You don't have a monopoly on truth.

[1213]

In Christian church, I was taught that "lack of faith" aka a healthy dose of skepticism, was absolutely terrible and you needed to fix it.

I think that is sad, because Bible shows that people should be skeptical. Obviously it is recommended that people would believe certain things. But, as the Bible shows, Thomas was skeptical, and it was not a problem.

The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you." Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but be-lieving."
John 20:25-27

And there is also this advice:

Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out in-to the world.
1 John 4:1
Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thess. 5:21-22
Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
1 Cor. 2:14-15

Most Christians I know in my life believe they have a monopoly on truth. I wonder if it is the same for the folk on this site, regardless of religion.

I don't see any difference between Christians and others in that regards.

Only agnostics acknowledge the fact that they don't have the facts. Am I wrong?

They seem to talk like they know all the facts. I don't see how anyone could claim God is not real, without having the idea that he has all the facts.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Most Christians I know in my life believe they have a monopoly on truth.

That has not been my experience.

 

[Trailblazer]

That has not been my experience.

Sadly, it has been mine. I don't know any Christians who don't believe that Jesus is the ONLY WAY.

 

[InChrist]

Do you accept the fact that you do not have a monopoly on truth?

Do you accept the truth that your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, could be wrong?

In Christian church, I was taught that "lack of faith" aka a healthy dose of skepticism, was absolutely terrible and you needed to fix it. You were to have unshakable faith, and know that you have a monopoly on truth, as a Bible wielding Christian.

Most Christians I know in my life believe they have a monopoly on truth. I wonder if it is the same for the folk on this site, regardless of religion.

Only agnostics acknowledge the fact that they don't have the facts. Am I wrong?

I don’t know about myself, but I think God/Jesus has a monopoly on the truth and is the source of truth.


For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting And His truth endures to all
Psalm 100:5

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6


However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

 

[Trailblazer]

I don’t know about myself, but I think God/Jesus has a monopoly on the truth and is the source of truth.

I believe God is the source of all truth, but Jesus is not God, so Jesus does not have a monopoly on the truth.

 

[Kathryn]

I don’t know about myself, but I think God/Jesus has a monopoly on the truth and is the source of truth.


For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting And His truth endures to all
Psalm 100:5

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6


However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

I could be and probably am wrong on some things, but I do believe this.

 

[an anarchist]

I don’t know about myself, but I think God/Jesus has a monopoly on the truth and is the source of truth.


For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting And His truth endures to all
Psalm 100:5

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6


However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

Those are just words that some person wrote down. Hardly convincing.

You say that your God has a monopoly on truth as well as being the very source of truth. So you are claiming to have a monopoly on truth, while trying to play coy and act like you don't have this arrogant attitude that you have a monopoly on truth.

 

[InChrist]

I believe God is the source of all truth, but Jesus is not God, so Jesus does not have a monopoly on the truth.

You may believe what you choose to, but Jesus said and demonstrated He is the embodiment of truth. So I believe Him.

 

[InChrist]

Those are just words that some person wrote down. Hardly convincing.

You say that your God has a monopoly on truth as well as being the very source of truth. So you are claiming to have a monopoly on truth, while trying to play coy and act like you don't have this arrogant attitude that you have a monopoly on truth.

You may think whatever you like about the scriptures or my perspective. I trust Jesus and His word.
Besides, it takes humbling oneself to realize the need of a Savior and that He is better informed concerning truth than I am… not arrogance.

 

[Trailblazer]

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

I believe that the Spirit of truth has come and He guided us into all truth.
He did not speak on His own authority, but spoke whatever He heard through the Holy Spirit, and he told us of things to come.

I believe that the Spirit of truth was Baha'u'llah to whom God sent the Holy Spirit.

 

[Trailblazer]

You may believe what you choose to, but Jesus said and demonstrated He is the embodiment of truth. So I believe Him.

You may believe what you choose to, but Baha'u'llah said and demonstrated He is the embodiment of truth. So I believe Him.
Jesus was also the embodiment of truth, but Jesus did not reveal all that He knew since humanity could not bear them back when Jesus walked the earth.

John 16:12-14 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 

[InChrist]

I believe that the Spirit of truth has come and He guided us into all truth.
He did not speak on His own authority, but spoke whatever He heard through the Holy Spirit, and he told us of things to come.

I believe that the Spirit of truth was Baha'u'llah to whom God sent the Holy Spirit.

Okay, I don’t believe it was Baha’u’llah. So we can disagree on this subject.

 

[an anarchist]

@InChrist , this is what I am trying to get to the bottom of

Do you accept the truth that your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, could be wrong?

