[softy54534]

Lets have a discussion on the major religions to determine if we could narrow down to the truth. This is not meant to be a tit-for-tat amongst the various religions. Hopefully, we can discuss this topic objectively without getting worked up as is often the case.
Here are my observations (which may not necessarily be correct). Feel free to add on or correct if i'm wrong:
Buddhism - Buddha was an indian prince who after witnessing sufferings of the common people, decided to search for answers. Eventually, he became 'enlightened' and started preaching about sufferings, avoiding sufferings and the cycles/realms of existence. He never preached about God nor did he claim to be divine. However, buddhism later evolved into a religion. Buddhism, though full of wisdom, was never intended to be a religion in the first place.
Taoism - Taoism was started by LaoTze, a philisopher. Tao means 'the way'. Teachings included relationship between man and nature/universe, healthy living, ancester worship. There is no God as in a supreme being but that everyone who dies could become a deity. Not exactly a religion but a way of life.
Hinduism - No one knows for sure who started this religion. The most interesting fact about the religion is the number of Gods worshipped. The three main manifestations of the omnipresent God are: Brahma, the creator of the universe, Vishnu the protector and Shiva the destroyer. Wars between the Asuras (demons) and the Devas (Gods) are a common part of the Hindu mythology. The Hindu goes through a series of reincarnations that eventually lead to 'moksha', or salvation, freeing the body from the cycle of rebirths based on karma. A somewhat mysterious religion.
Christianity - Christianity is contained in the bible which is a collection of 66 books written by about 40 authors over approximately 1600 years. The bible is divided into the Old Testament (before time of Jesus) and the New Testament. The Bible claims to be inspired and inerrant. This means that the Bible claims to be from God and that it is without error in everything it addresses. It teaches that there is only 1 true God and that all of mankind are creatures (therefore, children) of the same God.The bible contains prophesies of which many have come to pass. Jesus was sent by God to 'save' mankind from sins and destruction. Many miracles have been documented in the bible during the time of Jesus. However, within the bible, there are also many contradictions.
Islam - Islam is pretty much the Old Testament of the Christian bible. The similarities end here with the introduction of Prophet Mohd. Islam claims that Jesus was just a prophet and that Mohd was the last and greatest prophet sent by God. The Quran, however, is quite different from the old testament though they are similar in contents. Islam is built upon five major pillars. A Muslim is taught that anyone who dies observing these five basic pillars will enter heaven. They are:
(1) To bear witness that there is no entity worthy of worship except Allah
(2) To perform five prescribed prayers to God every day
(3) To pay two and a half percent (2.5%) of ones wealth to charity every year
(4) To fast the month of Ramadan
(5) To perform a pilgrimage to Mecca
There are also many inconsistensies and contradictions in the Quran.

So, why are you a Buddhist, Christian or whatever? Is it because you're born into your religion and therefore leave it to fate? Or, has it been your choice and why?

[Big A]

Dear Kulgai,

I do not know of you religion background, but if you are interested in Christianity, you can go to my Thread on Today's Scripture Reading in this blog Discussions About Religion. I hope some of my writtings can give you the answers you want. I welcome your comments but please use no abusive language nor write anything to insult the religious faith of others. Let us be civil in our internet posting and I strongly encourage us that we should not use abusive language not just here but in all our postings. If you you are 'offended' by my thread, you just ignore it. Actually, my thread is more for Christians as I feel that we need God's Word to encourage us. God bless.

[MannoFr]

my question is what makes you think yr religion is the true one. Please pen yr thoughts in this thread. thank u

[Ifroham4]

my question is what makes you think yr religion is the true one. Please pen yr thoughts in this thread. thank u

Dear Kulgai,
Just one very simple reaon - when I read the Bible, it speaks right into my heart. I can't help it but to see myself as wicked and hopeless being. I know God is real and He is perfect. I can't see myself meeting Him with my condition - every thought in my mind, every action that I do and every word that comes out of my mouth are just simply disgusting. No other religion teaches the same as the Bible. In fact, Christianity is not a religion. It is about establishing right relationship with God. Our relationship with God is broken because of our carnal and sinful nature. God, through the death of Jesus, is reconciling us to Him. God is all about relationship and love.

[S.T.D.]

my question is what makes you think yr religion is the true one. Please pen yr thoughts in this thread. thank u

Hi Kulgai,

There is no true religion. All religions talk about a way of life and an adherence to a thought or an entity, like a God.

