Evidence for God from Science

How are you certain that Christianity is right and thousands of other religions are wrong? Have you ever considered other religions?

Part of the certainty comes from considering the claims of other religions and finding them to be wanting.
Much of the certainty comes from considering the claims of Christianity and finding them to have a high level of integrity, rationality, consistency, and substantial truth.
To believe the claims of Christianity does not require that you drop 30 IQ points, abandon your brain, and accept some kind of senseless empty faith. Indeed, given the substantial amount of excellent "apologia" for Christianity, it could be said that perhaps the most intelligent response to the claims of Christianity is in fact to believe them.

Christianity was the name assigned by the Romans in Antioch whom were NOT believers.

The underlying lesson the bible keeps coming back to is
Love each other.

John 15:17
This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus commanded that we love instead of hate, and what is more he showed us how, but too many of us are too blind to see.

The latin Bible translator, and biblical scholar Jerome, said that Church tradition said that, when John, son of Zebadee and brother of James was an old man, his disciples would carry him to church in their arms.
He would simply say, “Little children, love one another”
After a time his disciples wearied at always hearing these same words and asked “Master why do you always say this?
He replied, “it is the Lords command, and if done, it is enough”

All teachings of the bible are important, but they all lead to this one.
If only we could master this one commandment .

John 15:12-17

12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

When I meet Jesus, the one thing I hope to hear him say is welcome friend.

Judah wrote:Part of the certainty comes from considering the claims of other religions and finding them to be wanting.
Much of the certainty comes from considering the claims of Christianity and finding them to have a high level of integrity, rationality, consistency, and substantial truth.
To believe the claims of Christianity does not require that you drop 30 IQ points, abandon your brain, and accept some kind of senseless empty faith. Indeed, given the substantial amount of excellent "apologia" for Christianity, it could be said that perhaps the most intelligent response to the claims of Christianity is in fact to believe them.

Well, I never said that someone had to be a moron to be Christian. But you still didn't answer my question. Why is christianity the correct religion while muslims, jews, hidus, buddhists, etc are wrong? What makes you believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you chose the correct religion?

Deborah wrote:Christianity was the name assigned by the Romans in Antioch whom were NOT believers.

The underlying lesson the bible keeps coming back to is
Love each other.

John 15:17
This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus commanded that we love instead of hate, and what is more he showed us how, but too many of us are too blind to see.

The latin Bible translator, and biblical scholar Jerome, said that Church tradition said that, when John, son of Zebadee and brother of James was an old man, his disciples would carry him to church in their arms.
He would simply say, “Little children, love one another”
After a time his disciples wearied at always hearing these same words and asked “Master why do you always say this?
He replied, “it is the Lords command, and if done, it is enough”

All teachings of the bible are important, but they all lead to this one.
If only we could master this one commandment .

John 15:12-17

12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

When I meet Jesus, the one thing I hope to hear him say is welcome friend.

I'm not sure what any of this has to do with why christianity is the correct religion. I am very familar with Christianity, I don't need a lesson.

Wrong the world needs a lesson including christians!
We are all guilty of hate every last one of us!
the lesson is love and nothing more!

christianity may not be the right religion
I don't beleive in religion I believe in faith.
But jesus taught us to love no matter what was done to us.


The way I see it every single religion is hateful and intolerant, yet the teachings of Jesus are not. jesus was not a christian he was a Jew.
Faith has not changed, jesus came to bring us back to the correct way of life. that we should learn to love as the LORD God loves us, unconditionally.

Want to look at it another way.

one religions God demands we sacrifice our sons for him.
but the God that I love and believe in sacrificed his own son for us.