Do you accept that Jesus can possibly not be God or who you think he is?

 

[InChrist]

@InChrist , this is what I am trying to get to the bottom of

Do you accept that Jesus can possibly not be God or who you think he is?

I believe Jesus is God. Only God can create all things, raise people from the dead, raise Himself from the grave, heal instantaneously, foresee the future, forgive sin, pay for th sins of all the world, and offer eternal life.

 

[an anarchist]

I believe Jesus is God. Only God can create all things, raise people from the dead, raise Himself from the grave, heal instantaneously, foresee the future, forgive sin, pay for th sins of all the world, and offer eternal life.

So you do believe that you have a monopoly on truth? You can't fathom that perhaps Jesus is not God? Or am I wrong?

 

[Trailblazer]

I believe Jesus is God. Only God can create all things, raise people from the dead, raise Himself from the grave, heal instantaneously, foresee the future, forgive sin, pay for th sins of all the world, and offer eternal life.

What reason do you have to believe that only God can do all of these things?

I believe that only God can create all things, but Jesus can and did heal people instantaneously, foresee the future, forgive sin, and pay for the sins of all the world.

“It is also recorded in the Gospel according to St. Luke, that on a certain day Jesus passed by a Jew who was sick of the palsy, and lay upon a couch. When the Jew saw Him, he recognized Him, and cried out for His help. Jesus said unto him: “Arise from thy bed; thy sins are forgiven thee.” Certain of the Jews, standing by, protested saying: “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” And immediately He perceived their thoughts, Jesus answering said unto them: “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, arise, and take up thy bed, and walk; or to say, thy sins are forgiven thee? that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins.” 7 This is the real sovereignty, and such is the power of God’s chosen Ones! All these things which We have repeatedly mentioned, and the details which We have cited from divers sources, have no other purpose but to enable thee to grasp the meaning of the allusions in the utterances of the chosen Ones of God, lest certain of these utterances cause thy feet to falter and thy heart to be dismayed.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitáb-i-Íqán, pp. 133-134)
7 Luke 5:18–26.

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Kitáb-i-Íqán, Pages 121-160

I cry every time I read that passage. I love Jesus so much and I believe He has the power to answer prayers.
That is why when I cry out for help, I say "help me Jesus, help me God!"

God offered us eternal life through Jesus. It is because of Jesus that we have eternal life since Jesus offered us eternal life.
(John 3:16, John 3:36, 1 John 5:13, John 5:24, John 11:25-26)

 

[InChrist]

So you do believe that you have a monopoly on truth? You can't fathom that perhaps Jesus is not God? Or am I wrong?

I don’t have a monopoly on truth by any means, but I know Jesus is God.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

So you do believe that you have a monopoly on truth? You can't fathom that perhaps Jesus is not God? Or am I wrong?

The word Truth would indicate that there is a source of truth. If the word did not exist, there could be no truth.

The word Knowledge would indicate that there is a source for knowledge. If the word did not exist, there could be no knowledge.

The word innate would also suggest there are innate sources.

So both Truth and Knowledge can come from an Innate source.

Maybe the monopoly of truth and knowledge belongs to the innate sources of all truth, letters and Words!

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

I don’t have a monopoly on truth by any means, but I know Jesus is God.

I would offer you beleive Jesus is God. Which is OK by the way, I see why you see Jesus can be God.

Regards Tony

 

[Trailblazer]

I don’t have a monopoly on truth by any means, but I know Jesus is God.

I know that Jesus is not God, and I know that because of what is in the Bible.

Nothing in the Scriptures supports Jesus being God.
The verses below explain why Jesus is not God, and why Jesus CANNOT be God.

Jesus claimed to reveal God, Whom He called Father, but Jesus differentiated Himself from God:

John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:

John 8:40 But now ye seek to slay me, a man that have spoken to you [the] truth, that I heard of God; Abraham did not this thing.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Jesus said that God was greater than He was:

Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."

John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

How could Jesus pray to and go to the Father if Jesus WAS the God the Father?

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

John 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Moreover, Jesus said that no man has ever seen God:

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Jesus said He was from God and that God sent Him, again differentiating Himself from God:

John 17:3 And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

John 7:28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. 29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

Jesus even stated specifically that the Father had knowledge which was not possessed by the Son.

Matthew 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the Son, but the Father only.

Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Jesus referred to Himself as a Prophet, and was so regarded. Jesus never referred to Himself as God.

Matthew 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Luke 13:33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Matthew 21:11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Luke 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Jesus IS NOT God Bible Quotes... Continued:

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

2 Corinthians 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Romans 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Hosea 11:9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?