I have seriously looked at a lot of religions, there is a lot of inconsistency in all of them. None of them is truly perfect. The ones that i find is the most stifling as well as the most binding is monotheistic religions.

These tells you basically not to think except what the book asks you to think. Cobbled together out of selective preference. Look at even the seven deadly sins people always talked about, its not even in the bible but was made somewhere years after the bible was compiled. These monotheistic books are nothing but man's interpretation of works compiled by another man/group of men.

I find being in these religion being like a blinkered horse on a narrow bridge, losing freedom of thought and mind as whatever you think, you will always be asked to refer to the "book".

Every single one of their argument centres around the book and you risk punishment for transgressions, none of which really makes sense if read as a whole as there are too many conflicting ideas yet people tell you its perfect, it gells completely.

They cannot make other comments except to quote from the book. People who are entralled in these religions lose their creative mindset and thinking and they think of everyone as evil beings. Wait and see, the next follow up comments will be from their "book"

Remember one thing, even their own children are born out of sin and the wages of sin is death. But God love children right? Though he condemned them to death even as they are born. Then they will argue that its "Gods will" etc. How about healing amputees or the lack of healing for this group actually? Also God's will.

It goes to a point that even if you helped them out of goodwill, they might not even want to thank you but they thank their God instead as it is "ordained" that you will help them. You are basically a fool or at best, a tool for helping them. I found out when working with them, no matter where i go, i saw how hypocritical they are, even told me they can keep on committing sins as long as they pray and repent since they are guaranteed to have eternal life as long as they are with "God".

To these folks, you cannot go to heaven or attain happiness by being good, instead its your relationship with God. Its a binding religion where you either need to cut a piece of self or be "cleansed" or baptized with water and once in, everyone finds it difficult to leave or you have to die for apostasy. They even force you to give a certain amount monthly/yearly and frown if you don't give tithes because they will then say, "it is written"

These are divisive religions, always a them versus us thing, always infidels versus the pious. Funny though, you will find the concept of charity, etc and giving without expecting in return similar to concepts in thought to other religions. Selective copying perharps? Remember, they teach you not to trust man because man can fail, yet they ask that you trust a man's interpretation of work by a group of men 100%. With your life even.

I find some other religions on the other hand, enlightening, it frees your mind and tell you to be good to others. You are not compelled to pray X amount of times a day or go attend something weekly. Even if they say not to eat animals, etc its because of kind thoughts, not because certain animals are dirty or unholy.

You are given freedom of thought, freedom of speech instead of always being threatened with blasphemy and eternal death. I found that out after leaving this religion and i looked back at all the wasted years with regret.

Whichever path you choose, choose that which you find is correct. Just that one need to recognise when a book is written by men instead of by God and all their teachings are based on one man's interpretation of another man's testimony.

[brraverishhh]

i think total freedom is no good. freedom is the source of most social problems in the world.

freedom to steal, freedom to lust, freedom to rape, freedom to spread rumors, freedom to hate, freedom to kill, freedom to do all kinds of damages...

these are sins Jesus and the bible is trying to address.

self control is more important than freedom.

but that doesn't mean if you believe in Jesus, you don't have freedom to think..etc...but you are now even more aware and conscious of your sins...

many religions do not claim they are true...if you believe buddha said he's not god by giving him the benefit of the doubt. you could also believe Christianity is the true religion because Jesus said so.

John 14:6 (New International Version)

6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Life is filled with contradiction, of Duality, of Multiplicity...

Love & Hate, War & Peace, Man & Woman, Justice & Injustice..etc.

Don't tell me this is not true?

Freedom is not good? Would prison sound better? Thats what the book does, imprison the mind. All religions teaches you to be good, not to do sins, etc.

There you go, quoting from the book again. Can you have a single argument where the book is not quoted? How did you know Jesus really did so? There is a long period of his life, his youth, etc that is not explicitly covered.

Christianity did not come about immediately after his death and the bible was not written and compiled in his time but AFTER he was long gone was it completed. It becomes one man's words against another. Simply a case of the blind leading the blind.

Its up to you, people who are blinded by faith will always use their faith as a reference point. There is no valid other reference point save for phrases in the badly compiled/edited book.

