Truth and punishment

[famdigy]

peace and greetings to all.

Every religion on the planet believes they have the truth and every other religion is wrong or misguided and It’s very common for Muslims and Christians alike to say things like “I pray for your guidance before its too late”

My idea of God is that he has the ultimate proof and is ultimately fair and just. People on the day of judgment will have no excuses for their wrong beliefs and deviancy.

From the Christian point of view, why will God punish me for not following Christianity, when I answer him that Christianity did not make sense to me and I followed what made sense. Isn’t it unfair of God to create intelligence and reasoning in humans and then punish them for using those same faculties in not following the Christian way.

If there is no place for reason, logic, intellect in finding truth then how do we know where the truth is?
If faith is all we need then how do we know the other faiths are not any more true than Christianity.

I don’t want to bash anyones faith or turn this into a flame thread. I’m just looking for the Christian perspective.

 

[ralphinal]

Actually, this is an excellent question. First, you are judged on what you had the opportunity to learn and do in your faith life. Someone who lived thousands of miles away from Isreal at the same time of Christ had no chance to learn of him. For these people, the question is did they act upon the Grace that God provided them for their salvation. We cannot answer that ouselves, only God who knows men’s hearts better than they do knows.

Second, the question is if Christianity is not rational to you, are you expected to beleive it? Some say yes, for you should see with faith, not reason. Some say no, there is an attribute called impenitrable ignorance (not calling any one anything, it means that the logic of the faith does not reach your mind and heart). It may be the will of God that at this time, you will not see. Much like Saul, one day your heart may be opened and you will become a new Creature in Christ. If it does happen, then you must accept Christianity. If it does not happen, then you are still required to accept the Grace God grants you for your salvation. Again, only God knows if you are truly unable to accept the faith or if you are deluding yourself, and only God knows if you accept his saving Grace.

Third, if it is true that reason and intellect are totally unimportant, why did God grant them to us? He must want a unified being following Him. One who sees the logic in His ways and uses faith to bridge the impossible to understand.

As an aside, many have looked at Christianity as the more rational/logical faith compaired to Islam. What, simply put, do you see as not making sense? Like you, I do not want an arguement to erupt on this thread. I seek truth, as you do.

 

[Reuben_J]

peace and greetings to all.

Peace to you.

Every religion on the planet believes they have the truth and every other religion is wrong or misguided and It’s very common for Muslims and Christians alike to say things like “I pray for your guidance before its too late”

If you’re on the verge of deciding which religion to follow, then yes, you’d pray something like that. Personally I never come across this experience, perhaps because I’m already so entrenched in Catholicism that other alternatives do not come to mind. So it’s hard for me to imagine a situation where I’d pray to God for guidance in choosing a religion.

I do pray for God’s guidance though if I have to make decisions in life, like do I take that new job or should I move to another town? I’ll put my life in God’s hand. Only if I experience peace do I make my next move in important matters in my life.

My idea of God is that he has the ultimate proof and is ultimately fair and just. People on the day of judgment will have no excuses for their wrong beliefs and deviancy.

When do you get this ultimate proof? It’ll be too late if you’ll be shown it on your day of judgment. You cannot backtrack then.

How’d you know that God is fair and just, unless you have some idea of what God had done in the past? And how do you know what being told unto you is the truth or lies?

From the Christian point of view, why will God punish me for not following Christianity, when I answer him that Christianity did not make sense to me and I followed what made sense. Isn’t it unfair of God to create intelligence and reasoning in humans and then punish them for using those same faculties in not following the Christian way.

I can only say this, that God will not punish you for not following Christianity. You’ll be going into your own destruction for not believing in Christianity after having understood the truth and the correct teaching of Christianity. For you see, God recognizes goodness, whoever and whatever your religion is.

If there is no place for reason, logic, intellect in finding truth then how do we know where the truth is?

Are they equivalent to God’s reason, logic and intellect? The Bible says human’s reason, logic and intellect do not necessarily the same as God’s, as God’s way is different from human’s way.

If faith is all we need then how do we know the other faiths are not any more true than Christianity.

Not true. We do need certain amount of faith, but not blind faith as God shows sufficient leads to His truth. The point in Christianity comes from a continuous long line of God’s revelations, not just to a single prophet but to many prophets in history. The Bible does not come out of the blue from the sky in one generation. It’s made up of compilation of God’s actions through the centuries so that Christians will not be forced to take up blind faith.

