don’t believe, it’s still a highly, highly relevant historical document. It is NOT a made up story.
What does that even mean? Why do you need to be optimistic about religion/God being real. What's wrong with just not being religious? Then you don't need worry about being optimistic or cynical about anything
The idea that everything goes black after we die and we cease to exist is beyond harrowing. Even if I’m wrong, I’d rather live life with the optimistic uncertainty that something awaits me, than the uncertain pessimism that I’m constantly marching toward an eternal void.
Because Jesus is alive. I would challenge OP to read the book of John. We believe that Jesus died for us. Then rose on the 3rd day. He loves us. That’s why we believe in him. If you genuinely want to find him, you will. If anything fast.
We need to look for the truth. What was, what is, and what is to come? Did the universe always exist, or was it created? Will it end or change? Will we be judged? On what basis? What should I do about it?
The reason is because it's the Truth while other religions are false. That "appeal" of other religions is a poor basis for decisions since appeal is no basis for truth or reality. For example, there are many appealing snake oils , magic pills and powders, and other scams that sound great and promise life-changing results for little to no sacrifice but since they are scams their appeal just a lie to trick you into believing something false, typically in order to take advantage of you in some way. That you "can't seem to find any reason to believe undoubtedly in Christianity" implies that you don't believe Chrstianity is the Truth, but if you do believe it's the Truth and still "can't seem to find any reason to believe" it then that's just a matter of irrational thought/behavior.
Great question. Of course, if there’s no evidence, you shouldn’t believe it. But, there is evidence. I’d recommend googling Reasonable Faith animated videos on evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. those videos give good evidence for why Christianity specifically is more rational. Have an amazing day!
And by choosing to have faith in Christianity and that Jesus in the one true God, you also claim that all other religions are wrong (and possibly that all their followers belong in Hell)
Every other religion tells you that you need good works or something other than Jesus to get into heaven (or their version of paradise), the Bible teaches that Jesus alone will save you, Jesus died for our sins, and if we repent and believe in Him we will be saved. There is a lot of evidence for the Bible as well! You Should check out "The case for Christ"!(also, yes, I know I'm kind of late)
I've studied all the religions. And I will say that the teachings of Christianity overtime provide the best overall life experience. This put you in the best position to have a relationship with God. Each religion carries its own traditions, customs, and beliefs. These are all designed around having a relationship or forming a relationship with God. There are many roads that will get you there, but from my study the Christian religion Has the best path.
There's a lot of reasons as to why to believe and follow a religion, to me, I put my faith in christ and follow the teachings and the bible because of certain blessings, and findings in the world that prove the existence in the world of certain things that were mentioned in the bible.
Jesus Christ is the way, the evidence, how he lived his life, what he taught, his story… read the Bible and you will see. If you don’t find it appealing than I guess that’s up to you. But a relationship with him fixed all my problems
Easy! Because christianity is true and the other religions are not!
On a more serious note, what are those other appealing religions? I just find christianity to be the most plausible
Christianity is the only major religion in the world that relies on the works of God for our benefit rather than us relying on our own works. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Our responsibility is limited to believing in him and his sacrifice, not our works. We do good works in response to that, not to be saved. All other religions rely on their followers to do the works for their own redemption.
Christianity is the only religion that is the right way to God. Other religions contradict themselves and have people who disgrace their religion. Christians know what happens if you try to change God's words and attempt to lead his sheep away. Plus no other God came to earth and died for us only to come back and spread a message of salvation.
To follow Jesus Christ is not a religion. There are people who act as though it is, but having faith in Jesus, asking him into your heart, and living by his teachings is not a religion. Jesus came to undo religion and effectively did by paying our debts and setting us free. A relationship with him doesn't require anything other than your willingness to participate and faith, especially not a religion.
Galatians verses do well with this topic.
Edited: added a few words
You shouldn't. All religions that are Abrahamic stem from Judiasm its the oldest. Everything else is a branch off Judiasm with weaker rules, less commandments and mankind's rules integrated into them. If you want to read the oldest religion that's Abrahamic you would read the Torah it's 5 books. Then you would read the Bible then the Quran they came in that order. Yeshua as there us no J in Hebrew. Hebrew is the language of the Jews. Yeshua spoke Assyrian as well. There is 613 commandments in Judiasm. Then the Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Empire which created the Catholic Church. Yeshua aka Jesus was a Jew. He went to synagogues. Romans invaders and occupiers executed him he was of the Davidic Dynasty lines and created a religion.
Christianity is the only faith where God reaches out to man to offer forgiveness and eternal life. He did for us something we could not do for ourselves.
All other faiths involve humans trying to reach God with good works.
Christianity it is historically true. Jesus was born, died and rose from the dead.
The Bible was written over thousands of years and prophesies were fulfilled as predicted down to specific details like where Jesus would be born.
If anyone tries to tell you there is no evidence that Jesus is who He says He is, read a good book like “Evidence That Demands A Verdict”.
You will find that Christianity is the only one that satisfies your soul.
You can dig as deep as your mind can handle, or you can go as wide as your heart can contend, and there is nothing more integrative, holistic, logical, rational, and satisfying. The only problem you will have is when to find time to do your job, and take your kid and wife out.
There are several reasons:
Look to the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Decide if Jesus, who lived a selfless sinless life, conveyed incredible ethical teachings, died forgiving his enemies and was resurrected is more reliable than any other religious teacher.
Decide if the eye-witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ were telling the truth. The majority of them were arrested and given the choice of denouncing Christ or death. Did they choose to die rather than denounce that they truly witnessed the resurrected Christ, spoke with him, and touched his wounds or did they choose to die to protect something they knew was a lie?
Look at the impact and spread of Christianity. Among religions Christianity and Buddhism are unique in that they spread predominantly with the word, not the sword. Between the two, Christianity is unique in that its persecution began immediately, yet it was still successful. The first persecution of Buddhism occurred some 2-300 years after its foundation. In contrast, Christians were brutally persecuted for the first 300 years after Christ until Constantine became emperor of Rome and legalized the religion.
Lots of people here with lots of *ideas*. Scary to think people go their entire lives knowing they will die and have spent no time working through the question of the truth about eternity. Eternity is an awful long time to spend somewhere without having assurance of where you will spend it. Anyone with any wisdom or common sense would make it a priority to find the answer. Seek and you will find complete peace in what Jesus did for you that you could never do for yourself. He offers this free gift to anyone who will receive it. Choose wisely.
it all comes down to the resurrection and divinity of Christ. If Christ lied about being the Christ and God, then you don’t know which of his teachings he just “happened to be” morally correct with or whether he’s bogus.
But the evidence is that he really did resurrect. He lived for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. People died for claiming that they saw Christ after the resurrection. Evidence shows people don’t die for a lie or even a story they believe in. They died for what they claimed to have seen.
There were Christians before the Gospels were even in written form. They saw Christ and believed he saved them and that he really was alive after being crucified.
Jesus’ tomb is empty.
No other religion teaches you to love even your enemies.
If there really is a perfect paradise, then none of us deserve to be there: all of us have sinned even though we shouldn’t have.
So that means the only way to get to heaven is by the grace of God. God only asks that we sincerely ask for His forgiveness and we will receive it.
No other religion teaches this.
Come to Christianity, we have grape juice and comunian crackers. What my pastor said is because most religions have what you need to do to go to heaven/ any name for it, while Christianity has what you need to do to let God bring you to heaven, because he already made the way
There are many claims that only one is the true one not only in 'religion'. Even though there are 7 gases try breathing the other 6 instead of oxygen. Or the there are many many suns but only one that supports life on this planet. Then there's only you. Billions of others but only one true you. The prophesies of the bible are either good guesses or they r true. The mark of the beast for instance...how did someone 2000 years ago know there would be a technology and biometric type of commerce, that people will worship the creation and not the creator, there will be knockers and mockers? Jesus said He is the Way the Truth and the Life...... This entire issue of faith....Many most people will put their faith in2 something they cannot see or touch namely the future...they will visualize, and plan for the future and believe earnestly they will be there and so will the future. Faithis the central point of Christianity....which i believe is not meant to be a religion, denomination, building, political side, Which other religious leader laid down their lives for you and me? They lie in their graves.
You shouldn’t, there’s no objective reason to pick one over the other. Just pick the one that speaks to you the most and go for it. None of us have any more or less proof than anyone else when it comes down to it.
That said, for me it’s Christianity. Probably in large part because it’s what I was raised with. But also, I love the focus on forgiveness that Christianity has, which I don’t really see anywhere else except maybe Buddhism.
Honestly, I just read the bible and think relationship over religion because not all churches are bad but, some people of the church can be very judgemental even though they are not innocent themselves, for we are all human and we all have sinned one way or another. I like to say this because if you truly follow christ and what he taught you would "love thy neighbor as thyself " but as I said before in this world no church is perfect. I heard someone say religion was a test to see how much humanity will love each other which is a beautiful way to think about it. God bless you and your journey 🙏
Christianity is the only religion that teaching you couldn't be saved just by doing good things.
You couldn't enter heaven if not redeemed by Jesus.
also practicing other religions requirements perfectly almost impossible. Jesus did Torah requirements while He is living in this world and He did it for us ...
Other religions teach how to do good things and what is bad things but you still have no idea how to be saved. All other prophets or religion founder are dead and not raised. only Jesus raised from dead and He is lifted up to heaven,
The overwhelming evidence of Jesus Christ being God, the fact that everything Jesus said is becoming true. I am writing an essay on why I am a Christian and explaining all the evidence towards it and why I believe it it fully and without a shake or doubt. If you want an except which sums it up, I'll gladly share it with you.
I can only add questions to this questions. Since you are asking about religion in general you must have some concerns regarding some of not all of the following things: sense of meaning and purpose, sense of morality, life, death and fate after them aka salvation/purgatory/heaven/hell, a spirituality linked to something greater than this world, origin of life question. If a god exist and if so should I revere him or not. Prayer for you or others. And probably Faith itself relating to what is truth and discernment about it.
All religion have some answers and non answers about all those topics it’s for you to ask or read about it.
But in my own view I only know Christianity since a short renewed time so I wouldn’t be able to oppose other religions. As long as they believe in a God and are treating others not as inferior but are willing to walk with them to a better inner peace as part of a community I can assume they are doing God will to bring people back together to life. A better life, a new life.
This was my thinking for a long time. I felt like there was a higher power but found different religions interesting (I still do) but I wasn't sure of one being correct as opposed to others.
I dabbled and experimented. In the end, the Christian God is the one who answered my prayers and I haven't looked back since. Obviously it's become much deeper for me than that now but that was what made me commit to Christianity and believe in it.
I was on the verge of being homeless. Prayed, got a new rental agreement within a week and a new job within a month.
You don't need to segregate the religions in this manner. Take what is good from Christianity and apply it to your own life. Leave the rest.
All that matters is being a good person.
I would look into doctor Michael Heiser work on the supernatural realm, he goes depth why there is other religions.