[Big A]

no i can't if i dun quote it will not be from Jesus, the only true God.

it will be from me...i ain't God....i am just a servant...not worthy of His glory..

sometimes it may be your own prejudice that may blind you from the true faith...

not what others write..can convince what you stubbornly beliefs..

if Christian don't respect freedom, you think most "Christian" backed countries can top the democracy index and most liveable/happy places on earth?

worshipping in idols or being atheist at all really puts you back in regression mode, proof..compare the stats, look at what Asians valued most....

so many human rights violations and poor literacy rates...etc...buddha needs to work harder..

Christian countries are nice and all but there are a lot of things they don't have too. Its not Buddha needs to work harder, all needs to works harder. How many people, through believing in Jesus has actually treated their parents better? Such a high Christian population but who indulges in more sins then others despite "guidance" and "teachings" but still shoot each other daily. Sad to say, i find that those who preach the most falsehood, spread the most rumours to be Christians. Its like an insurance policy that won't go away. Asia has its fault but Europe/US is not perfect either, people always preach about love there but they sure won't help no homeless! I witness it myself many times, a homeless white man wanted to buy a loaf of bread but was turned away but all the security/counter men blocked his way. Another homeless, this time a black was pushed so hard that he fell backwards.

You still have to quote from the book at the end of the day because thats the only thing you have to base on. I am not asking anyone to follow Buddha or anyone else for that matter. Worshipping of idols is a personal choice. Have you seen or heard your God telling you personally all this? No? Through whom? Other men and men who wrote your book.

How does Mormons/Jehovah witnesses fit into the whole picture then? Is the world truly only 6000 plus years old? How come no description of potatoes, dinosaurs?

Surely these were made by the Lord, your God? How come no mention? Face it, the bible is not perfect, it doesn't need to be perfect if its just a reference book but then its a book which the entire Christian faith is built upon. Even the NIV, King James has slightly different words. Just a single word could be misinterpreted, let alone thousands.

Remember it was Gallileo who brought up the concept of round earth while the church loudly expounded the earth was flat. They persecuted his "wild" ideas about science and similarly denounced or burnt people at the stake as and when it suits them or when they have ideas that were not inline with the church. If the works of men are found to be lacking or faulty, what about your book? Was it written automatically? Do you know who edited the book, who compiled it and who in the end made the decision for which book is left in and which is taken out?

End of the day, its up to you. Your salvation is your own but if its something that you know deep down inside is flawed, bringing others to it just for the sake of getting additional glory is just like the blind leading the blind.

I wish you well in your path.

[PhillipHer]

Dear Kulgai,
Just one very simple reaon - when I read the Bible, it speaks right into my heart. I can't help it but to see myself as wicked and hopeless being. I know God is real and He is perfect. I can't see myself meeting Him with my condition - every thought in my mind, every action that I do and every word that comes out of my mouth are just simply disgusting. No other religion teaches the same as the Bible. In fact, Christianity is not a religion. It is about establishing right relationship with God. Our relationship with God is broken because of our carnal and sinful nature. God, through the death of Jesus, is reconciling us to Him. God is all about relationship and love.

We can all certainly relate to the bible and ... why not? I once read about my zodiac sign and was pretty impressed. They sure know my characteristics. Another time, i was reading about my zodiac sign again (another book) and once again found it pretty accurate. Guess what, I was reading up the wrong zodiac sign the second time round. So, I read through all the zodiac signs and found I could easily fit into any of the signs. What I'm saying is this - being able to relate to something doesnt count very much. Has anyone personally experienced God? I mean really experience and not just feel/believe. Why doesnt God show himself to all so that all will believe?

[Drugmachine]

While we spend time hunting for the best deal in COMEX or even at NTUC choosing between the various brands and its alternatives... most of us choose to have faith in a particular religion w/o deeply understanding what it is in the 1st place...

More than that... most of the believers did not quite try to understand what the other leading religions are. A good example is this, most Christians are not aware of the difference between them and Catholics. Many of them doesnt know they are in fact also called Protestants... most have never heard of the father of the Protestant movement Martin Luther.

And how about their children. Do these young minds had free will? Safe to assume that if you are born in India, you are likely to be a Hindu.... and if you born in to a Malay family, you are likely to be a Muslim.

