a question to christians - do you really believe that the only way to god is through JC?

[sukima]

I am trying to understand how this can really be a rational stance to take in the 21st century. That the only way to God is believing that he only truly appeared to one guy 2000 years ago, negating all the other wonderful spiritual and religious philosophy spanning aeons.

Thinking about thousands of years of Indian scripture, the Vedas, Upanishads, the Gita, the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, the teachings of the Old Testament, the teachings of the Lord Buddha, and all the other great faiths, all the holy sacred beings who have walked this Earth, how anyone could truly think that a truly allseing, all-loving God would ultimately discriminate between those who believe in JC and those who dont. Where does blind faith come from, that this faith then creates division and separation rather than encouraging union and togetherness.

JC was an amazing spiritual teacher. A great Soul. A holy Being. But we are all equal children of God.

I believe my way to God is through Jesus Christ. I guide my children along this path because it is the path that I know and I know it leads to God. There are many paths. Other paths may also lead to God.

I think this misunderstands what Christians believe about Jesus. We believe that he IS God who came to Earth as a baby and put aside His God-iness to reach people here. It says in the book of Colossians that Jesus was present before the creation of all things and through Him all things were made, as He is fully God and fully part of the Trinity. We don't believe that He was an amazing spiritual teacher on a human level, but God on Earth. So it's not that Christians are ignoring all other wisdom aside from one human being's, but that being God, Jesus incorporated all wisdom ever, including that of other faiths. It says at the end of John's Gospel that Jesus spoke to the disciples after the Resurrection about things that John did not write down, Jesus has more knowledge than just what's in the Bible.

I'm not sure of the logic of your own point. Christians 'negate wonderful spiritual and religious philosophy through the ages' by believing in the truth of Jesus. But your very point misunderstands what most religious texts are trying to speak about. They are about faith and belief. Not just nice spiritual feelings and prettily put phrases.

Faith will always involve a statement of exclusive belief. That doesn't mean there can't be dialogue and appreciation of others (of course this should be, and is, happening). But there is a always a bottom line where two faiths will divide i.e. the divinity of Jesus is a key difference between Jews, Muslims and Christians. What you are saying is that the truth claims of religious texts don't matter at all, they are all just saying lovely things which everyone can take on board without any kind of belief. I would say unless you firmly reckon with the truth claims of a religious text you can have no real appreciation for it at all, because you don't really know what it is about.

If you really want to address division start by really understanding where other people are coming from not lumping religious texts in to 'nice spiritual readings'. That isn't what they are and that is not what religious people (of many many varieties) believe them to be.

On Jesus: Christians don't believe God appeared to him, nor that 2000 years ago was the only time God has appeared. Jesus IS God. Jesus is one person of the Trinity. Jesus is God appearing to man in human form and 'being' God. That is Jesus is utter love for others, he gives up his life in order that he might be in a relationship with us. An innocent man-God is slandered and murdered horribly. It looks like evil has won, but it hasn't simply because the love of the Father for the Son and the Son for the Father cannot be broken by hate. God's love wins and defeats the worst that human beings can inflict (death). So Christians no longer fear death because of Jesus, and nobody else has to either. I think Christianity is an open invitation to all, not an exclusive party at all.

I also think God's judgement is always merciful. Whilst we are saved because of what Jesus has done (so 'through him') that doesn't necessarily mean everybody who is saved has to know about Jesus. God judges according to ability, knowledge etc. etc. For Abraham, growing up in a moon worshipping community, he knew nothing of God, but simply responded to the call that he heard. That really is all that God asks I think. Salvation may look very different for different people, but it will always be a call to come and embrace the God of love.

Yes I really do - that's why I'm a Christian; the clue is in the word.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If I didn't believe this I wouldn't be a Christian.

JC was an amazing spiritual teacher. A great Soul. A holy Being. But we are all equal children of God.

But he claimed to be the Son of God. More than that, he said "I and the Father are one". If he wasn't what he claimed to be, then he couldn't have been an amazing teacher and a great Soul; he would have been a lunatic. There is no middle ground.

fizzoclock brilliantly put. I love That is Jesus is utter love for others, he gives up his life in order that he might be in a relationship with us. You have explained things so well and not put God in box but opened the invitation for all and explained how God is much bigger than our limitations.

