All are religions create equal?

[whoswho]

I found this interesting article today while on a more politically focused free republic forum and I thought I would share it with all of you as well as talk about pluralism ...

“Do we regard the Christian way as the only way, so that
salvation is not to be found outside it; or do we regard the
other great religions of mankind as other ways of life and
salvation?â€Â - Religious Philosopher John Hick

Pluralism, the belief that all religions are equal, contradicts the entire premise of religion. If all religion is equally true, what is the point of subscribing exclusively to one? People initially believe in a certain doctrine or religion because of faith and conviction that it is true. Likewise they reject other doctrine as false. Within respective faiths, most do not take the position that their religion is equal to all others. If the aforementioned was true, the world would have seen far less war. Religious wars certainly were not fought because they all viewed each others’ religions as equal.

Within Christianity three points of view exist in relationship to salvation. There is exclusivity that states those who are saved are only those whom accept Jesus as their savior. Next there is inclusivity which states all are saved or can be saved by Christ, either after death or through the worship of another entity. Finally there is what the religious philosopher John Hick advocates, plurality, which views all world religions as equal paths to salvation.

Hick is a Christian at heart as he grew up in that tradition.
Nonetheless, he holds pluralistic views about religion. Many
today within society espouse a similar view as that of Hick.
Proponents claim all religions are equal. Religious icon Joel
Osteen leaves the possibility of non-Christians finding their
way into heaven, and even the great evangelist Billy Graham,
when pressed, would not say for sure whether or not non-
Christians will be permitted into the pearly gates.

How can this be? How can one reasonably call himself a
Christian yet not claim it as the only way to salvation?

The most basic interpretation of the Christian scriptures seems to advocate
that no one can be saved except by Jesus Christ. Acts 4:10-12
(NIV) states:

“then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the ‘stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’â€

It is incomprehensible to read that passage and conclude anything other than Jesus is the only way to salvation. That is if you decide to believe in the Bible. But I am not taking on the question of which religion is true, but whether if it is coherent to subscribe to a religion while also believing it is not the only way.

The article continues on and you can read it in its entirety at http://www.thewoodwardreport.com/#/reli ... 4536930937

 

[Rick W]

In most religions man earns his way to God by becoming worthy to do so. But in Christianity God came to man because man is not worthy to go to God.

 

[GrayJedi_Lightshade]

wow. I must say, I like your conclusion.

To kind of add onto this debacle (spelling?), I find it interesting that one tries to say that all religions are the same. They do this in hopes to discredit Christianity's credibility and make themselves feel better for not choosing to follow Christ instead of leading themselves.

However, I will give them this. All 'religions' are the same. They DO have the same morals and values. There IS common ground there, and quite a bit of it. Don't steal, love your enemies, be that 'good' person you know you can be. blah blah blah. But...where did those morals and values come from in the first place? It seems like they're all grabbing bits and pieces of something that never changes. Something that never moves from where it was to begin with.

It's like, in order to become a 'religion,' you have to have these pre-requisites in order to be viewed as legit. It doesn't matter who you bow down to. If you have these morals (attained from somewhere else, mind you), then you're set to go. Stamp of approval.

But no one looks to the source of these morals. All they care about is if they have them or not. "Okay, yeahup, look at how good a people we can be! We have morals and values just like everybody else does! Yaaaay!"

If all religions are the same, then why does one religion worship their own intellect, one worships their dead ancestors, and another worships spirits/ghosts/demons/other gods? Why, in several religions, it's a good thing to kill anyone who doesn't believe in your god(s), and others it's a good thing to be tolerable? These are NOT the same thing.

So, instead of looking to the same morals and values that we all know are there, why don't was just simply ask, "Where did these come from, and why are they here?"

This is my case and point of why Christianity should not be considered a religion. It is Truth. Plain and simple. My own personal religion is video games. I play them religiously almost every week. I also religiously fix my hair. Just ask my girlfriend. But I do NOT religiously go to church on Sunday mornings, sleep in the pew til the pastor's done and go about my business. I'm sincere about that. I play video games because it's relaxing and it feels good. I got to church and sit in those chairs because I want to har what God has to say, because it's different every single time, and it all makes sense.

food for thought.

 

[toddm]

All religions can be wrong, but they can't all be truth. Fortunately, there is one that is true.

 

[Sound Silence]

This is my case and point of why Christianity should not be considered a religion. It is Truth. Plain and simple.

That's just your belief, though, because of a Christian bias. You really think Muslims, Buddhists, etc. don't think of their belief system as "truth"?

It's a silly deal of semantics anyways. Christianity is a belief system. Belief system is the definition of religion.

 

[Ed the Ned]

How can this be? How can one reasonably call himself a
Christian yet not claim it as the only way to salvation?

Once you have accepted the Gospel, it is impossible to believe there are more ways to heaven. If you believe there many ways to the father, you have accepted an incorrect gospel that is of this world, a gospel that will not lead to salvation and is a deception.
There is no middle ground, we were told to go out and spread the good news (gospel). We are also told we will be rejected by this world, just as Christ was rejected. People who claim there are many ways to heaven are trying to be politically correct and believe they will lead more to Christianity if we are more open to other beliefs. This in itself is deception and we all know that Satan is the master of that.

If anyone preaches and proclaims there are multiple ways to the father he / she is preaching a FALSE gospel and should be exposed publically and openly.