Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish or Christian

by Stephen Bastin

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They used to call America a “Christian Nation.”  I am not sure it was ever proper to call a nation, “Christian.”  Yet Christian was the dominant belief of most Americans and there really were not any other religions represented in a significant way in America.

That is not true in the America of the 21st century.  Today you can choose any religion or just make up a new one to please your fancy.

Many people say that “one religion is as good as another” so what is the big deal?  Does it really matter what you believe or what you do?  Tolerance is supposed to be the rule for everyone.  “Live and let live,” they say.  For too long we have suffered under prejudice and persecution, religion pitted against religion, race against race, culture against culture.  Why is it that we cannot all live in peace and just get along?

First of all, let me say that living in peace does not require that we all agree about everything.  It does mean that we do not forcibly inflict our views on other people.  Living at peace does not mean that we have to repress our views lest we offend someone.  People are going to get offended no matter what you do.  You have no right to be offensive, but the Constitution does say something about Freedom of Speech!  I have the right to express my views and so does the one who disagrees with me.

Truth has nothing to fear from investigation.  Lies do.  That which is supported only by bombast and declamation has something to fear from investigation.  Truth does not.

What is the truth about all the religions in the world.  Investigation will reveal what is true and what is false.

Consider the matter of reincarnation for a moment.  There have been some famous cases of people who supposedly remembered in great detail events from former lives.  Yet if we are all reincarnated from a previous life, why do we not all have memories of those lives?  Why do children always have to be taught to read?  Where are all the reincarnated children?  Or is it just the illiterate ones that get reincarnated?

The Bible says simply, “It is appointed to man once to die, after this comes the judgment.”  You only go around once.  I suppose reincarnation may be appealing because if you don’t get it right the first time, you get another chance, and another, and another, until you finally get it right.

Then what?  Well, according to some, you get to exit the cycle.  You no longer exist.  You are swallowed up by the whole.  Nirvana.

For others there is the idea of a final judgment and then eternity, either in bliss or in torment.  Or some teach that there is bliss for some and nothingness for the rest.

What is the truth?  I’m glad you asked.  At this point let me share some differences between the true Christian religion (as taught by Jesus through his chosen witnesses, the apostles) and most of the rest.

Every religion has a philosophy that seeks to answer the important questions of life.  Why is there suffering?  What is the purpose of life?  Why am I here?  Where am I going?  The answers represent the teachings of that religion.

Ultimately the test of each religion comes when you die.  Then you will either know or you will have passed on to a great “nothingness.”

What the Christian offers is the teaching of one who came from “the other side,” returned to tell us about it and then went back to a heavenly dwelling.  That one is Jesus.  Some have compared Jesus with Buddha.  Buddha began by living a debauched life, marrying, having a child (his wife did that) and then abandoning his family, giving up his hedonistic life and searching for the answers to life’s questions.

In contrast, Jesus lived a moral life, spent three years teaching the people a deeper understanding of God and his purposes and then died on a cross.  He did not have to search for meaning because he already understood what life was about when he began teaching. Three days after he died, Jesus came back to life, and appeared to his followers over a period of 40 days.  He then ascended as they watched him leave.

The founder of every other world religion is either dead and buried or soon will be.  The founder of the Christian religion is alive!  The documents that we call the New Testament contain the proof.

Those documents have been scrutinized for centuries to escape the conclusions that they make.  The documents have survived all attacks.  The truth of what they proclaim has been substantiated.  Jesus is alive.

There are good things taught in every religion.  There are moral people who follow the Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish teachings.  That is not the issue.

The question, put simply, is, “Are you ready to face God in judgment?”

Jesus is the only Son for whom God has borne testimony.  Only Jesus gave proof of his identity with God.  Jesus fulfilled the prophecies made over a period of 1500 years concerning his coming.  He fulfilled those prophecies in his birth, his life, his ministry, his death, his resurrection and his ascension.

Other religions are interesting, but Jesus bore witness to the truth.  Only the truth can save you in eternity.  You need to listen to Jesus.  There is no other way out, no other way to God.

Let us know if we can help.