If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God…

[Trailblazer]

If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

That makes no sense to me and that is one reason why I could never be a Christian. I believe that God is just and it would be terribly unjust if Christianity was the only true religion and Jesus was the only way to God. What about the 67% of the world population who are not Christians? Even worse, to say that all those people are going to hell is an untenable belief. How can people actually believe that?

It’s time for Christians to stand up and defend their beliefs.

“It’s in the Bible” is not good enough because the Bible can be used to support any beliefs that people want to hold. I can even use the Bible to support my Baha’i beliefs.

 

[InChrist]

If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

That makes no sense to me and that is one reason why I could never be a Christian. I believe that God is just and it would be terribly unjust if Christianity was the only true religion and Jesus was the only way to God. What about the 67% of the world population who are not Christians? Even worse, to say that all those people are going to hell is an untenable belief. How can people actually believe that?

It’s time for Christians to stand up and defend their beliefs.

“It’s in the Bible” is not good enough because the Bible can be used to support any beliefs that people want to hold. I can even use the Bible to support my Baha’i beliefs.

It may make no sense to you, but I think it makes perfect sense that Jesus is the only way to God… if there is One Creator God (which I believe there is).
If there is One God, Creator of heaven and earth, then it would make sense there is One way to get to this One God. Anything else would only be confusing and certainly unloving of God, from my perspective.
There’s only one you, I presume. If I were to come see you I would hope you would give me your correct address so I would actually get to see the real “you” and not get lost or end up somewhere else.
I believe Jesus to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life and He said…
No one comes to the Father except through me, besides other statements showing He Alone is the way to receive forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life.
I believe Jesus and for me it’s not about following this religion or that religion, even Christianity. It’s Jesus Christ and Him Alone.

 

[Nakosis]

If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

That makes no sense to me and that is one reason why I could never be a Christian. I believe that God is just and it would be terribly unjust if Christianity was the only true religion and Jesus was the only way to God. What about the 67% of the world population who are not Christians? Even worse, to say that all those people are going to hell is an untenable belief. How can people actually believe that?

It’s time for Christians to stand up and defend their beliefs.

“It’s in the Bible” is not good enough because the Bible can be used to support any beliefs that people want to hold. I can even use the Bible to support my Baha’i beliefs.

Question, in Baha'i belief do non-believers go to hell?
If not, what happens to non-believers?

 

[Spice]

I believe Jesus to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life and He said…
No one comes to the Father except through me, besides other statements showing He Alone is the way to receive forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life.
I believe Jesus and for me it’s not about following this religion or that religion, even Christianity. It’s Jesus Christ and Him Alone.

I agree this is the meat and potatoes of Christianity, however I respectfully dusagree with the traditional "take" on these words.
Here's how I believe it is meant to read in modern use of the English language, which, IMV, makes it much more inclusive, loving, accepting, charitable, and Christ-like:
"I believe Jesus message to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life and He said…"
"Jesus said to him, “I am telling you the way, and the truth, and how to gain the life. No one comes to the Father except through the way I'm showing me." John 14:6
Jesus said to her, “I am showing you the resurrection and the way to life. Whoever believes in what I'm saying, and how I am living me, though he die, yet shall he live,
and everyone who lives as I live and believes in what I say me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:24,25
"Take my yoke (my message) upon you, (to heart), and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, as you should be, and you will find rest for your souls if you follow my way. For my yoke is easy to bear, it's simple and the burden I give you is light, just two commandments.” Matt 11:29,30
This demonstrates the small but powerful difference I see in what is written, and what the character of the man, Jesus was more likely to have meant.

 

[InChrist]

I agree this is the meat and potatoes of Christianity, however I respectfully dusagree with the traditional "take" on these words.
Here's how I believe it is meant to read in modern use of the English language, which, IMV, makes it much more inclusive, loving, accepting, charitable, and Christ-like:
"I believe Jesus message to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life and He said…"
"Jesus said to him, “I am telling you the way, and the truth, and how to gain the life. No one comes to the Father except through the way I'm showing me." John 14:6
Jesus said to her, “I am showing you the resurrection and the way to life. Whoever believes in what I'm saying, and how I am living me, though he die, yet shall he live,
and everyone who lives as I live and believes in what I say me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:24,25
"Take my yoke (my message) upon you, (to heart), and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, as you should be, and you will find rest for your souls if you follow my way. For my yoke is easy to bear, it's simple and the burden I give you is light, just two commandments.” Matt 11:29,30
This demonstrates the small but powerful difference I see in what is written, and what the character of the man, Jesus was more likely to have meant.

Yes, adding a few words definitely makes a difference. You are free to your perspective, but I believe Jesus meant that He, Himself is the way, the Door to heaven and reconciliation between fallen sinful humanity and a holy God. Certainly, Jesus is an example to follow, yet everyone falls short of perfection and is in need of a Savior. That’s my perspective.

Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
Proverbs 30:5-6

 

[Spice]

Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
Proverbs 30:5-6

I knew that one, or another similar, would come up. Haha -- Translations and time have made nothing original except the Spirit.

