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Actually it is blatantly clear. Compare Christian areas like western Europe and the United States to the areas that favor pagan gods like India, or SE Asia... and you see the impact it has on societies.
Originally posted by starsyren
reply to post by daysofnoe
Y'see? This is the point we were trying to make....you're the Christian, so you must be right...cuz Christianity is the only one true religion.
I think that if any one religion on this Earth were THE ONE TRUE religion, it'd be so blatantly clear to everyone on the globe that there'd be no need to question it or anything else.
But our creator (who/whatever it is) gave us minds capable of great intelligence and hearts capable of great love and compassion. Now, personally, I think being equipped with both of these (and using them to the greatest capacity we can muster) is what makes us worthy such gifts....not which religion we adhere to.
reply to post by daysofnoe
I am doing my part in God's calling on my life to help save Gentiles from the place I once walked a path to. If you are enlightened, HALLELUJAH!
Originally posted by Mike_A
You still haven't answered my question about what you would say to a Hindu who claims all the same kinds of experiences as you. Your evidence for your own belief being correct amounts to "it's true because I believe it".
Originally posted by Mike_A
reply to post by daysofnoe
You still haven't answered my question about what you would say to a Hindu who claims all the same kinds of experiences as you. Your evidence for your own belief being correct amounts to "it's true because I believe it".
Originally posted by Bigwhammy
reply to post by undo
Exactly undo - the same fallen angels have manifested themselves over and over as various "gods" and its not as if the scriptures have not addressed the gods you mentioned. It has addressed them explicitly.
"I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.”" (Ps 82:6-7)
They will die like men.
reply to post by kiwifoot
You act like the Christian scripture hasn't addressed these other "gods". They have been addressed, exposed and summarily dismissed.
My Bible software just returned 111 hits on Baal. This is a personal favorite.
"Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention." (1 Ki 18:25-29)
As far as the Egyptian gods, Moses confronted Pharaoh and the one true God did a smack down on them as well:
"‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord." (Ex 12:12)
In fact God has issued a challenge that has never been met by any of these impostors:
"“Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’" (Is 46:8-10)
Yes and then Jesus came and fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies to the letter.
" God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Heb 1:1-4)
He is the alpha and omega - the Lord of Lord and King of Kings and I promise every one of you every knee will bow to him. Whether you do it now willingly or later when its too late is entirely up to you!
"“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath." (Is 45:22-23)
[edit on 8/7/2009 by Bigwhammy]
Originally posted by starsyren
All that, and you disagree with the "Christian"-Label???? You don't have to be carrying a card when you come across like a walking billboard. Don't get me wrong, I understand wanting to share a good thing...but it's the evangelical-convert-or-die mentality that really turns people off to such things.
"...God's calling on my life to help save Gentiles", you make it sound as though all the "Gentiles" of the world are ignorant heathens. I, for one, have studied religion (world religions, christianity, etc) at collegiate levels and beyond...I, personally, DO believe in a creator god and my relationship with it is exactly that...mine. My issue, as I mentioned earlier (I think), has been with the evolution of the "institution" of the church. It's become more about building bigger, more ornate churches & "saving the Gentiles", and less about getting your own life right and being a good person. THAT, I can do without some self-ordained stranger.
Originally posted by kiwifoot
There are so many religions that predate Christianity. There are many Gods and Goddesses, Deities and Spirits that have been worshiped from the beginning of time. The only difference is Christianity came out on top.
I mean think about it, even Christianity came from Judaism, so it's not even original in that sense.
So I really mean it. if the devotees of Egyption religion had prospered more, had spread the word of Ra a little more, then all you Christians may be worshipping him right now.
If the Baalites had had a better run in history and their kingdoms had prospered, instead of heading to a church on a Sunday, you'd find yourself going to an Alter to Baal.
If the Sumerian, Assyrian and Babylonian empires had not fallen, I bet Judaism would not have taken a grip and hence Christianity, and on the 25th of December we'd have Anumas Day, after the God Anu.
Christianity could have been any of these religions, it was all a matter of politics, wars, kingdoms and chance.
If I grew up in Islamabad and had the freedom to think however I wanted, Jesus would have revealed Himself to me as God. Islams do not have the freedom to think what they want, they are forcefeed that religion from birth. That my friend is a tool of the devil.
I would ask how many diseases Muhammed cured? Or how many cripple did Buddha give the ability to walk? How many cancer paitents has the 'three interchangeable persons of the Holy Trinity' healed?