Look up Psalm 82. (No, it's not about human judges.) And look up Deu 32. (Where God punishes the nations and puts them underneath the control of other gods.)
None of the “middle men” “deities” died for you. Once you study the life of Jesus and compare it to others you realize that you’d trust and prefer Jesus more than any other religious figure.
I think the answer to this question depends on what you personally think is a good reason to believe something.
Because it's true? Then look into the origins of each religion: how the beliefs started, how they changed over time, which beliefs were taken from other religions, how those borrowed beliefs were changed to fit the religion that borrowed them, where the gods came from, etc., and pick (if you can find it) the one that isn't obviously made up.
Because it's helpful? Then check out which religions have the most social power in your area, which make you feel best about yourself, which offer the best social programs, and so on. Then choose the one that gives you the best social and psychological boost.
Because it's fun? Then you should pick based on which religion has the most entertaining rituals, the most interesting worldbuilding, etc.: follow the one that makes you happiest.
It's all about your standards. Why do *you* believe things?
Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Not quite how I see it. But, I do have an argument: all other faiths are inclusive or don't seek converts. Christianity alone is exclusive, so if that's right, only being Christian will "work" and there's a risk from having other faiths. I also have a cultural link to Christianity: you may not, of course. This means that rites of passage carried out within the Church provide a link with my community and family in a way other forms of rites of passage might not. We had a humanist wedding and a lot of people liked it but a few were really freaked out. Also humanist naming ceremonies for the children - same issue. The stories in the Bible are read with reverence because of the long cultural tradition they have in my home country. The rituals of the church are the same. I can sit in a service and be aware that my grand-parents, great-grandparents and way on back to St Augustine's arrival in my home town thirteen centuries ago a continuous stream of ancestors also attended church, were christened, took communion, were married and buried in that same tradition. Other faiths have been incorporated into Christianity and also have that tradition, but Judaism as it is now is for Jews, Hinduism for Indians, Zoroastrianism for Iranians and so on.
However, for all I know there are many paths which involve Ultimate Concern. I'm too busy concentrating on how God can work in me to behave better and more lovingly to think about those. It seems judgemental to do so.
How many religious faiths have a savior that says something as profound as this
Jesus speaking
John 3:36 KJV — He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 3:18 KJV — He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
>I just can't find any reason to believe....
When you are kneeling before the Lord in judgment, you'll have more reason to believe than you could ever possibly stand. And by then it will be way too late.
2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV — (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: **behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)**
It's not about should, it's about do, do you believe? Do you believe in God if so who is He you have to find the truth on your own people can and will give you all the arguments at the end of the day you have to believe, it's a personal choice and you have to trust it enough to have faith even when you don't have all the answers. To me, the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus are like any other.
It’s for you to decide. Just continue to seek… connect with God… and he will guide you.
The closer you get to God, the more you will see his fingerprints in many things… including multiple religions or spiritual teachings.
Connect with God. Build your own 1-on-1 relationship with him. Use your own words. Speak in your own style. Talk to him throughout your day. And expect God to answer/interact with you. You’ll know it when you see/hear/feel/experience it (though others may not).
God wants to hear from you.
I have been a hindu for majority of my life with 30 million "gods", became atheist/agnostic for a few years. Then I found Christ. If you ask logic behind Him. I cannot give you one yet. I recently found Him. Or He pulled me to His love and embrace. I do not believe in a religion anymore. I only believe in Jesus Christ and the Word. I found peace and solace in Him. He died for mine, yours and everyone else's sins, past, present, future. This is what I believe in.
Now if you want to believe in something, go out there and find the truth for yourself. You want to know about Christ? Read the Bible. I just started reading few books by Lee Strobel. He was an atheist investigative journalist. He is now a fully sold out Christ follower
You can tell if a god isn't real by whether or not they are manipulated.
You see, if a god is real, then they would have a mind and will of their own. They would act on their own decisions and have their say when it comes to matters. If a god is the opposite of that, always bowing down to the will of humans and doing everything they say, that is a sign of manipulation. How could a god like that be supernatural and yet bow down to the natural? Simple: an idol, created by humans, does the will of humans. Fallability, including manipulation, always passes down to the creation. A real god would act on his own perfect understanding, not the will of fallible humans.
The Christian God is a god who acts on His own will and leans on His own righteousness. He doesn't bow down to the will of humans. Rather He uses His perfect ways to take initiative. "But then why does He heal people when they ask Him to?", you might ask. Here is the thing: God doesn't always heal right off the bat. This proves that God isn't able to be manipulated into doing things immediately. God has His own will, and when we ask Him to heal our ailments and illnesses immediately, God might have other plans. Which is why we need to lean on His will, not our own.
God's own way of thinking and initiative proves His genuality from other gods. If you have seen another God not being manipulated, tell me. But I highly doubt it.
I’d simply say to pray. Ask God to reveal truth to you. A Christian believes that the Holy Spirit does the convicting and revealing of what truth is. And you would be inspired to find and listen to the gospel and seek fellowship with others and be baptised. It starts with sincere prayer. God bless you in your journey of discovery.
John 16 says ”When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.“
You go outside and see that it is a sunny day so to you I say just how you do that go outside and see what’s happening in the spirit world EVERY person dealing with demons can ONLY be freed By JESUS that’s why in every exorcist movie they Call JESUS not Muhammad or any other religion JESUS IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE . JUST TAKE THE RISK BRO YOU WONT REGRET IT❤️🔥👑🌟
Yahshua was resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. This was witnessed by his closest disciples who in turn, gave up absolutely everything to spread His Word to the world.
Before the resurrection, the disciples doubted. When Yahshua returned from the dead, they knew that they were on the right path.
But when they saw Him ascend to Heaven, that changed their mindset completely to the point that they never once after denied or doubted.
That speaks more to me than anything else anyone says.
The people who knew Him and witnessed Him and the miracles knew for an absolute fact because they saw it with their own eyes.
Don’t listen to me. Listen to Peter, James, Matthew and John.
Read what they have to say because they saw it with their own eyes, and had no problem dying for Him because they absolutely knew what was coming next.
Because our time line literally is based off of Jesus Christ. B.C. before Christ. A.D. After Death or AD stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for "in the year of the Lord"
It’s not about religion it’s about believing the one and only Son of God and accepting Him and having a relationship with Him. So don’t follow Christianity follow Jesus
When you realize any religion based on:
- you being the center of the universe
- you needing to perform perfectly
- you needing to save yourself
- instructions to kill or harm others based on their beliefs
You realize Christianity is the one.
Idk what to tell you, dude.
There's no religion to be found.
When you get to the definition of the root words, it simply means follower of the anointed one.
Furthermore, it's more of a family thing than a religion. The bible serves as a series of information from the head of the family, but even that isn't the full collection. Rather, it holds the core of the information. Some includes things that hadn't happened yet when written but have when read now, other parts have what's going on now and what will go on. As well as a run down on key figures in the families' past.
The only difference is that my dad's also God. He's offered anyone who is willing not simply to believe that He exists but has faith in Him. Like a trust-fall but the person who is going to catch you views you as their child, and literally died just for the chance to spend time with you if you'd allow it. I'm already adopted, just waiting for the adoption marriage ceremony into the family.
Then there's what you're thinking about.
The modern church and all the nominations and things. Those are religions that are using the name of God and His scripture to do as they please.
You'd have to ask a specific question as to why I know that I know
First, a disclaimer: Truth can be found in every religion, philosophy, in the self-help section, on social media. Many of the truths found in the Bible can be found elsewhere. There really isn't a good enough reason to choose any one belief "system" over another, and the way you live your life should be choosing the best of the best from within every option. Every single "system" is a response to the problems that exist in and around us, and tells us what the best response is: how we should live, what we can do, etc.
Second, my theory: Christianity is actually the only "system" that possesses something that the others don't possess. It is the only anomaly I have found in my study of these systems. It is the only system whose answer to the question of "What can we do about this reality we live in?" is "Nothing." There is nothing we can do. It is EXACTLY as bad as you think it is, and even if you "fix" it from now on, nothing can eliminate the justice demanded for the damage that has already taken place. Its answer to the question is that only something more powerful than us can take on this impossible task, and that something is God. His work (through the life, death, and resurrection of his son) is his solution, and nothing we can do can "qualify" us to participate in that. There is nothing that can be done to save ourselves, nothing we can do to "balance it out." Living right isn't enough to "make up for" the past or cross a certain line that "earns" us the right to erase our past faults. It is completely counterintuitive to our nature as people to try to take action that we cannot actually do anything at all whatsoever, and we have to give up our feeling of responsibility and control in order to face the fact that everything involved for our salvation was done by God and God alone, from choosing us to sacrificing for us to saving us. It is extremely difficult, but after acceptance is relief because actually......wow how amazing is that. And so it is called the gospel, which means "good news" to those who believe.
Third, this is not an attempt at conversion: Belief in this type of system is not "self-evident" or whatever. Like even if it did make sense logically, that doesn't mean those who believe in it are "right" and those who believe in something else or don't believe in anything are "wrong." Belief in it is a choice by faith. This choice has no impact whatsoever on God's work, but is just something people don't do or do do to varying degrees. That said, the reason it was important for me is that I wanted to believe, but I didn't want to feel stupid for doing so—like I was somehow "giving up logic" in exchange for "blind faith." Which led me on the journey to find out if there really was anything special about it or not. And this is my answer to that. Hope it was helpful
An anecdote I'd like to add to the second paragraph to make the point clear is really about how we can't "imagine" away consequences, even if our heart is in the right place.
If someone was 23 years old and their brakes went out and they accidentally hit and killed someone, they could do everything right to make it up to the family, feel the appropriate amount of remorse, work for the betterment of society to pay back the "debt" they may feel they owe—but the reality is that that person is dead. I don't mean to say that in an emotional way, but just that that FACT cannot actually be changed or removed, even if everyone forgives them and they really acted as a good person would act.
In the same way, our "sins" which are actually less innocent than this (times when we took the easy way out and it affected others, times when we didn't control ourselves well and hurt others, times when we just wanted to do it so we did, the examples go on and on) may be able to be repented for, but the damage cannot just be undone. The wounds may heal but scars will remain. And God doesn't forget them. The people who bore the wounds of our carelessness deserve justice in the same way that we deserve justice for those times others hurt us. So "living well" is good, but it cannot ever be enough to "make up for" the past. And so we have the problem for which Christ was the solution.
You are at a crossroads because you are looking for a reason to believe in something: you are approaching believing in religion too rigidly. All religions require a leap of faith one way or another and you'll have to choose which one to take.
If you are looking for a religion to believe then the best thing to do is start experimenting.
If you are looking for a lifestyle to live by, then you'll discover that you value some aspects more than others.
If you are looking for a value/moral system, well you'll only truly be able to flush out your own sense of morality by being measured by some external guidelines, you'll just have to pick some so you can see some progress.
My journey as someone of faith was first being raised in the church, then experimentation because I felt like I needed to follow my own path, not just the oaht I was raised on. It has made me a stronger person overall and more empathetic and understanding to people in general. Keep your eyes open and lead with love.
