Other Beliefs Compared with Christianity
1st Internet Question: WHAT IS THE JEWISH BELIEF AS COMPARED
WITH THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?
>From a Jewish website I've determined that the Jewish belief is
as follows: A Messiah will come at the end of time and will
never die, this will be when all the Jews will receive
redemption and be united, everybody will recognize this person
as the true Messiah, all the dead will be raised up, the 3rd
Temple will be built, sacrifices will return, all will be saved,
no more sickness and death, and we will all live on this earth
in peace forever. Jesus was just an ordinary Jew and not the
Messiah becaus he died and his followers killed Jews. Being
imperfect had nothing to do with Salvation. God could accept us
as we are as long as we ask Him for His forgiveness for our
transgressions, and to do this, we don't need an intercessor.
2nd Internet Question: WHAT IS THE MUSLIM BELIEF AS COMPARED
WITH THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?
>From a Muslim website I've determined that the Muslim belief is
as follows: The Black Muslims are not true Muslims because
according to the Muslims, Mohammad is supposed to be the last
and greatest prophet that ever lived, but in the Black Muslim
religion they recognize a later prophet. The Muslims believe
that Jesus was only one of the many prophets that existed before
Mohammad. Muslim's emphasize the oneness of God as the
foundation of their religion, and surround this with a number of
regulations, such as worshipping Him at appointed times (5
times) a day, giving generously to charity once a year, fasting
for 30 days during the month appointed by Him and sometimes many
rigid restrictions for women. Muslims also believe that a
person's sin is only between God and that person and that person
has to confess that sin before God and ask for forgiveness and
promise not to do it again. Muslims do not believe in inherited
sin. They only believe in individual sins. There is no
Intercessor here. Muslims believe all Muslims will be saved, but
some would have to be purified more thouroughly in a purgatory
after they die, especially the suicide bombers. Suicide is
against the Muslim religion, but if the suicide is for the
purpose of defending one's homeland, this would be different.
All non-Muslims would never be saved, if they heard the Muslim
message and rejected it. This is especially true for the
Christians,since the Muslims believe Christians worship more
than one God.
3rd Internet Question: WHAT IS THE HINDU BELIEF AS COMPARED
WITH THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?
>From a Hindu website I've determined that the Hindu belief is as
follows: A Hindu believes that we all have an immortal soul, and
that originally we were all perfect, just as God is, and that in
some way we lost our purity and became, in effect sinners. Now
we should all strive to get this back through meditation and
yoga, but this is going to take a long time. In fact, most
likely, it will take many lifetimes. This is where reincarnation
comes in. We have to improve ourselves a little each lifetime.
In other words, when we die our immortal soul enters another
body to improve a little bit more, until we reach a point where
we can become like God again. Of course, we can always
backslide, but eventually we all will find salvation in our own
perfection. Now this belief would hold true for Hindus and
non-Hindus alike because this belief does not depend on what
another person believes.
4th Internet Question: WHAT IS THE BUDDHIST BELIEF AS COMPARED
TO THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?
>From a Buddhist website I've determined that the Buddhist belief
is as follows: The Buddhists feel that their belief is not a
religion, but a philosophy, or a way of life. Buddhists believe
that God is really an unknowable so why concern yourself about
Him. A Buddhist believes that the only time that is important is
the present, the here and now, and the future is something that
one shouldn't worry about. Just concern yourself with the
present and try to improve yourself at that point of time
through meditation and yoga. Take one step at a time and death
is only one of those steps. So only concentrate on the step
you're taking at the time. The goal of all this is to eventually
reach perfection all on your own. It's really a focus on your
way of life in the present with no concern for your life in the
future.
5th Internet Question: WHY DO SOME PEOPLE REJECT A BELIEF IN
GOD OR CHRISTIANITY ACCORDING TO SOME RESPONSES FROM SEVERAL
CHRISTIAN WEBSITES?
>From Sarah 1) What is the use of a God who never appears, or
does anything supernatural where people can all see and benefit.
2) What use is a God who watches the sparrows fall and never
catches them. 3) Why believe in a supernatural being when sooner
or later science will explain everything. 4) How can there be a
God when people are suffering, and dying, and evil people are
able to do horrible things - shouldn't a God do something to
stop it. 5) People can live good, decent, honest lives without
being attached to a religion. 6) You meet an awful lot of
so-called "Christians" who are cruel, intolerant, and
fear-ridden. Who would want to join them? 7) The three in one
idea makes no sense. 8) Wine into blood and bread into flesh
sounds like cannibalism. 9) There are so many religions in the
world - how can you be sure Christianity is the one. 10) There
are so many versions of Christianity - surely if it was real
they'd all agree.
>From others 1) "Believe in what I believe or you're going to
hell" theory. 2) Blind faith is a turnoff. 3) I have never seen
any of the extraordinary events that occurred in the Bible. 4)
Biblical contradictions. (seemingly) 5) They never met a
Christian or they have met one.
6th Internet Question: WHAT ABOUT DEVELOPING A WORLD RELIGION?
SOME RESPONSES FROM 2 CHRISTIAN WEBSITES
1) Albert says: My personal view is that it would cause even
more problems. Can you imagine the difficulties of trying to
persuade the different faiths that a World Faith would be an
advantage to all concerned. Can't see it happening myself.
2) Corbin says: This would be very difficult to do, especially
when two of the religions (Christianity snd Islam) preach
exclusivity. But the Bahai Religion is trying to do just that.
3) John Says: Yes, when all mankind has knowledge of who Jesus
is, and the followers of Jesus live up to the calling of Jesus,
there will be a one World Religion.
7th Internet Question: HOW WOULD LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS AFFECT
YOUR FAITH?
In summation, from 2 Christian websites, it seems that all feel
it wouldn't affect one's faith if it tended to be liberal,
whereas if it tended to be more conservative it could. For
example, if life were discovered on other planets, would this
mean 1) that we should send spaceships on interplanetary
missions to convert the aliens, 2) even if we did this, would
they have souls, or even be aware of a Supernatural Being, 3) if
they would be, would they be fallen creatures like us, or might
they have been able to pass their own version of the Adam and
Eve test and remained perfect, 4) if not, how would God deal
with their Salvation, 5) would they have their own
"Jesus/Savior" in the form of their own species, 6) or maybe
Jesus covers them too in that maybe an earth-based spirituality
would cover them as well and 7) is their spiritual mentality
higher or lower than ours, and how would this affect on how we
or God would deal with them.