Why different religions

[JY0815]

Why do we have different religions when God is one?

 

[andrewstx]

Because people are many and have different thinking about God.

 

[Katie_Kilbane]

Why do we have different religions when God is one?

Hello,

That is a good question. The answer from an Islamic perspective is found in the Quran:

***Mankind were one community and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed. And only those to whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it after clear proofs had come unto them through hatred, one to another. Then Allah by His Leave guided those who believed to the truth of that wherein they differed. And Allah guides whom He wills to a Straight Path. (Quran 2:213) ***

In the Tafseer (exegesis) it says:

Ibn Jarir reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "There were ten generations between Adam and Nuh, all of them on the religion of Truth. They later disputed so Allah sent the Prophets as warners and bringers of glad tidings.’’

An example of such a difference would be concerning the status of Jesus. The Jews slandered him and his blessed virgin mother- accusing her of fornication and calling Jesus a bastard (God forbid) - they denied the Gospel with which he was sent and denied that he was their awaited Messiah (chosen or anointed one). Whereas the Christians went to the other extreme and attributed to Jesus divinity and that which is only befitting the Almighty God. When God revealed the Quran to Muhammad, these differences were clarified:

O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs. (Quran 4:171)

And also

The Jews say “The Christians have nothing [true] to stand on,” and the Christians say, “The Jews have nothing to stand on,” although they [both] recite the Scripture. Thus the polytheists speak the same as their words. But Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ. (Quran 2:113)

Thank you for your question

–

 

[JY0815]

Because people are many and have different thinking about God.

Thanks for your reply.
I am new here.And I looking for answers .I come from a Hindu family. I have been to catholic school ever since i was a kid . All through i believed it was only through different ways that people are trying to connect to God. But when i start comparing it leaves me confused and with lot of questions.

I believe there is one God, even when i pray i refer to God but not any other God attributes (people pray to different dieties in India)and I feel that its only their belief that they are praying to different attributes.When i read Bible, there are few things which leaves me confused.
Should everyone be baptized to go to heaven eventhough they believe in Jesus Christ?
If I am not wrong it is those people who knew abt about Jesus Christ but didnt accept him will go to Hell.

I guess i am asking too many questions already?

 

[Elostirion]

Because some people are just more awesome (and generally better looking) than others.

 

[drac16]

It’s the result of man adding or taking away from the true faith (which, according to our understanding, is Islam). Small changes eventually became big changes over time. It’s like if you leave a raw piece of chicken breast in your backyard and check on it every day. On the first day, only a few animals will notice the chicken, but over time, it’ll get eaten in its entirety (plus, the weather may have an effect on it). That’s why God sent prophets; to destroy falsehoods and reestablish taqwa [righteousness].

 

[PJF0808]

Its because men are easily distracted and deceived. When people distance themselves from God through sin they leave themselves vulnerable to all kinds of strange ideas . There can really only be one truly accurate faith, all faiths have elements of truth eg Judaism and Islam follow the 10 commandments, Hindus teaching we have a responsibilty to each other. I have faith in Catholicism as the true faith. The principles, morals not to mention the miracles all give me hope and strength that I am right! All the teachings make sense and its clear that if followed there would be no war, no poverty, no divorce, economic stability, general peace everywhere!

 

[Servant19]

It’s the result of man adding or taking away from the true faith (which, according to our understanding, is Islam). Small changes eventually became big changes over time. It’s like if you leave a raw piece of chicken breast in your backyard and check on it every day. On the first day, only a few animals will notice the chicken, but over time, it’ll get eaten in its entirety (plus, the weather may have an effect on it). That’s why God sent prophets; to destroy falsehoods and reestablish taqwa [righteousness].

Very true here drac. Small changes do indeed become big changes.

The reality is that society evolves just like a human being evolves.

In the Bahai Writings society is likened to the human body and it goes through infancy, adolescence and into maturity. As society evolves collectively, the application of the Eternal Spiritual Truths revealed in the Sacred Texts of all global religions must similarly evolve.