 

[Trailblazer]

Question, in Baha'i belief do non-believers go to hell?
If not, what happens to non-believers?

Baha'is do not believe in a place called hell. We believe that heaven is nearness to God and hell is distance from God, in our minds and hearts, not geographically.

I do not know what happens to non-believers, only God knows that. However, the Baha'i Writings say that people can become changed after death.

“It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed—that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice—for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved. As we have power to pray for these souls here, so likewise we shall possess the same power in the other world, which is the Kingdom of God. Are not all the people in that world the creatures of God? Therefore, in that world also they can make progress. As here they can receive light by their supplications, there also they can plead for forgiveness and receive light through entreaties and supplications. Thus as souls in this world, through the help of the supplications, the entreaties and the prayers of the holy ones, can acquire development, so is it the same after death. Through their own prayers and supplications they can also progress, more especially when they are the object of the intercession of the Holy Manifestations.”

Some Answered Questions, p. 232

 

[Trailblazer]

It may make no sense to you, but I think it makes perfect sense that Jesus is the only way to God… if there is One Creator God (which I believe there is).
If there is One God, Creator of heaven and earth, then it would make sense there is One way to get to this One God. Anything else would only be confusing and certainly unloving of God, from my perspective.

Why does that make sense to you that God would only offer one way to Him, once throughout history? What about people who lived before Jesus came t into the world?

Why would it be unloving for God to send more than one Messenger/Prophet of God at different times throughout history?
Why would that be confusing?

I believe Jesus to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life and He said…
No one comes to the Father except through me, besides other statements showing He Alone is the way to receive forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life.

I believe Jesus was the only way to God during the Dispensation of Jesus but I believe that Dispensation ended when Baha'u'llah was sent by God to usher in a new Dispensation. I believe that Baha'u'llah is the way God wants us to know God during this Dispensation.

There is no reason to believe that Jesus ever spoke the words in John 14:6 but even if He did, Jesus never said that He was the way for all time. That is just an assumption made by Christians who want to believe that.

The Jesus Seminar, a six-year project based in Sonoma to assess the historical authenticity of sayings attributed to Jesus, concluded that about half were words put into his mouth by Gospel authors and early believers in reflection of their own hopes and fears. Among the sayings rejected were the following:

John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Seminar Rules Out 80% of Words Attributed to Jesus : Religion: Provocative meeting of biblical scholars ends six years of voting on authenticity in the Gospels.

I believe Jesus and for me it’s not about following this religion or that religion, even Christianity. It’s Jesus Christ and Him Alone.

Yes, I know that is how Christians feel about Jesus.

 

[ppp]

If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

Any omnipotent being who created this universe cannot be loving and omnibenevolent.

 

[Trailblazer]

Any omnipotent being who created this universe cannot be loving and omnibenevolent.

That is only a matter of opinion because upon what you 'believe' that a loving and omnibenevolent God would do if He existed.

You cannot know that, you can only believe that. Nobody can know if God is loving and omnibenevolent, they can only believe that.

 

[InChrist]

Why does that make sense to you that God would only offer one way to Him, once throughout history? What about people who lived before Jesus came t into the world?

Before the cross people were under the Law which God gave to Israel or they were accountable for doing right or wrong according to their conscience given by God. The OT sacrifices instituted by God pointed people to the time of Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world.

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
Romans 2:12-15

Why would it be unloving for God to send more than one Messenger/Prophet of God at different times throughout history?
Why would that be confusing?

God did sent prophets throughout history. Moses gave God’s Law to Israel. There were several prophets who all gave information, warnings, and prophecies from God. You can find there writings in the OT. Then there are the gospels and the NT letters.

I believe Jesus was the only way to God during the Dispensation of Jesus but I believe that Dispensation ended when Baha'u'llah was sent by God to usher in a new Dispensation. I believe that Baha'u'llah is the way God wants us to know God during this Dispensation.

There is no reason to believe that Jesus ever spoke the words in John 14:6 but even if He did, Jesus never said that He was the way for all time. That is just an assumption made by Christians who want to believe that.

The Jesus Seminar, a six-year project based in Sonoma to assess the historical authenticity of sayings attributed to Jesus, concluded that about half were words put into his mouth by Gospel authors and early believers in reflection of their own hopes and fears. Among the sayings rejected were the following:

John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Seminar Rules Out 80% of Words Attributed to Jesus : Religion: Provocative meeting of biblical scholars ends six years of voting on authenticity in the Gospels.

Yes, I know that is how Christians feel about Jesus.

I am familiar with the Jesus Seminar and consider anything by them to be nothing but an attempt to deny the deity of Christ and discredit His supernatural essence and abilities.

What is the Jesus Seminar? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Jesus Seminar? Why does the Jesus Seminar deny that Jesus said and did certain things?

www.gotquestions.org

 

[ppp]

That is only a matter of opinion

You solicited opinions about the actions of an omnipotent being. It is churlish for you to deny the response on the basis of it being an opinion that you yourself solicited.