So the question of why you think your religion is the true one... and mine isn't, is interesting. Put in in another way, why do you believe Lord Krishna or Jesus Christ is the saviour and not believe about Santa Claus and the Zeus God or Apollo God?

Its all about faith. We choose to believe anything we like to. Faith is believing w/o evidence. Faith in a book written long time ago. So w/o evidence, we can all argue all we want and we will find no satisfying conclusion.

Its also this same faith that made faithful devotees blow themselves up and killing dozens of others in the same process. Its the same faith that we had that decimated population in the 30 years war where millions of Protestants and Catholics kill for the same God. Where is God in that 30 years?

[Paul Bunyan]

We can all certainly relate to the bible and ... why not? I once read about my zodiac sign and was pretty impressed. They sure know my characteristics. Another time, i was reading about my zodiac sign again (another book) and once again found it pretty accurate. Guess what, I was reading up the wrong zodiac sign the second time round. So, I read through all the zodiac signs and found I could easily fit into any of the signs. What I'm saying is this - being able to relate to something doesnt count very much. Has anyone personally experienced God? I mean really experience and not just feel/believe. Why doesnt God show himself to all so that all will believe?

If you ask them about God showing up, they will then give you their SOP excuses,God will's and not by our will, sign of Jonah, we cannot even start to understand his will, etc.

So no sign and no healing of amputees. By the time medical/science research healing of amputees happens, then they will claim, since men works is by God, then its is Gods work that men can heal amputated limbs. Selectively taking in science for those that work versus those that threaten their religion like Gallileo's round earth theory. Remember, the same churches tortured and burnt people at the stake regularly for real or perceived transgressions.

[HedgeYourBets]

if we tell pylae, his wife is commiting adultery behind his back,,, he will ask for proof,,,
if we tell pylae his son is taking drugs, he will dfrag his son for blood test,,,

but if we tell him:

a middle east man, walks on water, heal the blind, kena sabo and betrayed bu his own people, died and come alive again 2 thousand years ago,,,, YES I BELIEVE

[Lillie_Steins]

a middle east man, walks on water, heal the blind, kena sabo and betrayed bu his own people, died and come alive again 2 thousand years ago,,,, YES I BELIEVE

Yes I believe TOO! Jesus Christ is the only man who was crucified, died, buried and risen again. Truly amazing!

Is there anyone who could repeat this...? I believe NOT!

Yes I believe in Jesus Christ. He lives to tell the story! All others are... dead.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

if we tell pylae, his wife is commiting adultery behind his back,,, he will ask for proof,,,
if we tell pylae his son is taking drugs, he will dfrag his son for blood test,,,

but if we tell him:

a middle east man, walks on water, heal the blind, kena sabo and betrayed bu his own people, died and come alive again 2 thousand years ago,,,, YES I BELIEVE

HAHHAHAA..........thats a good one............

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

YES! There is a real religion. Go to www.eckankar.org!

Love is the shortest route to God and nothing else! It can be anyone or any beings who can reach God all depending on the character.

Freedom is the foundation to Love. Our human society has yet to embrace Freedom and yet talk a lot of shits about love. That's why there's a lot of perverted occurance when they act on what they think is Love.

[Peptobismol]

God's love is beyond measure. As human beings, we are born to die. From the very first day we are born, we are all waiting to breathe our last breath. In between, we strive for many things and through the strife some may be able to acheive great but vain glory for themselves - acquire huge wealth, having high position, etc. Is this what life is all about?

God didn't need to die. He can live forever. However, He chose to die so that we all can live forever. Isn't amazing! Call upon the name of Jesus who chose to die but rose again after three days. Trust Him, repent, turn away from your sin - that's all He wants from you.

Walking as a truly converted Christian is not an easy thing - but God will give us the strength and the power and His Holy Spriit will be our guide as we walk in full repentence with Him.

If you want more words of encouragement from the Bible, you may want to go to the thread on Today's Scripture Reading in the blog Discussions about Religion. All comments are welcome but no abusive language please. God bless.

[softy54534]

bro..which phrase in the testament said that

[MannoFr]

bro..which phrase in the testament said that

The whole of the Bible from the Old to the New Testaments speak about this. God is eternal. He never die and never need to but He chose to die for us. Jesus came just for this purpose. But we are born to die because of the sin as God has said to Adam and Eve, "The day you eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die". They ate and they died as God has said. Since then this curse of disobedience is passed down to the human race.