Often man feels the need to make the small changes himself so that the religion is sustaining and meets the needs of a gradually evolving social consciousness. But this is where problems arise.

The secular solutions to a global community are today failing. Free market capitalism, monarchy, democracy and nationalism are man made creations to this social evolution.

The reality is that God NEVER leaves mankind without guidance and He has provided that guidance at the PERFECT time from age to age, from social advancement to social advancement.

It is the application of Gods Laws to the specific evolutionary situation of society that brings with it a new era and divine civilizations are born…

THIS is the Day of Resurrection…

.

 

[GaryTaylor]

God offered communion to man, they been refusing since creation. And because by large no one listened to Gods prophets but those who had ears. The consistency in the prophets lifestyles seems strikingly similar, the preponderance were lonely and humble people detached from the world, and it seems regardless how many people surrounded them.

Spiritually for example when you said this, (people pray to different dieties in India)and I feel that its only their belief that they are praying to different attributes}

Its not centered or focused. This is something that always freaked me out, that idea of that wide open prayer is kinda spooky to me.

Peace

 

[Memaw]

Its because men are easily distracted and deceived. When people distance themselves from God through sin they leave themselves vulnerable to all kinds of strange ideas . There can really only be one truly accurate faith, all faiths have elements of truth eg Judaism and Islam follow the 10 commandments, Hindus teaching we have a responsibilty to each other. I have faith in Catholicism as the true faith. The principles, morals not to mention the miracles all give me hope and strength that I am right! All the teachings make sense and its clear that if followed there would be no war, no poverty, no divorce, economic stability, general peace everywhere!

And that has to be the Church that Jesus Christ founded on The Rock, Peter. God Bless, Memaw

 

[Kliska]

Why do we have different religions when God is one?

Because man has free will and a choice. Man has the capacity to create many images and ideas of God, esp. because of the fall of Adam and Eve. As soon as they put knowledge above God or self above God or money above God or works above God, etc… they worship false gods because they prefer the made up reality to the Truth.

Most protestants believe that Christianity is the startling difference amongst world religions by teaching that good works don’t save, and that we actually need saving by God Himself; God’s grace flows thrugh our faith. And, yes, if someone hears the true Gospel; which is centered on Christ and His sacrifice, His life, death, and resurrection and they reject that truth until the moment they die, it won’t turn out well for them in the afterlife.

 

[Vouthon]

Blessed Pope John Paul II, who is going to be canonised a saint this April, was asked this question by an interviewer in his 1994 book, “Crossing the Threshold of Hope”. Here are some excerpts:

“…Q: But if God who is in heaven-and who saved and continues to save the world-is One and only One and is He who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, why has He allowed so many religions to exist?

Why did He make the search for the truth so arduous, in the midst of a forest of rituals, of beliefs, of revelations, of faiths which have always thrived-and still do today-throughout the world?

Pope John Paul II: You speak of many religions. Instead I will attempt to show the common fundamental element and the common root of these religions.

The Council defined the relationship of the Church to non-Christian religions in a specific document that begins with the words “Nostra aetate” (“In our time”). It is a concise and yet very rich document that authentically hands on the Tradition, faithful to the thought of the earliest Fathers of the Church.

From the beginning, Christian Revelation has viewed the spiritual history of man as including, in some way, all religions, thereby demonstrating the unity of humankind with regard to the eternal and ultimate destiny of man. The Council document speaks of this unity and links it with the current trend to bring humanity closer together through the resources available to our civilization. The Church sees the promotion of this unity as one of its duties: “There is only one community and it consists of all peoples. They have only one origin, since God inhabited the entire earth with the whole human race. And they have one ultimate destiny, God, whose providence, goodness, and plan for salvation extend to all. . . . Men turn to various religions to solve mysteries of the human condition, which today, as in earlier times, burden people’s hearts: the nature of man; the meaning and purpose of life; good and evil; the origin and purpose of suffering; the way to true happiness; death…and finally, the ultimate ineffable mystery which is the origin and destiny of our existence. From ancient times up to today all the various peoples have shared and continue to share an awareness of that enigmatic power that is present throughout the course of things and throughout the events of human life, and, in which, at times, even the Supreme Divinity or the Father is recognizable. This awareness and recognition imbue life with an intimate religious sense. Religions that are tied up with cultural progress strive to solve these issues with more refined concepts and a more precise language” (Nostra Aetate 1-2).

