OTHER RELIGIONS
Module 8 reviews the fundamental teachings of other religions.
Peter knew if he didn’t choose Jesus (Christianity), he would have to choose something else.
Module Bible Reading Assignment
John - Chapters 11 & 12
The Bible describes an event in John Chapter 6 that draws the reader’s attention to this incredibly important question.
Jesus performs a miracle and feeds 5,000 men (with women & children could have been 15,000). The people are so impacted by the event that they intend to take Jesus by force to make him king. Jesus rejects this movement. Shortly thereafter, Jesus goes to a local synagogue to instruct the people. Jesus teaches that in order to have eternal life, a person must eat his flesh and drink his blood. This proposition was immediately rejected by the hearers. Canabalism and drinking blood was strictly prohibited by Jewish law. People in the synagogue were terribly confused. His long time followers began to leave. Many relegated this teaching to that of an insane person. The twelve Disciples witnessed all of this interaction. Likewise, they didn’t understand AND considered leaving as well.
Remember that Jesus never asked questions for information. He was God. Jesus asked questions to expose the thoughts and motives of others.
So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave also?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go?”
John 6: 67-68a
The twelve disciples understood that this was a “Kairos” event (important moment in time). The choice was intensely challenging and life altering.
Continued association with Jesus identifies his followers as followers of a crazy person.
To leave Jesus is a cowardly action after what they have seen and heard.
Following Jesus became profoundly difficult. The same may be true for some today ……..
Jesus (Christianity) is a faith option.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS
Do all Religions lead to God?
Impact 360 Ministries 4 minutes
The Law of non-contradiction
The Law of non-contradiction is one of the basic laws in classical logic. It states that something cannot be both true and not true at the same time when dealing with the same context.
Christians believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament.
Jews believe that Jesus was not the promised Messiah.
According to the law of non-contradiction, either the Jew or Christian is correct OR both could be wrong. There are no other options.
Christians believe that Jesus was killed on a cross. Subsequent to his death, he was resurrected.
Islam teaches that Jesus was not killed on the cross. It was an illusion. It follows that there is no resurrection, if he didn’t die.
Surah 4 Verse 157:
That they said (in boast), "We killed the Messiah Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of The God'; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.
According to the law of non-contradiction, either the Muslim or Christian is correct. Jesus was physically killed by the Romans and brought back to life (and appeared to many people as stated in 1 Corinthians 15: 6) or he was not.
Acts 17: 23
For as I [Apostle Paul] walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship [in the city of Athens Greece], I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
So many religions! Which one is true?
Tim Barnett
14 minutes
“All religions are fundamentally the same and only superficially different” simply is not true. "It is more correct to say that all religions are, at best, superficially similar but fundamentally different."
Ravi Zacharius
Basic Understanding of
Islam / Muslim faith
The Islamic creed / Testimony of faith - “We worship none but Allah, and that Muhammad (Pbuh) is His Messenger.”
The five (5) pillars of faith
Testimony of Faith (Shahadah / Shehada)
“There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is His prophet.”
Prayer (Salah / Salaat)
Prescribed prayer - five times each day.
Charity (Zakah / Zakat)
Giving of 2.5% of income to the poor.
Fasting (Sawm)
Fasting and self-control during Ramadan.
Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Traveling to Mecca at least once.
Holy Books - The Qur’an, but also the Taurat (Torah - 5 Books of Moses), Zabur (Psalms of David) and the Injil (Gospel of Jesus / ISA). This gospel may be the Gospel according to Thomas or Barnabus. It is not one of the four gospels in the Bible.
The Hadith is a record of Mohammad’s actions and sayings. If the Qur’an is the skeleton, the Hadith are the meat on the skeleton - Not divine, but having authority, depending on how good the attestation is (“isnad,” or chain of oral transmission before being written done.
13 minute video
Basic Understanding of
Buddism
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
Gautama Buddha
Basic Understanding of
Hinduism
2 minute video
Make no mistake ….. there is a choice to make
The Apostle Peter quickly thought through the available options and decided to stay with Jesus