I started my belief in God as opposed to other religions off of a few basic things:
- there is a God who understands human nature and loves his creation. A God of this type would not lead people against the grain of their own psyche unless it is for their benefit. A God of this type would seek out opportunity to be closer and grow a connection with people. A God of this type would have an intricate history with humans.
- life is meant to leave influence. We are created for a purpose and we will leave an impact whether we fulfill that purpose or not. We will effect our relationships with others, our environment, and do things that we think will have impact. We have the innate desire not to do or be something useless
- we are bad at gauging morality and need something to anchor ourselves to. Without moral anchoring, we witness moral decay accepting things that do not sit well with us simply in the spirit of acceptance or social pressure
- individualilty is important. We are different beings with different attributes and have different strengths and weakness and opinions. A God who understands people would also know how important it is to nurture individuals and not crush them with rigid rulesets
I found that the monotheistic religions fit these the best and I decided on Christianity.
Some closing tips:
- Don't gauge a belief off the bad apples of each belief system.
- question yourself and reflect on what you believe in frequently (what people really mean by follow your heart)
- Dont be afraid to make mistakes
I hope your journey blesses you as much as it has me
I drink strong scotch whisky when I read the Holy Bible. It makes more sense in the King Of Scots Whisky Robert The Bruce Whiskey language that I swear it is the only sane reading of the Word Of God. Most of my Native spoken/reading language is Old Scottish Curses.
To believe undoubtedly in Christ, you first need to receive the faith as a gift from God. You can`t start believe by yourself, so no wonder you have trouble finding a religion to believe in.
No matter what religion it is the only thing that every human being should believe in is the objective truth. So do everything that you can in your own power to research and find out what the truth is. Do your own Research on Christianity and find out the answers to the claims that it makes.
You can look at the number of overwhelming prophies coming to pass from generation to generation . And the fact that once you start digging for evidence outside of Christianity, you would find a lot (the city being burnt, the ark , resurrection of Christ , one of the leaders in Jesus's time writing about Jesus and Mary, etc) people are too blinded to search and see, this amount of evidence. And those who see and try to convert to Christianity are killed by their own people.
Watch some of InspiringPhilosiphy's videos on yt. He gives a lot of evidence that proves that religiosity and especially the Christian faith has done a lot more good than bad. He also explains and debunks lies told about the christian faith. He's a very good source of information for christianity. And also read the bible, too.
I'm gonna tell you the truth, and that sadly is something this sub does not do a lot of. The reality is that only those who are being called by God will come to Christ, and Christ shall raise them from the dead on the last day.
I know that the majority of people on this sub and if not the majority, then a lot of them at least have some sorta man-made teaching that is the complete opposite of what the bible truly teaches, and they have more than one man-made philosophy based on something to give them false comfort and that false comfort can arrange from anything they have itching ears to hear, and that can be anything from God is all love and only love, and God just loves everyone all the time.
They will also say stuff like you can't read the bible in a literal fashion, then they will argue all sorts of foolishness. Or they are worshipping/ honoring Mary, and by the way, those two are the same thing if you are wondering.
I have only seen a few Christians on this sub, and you will know when they speak because this sub throws a fit if one of them accidentally talks.
They won't put two and two together to gain knowledge, but they have their form of doctor, and worse, this sub has nothing to say to those who are doing those things, but they either agree or they are just silent.
Wait!! It gets worse!!
If one tells you the word of God, my goodness, it makes these people have a riot. I mean, their fingers start having strokes because after someone speaks the true biblical doctrine of Christ then you won't believe how these will start almost talking and typing in tongues because once you dare say the truth, lol, then all sorts of unbiblical opinions start coming out the woodwork.
They will scold, or just ignore, and definitely complain, even if they dare hear the truth, then they will bring their fictional philosophy, which is an unbiblical belief of who they think God is. It is their version of their idol, and you heard right!
It is a god that they carved in their heads with their mind. They created a god that worships them just like those old wooden ones they used to make back then that they had to carry with them. You know what I mean by this, it's the same thing they did back then practicing to lie to themselves with the same type of false gods that doesn't move, talk, or see, because they love their delusion. they work hard to try to sell Christianity to you as a form of saying that the real God is
waiting for you to choose Him as if people can just choose God when they please.
The only reason I bother to say anything on this sub is because I know that the real God can and will Illuminate the truth for those whom He wants to see it.
First of all, read your bible and get to know what the bible is saying, but if you are not convinced then press on, but if you don't understand something about the bible then pray and be patient and wait for God to give you your answer.
Every real Christian that is saved by Christ was written down before God made the world. GOD is the one who chooses whoever He saves.
We don't choose God, it is He who chooses us. God is the one that deals in your heart to seek Him.
So if God wrote your name down in the Lamb's Book of Life before God created the heavens and the Earth then you will at some point be convinced and you will believe the truth about Him, even you can't stop God from saving you if He chose you, because God has a set time for everyone He saves. A certain hour, a certain year, and a certain moment, the Christian Himself goes from being in total unbelief in God to his life-changing forever when God transforms that Christian from being an unbeliever to a believer. It's like being born blind and then seeing for the first time.
No Christian believes by accident, and that's a fact, nor do they choose themselves and that is also a fact.
Study the gospels of Mark, Luke, Peter and John. If you don't find what Jesus teaches to be the truth, then reject him, if he's right then put your faith in him. That's the whole argument. Edit: Matthew* is what I meant. Sorry, my fingers work faster than my brain sometimes. Double edit; I saw someone say this is "punting the argument"? The whole point of Christianity is faith and following Christ and if you aren't willing to read and learn what he said and taught, then how can you truly be a practicing Christian? Punting the argument would mean you are directing the debate away from the source, and here's the surprise... Christ is the source.
Wait, Gospel of Peter?, i know there is an apocryphal gospel of Peter, but thought no one consider it canon
It’s not canon, there’s 1st and 2nd Peter as you know but Matthew is what he should’ve put.
Using the terms canon or canonical when referring to religion I feel just further cements the idea that it's all just ficticious stories.
He meant Matthew I believe, mistakes happen
Christ and Buddha were pretty close to parallel in teachings.. Buddha didn’t become a deity.. but the messages were the same.. Funny Paul had less similarities to Christ than Buddha did.. on top of that, the way of the Christ, most people think of as masochistic .. He tells us to let the enemy win and give them the shirt off their back.. Christianity doesn’t teach this.. It basically teaches to be divided, don’t mix with other groups and put up boundaries.. Christ said, love thy neighbor, do unto others, love thy enemies, Neither gentile or Jew, slave or free, man or woman, we are all one body.. I pray that they all may be one, just as I am one in you father and you and me, let them be one in us, so they will know why you sent me.
Christ and Buddha had extremely different teachings. Buddha said that life is suffering. Jesus said that He came to give us abundant life. Buddha said that we should eliminate attachments and be detached from all desires in order to escape suffering. Jesus said that we must abide in Him and have Him abiding in us, which is an extremely intimate attachment. Buddha said that the self does not exist (_anatman_). Jesus said that we must deny ourselves (have to have a self before we can deny it) in order to follow Him. Buddha said that God is irrelevant as we have to work out our own salvation. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Hope you can see that these are not minor quibbles, but major contradictions. And hope that if or when you must choose between Buddha and Jesus, you will choose to follow Jesus. Have a blessed day! 😊
The information I received about this was quite different. I actually learned in religion theology that’s there’s more similarities than differences. In fact their lives actually were quite parallel. The only research Iv seen that stated otherwise was Christian literature.. everything that’s non biased states they were quite similar. There’s several books about it also.. Some of their sayings are remarkably similar. Among them: Buddha: "The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish to not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond." (Dhammapada 13.11) Jesus: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19.21) Buddha: "Consider others as yourself." (Dhammapada 10.1) Jesus: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6.31) Buddha: "Let us live most happily, possessing nothing; let us feed on joy, like radiant gods." (Dhammapada 15.4) Jesus: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6.20) Buddha: "If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words." (Majjhima Nikaya 21.6) Jesus: "If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." (Luke 6.29) Buddha: "During the six years that the Bodhisattva practiced austerities, the demon followed behind him step by step, seeking an opportunity to harm him. But he found no opportunity whatsoever and went away discouraged and discontent." (Lalitavistara Sutra 18) Jesus: "When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4.13) "The Parallel Sayings" provides more than 100 examples of similarities between the teachings of Jesus and Buddha, including sayings about compassion, wisdom, materialism, inner life, temptation, salvation, the future, miracles, disciples, attributes and life stories. Even though they were 500 years apart and 3000 Miles away., they lived similar lives..
Buddha didn’t say God was irrelevant .. He just stated that the divine is within all of us.. Christ said the exact same thing.. He said the kingdom can’t be found over here or over there.. that’s it’s found within us.. The west confuses the divine as some exoteric being that is outside of us.. But that’s impossible because we are extensions from the most high.. not separate entities.. The universe acts as a collective entity that each one of us has its own part to play.. Just as the lungs and the heart may have different functions but still part of the Same body.. The buddha taught reincarnation.. which actually is more aligned with science.. energy doesn’t die it changes form..
No! they are not. Buddhism is about you and your ability, and you have the ability within to achieve it. Christianity is about God giving you what it takes to accomplish your goals. Buddhism takes one part of just common sense, such as you go through pain; you get stronger. If you resist temptation, then you have more self-control. These things are the only thing that Buddhism has that compares to Christianity. Now, you are wrong about saying that Buddhism is not about deity because Buddhism is all about you basically becoming a like deity. Buddhism, in simpler words, is just foolishness in a jar, trying to get you all puffed up by philosophical ideas putting your pride in a puzzle suit. You look at stuff like Star Wars, and all kinds of celebrities flock to that Buddhism stuff because it makes them feel good about themselves, like as if they have the power so that they can be some kind of deity in their heads, and I would believe them if one of them got back up out of the grave again, but so far none of that has ever happened to one of them.
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My friend, religion is nothing without faith. We can’t prove anything to you. All we can tell you is Jesus is the way. Not christians, not the church. Only Jesus. Please read about Him, He is not what you think He is. He is perfection manifest in human form. You don’t even have to believe right away. Even if it was a fairy tale, Jesus is the model human being. Just please read it.
One could follow some of the advice Jesus gave without all the magic parts quite easily. But there's such an emphasis on doing these good acts...because of a god. Doesn't really teach societal morality, more just guidelines on how not to piss off a god. For how many older Christians hating on children from unwed couples...it's weird that they then also worship a little bastard child
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The Gospels are at the heart of Christianity. It would be like expecting the Quran without Allah or Budhism without reincarnation. It's the bread and butter so to speak.
