I've made extreme analogies.

[Observer of dreams]

Actually your still wrong. The truth is that the religions are jus a cover for a fascist movement. For example the neo-nazis here in America started carrying a bible and called themselves the Arian brotherhood so their nazi ideologies could be grasped by a greater number of people. Sorry to be so harsh but religions, don`t kill people. Crazy terrorists and fascist do.

[John Lennon]

"I'm positive these religions were created with the best of intentions...."

my comment:

"Best intentions" are irrelevant, as is sincerity, as you can be "sincerely wrong"(see below) What is relevant is the truth. The Lord Jesus Christ is the truth, and the Holy Bible is the truth.

Christianity is the opposite of religion:

Religion says "behave", Christianity says "believe."

Religion says "do", Christianity says "done."

Religion says "try", Christianity says "trust."

Religion is man substituting himself for "God." Christianity is God substituting Himself for man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A health club, psychic hotline, dating service, "Dr. Phil", "how to books", "religion" etc., can teach "moral"/physical/spiritual precepts, and/or may/can change lives, but that does not make it Christian!

Only one person went to "an altar", shed His blood on that altar, died on that altar, and lived to tell about it-the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. Mohammed is dead. Budha is dead. Ghandi is dead. Moses is dead. Mary is dead....

" But why do they end up trying to convert secular society to one ideaology? I think that is all Christianity really is, along with every other world religion."

my comment:

By that reasoning, why do doctors end up trying to "convert" potential patients on the merits of a particular cure for their illness/disease? Why try to save a drowning man only one way?

My brother is a doctor, so perhaps a medical analogy will clarify my argument that we need to be clear on the remedy for man's separation from a Holy God. If one of our loved ones were physically ill, we would not want to be deceived. We would not want to make life and death decisions based on superstition or mysticism. We would want precise answers to specific questions. We would not want general notions, opinions(one of the reasons the Lord Jesus Christ sharply rebuked the Pharisees-relying on their traditions/opinions instead of the word of God), or empty words. We would actively engage all our faculties to judge the truth. We should desire to know the right standard by which to judge these crucial matters because physical life is at stake. How much more should we value the truth and the right standards when questions concerning eternal life is at stake? Someone may claim to be physically fit and well, while they may have cancer inside beginning to eat away at their physical life. When you visit a doctor, you want the truth, the right prescription, even if does not "make you feel good."

The argument that "All roads lead to the same destination", that all "religions"are equally true(Pluralism) is a self-refuting argument-it self-destructs, and here is why.

The notion of "religious pluralism"=all religions are true, and the law of non-contradiction= opposite truth claims cannot both be true; no 2 propositions which contain contrary claims can both be true at the same time; if 2 statements about 1 particular issue contradict one another, then they are both false, or only one of them is true, but they cannot both be true.

If all "religions" are true, then Christianity is true. But the foundation of Christianity is its EXCLUSIVITY, i.e., all other "religions" are false-Isaiah 43:11, Hosea 13:4,John 14:16, Acts 4:12.... Either Christianity is correct/true, and other "religions" are false/lies, or some other "religion" is true, and Christianity is false. The law of non-contradiction necessitates that if Christianity is true, all other "religions" are false. Either way, all other "religions" and Christianity cannot both be true at the same time. Thus, the Holy Bible's claim to be the only revelation FROM God and OF God to mankind requires that all other "religion's" "scripture" be false.

The true LORD God, as revealed in the Holy Bible, can only be accessed through His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is "...the power of God, and the wisdom of God"(1 Cor. 1:24), by His authority, through the power of the Holy Spirit:

"But now in Christ Jesus(emphasis mine)....For through him(emphasis mine) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father(emphasis mine)." Ephesians 2:13, 18

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ(emphasis mine): By whom also we have access(emphasis mine) by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:1,2

"And whatsoever ye do in word(emphasis mine) or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus(emphasis mine), giving thanks to God and the Father by him(emphasis mine)." Colossians 3:17(see also Ephesians 5: 20, Romans 1:8)

This Christ-rejecting world, "religion", shuns mentioning the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, God the Father does not, and will not, honor any "access" requests, except through the Lord Jesus Christ, and any worship of any "god" that is not revealed by/accessed through the Lord Jesus Christ, and revealed exclusively through the Holy Bible, is not honored, as it is written:

"That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him(emphasis mine)." John 5:23

But one day soon, every one, both saved and lost, will honor the Lord Jesus Christ, all to the glory of God the Father, as it is written:

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11

___________________________________________________________________

Sincerity does not determine truth-God judges based on "the word

of truth", not opinions

By John Whalen

________________________________________________________

"To employ soft words and honeyed phrases in discussing questions of

everlasting importance; to deal with errors that strike at the foundations

of all human hope as if they were harmless and venial mistakes; to bless

where God disapproves, and to make apologies where He calls us to stand up

like men and assert, though it may be the aptest method of securing popular

applause in a sophistical age, is cruelty to man and treachery to heaven.

