Arguments for Christianity Over Other Religions

[Aquinas21]

Can someone mention some of the common arguments of accepting Christianity over other religions and worldviews? …

One argument (or theory or suggestion) that I have seen on this subject is that Christianity represents the best balance (or best convergence of tendencies) between transcendence and immanence in the doctrines (or ideas) concerning God (and God’s presence and activities). Years ago I saw a diagram on this subject in a book called Principles of Christian Theology by John Macquarrie (1919-2007).

… Besides personal preferencing, of course.

I think that it’s important to allow some significance for personal preferencing (or authentic subjective awareness) in religion. For example, if I have a preference for individual immortality (rather than reincarnation or transmigration), that preference makes me comfortable with Christianity.

 

[TarkanAttila]

In what other religion do you find a man who says “I am a fully enlightened Buddha”? In what other religion do you find a man who says, “I am the Prophet of Allah”?

There is a distinction.

Buddha was the result of his teaching. The teaching was the way of salvation, not he.
Mohammed was the result of his prophecy. His prophecy was the way.

Jesus proclaims Himself, not His teaching, not His good works, but He Himself, as the way of salvation.

In other words, we can understand easily how a teaching might save us. But how can a man save us, and not his teachings?

Maybe I need to explain it to get the full depth of what I mean. But “I am the Way” is a very different saying from “Mohammed is His Prophet” with a very different meaning.

The Buddha (re)discovered the Path. Jesus did not do that. Jesus is not the Buddha; the Buddha is not Jesus. You start with the assumption that Jesus is superior because you are Christian. I am Buddhist, so I have a different assumption. You cannot convince people who do not share your assumptions using your method.

So you see nothing strange about a man telling us to eat His flesh and drink His blood, and that if we don’t, we have no life in us?

You see nothing strange about a man forgiving another man of sins not done against Him?

OK, that might not be enough to make you a believer. Not trying to say it is. But I’d say it’s a big enough distinction between the teachers - like Buddha, Plato, Master Kong - the prophets like Moses, Mohammed, and Baha’ullah; and Jesus Christ to make you want to see what’s wrong with the third guy.

Again, you are making assumptions. In Buddhism almost everyone comes back, reborn for their next life. The Buddha managed to reach nirvana and hence he was not reborn. His not returning was a mark of his success. Returning is a mark of failure.

A bit strange, innit, to return in the dead body you only occupied all of three days ago?

You need to leave behind Christian assumptions, and to study the beliefs of the person you are trying to convert. Start from where they are.

rossum

Fair enough.