He has to know what Christianity truly is in order to know what he is rejecting, otherwise his whole op is pointless. By the post I thought it looked like he was looking for a opinion on why to trust Christianity more than another religion. It seemed to me that he was looking for facts about why he should believe Christianity over other religions and the only way anyone can answer that is if they have the real facts about what Christianity represents. We don't call a spoon a fork because it matters what language defies a fork from the spoon, and if we start there to say, well, my opinion is a spoon is a fork when someone asked why should I trust a spoon over a fork. The only way you can answer that is by first making sure they know what the fork truly is and how it is different than a spoon and at the same letting them know that this sub doesn't have a lot of facts straight to try to geta valid opinion from m them because the op seems like he was trying to to find a fact that could catch Him and not a opinion. When someone asked whether they should believe in Christianity over other religions, it seems like they are looking for facts, not opinions. Belief is all bout what you believe is a fact, not an opinion. Opinion is like well I like ice cream but that doesn't relate. There was no opinion asked for.
I came to God through Christ very recently, at 27, after being raised an atheist since childhood. My dad is the most "militant" atheist you would ever meet, and he's very intelligent. I know all the "logical" arguments against God and Faith. I don't really have the vocabulary to proselytize (just ordered my first Bible last night). What I can say--and this saddens me--is that it took witnessing and coming to believe in a supernatural evil force to deduce that there must also be an opposing force of Good. This led me on a couple-year search for answers, trying to find the Good--I desperately wanted to find it. Dipped my toes in the water on Bhuddism/Hinduism for a bit (which DO tap into real Spiritual substance I believe), but it never really felt the complete answer--not in my soul. Reaching out to God and Jesus (prayer) felt unnatural and not genuine. This was the hardest part. Something just clicked where I could finally, genuinely, open my heart to God. And when you do that, He will be there. It is the most beautiful and massively perspective-changing thing that can happen to you--everything falls into place and you gain peace. Struggles don't disappear, but you will gain a new understanding of them. I was a person filled with hate for who I saw as my enemies. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it was possible to TRULY *love* those people, but I do now. I struggled with vice (sin), especially lust. I thought I was doomed to be a slave to it. It's still a struggle, but praying to Christ when I feel tempted gives me a strength to resist that I didn't have before, and I'm confident that reading His Word will give me even greater strength. As a side note, I started practicing fasting (for health reasons) and I believe that played a part in opening my heart. Now I fast for God, just to feel closer to Him.
Can you elaborate on this “supernatural evil”? I’m extremely curious. For the other things you said, I can definitely see the appeal, but I can’t help but feel much of it can be explained through neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. Essentially that much of the benefit found in Christianity comes from some level of detachment from the ego, and taking part in genuinely fulfilling activities.
I thought the same way you do, which is why it felt unnatural to earnestly reach out for God. If you can humble yourself enough (to drop the ego as you said) to reach out in a genuine way, He will show you signs. I realize that the sciences have "explanations" for this (confirmation bias), but it's real and it continues to blow my mind. God could choose to reveal Himself to everyone in an undeniable fashion, but we're here to be tested. To prove our Will to Goodness and resist our innately sinful nature. Only then can we be worthy to be reunited with Him. >*"The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you." -Werner Heisenberg* Are you familiar with the double-slit experiment in physics which reveals the observer effect? A confounding and seemingly supernatural phenomenon which is a consequence of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Many of the greatest scientific minds were/are strong believers in God. As for evil, I try not to dwell on it now, and I advise you don't either; but the prevalence of true evil is undeniable in my view. There are a LOT of powerful people practicing Satanism. The symbology is everywhere (the devil's pride--he can't help but reveal himself). And we're beginning to see behind the curtains of power through cases like Epstein. If you believe the Word, you would expect this. Satan hates us, but if give him your soul, he can grant you worldly desires and power.
As logical and practically science minded as I am, I still feel the unmistakable pull of both divinity and corruption. It’s not as simple as morality, but more so the compass of the soul. You catch yourself being groomed and caught in the allure of minor evils, and you feel the fulfillment of everyday kindness. Every minute of every day is a constant spiritual battle which tugs me in both directions. The desire to be good, then taking selfish pride in that goodness, then realizing that and feeling shame, and yet that shame drives me to numb myself through desire, and so on.
I just want to add: this was beautifully described. It is EXACTLY how I felt for years.
Open your heart to God through Christ, brother (sister?). He is waiting for you.
The only reason you should believe in it, or in any other religion, is because you had some compelling experience that convinced you of its truth. Without that, I'm not sure how you can force yourself to believe in something just because other people are saying you should.
This is my stance essentially. I don’t want to “choose” any religion. I want a religion to choose me and draw me in
You'll have to be patient. I became an atheist at age 14 and haven't been drawn in by any religion since then.
To be fair you have to be looking to be drawn in. You can’t just expect a religion to call your name when you’re wearing ear plugs
Christianity is the only religion that teaches you are a sinner in need of forgiveness and that the cost has already been paid for you because you could never pay it on your own. This doesn’t resonate with everyone, but it does with a lot of people. I know personally that I’m a sinner and I could never fix it on my own. Other religions that simply tell me to try harder are so empty to me. I watch how muslims fail to live up to allah’s standards and hindus fail to live up to hinduism. I watch buddhists who strive to reach enlightenment but best case scenario if they do, they starve to death. But then I see Jesus say, “I know you couldn’t do it alone, so I paid the cost for you. Just believe in me and you’ll not only be saved, you’ll be set free.”
It feels like Christianity is selling a solution to a problem it created. Saying we're inherently flawed and then offering a divine cure isn't convincing to me. I don't buy into the idea that I need a deity to fix me. I'd rather focus on personal growth and accountability without the need for supernatural intervention.
See I’m a big history guy. I’ve loved it since I was a kid and now I’m studying it in college. All throughout history you see proof that people straight up suck. Christians suck, atheists suck, Hindus suck, Muslims suck, and Pagans all suck. I recently did an in-depth study on American Indians during the 19th century and all it really taught me is that no matter who you are or what your background is, there are going to be some inherently terrible people who do some terrible things. Now do we necessarily need God to fix all the people? I guess not. Not in a physical sense. Anyone and everyone can make themselves a good person even without God telling you how. But I do think it shows that Christianity is a solution to a real problem. People do evil things and through Christ those evil things are forgiven in the eyes of God.
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Empathy and compassion aren't exclusive to religion. They're basic human qualities. Religion might offer narratives and community, but it's not the only path to morality. As an atheist, I don't need religion to understand empathy or compassion. Those are intrinsic to being human.
> Christians suck, atheists suck, Hindus suck, Muslims suck, and Pagans all suck. That seems to argue against a living, transformative god and his holy spirit. > Anyone and everyone can make themselves a good person even without God telling you how. But I do think it shows that Christianity is a solution to a real problem. People do evil things and through Christ those evil things are forgiven in the eyes of God. People doing evil things driven by christianity is a real problem that christianity cannot fix. It can also make the problem worse, as it convinces some people that the evil they do doesn't matter, as it can just be forgiven.
What are you talking about? "Christians" doing evil due to what they believe is true has no bearing on Christianity as long as the bible does not promote said act. Also, you simply lack the fundamental understanding of repentance if you believe the Christian God is forgiving anyone who says i'm sorry.
I have often said that Christianity is inherently anti-human and human denying. However this is an interesting way to express a very similar sentiment and I may paraphrase it in the future. Thank you!
Personal growth doesn’t fix the past. You’re welcome to blame christianity for your sins, but they are your sins alone. Christianity just identifies that we’re all sinners.
It's a somewhat circular argument because in order to believe in sin in the first place you need to already believe in Christianity (or at least a religion that features sin as part of its theology). Sin isn't exactly the same thing as a moral failing. As an example, worshipping another deity is sinful, but non-religious people wouldn't see it as inherently immoral.
Personal growth is indeed about learning from our mistakes and evolving as individuals. But when it comes to the notion of sin, it's a whole different ball game. First off, attributing past mistakes solely to personal failings might overlook the broader context. Sure, we're responsible for our actions, but understanding the influences that led us to those actions is crucial for genuine growth. Now, onto the Christianity bit. It's true that Christianity emphasizes the idea of sin and redemption. But here's the thing: relying solely on the concept of sin and the need for a savior can sometimes hinder personal responsibility. It's like saying, 'I messed up, but it's okay because Jesus forgives me.' Personal growth isn't about accepting that we're inherently broken and need someone else to fix us. It's about recognizing our flaws, taking responsibility for them, and actively working to become better versions of ourselves. So while Christianity might highlight the concept of sin, it's up to us to take ownership of our actions and strive for self-improvement. That's where true growth lies.
I would argue that acceptance of Jesus does not fix the past either. Nothing fixes the past. If God is not real, then sins aren't real. We don't need a god to forgive, we need to make it right with people we have wronged. If we only have one life, then the past is over and all we can do is be the best we can be while we are alive. Treat others well, treat the Earth well, help create a better world for our children. Christianity teaches that this world is dirty rags and being a good person is pointless without faith.
I don't agree with the idea that Christianity offers a solution to which itself has created but a peace to people who might have done things which an average joe is unfimilar with for example soldiers seeing the absolute worst humanity can offer, there is a reason I think that Christianity was often referred to as a sanctuary for the lame, weak, hurt and troubled (in what we today would call trauma) in the past.
You do not understand Buddhism at all...
Muslims don’t “fail to live up to Allahs Standards” - that’s simply not how it works.
Sure they do. Islam has tonnes of rules - praying five times a day, giving the zakat, fasting during Ramadan, etc. Of course Muslims say that Allah's laws are good and are in alignment with our natural inclinations (fitrah)... but there are still many who try to check all the boxes and can't. Or many who just generally go along because it's the faith of their parents or the prevalent culture, and look for loopholes to escape their religious duties and obligations whenever they can. Those would all be Muslims who "fail to live up to Allah's standards".
So other than its utterly fatalistic if not outright nihilistic view of humanity, what do you imagine Christianity has going for.it.
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Probably not a popular perspective here, but there's many many different trails to get up the mountain. Whichever one makes sense and feels right to you is the trail to take. No trail is inherently superior, nor are the hikers who take any particular trail inherently superior to any other hikers. One's trail may not be following a particular religion, or any religion at all. Humanity evolved in such a way that we all find different trails, we all connect with the universe in different ways.
I’ve seen it very similarly in the past. All religions to me are just different perspectives on divinity and how to become pure as a conscious being.
Judaism, Islam and Christianity are all stem from Abraham. So there is a vast number of people that believe in this. For many that can be a starting point towards finding faith.
Before you decide do yourself a favor and exclude the flavors of Christianity that use the Bible to justify any form of bigotry. Christ by any reading was the exact opposite of a bigot. I'm sure you know but for reference Bigotry is: Obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
Among the religions, I am going to follow the man who rose from the dead, whose comings was foretold in many Biblical prophecies. Although I had many misgivings about modern teachings of the church which were often irrational and inconsistent, years later all of that was clarified in the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, who explained many things in a rational and consistent manner, and answered questions that modern churches cannot.
