Comparison between Christianity and other religions

[faithfilledques]

I take it that the one real difference between Christianity and other religions is that Christ came as a human being - as the Incarnate Word - God-man, and died and rose for for our sin. Has any other religion had a ‘god-man’ die for humanity ? Somewhere along the way I have heard that there is one distinct difference between Christianity and every other religion, can anybody help me ? Perhaps what I should ask is: is this* the *only main difference between…(religions) ?Maybe what I am trying to think of is [the idea] that someone would die for our sins, has any one else had a claim to this ?

 

[Yggdrasil]

I take it that the one real difference between Christianity and other religions is that Christ came as a human being - as the Incarnate Word - God-man, and died and rose for for our sin. Has any other religion had a ‘god-man’ die for humanity ? Somewhere along the way I have heard that there is one distinct difference between Christianity and every other religion, can anybody help me ? Perhaps what I should ask is: is this* the *only main difference between…(religions) ?Maybe what I am trying to think of is [the idea] that someone would die for our sins, has any one else had a claim to this ?

I don’t think the propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of mankind is “the only main” difference between Christianity and other religions. Consider that some religions might even be called “non-theistic”—from this aspect alone would flow a whole host of major dissimilarities.

The atonement is unique to Christianity, but why shouldn’t it be? Only Jews and Muslims have a similar conception of the deity in the first place—outside of the Abrahamic paradigm, the “Deus pater” is imagined in a very different way, if at all. The idea of God on the cross was “a stumbling block” for the Jews, but there is nevertheless an internal consistency there. For the Dagda to climb into a wicker man, or for Krishna (who actually is an incarnation of God in the Hindu system) to have himself burned up instead of a horse—these would be completely pointless and meaningless within their respective religious cults.

C.S. Lewis noted many parallels between the death and resurrection of Christ and the mythologies of various pagan gods whose stories included a death and rebirth. The difference, in his opinion, was that the pagan myths were merely inspired attempts to grasp at Christ (who, after all “illumines every one that comes into this world,” and whose blueprint is everywhere since “all things came to be through Him.”) Lewis concluded that with the entry of Christ into history, the myth had “become fact.”

 

[KyivAndrew]

I suppose one must firstly divide the Monotheistic Religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam - from the non-monotheistic, who may believe in an Impersonal Life Force or transpersonal gods or no god - the Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism,etc. Indeed in some instances Buddhism can be described as an atheistic religion.

Hinduism and Buddhism both share the belief in reincarnation (Buddhism, unlike Hinduism, does without the caste system): that the soul wanders in an almost endless cycle of births and rebirths until one is released (having gained good karma) to moksha or nirvana in Buddhism. In Christianity we have a theodicy to explain evil, but the Eastern religions believe that if one suffers in their current lifetime this is because they did bad actions indeed in a past life. Simply put, the epileptic or paraplegic or the blindman is simply suffering for the bad he did in a past life. As Christians, we don’t believe in past lives or that one suffers on account of anything of the sort. The most difficult for the Christian may be accepting that Hindus and Buddhists accept that one may come back as a monkey, a knat, a rat, even an inanimate object in their next life. Even animals have potential Buddhahood and aim for nirvana. That’s why some sects like the Jains even cover their mouths in clothing for fear of swallowing a knat - a perhaps distant relation in a past life. I realize I’m condensing things.

Vis-a-vis the Jews we of course believe in Christ as son of God and that there is original sin, which the Jews don’t believe in. The Jews tend to focus more on the here-and-now, as opposed to the afterlife (little mention of it in the Tanakh- Old Testament). Vis-s-vis Islam, we have a theology of redemption and believe in a Personal Loving Relationship with God, whereas in Islam, God may be called many beautiful names, but ultimately, according to the Venerable Pope John Paul II, he is not Immanuel, God with us, but a God outside of His creation who demands submission.

What sets us apart is our unique theodicy [the Cross], belief in the Trinity, belief in the Incarnation, that God is a Personal Being and One, and not impersonal or polytheistic, among others. Well, O.K. this is obviously from my Christian perspective. I will accept criticism if this is too simplified but I’m tired.