Those who on such subjects attach more importance to the rules of courtesy

than they do the measure of truth do not defend the citadel but betray it

into the hands of its' enemies. Love for Christ, and for the souls for

whom he died, will be the exact measure of our zeal in exposing the dangers

by which men's souls are ensnared". (from a Christian writer whose name I

cannot cite)

Please reflect on the following from "...the scripture of

truth...."(Daniel 10:21), which "...is true from the beginning...."(Psalms

119:160), for the LORD "...hast magnified thy word above all thy

name"(Psalms 138:2). Those who deny the inspiration and truth of God's

word are thus partaking in the first lie of the Bible, when Satan(the

serpent) asked the woman:

"...Yea, hath God said...."?(Genesis 3:1)

Hopefully, I love people enough to give them the truth, whether they asked for it or not. The only time the truth hurts is when you do not tell it. And just as important as you knowing the truth as contained in the Bible, since "...thy word is truth...."(John 17:17), is the truth "holding on to

you". I pray that those reading this do not "...cast down the truth to the

ground...."(Daniel 8:12).

1. To be saved from the just penalty of sin, which is eternal separation

from the LORD God("death"-Romans 6:23), you must know and acknowledge this

truth: There is one thing that the LORD God, the Judge of all and the Jury

of all expects from you. He expects you to stop saying things in your own

defense. It is not sin that ultimately keeps men from the presence of the

LORD and eternal life. The sin issue was settled by the death, burial, and

resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ("the gospel"-1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

nearly 2000 years ago. It is the sin of unbelief of this gospel, the root

of this unbelief being pride, that shuts out heaven.

The LORD in His infinite love for you has made full provision for the sin

problem. He paid for it in full(John 19:30). But He has made no provision

for a self righteous attitude. Scripture pleads with you, as an attorney

would advise an accused criminal: "It would be to your advantage to plead

guilty and throw yourself upon the mercy of the court. Keep defending

yourself and you will never be saved; but throw yourself upon the mercy

and grace of God and He will graciously, with open arms, both forgive and

justify you through the Lord Jesus Christ", as it is written:

" Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man

is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that

believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified

by the law of Moses". Acts 13:38,39

" Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in

his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin". Romans 3:20

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds

of the law". Romans 3:28

" But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the

ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness". Romans 4:5

" Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the

faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might

be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for

by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified". Galatians 2:16

" I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the

law, then Christ is dead in vain". Galatians 2:21

.

2. Regarding God's purpose concerning human beings(notice "beings', not

"doings"):

God is not making angels of human beings. God can create in holiness and

sustain in holiness millions of angels, and He has done so(Psalms 68:17,

Deuteronomy 33:2, Daniel 7:10, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 5:11)- creatures

who have never sinned. He calls them His "holy angels"(Mt. 25:31,Mark

8:38, Luke 9:26, Revelation 14:10), and His "mighty angels"(2 Thessalonians

1:7).

But God never speaks of grace in connection with angels. Grace is a

loving pardon and favor shown to lost, guilty, law-breakers, wretches and

helpless criminals. Grace can never be anything else.

The reason most will miss heaven is that they want to be angels instead

of saved sinners. God has already declared this race("in Adam"-1

Corinthians 15:22) to be lost("guilty"-Romans 3:19), and that all are

sinners(no exceptions-Romans 3:23); that there "is no

difference"((Romans3:22), that there "is none that are righteous"(Romans

3:10), but He has purposes of grace toward us, i.e., although utterly

undeserving of any favor from Him and being guilty, yet He will freely

pardon, justify, and give eternal life to any member of this lost race who

is willing to be made the object of His charity as an utter beggar and

criminal.

For God desires to display His own attributes of grace-His ability and

nature to forgive offenses, pardon insults, pity misery, cleanse impurity,

save sinners, redeem outcasts, crown beggars, glorify wretches, bestow

blessing where cursing and wrath would be the necessary, deserved, and the

expected outcome!

However, men rebel at this treatment-scripture calls this "...the way of

Cain...."(Jude 11)- the modern term for this is "religion"-man presenting

his works as his basis for his acceptance with God. They refuse charity,

forgiveness, mercy, and grace because, although sinners, they wish to go to

heaven as angels. Man's pride resists admission that they are fallen,

degraded, guilty, filthy, rag-covered, lost, and wretched. Man refuses to

admit that the human race is a ruined race-irreparably, un retrievably

ruined, and under judgement; exposed to the wrath of God, "...by nature the

children of wrath...."(Ephesians 2:3); and travelling to doom. And unless

by absolute sovereign, divine intervention, no one would be saved. Notice

the question that every person should ask themselves:

"...Who then can be saved"?