I wonder as I watch the so called 'religious' violence around the world why more work does not go into promoting positive relationships between people of different faiths. It does not mean we will all think or believe the same but I wish we could all treat each other more respectfully.

I believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life, the posts above have put it all so much better than I have.

Thankyou for all your replies. Really appreciate your willingness to dialogue and express your faith and belief.

For me , I also am not looking for 'pretty words or nice spiritual teachings'!!! Fizzicock, i thought one normally uses sppech marks when one is directly quoting another.

I am looking to discover what is the ultimate truth. I believe this to be at the core of each religion, that each founder had a vision, an experience, an understanding about the true nature of reality, which they then tried to express. This expression in every case has been manipulated and misunderstood by fellow men and women, precisely because they hadn't had that vision, that ultimate understanding.

I find it heartbreaking that so many followers of religion do not want to discover for themselves the ultimate Truth. Not to take as blind faith what another has uncovered, but discover the Truth. So in our blind following, we have Tibetan Buddhists constantly repeating the mantra 'om mani padme hung', but never looking into what is emptiness, we have muslims actually believing that violent jihad is a correct interpretation of the Koran, and we have Christians actually believing that there is only one Son of God.

I invite you brother and sister Christians to read about the wonderful work of Father Bede Griffiths (www.bedegriffiths.com/bede-griffiths) who looked into the depths of mystical Christianity and Hinduism and found the Very Same Light Shining.

Let us look for Unity. A true Fellowship of Man that comes through true understanding and not tolerance based on a foundation of superiority.

I humbly bow and wish you all well, may you be well, may you be happy, may you find peace of mind.

OP if you want to proselytise for your beliefs that is up to you, but it is less than honest to post as if you are an open-minded questioner.

I am always trying to understand why anyone can believe so blindly, niminy. Blind following creates division, creates war, creates separation.

Why do you care what people believe in people will war religion or not its the way we are.

i guess i am an idealist, 'imagine all the people, sharing all the world'
we have the potential to be so beautiful.. war doesnt have to be inevitable
if we cld all imbue the very best parts of religion, we really could bring heaven to earth..instead we bicker and argue that Our way is the RIght way. that Our Way is the Only Way

Sukima, all of what you say is certainly idealistic, but nowhere do you mention truth, ie are any of your ideas based on beliefs that are true? Christians and some of these posters here, talk about belief in God, in Jesus Christ that we believe to be true. What is heaven and why would 'all the best parts' (meaning what?) bring heaven on earth?

Sorry, Sukima, didn't read your second post when you mentioned truth, but how is your idea of truth verifiable to anyone else?

ultimate truth is reality and science, backed up by evidence.

happily, OP, you live somewhere that allows you to express whatever beliefs you like (at least I hope you do)

but don't expect those who have other beliefs, or those who have none, to agree.

yes, I genuinely do.

As Jesus said "no one comes to the father [god] except through me" then simplistically this means that if Christianity is the truth then all other religions cannot lead to God.

Fwiw, Christianity itself is only 2000 ish years old, but only because the Jews of Jesus's time did not recognise him as the Messiah. If they had then there would be no 'Christianity' as we would all be Jewish.

And I certainly do not endorse war in the name of religion. You can believe what I believe and still be loving, caring, compassionate and kind to anyone of other faiths.

Op I agree with some of what you say. I believe in god but I do not believe that the way to god for me has to be Jesus . I believe that thro religions people are connecting with a living god and I think that is the same living god. I think that -without insulting anyone- that Jesus words meant thro him re his beliefs not literally thro him . I church I find it hard to talk about Jesus as its god which is my focus in my heart . I know that some Christians also believe in the same way as me and others do not from past discussion groups at church.

Op I agree with some of what you say. I believe in god but I do not believe that the way to god for me has to be Jesus . I believe that thro religions people are connecting with a living god and I think that is the same living god. I think that -without insulting anyone- that Jesus words meant thro him re his beliefs not literally thro him . I church I find it hard to talk about Jesus as its god which is my focus in my heart . I know that some Christians also believe in the same way as me and others do not from past discussion groups at church.

Look up unitarian church ; one of core beliefs : Jesus was a man. They have a good source of info via bbc religions also. V interesting .

I don't believe you have to be Christian to go to heaven or the world would be a postcode lottery. CS Lewis came up with the concept of anonymous Christianity ie you can be moral and go to heaven without knowing Jesus.

I do believe he is the way to a relationship with God, though.