Not knowing with religion is true

Monk Brendan said:

Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Mahomet's body rots in his grave in Medina (I think it is there) as an image of what's happening to his soul in hell, if he died without repentance.

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Yes the blunt truth of the Gospel as delivered by the Apostles. Thank you good Monk.

MyGivenNameIsKeith said:

To paraphrase an old preacher of mine, Dr. John Rawlings, he said there are only two religions. There isn't many, only two. There isn't Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sekhism, Buddhism, and the like. Only two, the religion of Jesus Christ, and the religion of the devil.

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And one can find this truth in Paul’s epistle to the Galatians. All of it.

Kota said:

Muslims tell me I am going to hell for being a christian.

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Saved, ex-Muslims aren't telling you that.

Kota said:

I don’t know what religion is true anymore. I’ve been a strong Christian for a while and start reading things about Islam. They claim they are the only way. They say the Bible is corrupted. I just don’t know what to do. Is Christianity the true religion or Islam? Can you help me. I’m still believing and praying to God, I’m just not knowing whether the Bible or the Quran is true, just religion in general. I don’t want to follow the wrong religion.

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I came from a strong Christian background , Christian family and school and was then surprised by a world that was massively different from my upbringing. So I really understand why someone would ask the question , how do I know that my religion is true. It took me a long time to work through all the questions doing a PhD on an atheist thinker, running university discussion groups and Alpha course, as a religious education teacher teaching all 6 major religions. So I get where you are coming from.

First thing to say is that Christianity and Islam cannot both be true. The claims made by each are too fundamentally opposed. So you really have to make a choice between the two. So for example the angel Gabriel in Islam brings the message to Mohammed. It is a message that expressly denies that Jesus is the Son of God. But in the Christian gospels he is the angel that comes to Mary and tells her "So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God". Both claims cannot be true
Muslims also deny that Christ died on the cross - so they can offer no assurance of forgiveness of sins.

Reasons why Christianity is the superior choice:

1) SALVATION: The Muslims have no clear way in which a person can gain assurance of heaven. Christians can say Jesus died for them and they are forgiven. So on the basis of what God has done clearly in history we are saved. In practice Muslims try and earn their salvation and most that I know have no assurance that they have done enough to get redeemed. They live in fear of hell and there is a violence and restlessness in their souls because they lack the peace that God gives. They will tell you Allah is merciful and forgiving but they cannot offer proof of that in the way Christians do when they point to the cross.

2) FRUIT: The Christian church is larger, more geographically spread and has been more positively transformative of societies around the world. The quality of life of people in Europe compared to people in the Middle East being an example. In most ways that are humanly measurable Islam has failed and that is why people are trying to get out of Muslim countries and why very few want to emigrate to them.

3) WARS: Ever since its birth Muslim societies have been characterised by violence. They work by intimidation to secure believers and to make sure that people do not stray. As a result Muslims societies are amongst the most oppressive on earth and are continually engaged in warfare. Between Shia and Sunni, between Sunni and Sunni and with others also.

4) TESTING: ON examination the Quran and Haddith are very much bound to the Arab culture. For example Mohammed married a 10 year old Aisha which by anyone elses standards is child abuse. The Qurans view on the Trinity is a false one that relates to a heresy in the Arab region. The Quran implies that the Christian Trinity is Father, Son and Mary which is just false or a local Arab reaction to a local Arab heresy. Either way it is hard to view the Quran as Gods word when it gets this wrong or is merely contextual to Arab culture.

5) CONTRADICTS SCRIPTURE:
The Quran contradicts scripture and borrows and distorts stories from it. Its best bits are actually borrowed from Christian literature already in circulation. The Muslims say the bible got corrupted but we have a variety of texts going back to within a generation of writing which contradict this view. We also have evidence e.g. the manuscript at Sana that the Quran itself has been extensively changed since the days of Mohammed.

Anyway I hope that will do for starters. Go look on the religious debate section, filter by Islam to get more information on this.

Kota said:

I don’t know what religion is true anymore. I’ve been a strong Christian for a while and start reading things about Islam. They claim they are the only way. They say the Bible is corrupted. I just don’t know what to do. Is Christianity the true religion or Islam? Can you help me. I’m still believing and praying to God, I’m just not knowing whether the Bible or the Quran is true, just religion in general. I don’t want to follow the wrong religion.

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Kota,

You have asked some critical questions here. How do you know Christianity is the true 'religion' and the only way to eternal life?

Why don't you start with a listen to this article by leading Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias: 'How could an all-powerful, all-loving God allow evil to exist?'
How do you decide which moral actions are right or wrong?

Why don't you listen to Ravi Zacharias's answer to your very question: 'How do you know Christianity is the one true worldview?'

