Have I Investigated Other Religions

[ORSkie]

Yes! Christian singer Keith Green said in his testimony that when he started searching, he examined the other religions and realized they all talked about Jesus, so he decided to seek Jesus! ✝️💖

[jackfrost]

We tend to think, if we are going to examine other religions. We need to take the time to examine them in detail. An idea that i came across, to help evaluate other religions. Is to break them down in broad categories. Trying to identify the essence of each religion we are examining from a broad perspective. Then if we find certain areas we think we need more information on. At that point you can focus on the areas you need more information on. Without wasting an enormous amount of time on all the unimportant details. The goal is to sort the religions you want to consider. Into several broad categories to help highlight the fundamental differences. That are start becoming easy to realize when viewed by, broad simple categorial and conceptional differences. The key is to get to the foundation of religions. To get to the core concepts. The beating heart of what makes each religion.
Examples of broad categories. The following is a small sampling.
What is being worshiped. Monotheistic, polytheistic, source, earth/creation.
What are we, to that which is being worshiped.
What is the end goal or message. You die and that is it. You run the tread mill of cycle over and over again. Cycle but with possibility of eventually getting back to source. We worship ourselves. We worship a being or collective that is coming to save us. Worship of understanding of process of power and knowledge.
If you examining the being / collective that is coming to save you. Where do these being come from? What is the nature of their religion. Their gods.
Once you have you some broadly defined aspects to examine. It is important to remember you can add more broad categories as needed and remove those that are distracting. The hard work then becomes one of philosophy. Figuring out the tough questions to ask to get to the core or essence of each religion based on those defining and comparative aspects.

A few thoughts from my own search.
There are several versions to cycles. Nearly all of them are impersonal. Some cycles have no negative. We can see these are not realistic. Some have negative but focus on the positive. Does the cycle have clearly define parameters. Many cycles have broad, largely unguided paths leading into the horizon.
If the end message is that you die and that is it. There is no long term meaning or value to life.
If someone is coming to save us. It is very very important to understand the full nature of what is being represented.

A few examples of simple breakdowns of religions.
Mormon. savior, cycle. Jesus is supposed to be the savior but indeth analysis of the early teachings show God and Jesus to merely be a continuous cycle works based cycle. Details in mormon teachings have changed significantly over the years.
Luciferian. savior, cycle, hidden path. Lucifer is considered the savior instead of Jesus. luciferian worship is largely done in secret. It is a club atmosphere. If you are not in the club. You are already deemed not worthy. It is a continual cycle of secrets to be chased after.
Islam. savior, obedience. hope allah likes you. muhammad saves people in hell by convincing allah to let them go. Jesus hangs out with allah in heaven and wonders how muhammad is going to get out of hell to ask allah to save everyone. obedience is the only path. yet is no guarantee. Full of contradiction. They don't eat pig because Jews don't eat pig, but they don't follow any of the other food laws. Homosexuality is forbidden with men. boys are allowed. In heaven one of the rewards allah gives. are male child sex slaves that stay perpetual children so as to never become men. There seems to be only 2 rewards in islam. Immortality and widespread often deviant sexual gratification for men.
New Age. saviors, self worship, broken cycle God does not care. Beings who have ascended are coming to save us. How did they ascend? Why do they hate Jesus teachings. Others have ascended regardless of beliefs and teachings. There is no sin.

A few thoughts regarding Biblical teachings.
Worship the creator, not the creation.
The 2 great commandments Love the Lord your GOD with all your essence. Love your neighbor as yourself.
We have been corrupted and God loves us enough to pay the price for redemption. For those who wish to follow God and become redeemed.
Gods laws and rules are best practices for the individual, and the society. Throughout generations.
Sin is like drugs. Seems sweat in the moment yet is far more destructive over time, than it is worth. Sin is destructive to the individual, society, and future generations.

[joonasmakinen]

Use Audacity to convert mono->stereo audio. Otherwise, important message!

[pekopan]

I've been rewatching and reading his cold case books. Just yesterday, I was wondering the exact question this video answers: Has Mr. Wallace examined other religions with the same scrutiny? He should publish a new cold case book

[OffDoodyDad]

I really like his explanation on "believe that" vs "belief in". I tend to gather data and I wonder if that's why I often struggle with doubt. Maybe I need to wrestle with "belief in" more. This gives me something to chew on thank you.

[maggiegarber]

I took the course History of the World Religions when in college 50+ years ago. It was taught by a Benedictine monk. He shocked me when he said if one of the other religions brought him closer to God, he would follow it.

[satkinson]

There are two kinds of people in this world, those who divide everyone into two groups and those who don't.

[raymondjackson]

Q&A is always the best and entertaining

[SoulWinnerforJesus]

These were good answers! Thank you for sharing, J. Warner.

[DaddyBooneDon]

You're so right. Christians are deconstructing their faith because it doesn't align with how the world thinks. Either that, or some might attempt to syncretize Christianity with those attitudes. If Jesus wrote seven letters to the churches today, what would he say?

[jazzedb]

I can't say how excellent this is! Thank you

[ArmygirlChrist]

The gospel is found first in Genesis 3. Precedes all ways of salvation.

[gsoifml]

The deacon at my parish has an incredible story detailing his experience as an angry atheist, and after an "intervention" of sorts was needed for the family he spent a year trying out different religions, from Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Wicca, etc all the way across the spectrum with Christianity the last on his list to try. Christianity was ultimately the one that stuck with him.

[hbdad]

Would love to see the video of the entire lecture and Q&A.

[thetheoreticaltheologian]

None demonstrate the greatest act of love for us like Christ! None has perfect righteous holy justice in that ALL sin is punished and paid in full once and for all!

[christopherdriesenga]

Jesus is Truth. If you sincerely want to know the Truth, you will find God.

[penglim]

I was seeking a religion for help. I was reading about main religions except Christianity, not happy with Christians. Could not decide which was true. I just called to a true god, if there was really a true god. I am a believer of Jesus Christ.

[PhilIsaak]

Fulfilled prophecy is one thing that sets the Bible apart from everything else. There’s others but hundreds have been fulfilled such that secular scholars try to say the Daniel was written after everything was fulfilled except end time stuff.

[mountainman]

If one sincerely seeks the Truth, it will eventually leads to the Person of Jesus Christ. Amen

[davidplummer]

It's not that the disciples died for what they believed. They died for what they claimed to have actually seen, not for some milquetoast intellectual assent to something they did not see.