Saturday, January 21, 2006

Religions

Here’s a thought and it’s just a thought…
Do you think God created different religions?

I have been very sheltered from other religions. I don’t know much about other religions and I don’t know how to respond to other people when they talk to me about other religions. I have grown up only knowing one religion, Christianity. I don’t think it’s bad but I don’t think it’s good either. I sit in class and I listen to people talk about other religions and I don’t know how to respond. I want to stick up for what I believe but I don’t know how. I don’t know how to argue with people about it.

Now if I am wrong on this please let me know.
From my observation most if not all believe in a God. Which is why I pose the question. We all believe in a God but we have different ways of going about it. Some think they shouldn’t cut their hair some think they shouldn’t have any hair but we all are after one thing…God. Some have other gods under God; some believe you have to do things a certain way to be a part of that religion blah blah… Why couldn’t God create different religions? He created different races.

My whole life I’ve grown up around Christianity. I don’t know anything but that. I never went to high school so I can’t even say that I’ve had that experience of different religions from that. It makes me sad in a way. I want to be able to tell people about God in a non-harmful way. I want to tell people about a God who is bigger than this world with out shoving stuff down their throat. I don’t want to make God impossible. But I don’t know how to do that. I don’t know how to argue for my God.

I think I’m learning more about myself in school than writing or math…IT MAKES MY BRAIN HURT!

What are your thoughts?

5 comments:

Steve Fuller said...

I think those lessons are more profound than anything you'll learn out of a textbook.

I also think that "arguing" for Christianity may not be the best approach - let your life be your "debate."

And I think it's good your asking the question about other religions...I've asked it many times myself.

Anonymous said...

Your life can indeed be your testimony to a God that is bigger than anything you could ever explain with just words. And I agree with Steve's sentiment about "arguing." Perhaps replacing that with "asking" will be the best way to learn, understand, and show Christ in your life in the process. If you want to know more about other religions, who better to understand from than the very people you are encountering. Ask them! I am sure they will love to share with you the tenets of their faith, and you can also share yours. You will likely find both commonalities and differences.

You can always read about the religions in books, too, but let me ask you this - would reading about Christianity give someone a full picture of what being a Christ follower has meant in your life? It will go both ways on that one. There is the theology and the there is the personal expression of faith.

Anonymous said...

i agree with steve & marsha... i'll also say that your willingness to learn about what others believe and listen to their stories will say volumes about the heart of the God you serve...

as far as brain pain is concerned, it sounds like you've been getting good mental workouts. keep it up. no pain, no gain, as they say. ;)

Aaron said...

I agree with what everyone has said here.

But here's something else... I think for your own sake there's good in knowing why you believe what you believe. There's actually a book called that "Know why you believe what you believe." Tons of people wiser than me have embarked on the journey to "prove Christianity" and argue "one way to God." Most of it is pretty convincing, but then again I am a Christian. There are a ton of books out there: The Case For Christ be Lee Strobel, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, Finding Faith by Brian McLaren... and a ton more...

I think having confidence in our relationship with Jesus and with our beliefs gives a strength and ability to interact with people of other worldviews and perspectives without as much fear of losing ourselves or our faith. If you never question, then are you really sure you believe?

This is way better than Math and English.

Mark said...

I think Christianity is a bunch of crap!!! I mean really look at the mess Christians have really caused in the world. I mean Christians can't even get along with themselves very well. I don't want to live a life like a lot of Christians I know. Bunch of wackos believing in a lot of rules and "trying" to live a life of morality. You know ya' might as well kill the bunch of them. Hey that's an idea. Let 'em all die. For in taking up their cross (dead to self) they become alive. Alive to a newness that they have never experienced before - ever. Jesus called it being "born again". Sometimes it is very hard to describe intelligently and logically what having a relationship with the Living God - Jesus Christ - is all about. Actually I'm glad God created our hearts to have the ability to figure it out over our brains, otherwise I'd still have little faith in this Jesus fellow.