Particularly note his answers about:

1. Origin
2. Meaning
3. Morality
4. Destiny

There are critical differences among worldviews in dealing with these 4 aspects of humanity. Note which ones are coherent and not contradictory.

Blessings,
Oz

If you feel unsure, read the Bible and get your answers.

What is good and positive in Islam/Koran??? Radical Muslims are killing in the name of Allah, the Koran is giving them all a wrong picture and ideologue of the world and values. Women are nothing worth beside being good enough to take care of the kids, especially of the girls and serving the men.

I have been spending almost one year in Algeria and had some shocking conversations with an strong believer and follower of the Koran. I can say I was really shocked.

I can not understand why Christians leaving the love of God and following someone who´s interest is only to kill and destroy all who are not willing to follow blind an brutal and egoistic "God".

I am afraid, we are again in an holy war between Christians and Moslem, just not on horses but attacked by Terrorists and with Bombs.

In the name for Humanity and Love and Peace, stay Christian and pray to the Lord.

eleos1954 said:

Study Gods Holy Word yourself, it takes some time but everything will start coming into focus. Pray to received the Holy Spirit. Always pray and ask for guidance before studying God Word.

Be Blessed.

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eleos,

The Bible is a LARGE book to study to 'start coming into focus'. Kota is asking why he should continue reading the Bible and not turn to the Qur'an.

Why not turn to these other 'sacred' books associated with these religions?

• Baha'i: The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys

• Buddhism: Tipitaka

• Hinduism: The Vedas and The Upanishads

• Islam: The Quran and The Hadiths

• Jainism: The Agamas

• Judaism: The Tanakh and The Talmud

• Shintoism: Kojiki

• Sikhism: Guru Granth Sahib

• Taoism: Dao De Jing

• Wicca: The Book of Shadows

• Zoroastrianism: The Avesta

And I haven't dealt with the beliefs of atheism, humanism, postmodernism, rationalism, New Age, paganism, etc.

Oz

OzSpen said:

eleos,

The Bible is a LARGE book to study to 'start coming into focus'. Kota is asking why he should continue reading the Bible and not turn to the Qur'an.

Why not turn to these other 'sacred' books associated with these religions?

• Baha'i: The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys

• Buddhism: Tipitaka

• Hinduism: The Vedas and The Upanishads

• Islam: The Quran and The Hadiths

• Jainism: The Agamas

• Judaism: The Tanakh and The Talmud

• Shintoism: Kojiki

• Sikhism: Guru Granth Sahib

• Taoism: Dao De Jing

• Wicca: The Book of Shadows

• Zoroastrianism: The Avesta

And I haven't dealt with the beliefs of atheism, humanism, postmodernism, rationalism, New Age, paganism, etc.

Oz

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You start with the best and most influential across the widest range of cultures and times and then work your way down. Christianity is the religion to beat and the rest of these are also rans.

There are filters you can apply to eliminate many of this list as irrelevant from goto. For example Hinduism is mainly for Indians, Sikhism for those from the Punjab, Judaism for Jews. If you are none of these then why bother with these religions. The truly universal missionary religions with a message for all mankind are Christianity and Islam which are also the two largest.

If you believe there is only One God then that narrows the choice.

If you believe there should be some degree of historical credibility to the claims of a religion then that eliminates most Eastern religions for whom that is mainly not important

Kota said:

I’m just not knowing whether the Bible or the Quran is true

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This should settle the isssue for you with regards to the Koran.

As far as the Bible is concerned, just read it.

Naturally, Muslims will believe that a Christian is going to hell and vice versa. They think we are polytheists based on a misunderstanding of the Trinity and deny the divinity, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. We, on the other hand, see Islam as a "works religion" where one's salvation is based on one's own good works and one that offers-like all works religions-no solution for sin.

Jason0047 said:

I did with my blogger article. There is plenty of Scripture in there and links that refer to the Word and Jesus. Also, my words are in line with what God's Word says unless of course you don't believe Jesus died for us and He had risen from the dead. Also, why are you arguing with me? We should help him and not argue with each other. We as believers have to love each other.

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Arguing is his nature. He quoted nearly every comment on this thread.

longwait said:

Arguing is his nature. He quoted nearly every comment on this thread.

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Truth and understanding is in my nature. I ask the questions I feel would help the general reader. If there is a confusing response, or one that could be used by the opposition..I question it to get a better response for those who would have questions.

Although my comments aren't as informative or helpful as this comment you just made, there may be one who found them helpful....one who had the same question and desired have an answer....and if there was one, it was worth it..

I do agree as well that asking questions is considered arguing here on this site....it is something that Im learning and trying to avoid.

Thanks for the friendly comment.