Is Christianity right, not the way you think! Romans named the disciples Christians! The Romans did not believe or know Jesus or his father.
So why do we the Children of God except the name given to us by unbelievers?

is christianity right when they now allow gay priests in their churches.
This is clearly against GOD!
Christians worship idols, again against the word of god.
Christians lie, cheat, and I don't want to go on!
Christian Churches gather much wealth while so many of their own people and others suffer, again against the word of god.
We are warned if we break one commandment we break them all, and we are not children of god! But the LORD God in his wisdom and with love has offered a plan, but we MUST learn to LOVE not hate!
and that have nothing at all to do with Christianity, which was a name given to the disiples by ROMAN UNBELIEVERS who did not know Jesus or God!

Am I hard on Christian churches, yes i am but no harder than I am on myself.

I believe the underlying claim behind your question is invalid. Can you please show us that your underlying premise is valid, that is, a Christian must know all religions in order to be justified that their Christian beliefs are true?

As for why I believe. Well why do people believe anything their experiences and intuitions tell them? Because if they didn't make a decision to accept such things despite not being able to prove them true beyond all doubt, then they would rightly end up insane. Now my experience of God and intuitions may be why I am accepting of Christianity, but then I also see a very good rational case can be made for accepting Christ's teachings.

Kurieuo

Kurieuo wrote:I believe the underlying claim behind your question is invalid. Can you please show us that your underlying premise is valid, that is, a Christian must know all religions in order to be justified that their Christian beliefs are true?

Kurieuo

Well, a Christian wouldn't have to know about all religions. My question is mostly theoretical and was meant to inspire thought. But, I do think it's important to at least look at the beliefs of other religions. Obviously not all of them because there are too many. The main reason for my question is that so many Christians are certain that their religion is right and all other religions are completely wrong. So I guess my question is, of all the monotheistic religions (mainly jeudism, muslim, deist) what has made you decide that Christianity is correct? You could say it's because the New Testiment says so.....but there are other religious texts that say otherwise. The Quran, for instance, claims that Jesus was just a prophet, not Christ.

I added a bit more to my post before you posted, but to respond to a further comment in your reply...

LV_Designs wrote:The main reason for my question is that so many Christians are certain that their religion is right and all other religions are completely wrong.

I wouldn't say this is true. When a Christian claims another religion is false, I know with myself that I am not saying that everything within that other religion is wrong. Rather I asserting that those beliefs which are incompatible with my core Christian beliefs (e.g., a personal and righteous God's existence, Christ's divinity, Christ's death and resurrection, etc) are wrong, since of course the law of non-contradiction which isn't necessarily politically correct requires this.

Kurieuo

Kurieuo wrote:I added a bit more to my post before you posted, but to respond to a further comment in your reply...

LV_Designs wrote:The main reason for my question is that so many Christians are certain that their religion is right and all other religions are completely wrong.

I wouldn't say this is true. When a Christian claims another religion is false, I know with myself that I am not saying that everything within that other religion is wrong. Rather I asserting that those beliefs which are incompatible with my core Christian beliefs (e.g., a personal and righteous God's existence, Christ's divinity, Christ's death and resurrection, etc) are wrong, since of course the law of non-contradiction which isn't necessarily politically correct requires this.

Kurieuo

This slightly off topic, however in line with your response. I think it's safe to say that the main difference between Christians and Jews and Muslims is their idea of what jesus was. But the bible says that you have to accept christ as the savior in order to be forgiven of sins and go do heaven. Do you think this means that Jews and Muslims go to hell, even though they may otherwise be good people according biblical standards.

LV_Designs wrote:This slightly off topic, however in line with your response. I think it's safe to say that the main difference between Christians and Jews and Muslims is their idea of what jesus was. But the bible says that you have to accept christ as the savior in order to be forgiven of sins and go do heaven.

I disagree. I read that the Bible says we are all forgiven of our sins regardless of accepting Christ. Yet, that forgiveness which has already happened thanks to Christ, still remains to be received and experienced by those who are not aware to it, can't accept it, or who are running away from God. There is a good article I've quoted previously for others which you may want to read that clarifys this issue further (see Is Forgiveness Conditional OR Unconditional?).

LV_Designs wrote:Do you think this means that Jews and Muslims go to hell, even though they may otherwise be good people according biblical standards.

