Hello Christian people,
I have been working with a lot of different people from various cultures. One thing that I really like to watch like on youtube is Christian-muslim debates etc. The one common theme that I hear coming up AGAINST Christianity is that there are too many different philosophies, denominations, Bibles etc. I am Christian 100% and I understand the differences, but do you think other faiths have a point. Like don't you think that the church should be more unified Like:
Why are there still white, black, Asian, Hispanic, and yes there are multicultural churches.
Why are there so many denominations: Baptist, southern Baptist, independent Baptist, apostolic, united Pentecostal, Pentecostal, Cogic etc.
Why are there so many different versions of the Bible?
Like do you kind of agree with individuals that this can be very confusing to someone who does NOT understand Christianity?
Just a quick note: I do understand that some churches have a larger number of a particular racial group because of music preference, traditions, styles, culture etc. Some Bibles are made to reach individuals who may have a lower or higher reading ability (like Bibles for children) and denominations can be based upon traditional preferences. I think I get it. But could any of you expand on these ideas?
Christianity developed in an extremely fractured world - of numerous and often antagonistic kingdoms, cultures, nations, languages, borders etc. Extreme intolerance of other kinds of peoples and worldview. On the contrary, the Muslim world was historically a land of strong and unified empires. The caliphates, the Ottoman Empire etc. Large, but united and uniform territories, highly centralized. Historically, equality as basic value and tolerance to people of other faith.
The Christian and Muslim faiths in themselves are different. Christianity in essence (not the teaching of Christ per se), by nature is a religion of certain limitation. As each particular version of salvation is very complicated matter, dependent on so many factors. In Islam, it's as universal and simple as it can be. Say one phrase and that's it. Then just follow the commandments as best you can. No matter who you are or what you are.
The Christian scripture is a patchwork of wide array of ideas, recorder over thousands of years by many authors from a variety of backgrounds, in several languages and in different contexts. Even the gospels present more or less different versions of what Jesus did and said. The teaching of Jesus in most cases is highly metaphorical. Therefore, the Bible creates infinite possibility for interpretations, sometimes most wildest. As for Islam, the Quran is a product of one man's preaching during his second half of life. It contains a clear and simple message reiterated many times, in one language, in a single style and one context. The essential theology is explained directly and leaves very few doubts as to the biggest questions of man.
Starting from the Roman emperor Constantine, Christianity was shamelessly accepted by rulers and governments as a mere tool to "divide, conquer and subject". Islam was a declaration of supreme authority, to which even the prophets and kings must humbly submit. The Muslim states were built on the backbone of Islamic ideology from the start. In other words, historically, Christianity became a slave to governments, as for Islam, it has been the undisputed holy sacred master of governments.
Despite any ideological differences inside Islam, it has a few foundational and unifying factors. One book, the pilgrimage to the same holy sites, same way of salvation, one basic theology, one method of worship etc. Therefore, the differences in most cases can be disregarded and do not constitute the basis for complete antagonism, as the case in Christianity. There is nothing that unifies Christians at all, not even the figure of Jesus Christ so much. They are different on all planes imaginable. They argue and disagree on just about anything. Oftentimes, denominations on deep analysis prove to be completely separate religions with very few things in common.
The modern-day Christianity (not the teaching of the true Christ) has become a collection of a large number of social, economic, political clubs. It went far astray from its founder's purpose and vision. Islam is still very much a faith as it was intended to be. Faith of a Muslim is clear, strong and sincere. Christians, as a rule, are confused and superficial, if not hypocritical.
In the Christian world today, the prevailing humanistic and materialistic (if not atheistic) ideology has become the de-facto ruling ideology. "Science". and "human rights" are its new god. Christianity exists mostly as an anachronism, being pushed into a limited area of people's thoughts, emotions and deeds. In the Muslim world, Islam is still everything. It encompasses all aspects of life, permeates deep into the soul and the external manifestations of life. Christians prefer the god of humanism where it contradicts Christianity. Muslims prefer the tenets of Islam, where it contradicts the Western humanistic ideas.