Kota said:

The Muslims all over the place tell me that the Quran reveals the truth of allah. They say the Quran is all that is needed to know if Islam is true. It still makes me doubt my beliefs. They tell me to change and read the Quran before I die.

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They are lying. Don't believe them. The Bible is the Word of God and not the Quran. We know this because (like I said), there are many evidences that back up the Bible and Jesus is the only one who died for you and your sins. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Kota said:

They say the Bible is corrupted.

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In what way? How is it that "they" know that the bible is corrupted?

RaymondG said:

There were quite a few slayings in the name of God in the bible.....Which has me confused as to why we look down on other religions that do so.

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In my post I note that the Bible condemns Christians if they do those things too. The scriptures holds a single standard and the crimes committed under the banner of the cross are found to be condemned in scripture and can be labeled false teachers and prophets by hold to scriptural authority.

Kota said:

I don’t know what religion is true anymore. I’ve been a strong Christian for a while and start reading things about Islam. They claim they are the only way. They say the Bible is corrupted. I just don’t know what to do. Is Christianity the true religion or Islam? Can you help me. I’m still believing and praying to God, I’m just not knowing whether the Bible or the Quran is true, just religion in general. I don’t want to follow the wrong religion.

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Practically nothing has changed in the Bible if we compare our Bibles with the earliest manuscripts. How and when was then the Bible corrupted? The quran came 600 (?) years after the new testament, and they took some of the OT stories and put them in their holy book. What they did was change the name of the Bible characters.

If it was the other way arround that the Bible took stories from the quran, then I would also be concerned about this issue. But as it is, I see no reason to believe that the quran is true, since it has changed biblical stories written much earlier.

Kota said:

I don’t know what religion is true anymore. I’ve been a strong Christian for a while and start reading things about Islam. They claim they are the only way. They say the Bible is corrupted. I just don’t know what to do. Is Christianity the true religion or Islam? Can you help me. I’m still believing and praying to God, I’m just not knowing whether the Bible or the Quran is true, just religion in general. I don’t want to follow the wrong religion.

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No religion is true. If you think Christianity is a religion, then you don't know Christ.

@Radagast
Hail Lord or the Rings fan. I, too, love Tolkien's masterpiece.

Islam's claim that the bible has been corrupt, is echoed by another false religion: Mormonism.

The only way to make this claim though is to be in possession of the original bible so as to compare and thus know the corruption. And neither Islam or Mormonism are in possession of the original bible, thus it is not logically possible for either to make this claim.

To get around this, both false religions have a holy book written by a single founder, both given by the testimony of an angel, with no witnesses to the drafting. They then claim that this new book is the standard by which the former is judged. This is dangerous reasoning because then someone else can make the same claim a hundred years from now, with another new holy book, invalidating all the others that came before it. The growth of false religions from that point on is boundless.

This then is the fundamental flaw of both Islam and Mormonism: they remove the rug from their feet and are left with nothing to stand on, and therefore have nothing to protect them from another similar claim against them.

Whereas the Torah (Hebrew bible) was given to Moses in the sight of all Israel, by G-d himself from Heaven, and whose many copies we have today are all in agreement and exact down to the very letter. 504,804 letters each to be exact (else it's not a legit copy and is either corrected or buried).

Islam and Mormonism can claim that these copies are all corrupt, but without evidence (such as holding an original source) to back up their claim, it's a totally meaningless an unsupportable defense of their faith in their own holy books.

It's kinda sad actually that people hold to such view points without considering the consequences to their own.

Kota said:

That is true. It is about a relationship with Christ

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You never answered my question; Do you know what the Bible says about Jesus?

The Qur'an tells you to judge the Truth according to the Gospels and Torah, which are the exact same now, as they were when Mohammad wrote those words.

If the Bible was textually corrupt and Mohammad really a prophet of God then he would have stated so explicitly at the time. But he doesn't say that ever.

The only thing the Qur'an ever implies is that the claims we believe that are based on the teachings of the Bible are untrue claims/beliefs. Then he proceeds to tell us to read the Gospels to see and judge for ourselves.

That says to me Mohammad simply never actually understood the meaning/teachings of the Bible.

That said, when your lost its very difficult, almost impossible at times, to understand the parables and teachings of the Bible without help from God. What's not okay is what Mohammad did, and that's to start a false religion. But Jesus told us this would happen, that many false prophets would arise.

Myself - I couldn't understand salvation for a very long time, even with very patient people trying to explain the concept to me. Then one day just boom! It dawned on me miraculously and in that same minute I was saved... that was people praying for me and help from God I'm sure.

So.. I understand your a little confused right now.. but perhaps we could help a little more if we knew what your understanding of Jesus is, specifically what the Bible teaches of Him.. and we can go from there.