Christianity and religious pluralism

[lunamoth]

You're the third person to make that same remark about Fish Hunter. Did you like Fish Hunter? If so, did you guys want me to be Fish Hunter for the fun of it?

I prefer when people are honest.

Here's another tough verse.

I think you forgot to post it.

 

[Christian Pilgrim]

I think you forgot to post it.

Please look again.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

What do you think about this Bible verse and what you believe and posted? I'm not sure this Bible verse allows a sinner to have peace with God apart from knowing God through Jesus Christ, do you?

The Judgment at Christ's Coming - 1 Thes

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

You are right. Only those who know God will be able to live with him. The funny thing is, how do you know who knows God? I don't. Do you? A lot of people act like they do. But do we really know our master? "They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
I like these verses from Mathew 7:

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It is clear that there are those who are in for a rude awakening on the day of judgement. I propose that there are also those who are in for a pleasant surprise on the day of judgement, namely those who have done good, but not in the name of Jesus Christ. See Mathew 25:

31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall seperate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.


41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteos into life eternal.

Those who lived righteous lives, whether they were Christians or not, will be given the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their savior. It will come as a natural fit to many, when they discover the real Jesus Christ. Not the one preached to them by his supposed followers here on earth. When they meet the real man, they will understand. And I think a lot of us "Christians" are in for a real shock.

 

[lunamoth]

Please look again.

Beautiful passages, some of my favorites.

I'll see your 1 John 5 and raise you a 1 John 4:


7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

 

[lunamoth]

Please look again.

BTW, you have not answered my question about whether you are Fish Hunter.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

In the LDS Christian Faith, can some be reconciled to God apart from believing in Jesus Christ?

Trust me, when they meet him, they'll believe in him.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

You're the third person to make that same remark about Fish Hunter. Did you like Fish Hunter?

I'm pretty sure Fish Hunter was Katspur's favorite person ever.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God

I would disagree. It takes more than believing that he is the Christ. I mean, even Satan believes that.

 

[PureX]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a site where we can discuss religious views in a respectful manner, regardless in what we might personally believe as individuals. I do not believe that Christianity can blend together with other world religions, which makes it hostile to religious pluralism. How exclusive is Christianity, and do you believe the central message of Christianity? If not, what makes your personal view on religion and the supernatural correct?

Sorry I'm so late to this thread. But I think Christianity can include and compliment other religious views, easily, as long as it's not taken too literally from religious doctrines and scripts. The basic ideal of Christianity: that "Christ" is God's love and forgiveness being expressed through human form, to us and through us to each other, and that this love and forgiveness will heal and save us from ourselves, is universally open to all. One could believe this, for example, and still be a member of any number of other religions. Or one could believe this and not be especially religious at all.

It's only when the term "Christian" comes to mean the follower of a specific religious dogma that it begins to become more and more exclusive and intolerant of other views.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

Sorry I'm so late to this thread. But I think Christianity can include and compliment other religious views, easily, as long as it's not taken too literally from religious doctrines and scripts. The basic ideal of Christianity: that "Christ" is God's love and forgiveness being expressed through human form, to us and through us to each other, and that this love and forgiveness will heal and save us from ourselves, is universally open to all. One could believe this, for example, and still be a member of any number of other religions. Or one could believe this and not be especially religious at all.

It's only when the term "Christian" comes to mean the follower of a specific religious dogma that it begins to become more and more exclusive and intolerant of other views.

In the same way, you could be Christian and still accept the basic truths of many other religions without accepting all their specific dogma. That's kind of how I am. I follow one dogma, but accept the underlying truth of all others.

Edit: almost all others.

 

[*Paul*]

But in some ways, biblical Christianity isn't all that unique. For instance: "By this shall men know if ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Couldn't anyone have love one to another? And wouldn't that qualify them as a follower of Christ? There are many things that the Bible teaches that are taught elsewhere. Are you saying that those other sources are false because they aren't the Bible?

That teaching is unique to Christianity, Jesus said it right there in the passage, by this men shall know if ye are my disciples. Disciples of Jesus are called Christians and loving one another is to be the defining characteristic amongst Christian brethren as a proof of their Christianity, but loving everyone does not make you a Christian, you must be a follower of Jesus Christ first to be called a Christian.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

That teaching is unique to Christianity, Jesus said it right there in the passage, by this men shall know if ye are my disciples. Disciples of Jesus are called Christians and loving one another is to be the defining characteristic amongst Christian brethren as a proof of their Christianity, but loving everyone does not make you a Christian, you must be a follower of Jesus Christ first to be called a Christian.

Hmm... Okay. I see your point. In that case there are many Christians who would fail that test.

But I think my point is still valid. There are other places that you can find many of the truths taught in the Bible. Are these other sources invalid?

 

[Christian Pilgrim]

Hmm... Okay. I see your point. In that case there are many Christians who would fail that test.

But I think my point is still valid. There are other places that you can find many of the truths taught in the Bible. Are these other sources invalid?

I do agree that there are universal truths found in other religions. However, is there redemptive truth found in other religions in regards to the One Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus?

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

Do other religions teach that Jesus Christ is our Savior? No.

 

[Christian Pilgrim]

Do other religions teach that Jesus Christ is our Savior? No.

So back to the thread topic.... What is your view of Christianity and religious pluralism? Here's a tough scripture. What's your understanding of this Bible verse?

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

Not being facetious, but this is what I make of it:

Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

You will proceed to say that this means, then, that only Christians can come to the Father. That conclusion doesn't follow.

 

[Katzpur]

You will proceed to say that this means, then, that only Christians can come to the Father. That conclusion doesn't follow.

Heads up, Davy. Not all big, friendly-looking dogs are what they appear to be.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

Heads up, Davy. Not all big, friendly-looking dogs are what they appear to be.

You mean some are actually big, friendly-looking bears? lol I know what you think. I don't care either way. I thought fish-hunter was interesting and certainly dogged. But I have to give this puppy guy the benefit of the doubt. After all, he is really cute.

 

[Katzpur]

You mean some are actually big, friendly-looking bears?

Oh, my gosh! It is a bear! Okay, just so long as you can recognize a bear when you see one. Have fun!

 

[Christian Pilgrim]

You will proceed to say that this means, then, that only Christians can come to the Father. That conclusion doesn't follow.

Here is another tough verse that seems to make Christianity exclusive from all other religions. What is your interpertation of those who reject the Son in relation to knowing the Father?

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us —eternal life. 1 John