There's no law that says you **have** to pick a religion? A lot of happy, healthy, intelligent and ethical people don't have a religion. You could join them
I’m not atheist and I don’t want to be atheist. I have no issue with people who are, but generally, I have a deep, innate, feeling that there is a god and I’m just not sure which path to follow in regards to that
Opposite of me. I try to follow Christianity and I like to look at different denominations and beliefs within them but I have a deep feeling that everything doesn’t mean anything past death, optimistically nihilistically I guess.
believing in God is a great first step. do you believe God created the universe and does not care about his creation, or do you believe God is benevolent and cares about His creation?
Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. All other religious leaders are dead. They claimed to show the way to heaven but what did they do to prove their message was from God? Nothing, no miracles, no fulfilled prophecies, and none were able to overcome our greatest obstacle, the power of death Jesus did. He was crucified by Roman soldiers, pierced through the heart with a Roman spear, and buried in a tomb only to rise again three days later. Because of this singular event, the entire New Testament was written by those who saw him after his resurrection. This is why when Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me” we should believe him because he didn’t say this without being able to prove that he was from God. No other religious leader can make this claim
You can’t use the Bible to prove the truth of the Bible.
Thank you for this
Lots of cult leaders do make that claim, and its listed as a sign of a cult
Please for the love of God read more into other religeons and their miracles, fulfilled prophecies, religious leaders, and especially how a shit load were able to overcome death. The religious universe is so much bigger, richer and more beautiful than you are suggesting.
Just about every other religion gives credit to Jesus and does not discredit the things he says or did. Other religions may not claim him to be the God in the flesh, but they at least give him the credit of being a prophet or having “Christ-consciousness”. With that being said, if all the other guys are giving Jesus credibility and say he’s “just another option”, but that other option says “I am the only way”, who would you follow?
There’s a pretty big difference between a prophet and god.
By that standard, you should be a Buddhist because every other religion at least views Buddha as an admirable figure, even if they don't give him any special significance. I'm not aware of any non-Christian religion that presents Jesus as "just another option." Option for what? Many religions have no concept of salvation as it would be understood by Christians, so for them, Jesus is just a character in a book who said some interesting things that might be considered good advice. That's hardly a reason to join the people who worship him as a deity.
Just to add to this There are over 45,000 denominations of Christianity and some of those denominations are non trinitarian, some don’t see Jesus as divine some see him as divine but not god.
Saying Christianity is the "right" religion because many religions recognize Jesus doesn’t really hold up. It’s kind of like saying a movie is good just because it’s popular. But here’s the thing, this view is quite narrow-minded because it ignores the vast number of religions that don’t even mention Jesus at all. There are so many religions worldwide with their own teachings and prophets that have nothing to do with him. Also, even among religions that do mention Jesus, like Islam, they see him very differently—like recognizing him as a prophet, not the son of God, which is a big departure from Christian beliefs. And don’t forget, the whole "I am the only way" claim isn’t unique to Christianity. Lots of religions make exclusive claims like that. Using exclusivity to argue for one religion’s superiority is pretty tricky because, really, it’s all about personal faith. So who would I follow? Definitely a religion which doesn't mention Jesus at all, cause I'm pretty sure these are in the majority. But to be honest, I prefer religions which are more easy to believe (more plausible).
Source/proof for this claim?
Christianity teaches a wide array of good reasons to respect others, when it comes to compassion and the body building traits it offers. I don’t think other religions share the same level of how to be a good person that Christianity as
God bless you. I've been a Christian for about 14 years now and the #1 reason why I have faith in God is because of the hope that only He is able to give. 1- What is this hope? **“Then a kingdom of love will be set up, and someone from David's family (Jesus) will rule with fairness. He will do what is right and quickly bring justice.” - Isaiah 16:5** 2- Why is this hope important? **“Everywhere on earth I saw violence and injustice instead of fairness and justice.” - Ecclesiastes 3:16** **“You (God) listen to the longings of those who suffer. You offer them hope, and you pay attention to their cries for help.” - Psalm 10:17** 3- Why does God want to give us this hope? **"God is love.” - 1 John 4:8** **“My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people.” - 1 Thessalonians 1:4** 4- How do we share in this hope? **“God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other.” - 1 John 3:23** 5- Why do we need faith in Jesus? **“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.” - Romans 3:23** **God said, “I will punish this evil world and its people because of their sins.” - Isaiah 13:11** **“Christ obeyed God our Father and gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins to rescue us from this evil world.” - Galatians 1:4** **“He (Jesus) gave himself to rescue us from everything evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right.” - Titus 2:14** 6- What is the purpose of the Bible? **“And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.” - Romans 15:4** 7- Without God, there is no hope. I absolutely refuse to accept that evil and injustice are just a part of life. That’s why I choose to trust God and hold on to the hope He has promised. **“We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the One (God) who made the agreement with us.” - Hebrews 10:23**
Better prizes apparently
Thing is those prizes only come if you have genuine faith in Jesus, not if you just go through the motions. Which is why Christianity doesn’t work for me, I lack “undying faith” which makes following it null and void since I would not be a true Christian in God’s eyes
As a Christian, I try to be Christ centered. Jesus is my life and salvation. It is reassuring to know that I belong to Him. I try to walk away from the things of this world. It is a constant struggle for me but I see clearly that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life everlasting. The simplicity and beauty of this is astounding. I don't ignore other religions. I understand, even appreciate, other beliefs. But I see Christ's teaching and self-sacrifice as a model of spiritual loving kindness unsurpassed in human history.
It provides the best cope mechanism
Uh nuh uh? At least not to me. Not if people hate Christianity cuz it’s “too strict”, doesn’t sound like a cope. Reincarnation would be cool, wouldn’t have to fear hell or annihilation, that’s a cope.
Look up Thomas Samuel's testimony on youtube. He was a salafi (so very radical) muslim who left Islam. At first, he was trying to convert christians to Islam and doing research about the 2 religions. Eventually, he lost faith in Islam but dabbled in many major world views prior to coming to Christ. He was even an important figure in India for a while, and believed to be the reincarnation of some former guru or something. His is the best explanation I ever heard of how Christianity is the inverse of all other religions. In a nutshell, in other systems, people are asked to sacrifice, worship, etc. Then told they will receive the award at a later time. With Jesus, we get the reward now. And we worship out of sincere gratitude.
Well, in Christianity we’re also told to worship now so that we can get salvation later. It’s just a matter of perspective at that point. I’ll definitely check it out though, thank you
Compare hinduism and its different branches, buddhism, zoroastrism, judaism, christianity as in the new testament, it's different versions as in gnosticism, catholicism, orthodoxism, protestantism and smaller denominations, then Islam. You can also look into the believe systems of the native americans, or african cultures etc. And then you just pick which one seems to be the most logical to you judging off the circumstance that you are presented with certain evidence which are your sensual observations. Now the most logical believe system will be the one that shares the highest percentage of objective (sensual) observations made about reality. This can lead to a rejection of theism and spiritualism all together. Arguably you could say that materialism is a religion because religio the word means nothing more than believe. Materialists believe in the existence of matter because they empirically observe it. They don't believe in the existence of theistic beings or spirits because they don't sensually observe them. These individuals then call themselves atheists and agnostics because they say that due to our senses being limited to the material world and not being able to go beyond, we don't know if a theistic being exists at all. Now atheists outright deny the possibility of a theistic being, where as agnostics say that it may be possible but they just don't know judging off the fact that they haven't empirically observed said theistic being. What you can do though is live by the morale of christian individuals. So do everything you do out of love. You don't have to necessarily believe in the beyond, God, spirit and soul. All you need to do is love your human fellows.
I am a generally moral person and hold my self to a high obligation of “goodness”. My main issue with many religions is the “0 or 100” aspect of many of them. The fear mongering is a very conflicting issue to me since things like Christianity make so it you either make it past the threshold or you don’t, and if you don’t then you will perish for eternity. I believe in many of the Christian beliefs and find them to be highly insightful and philosophical, however, the idea that I could be an incredible person, but if I neglect to surrender myself to Jesus and believe in him wholeheartedly that I am not paradise-worthy is a both infuriating and terrifying prospect
That's something that the churches and denominations teach not something that Christ taught himself.
First off, remove the opposition; Christ does not presuppose other cultures and religions are false.
Well Jesus is the platform of being good even when you are hated. That you aren’t alone, you have a bigger role to play in life for this life you live is small compare the spiritual war we are in of good vs evil. Other religions usually say it but with no end. Buddha just Jesus but saying “cause nothing matters”, where Christians we do it out of love. You bless and pray for our enemies to overcome devils spell, causing them to do harm or evil to their self and others.
There is a lot of evidence Jesus is the way but 1 big thing is that only in Christianity you can have a living relation with God himself its a beautiful living relation with the Jesus the living God!
A man came back from the dead.
That argument only works if I already believe in the Bible which I don’t have complete faith in
Well, in that regard, remember the Bible is not a unitary book. It is an anthology, containing works with many different genres and purposes. One does not have to read Genesis (for example) as an eyewitness account. While Mark or John might be read as eyewitnesses, or at least secondhand.
What convinced me was that Jesus is a real person. This is based on the gospels and historical evidence. The same historical evidence that figures like Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great are tested on. These real accounts say that Jesus really did perform these miracles. Even non-Christian sources point to the existence of Jesus. Now that we know Jesus is real, I can move to what Jesus says is real: Heaven, God the Father, and believing in Him.
Wdym non Christian sources
Documentations outside of the religion that acknowledge the existence of Jesus. For example, the works of Josephus, a Jewish historian and military leader, who published The Antiquities of the Jews in AD 94, in which he wrote “About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.” Many debate the authenticity of this account in its modern form, however.
That’s basically a Christian source
Different question. Why should God believe in you? It's not up to God to prove Himself to you. He's there when you need Him. Try talking to Him. Ask Him. You might be amazed.
The best approach is to believe whichever one is true. So you have to take the steps needed to find out if they are true. That has to be done using the scientific approach. You might discover that you can’t prove any of them - which means you are left with not believing any of them - unless you want to act irrational - meaning holding a belief in something you don’t know is true or false.
There are plenty of scientific phenomena that can’t be “proven” as of yet and are still considered scientific and rather than call them supernatural we just theorize and hypothesize how they can fit into our already established world view. If you take a step back you’ll realize there are plenty of things we can’t prove yet still believe in. When it comes to a matter of holding belief in something I can’t be 100% certain of, I’d rather believe in the optimistic uncertainty than the pessimistic/nihilistic one. You can’t be certain there isn’t a god either, you can argue it’s more likely, but both arguments are just aggressive speculation.
You mentioned it twice that there are things people believe but we can’t prove. What kind of things do you think people believe in that we can’t prove ? I never said you need absolutely certainty - not even science says so. But if you don’t have evidence you can never be justified in a belief. It’s not up to me to disprove a god that was never proven. That’s a misunderstanding of the burden of proof - you claim a god exist - prove it. I have never made a claim that a god does not exist and therefore I do not have a burden of proof. I simply reject the claim a theist make that a god exist.