…

Further along, the Council remarks that “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. The Church has a high regard for their conduct and way of life, for those precepts and doctrines which, although differing on many points from that which the Church believes and propounds, often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men…

The words of the Council recall the conviction, long rooted in the Tradition, of the existence of the so-called semina Verbi (seeds of the Word), present in all religions. In the light of this conviction, the Church seeks to identify the semina Verbi present in the great traditions of the Far East, in order to trace a common path against the backdrop of the needs of the contemporary world. We can affirm that here the position of the Council is inspired by a truly universal concern…

In another passage the Council says that the Holy Spirit works effectively even outside the visible structure of the Church (cf. Lumen Gentium 13), making use of these very semina Verbi, that constitute a kind of common soteriological root present in all religions.

I have been convinced of this on numerous occasions, both while visiting the countries of the Far East and while meeting representatives of those religions, especially during the historic meeting at Assisi, where we found ourselves gathered together praying for peace.

Thus, instead of marveling at the fact that Providence allows such a great variety of religions, we should be amazed at the number of common elements found within them.

At this point it would be helpful to recall all the primitive religions, the animistic religions which stress ancestor worship. It seems that those who practice them are particularly close to Christianity…

As the Council also noted, these last religions possess the characteristics of a system. They are systems of worship and also ethical systems, with a strong emphasis on good and evil. Certainly among these belong Chinese Confucianism and Taoism: Tao means eternal truth-something similar to the “Word”-which is reflected in the action of man by means of truth and moral good. The religions of the Far East have contributed greatly to the history of morality and culture, forming a national identity in the Chinese, Indians, Japanese, and Tibetans, and also in the peoples of Southeast Asia and the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean.

Some of these peoples come from age-old cultures. The indigenous peoples of Australia boast a history tens of thousands of years old, and their ethnic and religious tradition is older than that of Abraham and Moses.

Christ came into the world for all these peoples. He redeemed them all and has His own ways of reaching each of them in the present eschatological phase of salvation history…”

***-Blessed Pope John Paul II (1994), Crossing the Threshold of Hope ***

 

[JY0815]

Its because men are easily distracted and deceived. When people distance themselves from God through sin they leave themselves vulnerable to all kinds of strange ideas . There can really only be one truly accurate faith, all faiths have elements of truth eg Judaism and Islam follow the 10 commandments, Hindus teaching we have a responsibilty to each other. I have faith in Catholicism as the true faith. The principles, morals not to mention the miracles all give me hope and strength that I am right! All the teachings make sense and its clear that if followed there would be no war, no poverty, no divorce, economic stability, general peace everywhere!

I do believe in Jesus Christ and wanna know more abt the faith. I get connected and feel so good when i go to the Mass. Im not baptized but all the things i have been told in my childhood were exactly thats said in the commandments.See what i am saying. I see a connection but which one is the truth.Should i just stop comparing and follow my heart? I donno

 

[Memaw]

Because man has free will and a choice. Man has the capacity to create many images and ideas of God, esp. because of the fall of Adam and Eve. As soon as they put knowledge above God or self above God or money above God or works above God, etc… they worship false gods because they prefer the made up reality to the Truth.

Most protestants believe that Christianity is the startling difference amongst world religions by teaching that good works don’t save, and that we actually need saving by God Himself; God’s grace flows thrugh our faith. And, yes, if someone hears the true Gospel; which is centered on Christ and His sacrifice, His life, death, and resurrection and they reject that truth until the moment they die, it won’t turn out well for them in the afterlife.

