I was reminded yesterday of a very common argument that arises in response to the beliefs held by the Christ Follower. It is a simple argument that at its core challenges the validity and foundation of the faith that we Christ Followers have. It is not the first time I have heard this argument, and it surely will not be the last.
During my computer class (which I loathe), we were assigned to groups in order to work on projects. The project would be done in Microsoft Power Point, and we would take a topic and subdivide it into four subcategories for each of the participants within a group. As a group, we were first required to agree upon a topic. One member of our group asked if there were any topics we were "passionate" about. I said "God." I explained that I am a Christ Follower, and thought it would be an easy topic to tackle. I explained that we did not have to make the topic argumentative, but we could each give a presentation on a major world religion. After some discussion, it came back around to the classmate who originated the "passionate" question. She said we could tie it all up in the summary of how all the religions are similar.
This same topic has come up repeatedly this year alone, and it seems to be a theme that God would have me meditate upon. My biology teacher, while discussing hypotheses’ and theories exclaimed, "You can’t prove there is a god. Just like you can’t prove that one religion is better than any other." Earlier in the year, while meeting with a Wiccan/Pagan friend for lunch she too made the claim that there is no "one" way, but that all religions offered paths to god/goddess. There was no absolute truth.
At the surface, it is a wonderful notion, to believe God revealed himself to many cultures and people over time, providing each of these groups of people with paths towards him/her. It is a quaint ideal to think that despite all the wars, bickering, fighting and anger, there is but one deity directing many. Once you delve any distance below the surface of the belief that all roads lead to god, you find yourself within a quagmire of confusion, indecision, deception and ultimately a schizophrenic deity that is as confused about its own personality as it is about how to commune with its adherents.
Seriously, how does a deity function within that view? The contrasts between Buddhism and Hinduism are great enough, but how do you reconcile Mormons with Christ Followers? How do you reconcile Christ Followers with any other religion? The God of the Christ Follower declares, "I am the first, I am the last, apart from me there is no God."¹ Lorenzo Snow fifth president of the LDS Church summarized their doctrine of God as a man, and man becoming a god stating, "As man now is, God once was; As God now is, man may be." So in one breath God declares he is the only One but Mormons believe you can become a god yourself.
We cannot even equate the beliefs of Wicca/Paganism with that of Christ Followers. Wiccan practitioners say there is no sin, therefore no need for a savior. Christ Followers say that we are all sinners (including themselves) and without a savior, we cannot be with God. Wiccans along with some other world religions believe their deity to be female, while the God of the Christ Followers speaks of Himself in masculine terms (though truly has no physical characteristics of man as he is spirit).
If there is but one deity for ALL religions than why does the Christ Follower’s God declare that following His Son is the only path to Him and the Hindu’s believe salvation is called Moksha. Moksha is when enlightened human beings freed from the cycle of life-and-death (the endless cycle of death and reincarnation) enters into a state of completeness. He then becomes one with God.²
The argument is far from sound, and actually paints a picture of a deity that is careless, stupid, and ultimately confused as to its own goals and purpose. If you choose to follow that god, it’s your choice. I’m just saying it’s not as sweet as it seems. After you peel back that initial layer, you’ll find the belief to be convoluted, ill-contrived and without any merit.
So, if not all roads lead to god…how do you figure out which one does? What do you think?
Hello…anyone out there?
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¹Isaiah 45:5 (Paraphrased)
² http://www.evangelical.us/hinduism.html
2 comments:
aren't we all "careless, stupid, and ultimately confused as to [our] own goals and purpose"? Would it be so wrong if the one true God were too?
Great question, and thanks for commenting! If we are talking about the One true God, who has revealed Himself through Christ, Paul writes, "for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace..." 1 Corinthians 14:33
God has revealed Himself as perfect, all knowing and revealed His purpose from creation to end. He also declares that he knew us before he formed us in the womb, knowing his will for us, showing a purpose for us and a relationship with Him.
So, to answer your question...yes, we are all "careless, stupid, and ultimately confused as to [our] own goals and purpose." However, by choosing to follow Him, we may just find ourselves a little less careless, a bit smarter, and with a greater understanding to our own goals and purpose because we have access to a God who is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent.
So, would it be so wrong if the One true God were the same way? It would be against His revealed nature, and we'd be free to do anything we choose without worrying about morality.
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