 

[James_S_Saint]

Not that any of them fully understand what they actually worship, but despite what they might think and their intended aim;

Judaism worships the left hand of God
Islam worships a dim reflection of God
Christianity worships a son of God
and I worship the Sum of God (not that I am any good at it )

 

[KyivAndrew]

Not that any of them fully understand what they actually worship, but despite what they might think and their intended aim;

Judaism worships the left hand of God
Islam worships a dim reflection of God
Christianity worships a son of God
and I worship the Sum of God (not that I am any good at it )

Out of curiosity, what is the “left hand of God” and how does one worship it?

 

[James_S_Saint]

Out of curiosity, what is the “left hand of God” and how does one worship it?

The “left hand”, a usage of the magi, refers to the unseen, invisible yet instigatory.

The worship is seen by the emphasis on going unseen, unnoticed, and ensuring confusion, obfuscation. It is by the confusion of others that one can be invisible. Cloud their minds and they are subtle clay.

The stoning practice confuses the issue of who really killed that person as it is against the commandments to kill, but if the person goes unseen he is not judge-able and thus it is an “act of God” (the invisible cause).

The “dividing of the waters”, a highly respected strategy, requires invisible tactics else the divider gets the blame. To avoid blame, to appear innocent, is required to avoid judgment.

Bring judgment to all Mankind, but hide in the “crevice of a stone” while the shadow of death covers the land.

I could point out countless acts of this nature to the point that such overrides other concerns of holiness.

 

[KyivAndrew]

The “left hand”, a usage of the magi, refers to the unseen, invisible yet instigatory.

The worship is seen by the emphasis on going unseen, unnoticed, and ensuring confusion, obfuscation. It is by the confusion of others that one can be invisible. Cloud their minds and they are subtle clay.

The stoning practice confuses the issue of who really killed that person as it is against the commandments to kill, but if the person goes unseen he is not judge-able and thus it is an “act of God” (the invisible cause).

The “dividing of the waters”, a highly respected strategy, requires invisible tactics else the divider gets the blame. To avoid blame, to appear innocent, is required to avoid judgment.

Bring judgment to all Mankind, but hide in the “crevice of a stone” while the shadow of death covers the land.

I could point out countless acts of this nature to the point that such overrides other concerns of holiness.

Hmmm… I would say the Jewish people worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and attempt to follow the Torah (law) given at Sinai. It was the Jews who brought “ethical monotheism” into the world. It is from within Judaism, that Christianity has its roots. Our “elder brothers” as the Venerable Pope John Paul the Second called them.

So do you believe that Jesus Christ is God as Christians believe and that He conquered Death and Sin by His Crucifixion and Resurrection, or do you not believe this?

 

[James_S_Saint]

Hmmm… I would say the Jewish people worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and attempt to follow the Torah (law) given at Sinai. It was the Jews who brought “ethical monotheism” into the world. It is from within Judaism, that Christianity has its roots. Our “elder brothers” as the Venerable Pope John Paul the Second called them.

So do you believe that Jesus Christ is God as Christians believe and that He conquered Death and Sin by His Crucifixion and Resurrection, or do you not believe this?

Hmm… discussing myself and what I believe is not something I readily attempt as misunderstanding rules the world and brings all judgment.

Having seen the Sum, I am inherently not compatible with any of the parts yet not really an adversary to them either. I cannot worship a part as though it were the whole (Holy) yet cannot deny the righteousness of each part either. It is the true balance (the Sum of whole) that I focus upon.

Jesus was indeed a son of God. But I do not love him because he loves me. I love him because he loves what I love (he is just a lot better at it ).

Yes, he conquered death. I even know how and why. Yes he was ressurrected. I also know how and why.

I revere and defend Christianity. If it were not for Christianity, I would very probably not be alive today, but I still cannot take eyes off of the whole though Christianity would ask it of me. What I would wish upon Christianity is that it would more greatly understand Jesus and the Sum. It has nothing to fear, but it doesn’t seem to know that, so I let it be… more or less.

Abraham did not begin the chain of events. He merely brought back to light certain usages, the sinew. What one worships is not the name upon which one calls, but the actions upon which one takes.

 

[KyivAndrew]

Yes, he conquered death. I even know how and why. Yes he was ressurrected. I also know how and why.