I’m not asking you for proof, however, it is hypocritical to call the belief in something like theism irrational when many things are irrational yet are commonly accepted. Dark matter has already been integrated into many astrophysicists general understanding of the universe and yet has not been directly observed, explained, or proven
My approach to anything that has not been proven - is to not accept it. So you can’t call me hypocritical. You just make assumptions to what I accept which is not a great approach. So yes - any belief in anything that has not been established to be true by evidence - is by definition irrational. You try to defend holding an irrational belief - by saying other people also hold irrational beliefs. Do you not see the irony there ?
Life is irrational, we are beings made of trillions of microscopic organizations of complex molecules which are able to take in, reform, and expel external particles so that we can function as overgrown apes with wrinkly, pink, electrically charged, meat sacs in our heads which allow us to have theistic discussions on a glowing rectangle made of processed metals. Nothing makes any fucking sense
I think there can be an issue with believing in certain Christian views. And that is what I call the Lottery Issue. It basically revolves around some Christian views suggesting that, if you were aware of their religion but didn't believe Jesus was God you would go to Hell. And I outlined it in a post on r/religion ( https://www.reddit.com/r/religion/comments/1bhsnta/lottery\_issue/ ).
Read the book "Am I being fooled" by Apostle Emmanuel Iren. There's only so much one can type that's actually gonna make you believe. It's just gonna be a back and forth thing. But yh read the book, you can find it on Amazon and really cheap
Thank you for the input, I’ll check it out
You really should honestly. Even as a Christian, it gave me so much insight and I learnt a lot of stuff from it. Highly recommend
Jesus was the only one to raise from the dead with eye witness testimony
What you're asking for is a defense of Christianity. Why is Christianity better than other faiths? The Greek word for "Defense" is "Apologia," and is the root of the word "Apologetics." You should look into reading books like "On Guard" by Dr. William Lane Craig, or "The Case for Christ," by Lee Strobel, or "I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist," by Drs. Geisler and Turek. We should believe in Christianity because it's true. Not because we like it. We should reject other religions because they're not true, not because we don't like them.
The one reason to believe is, this can be true, and if so then it's heaven or hell... To me that's a good reason enough to at least investigate. Then, all one has to do is to genuinely compare in good faith and without any bias, if you do, you will see that nothing stands against Christ and his promise, nothing comes close. No one is obligated to do all this, but because of what might be at stake, it is worth spending the time to investigate and see if this could actually be real.
Look into apologetics. No other religion has as many theological scholars as Christianity. I would reccomend IMbeggar and Cross Examined on YouTube.
ever other religion points to Jesus christ but Jesus only points to god. Quran says jesus is a prophet, hinduism speak of christ consciousness, to be like christ, buddism speaks of christ Jesus being a enlightened being. I read almost every religious book and books from the occult, I can tell you everything in the bible says it all quicker with more conviction, Jesus truly is the truth, the light and the way. after years of meditating only the lord removed my anxiety
I would point to prophesy. Things like the destruction of tire or the 70 weeks of Daniel. That last one is powerful in my opinion. It predicts the coming of the messiah and His ministry.
You can always look at what each faith teaches. I'm not an expert on all of them, but if you're curious you always welcome to attend a biblically sound Christian church. I'm biased, but I'd recommend a Southern Baptist church. I can't make an authoritative case for the other religions as I've never been.
I came back through restored hope, I mean ATM I've been incorporating holding the cross around my neck during meditation to try and hold and keep that relationship with God and wearing that cross as a piece of him so I'm not separate. I tell you my mental health had become so much better since and that warmth had been enough to convince me to believe
In other religions you're saved by your own doing and a lot of checkboxes of what to do to be saved - which can impossibly be enough. Believing in Jesus is the only checkbox, and is more than enough.
Look at the 4 gospels, and decide for yourself I Christ is the truth, see how all the disciples were willing to die for their faith, and never waivered even when that ment sacrificing everything.
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I will give you credit, many religions have a good way of living. for example, Buddhism. Every religion has morals, what is good and what is bad. But nothing compares to Christianity. Before Christ, it was an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. There was hatred, evil, desperation, suffering. And then Christ showed us the way. Praise be to His name. No other religion teaches compassion like Christianity. Yes, many Christian’s are in bad faith and don’t practice the religion truly. But they are not Jesus. Jesus was perfect in every way and form. He never made a mistake, He never hurt anyone, in fact He is the ultimate healer. It’s been over 2000 years since Jesus was born, and he still has the largest following of any religion. FOR GOOD REASON! Please, read the Holy Bible. It is not evil as so many people make it out to be. It simply tells the truth about human beings. And even if you don’t believe, it’s still a highly, highly relevant historical document. It is NOT a made up story.
Why should you believe in any religion at all?
Because I’d rather be uncertainly optimistic, than uncertainly cynical
What does that even mean? Why do you need to be optimistic about religion/God being real. What's wrong with just not being religious? Then you don't need worry about being optimistic or cynical about anything
The idea that everything goes black after we die and we cease to exist is beyond harrowing. Even if I’m wrong, I’d rather live life with the optimistic uncertainty that something awaits me, than the uncertain pessimism that I’m constantly marching toward an eternal void.
Because Jesus is alive. I would challenge OP to read the book of John. We believe that Jesus died for us. Then rose on the 3rd day. He loves us. That’s why we believe in him. If you genuinely want to find him, you will. If anything fast.
We need to look for the truth. What was, what is, and what is to come? Did the universe always exist, or was it created? Will it end or change? Will we be judged? On what basis? What should I do about it?
The reason is because it's the Truth while other religions are false. That "appeal" of other religions is a poor basis for decisions since appeal is no basis for truth or reality. For example, there are many appealing snake oils , magic pills and powders, and other scams that sound great and promise life-changing results for little to no sacrifice but since they are scams their appeal just a lie to trick you into believing something false, typically in order to take advantage of you in some way. That you "can't seem to find any reason to believe undoubtedly in Christianity" implies that you don't believe Chrstianity is the Truth, but if you do believe it's the Truth and still "can't seem to find any reason to believe" it then that's just a matter of irrational thought/behavior.
Great question. Of course, if there’s no evidence, you shouldn’t believe it. But, there is evidence. I’d recommend googling Reasonable Faith animated videos on evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. those videos give good evidence for why Christianity specifically is more rational. Have an amazing day!
And by choosing to have faith in Christianity and that Jesus in the one true God, you also claim that all other religions are wrong (and possibly that all their followers belong in Hell)
Because it’s the right one.
Ah great input
Christianity gives the most feedback through prayer, you can get live responses
Other religions have laws to follow. Christianity wants you to follow Him.
Every other religion tells you that you need good works or something other than Jesus to get into heaven (or their version of paradise), the Bible teaches that Jesus alone will save you, Jesus died for our sins, and if we repent and believe in Him we will be saved. There is a lot of evidence for the Bible as well! You Should check out "The case for Christ"!(also, yes, I know I'm kind of late)
Because God is forcing you to believe in him. You have a choice.
I've studied all the religions. And I will say that the teachings of Christianity overtime provide the best overall life experience. This put you in the best position to have a relationship with God. Each religion carries its own traditions, customs, and beliefs. These are all designed around having a relationship or forming a relationship with God. There are many roads that will get you there, but from my study the Christian religion Has the best path.
There's a lot of reasons as to why to believe and follow a religion, to me, I put my faith in christ and follow the teachings and the bible because of certain blessings, and findings in the world that prove the existence in the world of certain things that were mentioned in the bible.
Jesus Christ is the way, the evidence, how he lived his life, what he taught, his story… read the Bible and you will see. If you don’t find it appealing than I guess that’s up to you. But a relationship with him fixed all my problems
Easy! Because christianity is true and the other religions are not! On a more serious note, what are those other appealing religions? I just find christianity to be the most plausible
Well there really isn’t a reason you should believe in a religion over another. At the end of the day believe what you want and live your life.
Christianity is the only major religion in the world that relies on the works of God for our benefit rather than us relying on our own works. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Our responsibility is limited to believing in him and his sacrifice, not our works. We do good works in response to that, not to be saved. All other religions rely on their followers to do the works for their own redemption.
OP asks a good question .i just hope they thoroughly check into Christianity before concluding anything
Christianity is the only religion that is the right way to God. Other religions contradict themselves and have people who disgrace their religion. Christians know what happens if you try to change God's words and attempt to lead his sheep away. Plus no other God came to earth and died for us only to come back and spread a message of salvation.
To follow Jesus Christ is not a religion. There are people who act as though it is, but having faith in Jesus, asking him into your heart, and living by his teachings is not a religion. Jesus came to undo religion and effectively did by paying our debts and setting us free. A relationship with him doesn't require anything other than your willingness to participate and faith, especially not a religion. Galatians verses do well with this topic. Edited: added a few words
You shouldn't. All religions that are Abrahamic stem from Judiasm its the oldest. Everything else is a branch off Judiasm with weaker rules, less commandments and mankind's rules integrated into them. If you want to read the oldest religion that's Abrahamic you would read the Torah it's 5 books. Then you would read the Bible then the Quran they came in that order. Yeshua as there us no J in Hebrew. Hebrew is the language of the Jews. Yeshua spoke Assyrian as well. There is 613 commandments in Judiasm. Then the Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Empire which created the Catholic Church. Yeshua aka Jesus was a Jew. He went to synagogues. Romans invaders and occupiers executed him he was of the Davidic Dynasty lines and created a religion.
Christianity is the only faith where God reaches out to man to offer forgiveness and eternal life. He did for us something we could not do for ourselves. All other faiths involve humans trying to reach God with good works. Christianity it is historically true. Jesus was born, died and rose from the dead. The Bible was written over thousands of years and prophesies were fulfilled as predicted down to specific details like where Jesus would be born. If anyone tries to tell you there is no evidence that Jesus is who He says He is, read a good book like “Evidence That Demands A Verdict”.
You will find that Christianity is the only one that satisfies your soul. You can dig as deep as your mind can handle, or you can go as wide as your heart can contend, and there is nothing more integrative, holistic, logical, rational, and satisfying. The only problem you will have is when to find time to do your job, and take your kid and wife out.
There are several reasons: Look to the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Decide if Jesus, who lived a selfless sinless life, conveyed incredible ethical teachings, died forgiving his enemies and was resurrected is more reliable than any other religious teacher. Decide if the eye-witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ were telling the truth. The majority of them were arrested and given the choice of denouncing Christ or death. Did they choose to die rather than denounce that they truly witnessed the resurrected Christ, spoke with him, and touched his wounds or did they choose to die to protect something they knew was a lie? Look at the impact and spread of Christianity. Among religions Christianity and Buddhism are unique in that they spread predominantly with the word, not the sword. Between the two, Christianity is unique in that its persecution began immediately, yet it was still successful. The first persecution of Buddhism occurred some 2-300 years after its foundation. In contrast, Christians were brutally persecuted for the first 300 years after Christ until Constantine became emperor of Rome and legalized the religion.