You are literally positing a situation on what is merely a matter of your opinion.

 

[Trailblazer]

You solicited opinions about the actions of an omnipotent being. It is churlish for you to deny the response on the basis of it being an opinion that you yourself solicited.

You are literally positing a situation on what is merely a matter of your opinion.

What the OP was soliciting is an answer to this question about Christianity:
If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

I was not soliciting opinions about the actions of an omnipotent being in general.

Yes, anything I believe about what God would or would not do do is only a matter of opinion.

 

[Madsaac]

If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

That makes no sense to me and that is one reason why I could never be a Christian. I believe that God is just and it would be terribly unjust if Christianity was the only true religion and Jesus was the only way to God. What about the 67% of the world population who are not Christians? Even worse, to say that all those people are going to hell is an untenable belief. How can people actually believe that?

It’s time for Christians to stand up and defend their beliefs.

“It’s in the Bible” is not good enough because the Bible can be used to support any beliefs that people want to hold. I can even use the Bible to support my Baha’i beliefs.

When you consider that God is loving and omnibenevolent, it makes no sense for anyone to think God cares how we believe in him.

And to go one step further a loving and omnibenevolent, wouldn't even care if we believed in him at all.

 

[Trailblazer]

When you consider that God is loving and omnibenevolent, it makes no sense for anyone to think God cares how we believe in him.

And to go one step further a loving and omnibenevolent, wouldn't even care if we believed in him at all.

I never claimed that God cares if we believe in Him or how we believe in Him.
I think God cares what we believe, but not for Himself bit rather only for our own benefit.

“This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him that hath refused to seek it—verily, God is Self-Sufficient, above any need of His creatures.”

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 136

 

[ppp]

What the OP was soliciting is an answer to this question about Christianity:
If God is loving and omnibenevolent why would God make Christianity the only true religion and Jesus the only way to God?

You solicited an answer about your opinions about Christianity. What you are complaining about is that I did not confine myself to your personal opinions. Excuse me. Your personal mere opinions.

The foundation of your mere opinion that an Omni benevolent being could exist simultaneous with this universe is flawed. Not because of what I would expect an Omni benevolent being to do. But because of what benevolent means.

You depend entirely upon castigating what you call my "assumptions". You never, ever deal with what Omnibenevolent must mean. Nor do you deal with the actions necessary to comport with the word. In other words, your usage of Omnibenevolent is an empty platitude with no consequential relevance.

What actions must an omnipotent and Omnibenevolent being taken? What actions could such a being not possibly take?

If you cannot commit to a position then the word has no meaning on your tongue.

 

[Aupmanyav]

“It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed—that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice—for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved.

Good. So, I can comfortably continue being an atheist and a disbeliever in Bahaollah being a manifestation of Allah.
If Allah is loving and omni-benovalent, he cannot refuse his bounty to anyone at all.

 

[Madsaac]

I never claimed that God cares if we believe in Him or how we believe in Him.
I think God cares what we believe, but not for Himself bit rather only for our own benefit.

“This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him that hath refused to seek it—verily, God is Self-Sufficient, above any need of His creatures.”

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 136

Yeah fair enough, who wrote this by the way?

And, why do they have to write it in such a way, that it's so hard to understand, seeketh, hath, verily..........It's not very 'user' friendly. If God cared so much what we believe, he should've made it a little easier to understand

 

[Trailblazer]

The foundation of your mere opinion that an Omni benevolent being could exist simultaneous with this universe is flawed. Not because of what I would expect an Omni benevolent being to do. But because of what benevolent means.

Okay, tell me what you think benevolent means and why an Omni benevolent being could not exist simultaneous with this universe.

You depend entirely upon castigating what you call my "assumptions". You never, ever deal with what Omnibenevolent must mean. Nor do you deal with the actions necessary to comport with the word. In other words, your usage of Omnibenevolent is an empty platitude with no consequential relevance.

Omnibenevolent means possessing perfect or unlimited goodness, kind and generous towards everyone and everything.
What actions do you think would be necessary to comport with the word?

What actions must an omnipotent and Omnibenevolent being taken? What actions could such a being not possibly take?

If you cannot commit to a position then the word has no meaning on your tongue.

I do not have an opinion as to what actions must be taken by an omnipotent and Omnibenevolent being because I do not determine what God must do in order to measure up to my standards.

However, I do have an opinion as to what actions I do not think such a being would not take and I stated that in the OP.

 

[Trailblazer]

Yeah fair enough, who wrote this by the way?

Baha'u'llah, who I believe is the Messenger of God for this age.

And, why do they have to write it in such a way, that it's so hard to understand, seeketh, hath, verily..........It's not very 'user' friendly. If God cared so much what we believe, he should've made it a little easier to understand

Baha'u'llah did not write it that way. He wrote in Persian and Arabic and it was translated into English that way.
The translator determined that King James English was the best form to portray Persian and Arabic to English speakers.
In the future we will see more English translations.