Well yes. The Catholic Church also understands how and why Jesus conquered death and why He was resurrected. Why would your amorphous understanding be superior to the Catholic’s on Jesus Christ?

This worshipping of the Sum? Is this your own belief system or is there actually a religion that worships the “Sum” as you understand it?

 

[James_S_Saint]

Well yes. The Catholic Church also understands how and why Jesus conquered death and why He was resurrected. Why would your amorphous understanding be superior to the Catholic’s on Jesus Christ?

Well, I am hardly in a position to disrespect anyone for not being perfect, but I seem (to me) to understand a balance that the CC doesn’t reflect. I can do (and have done) things that the CC doesn’t seem to either desire to do or be capable of doing (still trying to discern which for sure). It isn’t so much of seeing that the CC does anything wrongly, but rather that it doesn’t do what could be done. I am well aware of it being able to see very many things that I cannot see, but that doesn’t prevent me from seeing the whole concerning many critical situations. By seeing what the CC does and comparing it to what I do for specific situations, I can see the difference and see that I have no complaint of its immediate intentions most of the time, but rather that it seems to not realize that it can accomplish all that it intends and so much more merely by understanding a little differently. Most specifically, the worship of mystery is something that it holds onto with much too much concern. Mystery is important and certainly belongs in the mix, but it has a very negative side that must be avoided and thus there is a balance - a time to reveal and a time to leave unknown and unanswered.

This worshipping of the Sum? Is this your own belief system or is there actually a religion that worships the “Sum” as you understand it?

Well, though isolated, I am certainly not alone although I’m not sure that you could call it a “religion” exactly, but perhaps. MY church is one that truly cannot perish. I do not mean that people would never stop admiring it. Generally they do not even know of it. It doesn’t advertise or reveal itself and exists within all others. But what I mean is that even if nuclear war were to break out and destroy all life on the planet, MY church would still exist and continue and restore life, literally eternally. You might say that Jesus’ intentions and MY church have a lot in common.

 

[James_S_Saint]

Btw, what they are ALL missing is the significance of the distinction between Peace and Harmony.

Christianity works toward Peace and assumes Harmony to be merely normal activity in a peaceful setting. But in reality (according to the Sum), it is the momentum of Harmony that maintains it free of interference and makes it very difficult to disturb. If you do not work to enhance that momentum, whatever else you do will eventually breakup. But to make that momentum as strong as it can be, Purity comes into issue.

You can image it much like an engine. An engine running at high RPM is very difficult to disturb, but if you have sand in the oil, it will burn itself up. Life is that engine. When Life is fully occupied in the purity of living accurately, nothing can stop it and death truly loses all reign.

By merely seeking Peace, Life does not die, but it can be very easily thrown into chaos and conflict. You must plant something into the cleared field, else weeds will surely grow.

 

[Major_Tom]

‘Yggdrasil’? Isn’t that the ‘World Tree’ in Norse myth…? Nice.

Speaking of the Norse, I think Odin voluntarily allowed himself to be hung from Yggdrasil for nine days, so that he could attain wisdom (much like Jesus hanging from the cross).

C.S. Lewis noted many parallels between the death and resurrection of Christ and the mythologies of various pagan gods whose stories included a death and rebirth. The difference, in his opinion, was that the pagan myths were merely inspired attempts to grasp at Christ (who, after all “illumines every one that comes into this world,” and whose blueprint is everywhere since “all things came to be through Him.”) Lewis concluded that with the entry of Christ into history, the myth had “become fact.”

I haven’t read this text yet, but have heard a bit about it. Speaking as a former Catholic, I wonder if Lewis might have the order reversed. Why couldn’t the Christ story be yet another manifestation of a common story that’s been told by so many different people? Does it have to reign ‘on top’?

 

[AndyF]

faithfilledques:

The distinction is between one true Christian religion that God wants us all to follow, and, all those paper mache man made attempts to create a perfect institution for worship which they already have. I understand that it is interesting to compare, and I know this is the intent of your thread, but in my view the only comparison that is important is which one is True.

Before we climb the first rung of maturing Faith, we need to select the right ladder.

Andy

 

[faithfilledques]

Andy F,

God is the God of all. I am reminded that God is also Love, and wonder what would Jesus do in regard to those of other religions ? He would love for the sake of love, because God is Love, and he who live in love lives in Him. What was Pope John Paul II trying to do ?