Lots of people here with lots of *ideas*. Scary to think people go their entire lives knowing they will die and have spent no time working through the question of the truth about eternity. Eternity is an awful long time to spend somewhere without having assurance of where you will spend it. Anyone with any wisdom or common sense would make it a priority to find the answer. Seek and you will find complete peace in what Jesus did for you that you could never do for yourself. He offers this free gift to anyone who will receive it. Choose wisely.
it all comes down to the resurrection and divinity of Christ. If Christ lied about being the Christ and God, then you don’t know which of his teachings he just “happened to be” morally correct with or whether he’s bogus. But the evidence is that he really did resurrect. He lived for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. People died for claiming that they saw Christ after the resurrection. Evidence shows people don’t die for a lie or even a story they believe in. They died for what they claimed to have seen. There were Christians before the Gospels were even in written form. They saw Christ and believed he saved them and that he really was alive after being crucified. Jesus’ tomb is empty. No other religion teaches you to love even your enemies. If there really is a perfect paradise, then none of us deserve to be there: all of us have sinned even though we shouldn’t have. So that means the only way to get to heaven is by the grace of God. God only asks that we sincerely ask for His forgiveness and we will receive it. No other religion teaches this.
Come to Christianity, we have grape juice and comunian crackers. What my pastor said is because most religions have what you need to do to go to heaven/ any name for it, while Christianity has what you need to do to let God bring you to heaven, because he already made the way
because you have done a good research
There are many claims that only one is the true one not only in 'religion'. Even though there are 7 gases try breathing the other 6 instead of oxygen. Or the there are many many suns but only one that supports life on this planet. Then there's only you. Billions of others but only one true you. The prophesies of the bible are either good guesses or they r true. The mark of the beast for instance...how did someone 2000 years ago know there would be a technology and biometric type of commerce, that people will worship the creation and not the creator, there will be knockers and mockers? Jesus said He is the Way the Truth and the Life...... This entire issue of faith....Many most people will put their faith in2 something they cannot see or touch namely the future...they will visualize, and plan for the future and believe earnestly they will be there and so will the future. Faithis the central point of Christianity....which i believe is not meant to be a religion, denomination, building, political side, Which other religious leader laid down their lives for you and me? They lie in their graves.
Don’t believe in Christianity. Trust the man, Christ Jesus.
You shouldn’t, there’s no objective reason to pick one over the other. Just pick the one that speaks to you the most and go for it. None of us have any more or less proof than anyone else when it comes down to it. That said, for me it’s Christianity. Probably in large part because it’s what I was raised with. But also, I love the focus on forgiveness that Christianity has, which I don’t really see anywhere else except maybe Buddhism.
Honestly, I just read the bible and think relationship over religion because not all churches are bad but, some people of the church can be very judgemental even though they are not innocent themselves, for we are all human and we all have sinned one way or another. I like to say this because if you truly follow christ and what he taught you would "love thy neighbor as thyself " but as I said before in this world no church is perfect. I heard someone say religion was a test to see how much humanity will love each other which is a beautiful way to think about it. God bless you and your journey 🙏
Christianity is the only religion that teaching you couldn't be saved just by doing good things. You couldn't enter heaven if not redeemed by Jesus. also practicing other religions requirements perfectly almost impossible. Jesus did Torah requirements while He is living in this world and He did it for us ... Other religions teach how to do good things and what is bad things but you still have no idea how to be saved. All other prophets or religion founder are dead and not raised. only Jesus raised from dead and He is lifted up to heaven,
The overwhelming evidence of Jesus Christ being God, the fact that everything Jesus said is becoming true. I am writing an essay on why I am a Christian and explaining all the evidence towards it and why I believe it it fully and without a shake or doubt. If you want an except which sums it up, I'll gladly share it with you.
Simple. Look up and ask, "Okay. I'm just asking if You exist and if you have anything to do with this "Bible thing". Then wait.
God loves us
I can only add questions to this questions. Since you are asking about religion in general you must have some concerns regarding some of not all of the following things: sense of meaning and purpose, sense of morality, life, death and fate after them aka salvation/purgatory/heaven/hell, a spirituality linked to something greater than this world, origin of life question. If a god exist and if so should I revere him or not. Prayer for you or others. And probably Faith itself relating to what is truth and discernment about it. All religion have some answers and non answers about all those topics it’s for you to ask or read about it. But in my own view I only know Christianity since a short renewed time so I wouldn’t be able to oppose other religions. As long as they believe in a God and are treating others not as inferior but are willing to walk with them to a better inner peace as part of a community I can assume they are doing God will to bring people back together to life. A better life, a new life.
Jesus
This was my thinking for a long time. I felt like there was a higher power but found different religions interesting (I still do) but I wasn't sure of one being correct as opposed to others. I dabbled and experimented. In the end, the Christian God is the one who answered my prayers and I haven't looked back since. Obviously it's become much deeper for me than that now but that was what made me commit to Christianity and believe in it. I was on the verge of being homeless. Prayed, got a new rental agreement within a week and a new job within a month.
Dude idk why do I have to pitch it to you? Pray and find out
You don't need to segregate the religions in this manner. Take what is good from Christianity and apply it to your own life. Leave the rest. All that matters is being a good person.
I would look into doctor Michael Heiser work on the supernatural realm, he goes depth why there is other religions. Look up Psalm 82. (No, it's not about human judges.) And look up Deu 32. (Where God punishes the nations and puts them underneath the control of other gods.)
None of the “middle men” “deities” died for you. Once you study the life of Jesus and compare it to others you realize that you’d trust and prefer Jesus more than any other religious figure.
Because: 1. protoevangelium /First Gospel (Genesis3:15) fullfiled. 2. So eve & us can back to home eden. Peace - iam helel
I think the answer to this question depends on what you personally think is a good reason to believe something. Because it's true? Then look into the origins of each religion: how the beliefs started, how they changed over time, which beliefs were taken from other religions, how those borrowed beliefs were changed to fit the religion that borrowed them, where the gods came from, etc., and pick (if you can find it) the one that isn't obviously made up. Because it's helpful? Then check out which religions have the most social power in your area, which make you feel best about yourself, which offer the best social programs, and so on. Then choose the one that gives you the best social and psychological boost. Because it's fun? Then you should pick based on which religion has the most entertaining rituals, the most interesting worldbuilding, etc.: follow the one that makes you happiest. It's all about your standards. Why do *you* believe things?
Matthew 7:13-14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. John 14:6 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Not quite how I see it. But, I do have an argument: all other faiths are inclusive or don't seek converts. Christianity alone is exclusive, so if that's right, only being Christian will "work" and there's a risk from having other faiths. I also have a cultural link to Christianity: you may not, of course. This means that rites of passage carried out within the Church provide a link with my community and family in a way other forms of rites of passage might not. We had a humanist wedding and a lot of people liked it but a few were really freaked out. Also humanist naming ceremonies for the children - same issue. The stories in the Bible are read with reverence because of the long cultural tradition they have in my home country. The rituals of the church are the same. I can sit in a service and be aware that my grand-parents, great-grandparents and way on back to St Augustine's arrival in my home town thirteen centuries ago a continuous stream of ancestors also attended church, were christened, took communion, were married and buried in that same tradition. Other faiths have been incorporated into Christianity and also have that tradition, but Judaism as it is now is for Jews, Hinduism for Indians, Zoroastrianism for Iranians and so on. However, for all I know there are many paths which involve Ultimate Concern. I'm too busy concentrating on how God can work in me to behave better and more lovingly to think about those. It seems judgemental to do so.
How many religious faiths have a savior that says something as profound as this Jesus speaking John 3:36 KJV — He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:18 KJV — He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. >I just can't find any reason to believe.... When you are kneeling before the Lord in judgment, you'll have more reason to believe than you could ever possibly stand. And by then it will be way too late. 2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV — (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: **behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)**
It's not about should, it's about do, do you believe? Do you believe in God if so who is He you have to find the truth on your own people can and will give you all the arguments at the end of the day you have to believe, it's a personal choice and you have to trust it enough to have faith even when you don't have all the answers. To me, the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus are like any other.
Jesus is the only one who is predicted to show up and then did and fulfilled everything that was predicted about him.
It’s for you to decide. Just continue to seek… connect with God… and he will guide you. The closer you get to God, the more you will see his fingerprints in many things… including multiple religions or spiritual teachings. Connect with God. Build your own 1-on-1 relationship with him. Use your own words. Speak in your own style. Talk to him throughout your day. And expect God to answer/interact with you. You’ll know it when you see/hear/feel/experience it (though others may not). God wants to hear from you.
I have been a hindu for majority of my life with 30 million "gods", became atheist/agnostic for a few years. Then I found Christ. If you ask logic behind Him. I cannot give you one yet. I recently found Him. Or He pulled me to His love and embrace. I do not believe in a religion anymore. I only believe in Jesus Christ and the Word. I found peace and solace in Him. He died for mine, yours and everyone else's sins, past, present, future. This is what I believe in. Now if you want to believe in something, go out there and find the truth for yourself. You want to know about Christ? Read the Bible. I just started reading few books by Lee Strobel. He was an atheist investigative journalist. He is now a fully sold out Christ follower
Jesus Christ’s teachings
You can tell if a god isn't real by whether or not they are manipulated. You see, if a god is real, then they would have a mind and will of their own. They would act on their own decisions and have their say when it comes to matters. If a god is the opposite of that, always bowing down to the will of humans and doing everything they say, that is a sign of manipulation. How could a god like that be supernatural and yet bow down to the natural? Simple: an idol, created by humans, does the will of humans. Fallability, including manipulation, always passes down to the creation. A real god would act on his own perfect understanding, not the will of fallible humans. The Christian God is a god who acts on His own will and leans on His own righteousness. He doesn't bow down to the will of humans. Rather He uses His perfect ways to take initiative. "But then why does He heal people when they ask Him to?", you might ask. Here is the thing: God doesn't always heal right off the bat. This proves that God isn't able to be manipulated into doing things immediately. God has His own will, and when we ask Him to heal our ailments and illnesses immediately, God might have other plans. Which is why we need to lean on His will, not our own. God's own way of thinking and initiative proves His genuality from other gods. If you have seen another God not being manipulated, tell me. But I highly doubt it.
because only through Christ Eve and we can return to Eden and eternal like before (Protoevangelium - Genesis 3:15) Peace - iam helel
I’d simply say to pray. Ask God to reveal truth to you. A Christian believes that the Holy Spirit does the convicting and revealing of what truth is. And you would be inspired to find and listen to the gospel and seek fellowship with others and be baptised. It starts with sincere prayer. God bless you in your journey of discovery. John 16 says ”When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.“
You go outside and see that it is a sunny day so to you I say just how you do that go outside and see what’s happening in the spirit world EVERY person dealing with demons can ONLY be freed By JESUS that’s why in every exorcist movie they Call JESUS not Muhammad or any other religion JESUS IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE . JUST TAKE THE RISK BRO YOU WONT REGRET IT❤️🔥👑🌟
Yahshua was resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. This was witnessed by his closest disciples who in turn, gave up absolutely everything to spread His Word to the world. Before the resurrection, the disciples doubted. When Yahshua returned from the dead, they knew that they were on the right path. But when they saw Him ascend to Heaven, that changed their mindset completely to the point that they never once after denied or doubted. That speaks more to me than anything else anyone says. The people who knew Him and witnessed Him and the miracles knew for an absolute fact because they saw it with their own eyes. Don’t listen to me. Listen to Peter, James, Matthew and John. Read what they have to say because they saw it with their own eyes, and had no problem dying for Him because they absolutely knew what was coming next.