An underlying implication I detect in this question is that Christianity is somehow unfair? Yet, I have some comments. The first being that God will be judge of all, and even many Muslims and Jews would agree with this. My second comment is that if anyone is truly "good" then I have no hesitation in saying that such will receive eternal life with God. But Christ said only God is good, and if this is true, then we have a problem if God is good and we aren't compatible with His goodness.

Now consider an analogy of two clubs. The first club says people can only come if they have earned membership. To earn membership one must obtain superior wisdom, fulfill a long list of demands, or acheive a certain level of spirituality. Despite the best efforts of many, a lot of people aren't going to gain membership and will be excluded. That is generally what all other religions besides Christianity teach. You must do something to earn your way to God—or to being "God".

On the other hand, the second club says anyone who wants to come in can because Jesus has already paid for your membership. Regardless of ethnic heritage, where you live, or your past history... the doors are open and anyone can come in. Entry is not based on qualifications, but only on fairly accepting Christ's gracious gift. What could be fairer? The matter is left up to each of us to decide.

Kurieuo

LV_Designs wrote: Well, I never said that someone had to be a moron to be Christian. But you still didn't answer my question. Why is christianity the correct religion while muslims, jews, hidus, buddhists, etc are wrong? What makes you believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you chose the correct religion?

I did answer your question broadly with my response that... "Much of the certainty comes from considering the claims of Christianity and finding them to have a high level of integrity, rationality, consistency, and substantial truth."
I also referred to the presence of the substantial amount of of excellent apologia for Christianity.
But it is true that I did not go into detail about why I believe Christianity correct and all other religions are wrong.

I spent numerous years as an agnostic and only 2 years ago accepted the truth of Christianity. Before doing so I read a lot of the apologia that is available, and gave much thought to the arguments this way and that. My decision was no idle ill-considered one.

One of the key things for me was the solution God offered for the problem of humankind's "moral guilt".
There is an excellent chapter in C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity on this subject, and it was during my reading of this chapter that everything began to take shape for me.
I had already been presented with the argument concerning Jesus - that he could not be just a good moral teacher as that option was not available. He claimed "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) so he was either a liar (therefore not a good moral teacher), psychotically delusional, or just plain right.
His life and teachings did not fit the picture of Him being psychotically delusional, so basically I was left with the seemingly outrageous idea that he is exactly who He said He is.
Then there was that most arrogant sounding statement "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) to get my head around as well. It was either utterly outrageous... or true.
What finally did it for me was a very special dream that I had, and I awoke from it knowing without a doubt that Jesus is indeed who He claimed to be, that He is the solution to the problem of humankind's moral guilt before a holy righteous God, and for me there was no going back after that. I have written more about my faith on this page of my website, and also on the thread on this forum where folks have shared their testimonies.

I agree with Kurieuo that it is not a case of every other religion being completely wrong, but no other religion that I know about has such a perfect solution to mankind's sinful nature plus the resultant restoration of our relationship with a holy and righteous loving Father God. I do like the club analogy. Must remember that one!

I hope that is a better answer, LV_Designs. My previous one was rather abbreviated.

Deborah wrote:Wrong the world needs a lesson including christians!

the lesson is love and nothing more!

The way I see it every single religion is hateful and intolerant, yet the teachings of Jesus are not. jesus was not a christian he was a Jew.
Faith has not changed, jesus came to bring us back to the correct way of life. that we should learn to love as the LORD God loves us, unconditionally.

LV_Designs wrote:But the bible says that you have to accept christ as the savior in order to be forgiven of sins and go do heaven. Do you think this means that Jews and Muslims go to hell, even though they may otherwise be good people according biblical standards.

You seem to be an intelligent individual, there is nothing which says you must conform to one relegion or another. I am sure you've read great books from Chaucer, Steinbeck, Kant, Einstein, Swift, etc... And I am sure you have learned from and respect the works of these great men. Regardless of you being a Christian or not. I will tell you that the lessons of Jesus are at least equal to those aformentioned men.

