What makes Christianity special?

stevewv said:

I thought the OP was about what makes Christianity different to other religions not bagging it. What has that got to do with the OP. That is more to do with doctrine than differences between religions. That has already been addressed in another forum and should be left for that one.

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I'm just pointing out that the God-breathed scriptures support infanticide in certain situations. That probably makes Judaism and Christianity unique. Islam has its fair share of evil though, so I'm not sure one is worse than the other (historically... obviously Islam is a greater force of evil in the world today).

alien444 said:

It's a silly idea isn't. Unfortunately, Ken Hamm (who is becoming one of the most recognizable Christians in America) has a museum 2 hours from my house that teaches children that dinosaurs and humans did in fact live together. I guess in that way, Christianity does offer something not available in other religions or the secular worldview, The Flintstones as Science.

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You do not understand. That is not the reason of what I suggested. Even though, the Bible still provides a base to make Ken say that, whether you agree or not. Other religions DO NOT provide anything for that kind of answer.

Even dinosaur and human lived together, dinosaurs still "should not" be an animal to work in the farm. This is suggested in the Bible.

The Bible has so much wonderful messages and answers. That makes the Christianity a bulletproof religion.

Don't miss the chance, make your shot and I will show you what you do not know about the Christianity.

stevevw said:

There is also the point that God says he is the only God and there are no others before Him. Jesus says that he is the way the truth and the life and no one can come to God except through him. So God and Jesus are being clear that there is no other God or way. I think most other religions dont say that and allow other Gods and some have many Gods within their own religion like Hindu.

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The only thing here that's unique to Christianity is the idea that Jesus is the Son of God. There are multiple Abrahamic religions.

Cearbhall said:

The only thing here that's unique to Christianity is the idea that Jesus is the Son of God.

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Most of the characteristics of Jesus aren't particularly unique either. Previous deities actually have stories about walking on water, being resurrected after three days, healing people, etc.

stevevw said:

...
As to the second point, Christianity is not a religious system, but a relationship with God, one that He initiated and maintains.

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Should the churches then lose their tax exemption, and the money collected to date returned?

alien444 said:

Is there anything that Christians do that non-Christians do not do that makes them a more moral individual?

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No

Even more specifically, is Jesus credited with creating any moral precept that was not already thought to be important for humanity?

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"thought to be important for humanity" by who? Why are you using passive voice?

Christianity is special among the world's religion because,

It has opened it's doors to everyone.

Doesn't require members to conform to a highly structured ritualistic format.

We are even allowed to pray while hanging upside down in a well, for example. (From, "The prayin'st prayer I ever prayed".)

alien444 said:

If Christianity is the one true religion of the one true God, and the perfect philosophy by which to lead one's life; then it should certainly contain a uniqueness that could not be found in other religions or a secular view of the universe.

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The only truly unique claim that Christianity makes is that 'God exists and Jesus came as the Incarnate God who died and was resurrected."

Everything else can probably be found, in some form or another, in some religion or philosophy.

Can anyone name one moral precept, ethical statement, principle, or value that is not present in any other religion or secular worldview?

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No. What's your point?

Is there anything that Christians do that non-Christians do not do that makes them a more moral individual?

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Not generally.

Even more specifically, is Jesus credited with creating any moral precept that was not already thought to be important for humanity?

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Not that I can think of.

Jesus didn't really talk about morality on a philosophical level all that often. He didn't really like money and he didn't really like the Pharisees. Those seemed to be his main talking points.

leftrightleftrightleft said:

The only truly unique claim that Christianity makes is that 'God exists and Jesus came as the Incarnate God who died and was resurrected.".

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Actually, ancient Egyptian religion had a god like that.

alien444 said:

If Christianity is the one true religion of the one true God, and the perfect philosophy by which to lead one's life; then it should certainly contain a uniqueness that could not be found in other religions or a secular view of the universe.

Can anyone name one moral precept, ethical statement, principle, or value that is not present in any other religion or secular worldview?

Is there anything that Christians do that non-Christians do not do that makes them a more moral individual?

Even more specifically, is Jesus credited with creating any moral precept that was not already thought to be important for humanity?

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What makes Christianity unique is that Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead in order to save us. Christ offers salvation through his own death to those who believe in Him. Those people who have faith (belief) enter into a covenant of grace (not works), that was put into effect upon the death of Christ.

I Cor. 15:13-17
"If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins."

Hebrews 9:15-18
"For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood."