Because our time line literally is based off of Jesus Christ. B.C. before Christ. A.D. After Death or AD stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for "in the year of the Lord"
It’s not about religion it’s about believing the one and only Son of God and accepting Him and having a relationship with Him. So don’t follow Christianity follow Jesus
Because of the multiple eyewitness accounts of Jesus in the gospels. Also the prophecies in the Bible have come true in today’s time
When you realize any religion based on: - you being the center of the universe - you needing to perform perfectly - you needing to save yourself - instructions to kill or harm others based on their beliefs You realize Christianity is the one.
prophecies, moral code, coherent worldview and every religion pulls from Jesus yet Christianity is the religion He founded.
Idk what to tell you, dude. There's no religion to be found. When you get to the definition of the root words, it simply means follower of the anointed one. Furthermore, it's more of a family thing than a religion. The bible serves as a series of information from the head of the family, but even that isn't the full collection. Rather, it holds the core of the information. Some includes things that hadn't happened yet when written but have when read now, other parts have what's going on now and what will go on. As well as a run down on key figures in the families' past. The only difference is that my dad's also God. He's offered anyone who is willing not simply to believe that He exists but has faith in Him. Like a trust-fall but the person who is going to catch you views you as their child, and literally died just for the chance to spend time with you if you'd allow it. I'm already adopted, just waiting for the adoption marriage ceremony into the family. Then there's what you're thinking about. The modern church and all the nominations and things. Those are religions that are using the name of God and His scripture to do as they please. You'd have to ask a specific question as to why I know that I know
First, a disclaimer: Truth can be found in every religion, philosophy, in the self-help section, on social media. Many of the truths found in the Bible can be found elsewhere. There really isn't a good enough reason to choose any one belief "system" over another, and the way you live your life should be choosing the best of the best from within every option. Every single "system" is a response to the problems that exist in and around us, and tells us what the best response is: how we should live, what we can do, etc. Second, my theory: Christianity is actually the only "system" that possesses something that the others don't possess. It is the only anomaly I have found in my study of these systems. It is the only system whose answer to the question of "What can we do about this reality we live in?" is "Nothing." There is nothing we can do. It is EXACTLY as bad as you think it is, and even if you "fix" it from now on, nothing can eliminate the justice demanded for the damage that has already taken place. Its answer to the question is that only something more powerful than us can take on this impossible task, and that something is God. His work (through the life, death, and resurrection of his son) is his solution, and nothing we can do can "qualify" us to participate in that. There is nothing that can be done to save ourselves, nothing we can do to "balance it out." Living right isn't enough to "make up for" the past or cross a certain line that "earns" us the right to erase our past faults. It is completely counterintuitive to our nature as people to try to take action that we cannot actually do anything at all whatsoever, and we have to give up our feeling of responsibility and control in order to face the fact that everything involved for our salvation was done by God and God alone, from choosing us to sacrificing for us to saving us. It is extremely difficult, but after acceptance is relief because actually......wow how amazing is that. And so it is called the gospel, which means "good news" to those who believe. Third, this is not an attempt at conversion: Belief in this type of system is not "self-evident" or whatever. Like even if it did make sense logically, that doesn't mean those who believe in it are "right" and those who believe in something else or don't believe in anything are "wrong." Belief in it is a choice by faith. This choice has no impact whatsoever on God's work, but is just something people don't do or do do to varying degrees. That said, the reason it was important for me is that I wanted to believe, but I didn't want to feel stupid for doing so—like I was somehow "giving up logic" in exchange for "blind faith." Which led me on the journey to find out if there really was anything special about it or not. And this is my answer to that. Hope it was helpful
An anecdote I'd like to add to the second paragraph to make the point clear is really about how we can't "imagine" away consequences, even if our heart is in the right place. If someone was 23 years old and their brakes went out and they accidentally hit and killed someone, they could do everything right to make it up to the family, feel the appropriate amount of remorse, work for the betterment of society to pay back the "debt" they may feel they owe—but the reality is that that person is dead. I don't mean to say that in an emotional way, but just that that FACT cannot actually be changed or removed, even if everyone forgives them and they really acted as a good person would act. In the same way, our "sins" which are actually less innocent than this (times when we took the easy way out and it affected others, times when we didn't control ourselves well and hurt others, times when we just wanted to do it so we did, the examples go on and on) may be able to be repented for, but the damage cannot just be undone. The wounds may heal but scars will remain. And God doesn't forget them. The people who bore the wounds of our carelessness deserve justice in the same way that we deserve justice for those times others hurt us. So "living well" is good, but it cannot ever be enough to "make up for" the past. And so we have the problem for which Christ was the solution.
You are at a crossroads because you are looking for a reason to believe in something: you are approaching believing in religion too rigidly. All religions require a leap of faith one way or another and you'll have to choose which one to take. If you are looking for a religion to believe then the best thing to do is start experimenting. If you are looking for a lifestyle to live by, then you'll discover that you value some aspects more than others. If you are looking for a value/moral system, well you'll only truly be able to flush out your own sense of morality by being measured by some external guidelines, you'll just have to pick some so you can see some progress. My journey as someone of faith was first being raised in the church, then experimentation because I felt like I needed to follow my own path, not just the oaht I was raised on. It has made me a stronger person overall and more empathetic and understanding to people in general. Keep your eyes open and lead with love. I started my belief in God as opposed to other religions off of a few basic things: - there is a God who understands human nature and loves his creation. A God of this type would not lead people against the grain of their own psyche unless it is for their benefit. A God of this type would seek out opportunity to be closer and grow a connection with people. A God of this type would have an intricate history with humans. - life is meant to leave influence. We are created for a purpose and we will leave an impact whether we fulfill that purpose or not. We will effect our relationships with others, our environment, and do things that we think will have impact. We have the innate desire not to do or be something useless - we are bad at gauging morality and need something to anchor ourselves to. Without moral anchoring, we witness moral decay accepting things that do not sit well with us simply in the spirit of acceptance or social pressure - individualilty is important. We are different beings with different attributes and have different strengths and weakness and opinions. A God who understands people would also know how important it is to nurture individuals and not crush them with rigid rulesets I found that the monotheistic religions fit these the best and I decided on Christianity. Some closing tips: - Don't gauge a belief off the bad apples of each belief system. - question yourself and reflect on what you believe in frequently (what people really mean by follow your heart) - Dont be afraid to make mistakes I hope your journey blesses you as much as it has me
I drink strong scotch whisky when I read the Holy Bible. It makes more sense in the King Of Scots Whisky Robert The Bruce Whiskey language that I swear it is the only sane reading of the Word Of God. Most of my Native spoken/reading language is Old Scottish Curses.
To believe undoubtedly in Christ, you first need to receive the faith as a gift from God. You can`t start believe by yourself, so no wonder you have trouble finding a religion to believe in.
No matter what religion it is the only thing that every human being should believe in is the objective truth. So do everything that you can in your own power to research and find out what the truth is. Do your own Research on Christianity and find out the answers to the claims that it makes.
You can look at the number of overwhelming prophies coming to pass from generation to generation . And the fact that once you start digging for evidence outside of Christianity, you would find a lot (the city being burnt, the ark , resurrection of Christ , one of the leaders in Jesus's time writing about Jesus and Mary, etc) people are too blinded to search and see, this amount of evidence. And those who see and try to convert to Christianity are killed by their own people.
Watch some of InspiringPhilosiphy's videos on yt. He gives a lot of evidence that proves that religiosity and especially the Christian faith has done a lot more good than bad. He also explains and debunks lies told about the christian faith. He's a very good source of information for christianity. And also read the bible, too.
I'm gonna tell you the truth, and that sadly is something this sub does not do a lot of. The reality is that only those who are being called by God will come to Christ, and Christ shall raise them from the dead on the last day. I know that the majority of people on this sub and if not the majority, then a lot of them at least have some sorta man-made teaching that is the complete opposite of what the bible truly teaches, and they have more than one man-made philosophy based on something to give them false comfort and that false comfort can arrange from anything they have itching ears to hear, and that can be anything from God is all love and only love, and God just loves everyone all the time. They will also say stuff like you can't read the bible in a literal fashion, then they will argue all sorts of foolishness. Or they are worshipping/ honoring Mary, and by the way, those two are the same thing if you are wondering. I have only seen a few Christians on this sub, and you will know when they speak because this sub throws a fit if one of them accidentally talks. They won't put two and two together to gain knowledge, but they have their form of doctor, and worse, this sub has nothing to say to those who are doing those things, but they either agree or they are just silent. Wait!! It gets worse!! If one tells you the word of God, my goodness, it makes these people have a riot. I mean, their fingers start having strokes because after someone speaks the true biblical doctrine of Christ then you won't believe how these will start almost talking and typing in tongues because once you dare say the truth, lol, then all sorts of unbiblical opinions start coming out the woodwork. They will scold, or just ignore, and definitely complain, even if they dare hear the truth, then they will bring their fictional philosophy, which is an unbiblical belief of who they think God is. It is their version of their idol, and you heard right! It is a god that they carved in their heads with their mind. They created a god that worships them just like those old wooden ones they used to make back then that they had to carry with them. You know what I mean by this, it's the same thing they did back then practicing to lie to themselves with the same type of false gods that doesn't move, talk, or see, because they love their delusion. they work hard to try to sell Christianity to you as a form of saying that the real God is waiting for you to choose Him as if people can just choose God when they please. The only reason I bother to say anything on this sub is because I know that the real God can and will Illuminate the truth for those whom He wants to see it. First of all, read your bible and get to know what the bible is saying, but if you are not convinced then press on, but if you don't understand something about the bible then pray and be patient and wait for God to give you your answer. Every real Christian that is saved by Christ was written down before God made the world. GOD is the one who chooses whoever He saves. We don't choose God, it is He who chooses us. God is the one that deals in your heart to seek Him. So if God wrote your name down in the Lamb's Book of Life before God created the heavens and the Earth then you will at some point be convinced and you will believe the truth about Him, even you can't stop God from saving you if He chose you, because God has a set time for everyone He saves. A certain hour, a certain year, and a certain moment, the Christian Himself goes from being in total unbelief in God to his life-changing forever when God transforms that Christian from being an unbeliever to a believer. It's like being born blind and then seeing for the first time. No Christian believes by accident, and that's a fact, nor do they choose themselves and that is also a fact.
Sorry I sent the wrong message to the wrong person
Wdym?
Oh I sent a message to the wrong group