Love one another, first.

LV_Designs, you seem to be saying that only Christians say they are right...but any claims of truth always bring along the underlying statement that all claims of truth that contradicts your own are wrong.

Atheists say there is no God, which is saying everyone else is wrong.
Muslims say God is not a Trinity, meaning Christianity and all polytheistic/pantheistic/atheistic religions are wrong.
Hinduism says that God is everything (pantheism), meaning all claims that are made that say God is separate from His creation, or God does not exist, are wrong.

http://www.reasons.org/resources/multimedia/interview/

These are some tests that Dr. Fazale Rana states:

1.Is the religion self-consistent? Does the law of non-contradiction apply? Are there contradictions?
2.Is the religious factual? Does it confirm to what we know to be true? Can we compare historical statements to historical studies?
3.If there are scientific statements in a religious holy book, do those statements match with reality?
4.Is the religion livable? Can you live your life according to the religion?

And Christianity fits with all of these.

Let's just wave off some religions shall wel...

Islam has an army of contradictions. http://www.touchet1611.org/KoranContradictions.html

Hinduism doesn't make sense because the Big Bang contradicts it-because you have the creation of all matter and energy at the Big Bang...and as their god IS the universe...you have god making himself, doesn't make sense. Also with Hinduism, this life is where you are punished for what you did wrong in the life before...so, what what were you being punished for in your FIRST life?

Now Buddhism, let's look at the law of karma-http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/freenet/root ... arma2.html
It doesn't make any sense! You run into an infinite causual regression..."this is caused by this previous act, which is caused by this previous act...etc, etc"-which means there was no FIRST event-because it would have been caused by SOMETHING else. But an infinite causal regression is impossible.

And, atheism...well, science contradicts its basic doctrine of evolution! Cambrian explosion (should) destroy the religion.

Kurieuo wrote:

LV_Designs wrote:Do you think this means that Jews and Muslims go to hell, even though they may otherwise be good people according biblical standards.

An underlying implication I detect in this question is that Christianity is somehow unfair?

I wouldn't call Christianity "unfair" but is fairness equated with truth? I read the article you posted. I can understand it saying that Atheists will face judgement, that's a given in this case. I think I'd be kinda pissed too if someone told me I don't exist. The article talked about God generically but was obviously implying the Christian God. There are people who believe in other versions of a monotheistic god, as well as those who believe is many gods. Some people believe in God but don't ascribe to a particular religion. Even some Buddhists believe in a god. Although the article did a good job in making it's point, it seemed to exclude anyone who was not raised as a Christian. If you were raised in a religion that worshiped a god, but not necessarily the Christian God, wouldn't you find asking for forgiveness from the Christian God slightly odd. You would think that your religion is right. This other religions that believes in some sort of monotheistic entity could easily have a loving god who can grant forgiveness without having to sacrifice himself to him self. This is essentially what happened God send Jesus (who is also God) to suffer for sins on the cross. Why was this necessary? It would be pretty simple for a powerful being such as God to simply forgive. You could say it is because he wanted only those who believe in him to receive forgiveness. But this would require that anyone who is to be forgiven accept Jesus as the savior. Look at the story from an outsider's perspective. Outside of the bible Jesus isn't mentioned as a savior. There are a couple other texts, such as the Quran, which view him as a prophet. Going even further, as far as I can fine, there are no records of Jesus in Roman crucifixion records or any other secular records. The idea of why God, being all powerful, would have to send Jesus to earth, perplexes me. Why did God create a world where forgiveness would be necessary in the first place? Ya, I know it's supposedly because man is sinful and Satan encourages man to act sinfully. But, an all powerful God would have known that man would be sinful when he started life. It's like allowing your child to run around in the mud then getting mad at him because he is dirty. You didn't necessarily tell him it was okay to run in the mud, but you allowed him to go where you knew he would get dirty. This seems to be what God did. He created an existence where getting "dirty" is inevitable, then gets upset when we get "dirty."