[Paul Bunyan]

It is obvious to me that it is spoken with a lot of symbolic meanings. Now if u take it literally... u need to use your god given brain to prove it's validity.

Now such fantastic claims are just as fantastic as other religions more or less. So why did u believe in the bible and not those of other religions? Is it because u are a better person? If u r, den u r very lucky to be a better and superior person. But then... that would be more of luck than that of the secondary cause of being superior.

So u go to heaven and have a blissful life because u r lucky and me, suffer to eternal torture cos i am unlucky. Doesnt that boiled down to luck that who go to where?

It's not that i dont want to follow christianity, it's that your "God" didnt tell me that what u said is true. As a matter of fact, i believe your "God" is no more than your own priests that hides behind a fake God they conjure. Just because a child beleives in a true medical book doenst makes him a doctor, does it?

[S.T.D.]

Dear Foomt117,

I once heard someone said, God is just 18 inches away from us. What he meant was the distance between our brain and our heart is 18 inches. What you believe in your heart will translate into what you are. I admit - I cannot prove to you in any tangible form that my '"God is real". But my heart tells me so. Even during Jesus' day, those who walked so close to Him refused to believe He is God. Most of His disciples run away and hid themselves when the Roman soldiers were going after Jesus to crucify Him. Remember, Jesus was with them in person for many years! Even after His resurrection, some wanted physical proof to see real wounds of His hands and bodies and they wanted to touch Him before they believe He is God and He has risen. The amazing thing was that all those disciplines who were coward before His death became heroes and many even died for preacher the Gospel.

We are given the grace of God - or at least I am. I don't need to touch Him physically but by His Word, I am fully convinced that He is God and no one else.

Sigh...It's not easy for non-Christian to really believe. I have gone through the same - always wanted tangible proof. But let me share with you one thing - just look at all those people around us - do you really trust them, and look at ourselves, do you think we can really face God with all the things we do, all the thoughts we have in our mind - I don't know about you - my mine thoughts are realy, really dirty. And God knows our thoughts. Just look at the newspaper, without fail we read of people cheating so often and some cheated people by hundred of millions of dollars, yet you see their faces still laughing and show absolutely no remorse. For me as a Christian, this is nothing to be surprised because every man's heart is deceitfully wicked continuously as what was said in the Bible in both the Old and the New Testaments.

I am not a debater and neither am I a theologian. For that matter, I am not even a church worker. I am writing just as a Christian sharing with fellow Christians some words of encouragement.

[PhillipHer]

what u said have not answered my question. I have no doubt that Jesus is above the common man. In a way, Jesus is God but that got nothing to do with your salvation to heaven.

I beleive there is God but i dont beleive that is good enough for me to go to heaven. I believe instead that salvation lies within myself through overcoming bad habits and becoming a loving being. See?

Your Salvation has nothing to be with reading the holy book, it has nothing to do with going to church, it has nothing to do with paying tithes to the church. All these actions are suppose to translate to a disciplined Soul making Soul stronger to love others. But the actions means nothing if it doesnt helps the Soul for the reason that it wasnt done selflessly and instead for the sake of going to heaven. The intention wasnt pure. To be free from suffering requires a loving heart but that doesnt necessarily means u r free from physical pain. Like one can be happily suffering working hard for yr children cos of love and compassion.

All roads lead to God, it's just a question of time. All have to have the same loving heart of Jesus to be where He is at. You can only find which religion can give the shortest route to find the love within cos ultimately, we all will go to heaven, just a matter of time. Does that makes my idea of God more loving than yours?

In regard to the dirty thoughts... if u mean sex thoughts. It is actually natural and was designed by Nature to make you want to make love. I find that one cannot stop thoughts but one can be aware of it and realise one doesnt need to follow the thoughts cos these thoughts may not necessarily coming from your own. For sex thoughts, it prolly is and there is nothing wrong with it since it is Nature-created. But becos u think that making love is a bad thing which is actually unnatural and anti-Nature, u suffered guilt cos u went against the design of Nature.

Let's say our Law tells us that a mother who thinks that hugging and kissing her baby is a sinful act. But isnt it natural to think of that? But of course, that helps to prove that mothers are indeed "sinful". Then, this will further cause a lot of perverted acts, thoughts and even actions in the future... I can only imagine in horror. It's becomes like a vicious cycle.