I am trying to find a way to love the Christ in others, do all religions want good ? Do not most people want good and peace ? In a round about way I was wondering what the differences in religions were, as I thought about experiences knowing Jesus as Lord; having come to an understanding of the Bible as the Living Word and knowing God as a loving Father, do I not want to find common threads in all humanity and know my religion ?

I think what I was originally thinking of was Scott Hahn talking about the difference between God the Father and Allah with that of Abba Father being a loving Father and Allah being a Lord (in term of submission). It could have been something else I heard. Why I am thinking all this tells me I should pray,and that there is something I should be doing.

 

[Abu]

The difference between Catholicism and any other religion is that The Catholic Church has been founded by a Divine Person who lived with a human and divine nature and claimed to be God, proving that claim by His resurrection.

No other religious founder claimed to be God – not Mohammed of Islam, not in Hinduism, not in Buddhism, not in Taoism, not in Confucianism.

I referred to Catholicism because, there have been many dissenters since Christ built His Church on Peter, and the beliefs vary with the many thousands of denominations.

 

[nsper7]

One major difference I have noted between Christianity and the other Abrahamic faiths is the issue of Hell.

For Christians, eternal and brutal Hell is threatened like a gun to the head. Not so in Judaism and Islam. In Islam, Hell exists, but for most people, it is not eternal. I think Judaism’s concept of Hell is non-eternal.

The issue goes back to the idea of Original Sin. Basically, everyone is born with a ticking time bomb strapped to their soul.

OS is entirely foreign to Islam and Judaism. Any punishment one receives is because of sins they have personally committed.

Personally, in many ways, I feel the main ‘on the ground’ difference between the three Abrahamic faiths is that Christianity uses threats of Hell to reel people in. Judaism does not proselytize (if you want to convert, you can, but Gentiles can be ‘Saved’). I have never heard of a Muslim using threats of Hell to get people to convert–in fairness, my dealings with Muslims have been minimal, but I just remember at the university I went to, I never heard an Imam or a Rabbi screaming about people burning in Hell.

 

[James_S_Saint]

Judaism does not proselytize (if you want to convert, you can, but Gentiles can be ‘Saved’). I have never heard of a Muslim using threats of Hell to get people to convert–in fairness, my dealings with Muslims have been minimal, but I just remember at the university I went to, I never heard an Imam or a Rabbi screaming about people burning in Hell.

That is because they are not trying to save you from it. In Judaism and Islam, if you sin you deserve everything you get. It isn’t their problem and they are glad to see you get your punishment.

 

[Abu]

While some denominations may use “threats of Hell”, using “feelings” won’t help us when we should be using faith and reason.

Christ and His Church proclaim our free will to do good and avoid evil, and all the helps we need to achieve our eternal reward – participation in Christ’s Sacrifice, His Body and Blood, six other sacraments, infallible teaching.

Non-Catholics may be saved if they try to know the Will of God and follow their consciences. All have the opportunity to turn to God up to the moment of death.

 

[Schn]

That is because they are not trying to save you from it. In Judaism and Islam, if you sin you deserve everything you get. It isn’t their problem and they are glad to see you get your punishment.

So if, say, a Catholic yells to a homosexual “you’re going to hell”, what they’re really saying, instead of “you sin you deserve everything you get”, is “I’m trying to save you from hell by yelling at you”.

 

[James_S_Saint]

So if, say, a Catholic yells to a homosexual “you’re going to hell”, what they’re really saying, instead of “you sin you deserve everything you get”, is “I’m trying to save you from hell by yelling at you”.

As opposed to just smiling and looking away? Does a parent do that when they see their child doing something they think will bring misfortune to them? Would you think highly of the parent who didn’t warn of the dangers, but instead just let the child do anything they felt like doing?

When a hurricane is coming, don’t they “yell” about the danger? Or do they just say, “well, I wouldn’t stay here, but if you want to, go right ahead” and never say why?

The whole point of Christianity is the effort to save, not merely themselves, but everyone. That means warning them of what they are being saved from and not merely being satisfied that everyone ELSE won’t be around to enjoy the Heaven to come.