I don’t want to bash anyones faith or turn this into a flame thread. I’m just looking for the Christian perspective.

Most probably this discussion will lead to contrast in Christianity and Islam and I have no illusion about it. Other Christians may put it differently but I hope those thought may be useful to you.

God bless.

Reuben

 

[Booklover]

peace and greetings to all.

Every religion on the planet believes they have the truth and every other religion is wrong or misguided and It’s very common for Muslims and Christians alike to say things like “I pray for your guidance before its too late”

My idea of God is that he has the ultimate proof and is ultimately fair and just. People on the day of judgment will have no excuses for their wrong beliefs and deviancy.

From the Christian point of view, why will God punish me for not following Christianity, when I answer him that Christianity did not make sense to me and I followed what made sense. Isn’t it unfair of God to create intelligence and reasoning in humans and then punish them for using those same faculties in not following the Christian way.

If there is no place for reason, logic, intellect in finding truth then how do we know where the truth is?
If faith is all we need then how do we know the other faiths are not any more true than Christianity.

I don’t want to bash anyones faith or turn this into a flame thread. I’m just looking for the Christian perspective.

You talk about reason, but doesn’t Islam not allow you to question any of its tenets? Why are Muslim apostates put to death because they decided that Islam was not the truth??

I posted this from the Catechism from another thread.

819 “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith; hope and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.” Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves call to "Catholic unity.

Vickie

 

[inJESUS]

Famdigy. Islam does not satisfy my mind or soul and i find illogical things in Islam so it doesn’t convince me.

As you see, we both have minds and intelligence yet both came to opposite conclusions.

Intelligence must be invested in reading, assessing, going back in history, resding what others wrote ecc. Intelligence must be supported with extensive reading and searching.

When you might have problems understanding Christian theology,even though it stems and smells of Judaism, thats why we have 2 books, Islam, on the other hand, might look like having a relationship but actually it does not. Why? because it denies the validity of the word of God,hence you have neither OT nor NT like we do, it opposes what prophets taught for no theological reason, and has no theological link between Judaism and Christianity except claiming that the word of God is corrupt.

In other words, without this claim, there is no place for Islam.So basically, it has no theological reason for its existence because it is not a continuation but an opposition to what dozens of prophets wrote about.

Anybody who is interested with the origins of the NT passages will find their parallels in the OT.

Anybody interested in the origins of the Quranic passages will find them in Gnostic scriptures, apocrypha, Mishna, Talmud and Legends.

Now to claim that the writings of dozens of Hebrew prophets in OT and NT disappeared off the planet and that gnosticism, and legends and talmud and mishna are the literal word of God, then here intelligence must discern the true and the false.

 

[PaulDupre]

My idea of God is that he has the ultimate proof and is ultimately fair and just. People on the day of judgment will have no excuses for their wrong beliefs and deviancy.

I think is important to remember that we will be judged according to our works, not our beliefs or knowledge.

Many people have very valid excuses for their wrong beliefs. If one is raised in a religious environment that teaches error, and never hears the truth, then that is a valid excuse for wrong beliefs. But we are without excuse when it comes to acknowledging the existence of God and the need to worship Him. St. Paul was very clear about that.

I think we will be surprised when we find out who made it to heaven and who did not.

God bless,
Paul

 

[mark_a]

From the Christian point of view, why will God punish me for not following Christianity, when I answer him that Christianity did not make sense to me and I followed what made sense.

He won’t.

Isn’t it unfair of God to create intelligence and reasoning in humans and then punish them for using those same faculties in not following the Christian way.

Yes

If there is no place for reason, logic, intellect in finding truth then how do we know where the truth is?

You search for truth your whole life. If you are ever absolutely 100% sure, you are in trouble.

If faith is all we need then how do we know the other faiths are not any more true than Christianity.

Faith is not all you need. From a Christian perspective, you are saved by God’s grace through faith. Jesus said we must love God above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Keep in mind that from the Christian perspective God became man, not vice versa. Only Jesus claims to be God. Only Jesus proved that He is love by serving others, not himself.

Keep in mind that there is only one God and you or I are not Him!