OldWiseGuy said:

Christianity is special among the world's religion because,

It has opened it's doors to everyone.

Doesn't require members to conform to a highly structured ritualistic format.

We are even allowed to pray while hanging upside down in a well, for example. (From, "The prayin'st prayer I ever prayed".)

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FYI, so is Buddhism, at least.

leftrightleftrightleft said:

The only truly unique claim that Christianity makes is that 'God exists and Jesus came as the Incarnate God who died and was resurrected."

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PsychoSarah said:

Actually, ancient Egyptian religion had a god like that.

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Really? Can you provide a citation to a reliable source to back up this claim?

BlueLightningTN said:

I'm just pointing out that the God-breathed scriptures support infanticide in certain situations. That probably makes Judaism and Christianity unique. Islam has its fair share of evil though, so I'm not sure one is worse than the other (historically... obviously Islam is a greater force of evil in the world today).

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But we went through this for several posts on another forum and i and others answered this. This is not doctrine and teaching nothing. It is not instructional but a expression of someone who is in anguish about having their own loved ones taken and their life destroyed. You keep attributing God to it and blaming him so you must have some reason for doing so.

You obviously didn't believe what was said. If you choose to believe in a God of hate then that is your choice but there is overwhelming support that God loves us as pointed out earlier. As i said before why would God harbor two distinct and separate traits at the same time. Where there is love there cannot be hate and where there is evil there cannot be righteousness. The two cannot live in the same house and one defeats the other. This is what God has said about the little ones so which do you believe.

Matthew 18:10
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)

Luke 18:16
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

1 Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

And this is Gods Love.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.


Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

stevevw said:

As i said before why would God harbor two distinct and separate traits at the same time.

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Because your god-concept is contradictory and thus totally unjustifiable?

PsychoSarah said:

Yay, a religion of learned helplessness. because that is so appealing.

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Now you're getting it!

AlexBP said:

Really? Can you provide a citation to a reliable source to back up this claim?

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You're justified in asking for a source, of course, but the myth of Osiris would be considered common knowledge by some:
The Legend Of Osiris.

Pregnancy-by-deity isn't unique to Christianity, either.

Gadarene said:

Because your god-concept is contradictory and thus totally unjustifiable?

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By George I think some of you are getting it! Faith in God is not rational! It's faith! It's nuts! Praise God!

Of the other world religions.

Buddhism. Buddha was not a God. Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'.

Hinduism. [FONT=&quot]Hinduism's tolerance to variations in belief and its broad range of traditions make it difficult to define as a religion. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Some academics suggest that Hinduism can be seen as a category with "fuzzy edges" rather than as a well-defined and rigid entity.[/FONT]
Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings.


Islam. They believe in the Abraham God as do Christians. But they dont believe Christ is the son of God. They believe he was just a prophet. They believe Mohammad was the final prophet of Allah. Mohammad was not a God. Muslims believe the Sunnah is the practical example of Prophet Muhammad and that there are five basic Pillars of Islam. These pillars are the declaration of faith, praying five times a day, giving money to charity, fasting and a pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once).


There are many differences between being a Christian and being religious. Most religions consist of rules of conduct, what you can and can’t do, and even what you can and can’t eat or drink. Jesus gave his followers only one rule to follow: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) Christianity is all about loving God and loving people. Christianity has a living and loving relationship with God and a person is born again and becomes a new person being guided by the spirit of God (the holy spirit).

Of the other world religions.

Buddhism. Buddha was not a God. Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'.

Hinduism. [FONT=&quot]Hinduism's tolerance to variations in belief and its broad range of traditions make it difficult to define as a religion. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Some academics suggest that Hinduism can be seen as a category with "fuzzy edges" rather than as a well-defined and rigid entity.[/FONT]
Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings.


Islam. They believe in the Abraham God as do Christians. But they dont believe Christ is the son of God. They believe he was just a prophet. They believe Mohammad was the final prophet of Allah. Mohammad was not a God. Muslims believe the Sunnah is the practical example of Prophet Muhammad and that there are five basic Pillars of Islam. These pillars are the declaration of faith, praying five times a day, giving money to charity, fasting and a pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once).


There are many differences between being a Christian and being religious. Most religions consist of rules of conduct, what you can and can’t do, and even what you can and can’t eat or drink. Jesus gave his followers only one rule to follow: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) Christianity is all about loving God and loving people. Christianity has a living and loving relationship with God and a person is born again and becomes a new person being guided by the spirit of God (the holy spirit).