The TRUTH is, Catholics don’t believe we are saved by works either. Contrary to popular belief among many of our Seperated Brethren.

This is what Catholics believe;

From the Letter of Saint James.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith same him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
A body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
God Bless, Memaw

 

[JY0815]

God offered communion to man, they been refusing since creation. And because by large no one listened to Gods prophets but those who had ears. The consistency in the prophets lifestyles seems strikingly similar, the preponderance were lonely and humble people detached from the world, and it seems regardless how many people surrounded them.

Spiritually for example when you said this, (people pray to different dieties in India)and I feel that its only their belief that they are praying to different attributes}

Its not centered or focused. This is something that always freaked me out, that idea of that wide open prayer is kinda spooky to me.

Peace

Yep.Even the prayers are offered in a different language called Sanskrit and people are not learning that language anymore.So you need a kind of translation. Even i feel that the dieties are their believes . One follow brahma other follow vishnu and another shiva , who is the ONE above these dieties i failed getting an answer . May be i didnt talk to right people or i havent read the vedas.

Reagarding open prayer i have read a verse in Matthew that says you shouldnt pray aloud but in secret but why do we do it aloud in mass.

 

[Kliska]

The TRUTH is, Catholics don’t believe we are saved by works either. Contrary to popular belief among many of our Seperated Brethren.

This is what Catholics believe;

From the Letter of Saint James.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith same him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
A body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
God Bless, Memaw

If you read what I’ve written I don’t deny that; however, I can only speak from a protestant position on the question of the OP. Further there are some Catholics that believe works save, though the RCC may not teach that, just as there are Protestants that believe works save. In my post I didn’t mean to imply anything different, but only to underscore my own, and those protestants like me, hence our belief, that Christianity is that startling alternative to every other religion out there that is works-based; you must earn your way to Heaven.

Grace and Peace,
K

 

[aragonjohn1]

Why do we have different religions when God is one?

there is one fullness of Truth, one life, one baptism, one love, one representative servant of servants. the others just Seek Truth hoping in Love to search and find the One and Mistakenly, sometimes stay in ignorance; i.e. forgetting or they found a truth that is younger in years than many of the other choices. “there can only be One”

God bless

 

[aragonjohn1]

Yep.Even the prayers are offered in a different language called Sanskrit and people are not learning that language anymore.So you need a kind of translation. Even i feel that the dieties are their believes . One follow brahma other follow vishnu and another shiva , who is the ONE above these dieties i failed getting an answer . May be i didnt talk to right people or i havent read the vedas.

Reagarding open prayer i have read a verse in Matthew that says you shouldnt pray aloud but in secret but why do we do it aloud in mass.

does not matter what tongue one prays in because You always need love " if i do great deeds but do not have love my works are for naught " also never matters what tongue of heaven or earth one speaks in giving " at His Name every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord and Messiah Throughout the Nations " there are many types of prayer a few are; public, private, efficacious, thanksgiving, the unique prayers everyone does say, unwitting, and hypocritical etc … prayers.

God bless

 

[tonyfish58]

Why do we have different religions when God is one?

Baha’i teachings would say that it is Gods Progressive Message for Mankind. As we move towards the Love of God God gives us more to understand!

There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings 217)
.
All must abandon prejudices and must even go into each others churches and mosques, for in all worshipping places, the Name of God is mentioned. Since all gather to worship God, what difference is there? ('Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West vol ix, no.3, p.37)

This is a good discussion on the topic- bahai-library.com/smith_religious_diversity

God Bless and Regards Tony

 

[Skadi]

Why do we have different religions when God is one?

Because many people live in many places and have many culture in many environments. So as humans developed religion in search of answers and explination thousands of years ago they came to different conclusions. From basic anamistic religion has grown thousands of ways of understanding the universe. Polytheistic, Monothiestic, Pantheistic, Nondeistic.

Different people think in different ways and live in very different environments and cultures, so naturally there is a large number of religions.