And recall the answer the Lord Jesus Christ gave:

"...With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all

things are possible"(Mark 10:26,27).

The gospel of the grace of God is the end of religion-the final posting

of the "closed" sign on the "sweatshop" of the human races' never ending

struggle to think well of itself(pride). For that, at bottom, is what

religion is: man's(often well intentioned) dim-witted attempt to approve

of his unapprovable condition by doing odd jobs he thinks "some important

Something"("THE UNKNOWN GOD"-Acts 17:23) will thank him for. Religion is

thus a loser- a strictly fallen activity. Religion has a failed past and a

bankrupt future. There was no religion in Eden and there won't be any in

heaven. And in the meantime, the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, was

buried, and rose again the third day(1 Cor. 15:1-4-the "good news"), and is

telling you to "knock it off right now"("...every mouth be

stopped...."-Romans 3:19).

The question is, will you present the sacrifice of a sincere effort to be

moral and religious(just as Cain did), or accept the God-provided sacrifice

for all sin in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, as Abel did? Will

you notice that the LORD said "...when I see the blood...."(Exodus 12:13),

and not "...when I see your behavior and good works"?

Scripture's constant unifying theme is that regeneration, and the whole

transforming work of redemption, are accomplished solely on the ground of

the sacrificial blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and his

resurrection 3 days later; and if these statements of scripture are

rejected, whether that rejection come from the pope, a priest, a nun, a

minister, a "reverend", a pastor, a bishop, an elder, a so-called "biblical

expert", a "theologian", a "professor", a "philosopher", or extra-biblical

authority(for example, the "Book of Mormon", the Watch Tower Society of the

Jehovah's Witnesses, the Catholic Catechism............), the discussion

can never be one of interpretation of the scriptures, but it becomes a

question of the authority of the testimony of the scriptures.

[WayneB]

"Best intentions" are irrelevant, as is sincerity, as you can be "sincerely wrong"(see below) What is relevant is the truth. The Lord Jesus Christ is the truth, and the Holy Bible is the truth.

Christianity is the opposite of religion:

Religion says "behave", Christianity says "believe."

Religion says "do", Christianity says "done."

Religion says "try", Christianity says "trust."

Religion is man substituting himself for "God." Christianity is God substituting Himself for man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A health club, psychic hotline, dating service, "Dr. Phil", "how to books", "religion" etc., can teach "moral"/physical/spiritual precepts, and/or may/can change lives, but that does not make it Christian!

Only one person went to "an altar", shed His blood on that altar, died on that altar, and lived to tell about it-the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. Mohammed is dead. Budha is dead. Ghandi is dead. Moses is dead. Mary is dead....

Exact and well spoken.

[John Lennon]

Holy cow...where do I begin? That's more scripture crammed into one post than I've ever seen! You can qoute the bible all you want and go off on tangents in a thousand directions and why? Let me ask you this...Do you as a devout Christian feel compelled by whatever force you seem to be driven by; to Christianize the world,Advocate the merging of church and state, and consider all people of opposing ideaologies your enemy??

[John Lennon]

"Best intentions" are irrelevant, as is sincerity, as you can be "sincerely wrong"(see below) What is relevant is the truth. The Lord Jesus Christ is the truth, and the Holy Bible is the truth.

Christianity is the opposite of religion:

Religion says "behave", Christianity says "believe."

Religion says "do", Christianity says "done."

Religion says "try", Christianity says "trust."

Religion is man substituting himself for "God." Christianity is God substituting Himself for man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A health club, psychic hotline, dating service, "Dr. Phil", "how to books", "religion" etc., can teach "moral"/physical/spiritual precepts, and/or may/can change lives, but that does not make it Christian!

Only one person went to "an altar", shed His blood on that altar, died on that altar, and lived to tell about it-the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. Mohammed is dead. Budha is dead. Ghandi is dead. Moses is dead. Mary is dead....

Exact and well spoken.

In a thousand years Ghandi may be like Jesus..and he may have as many followers. Would that be harmful to anyone? He may be dead, but his ideas are not. "ideas" are what religions start from!

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

JL,

Holy cow...where do I begin? That's more scripture crammed into one post than I've ever seen! You can qoute the bible all you want and go off on tangents in a thousand directions and why? Let me ask you this...Do you as a devout Christian feel compelled by whatever force you seem to be driven by; to Christianize the world,Advocate the merging of church and state, and consider all people of opposing ideaologies your enemy??

Actually God has stated that anyone opposed to His Gospel is His enemy. Although He treats His enemies with Loving Kindness and Mercy.

I am commanded not compelled to Preach the Gospel. However there is no driving force behind it. I am so very Grateful for what God has done for me that I sincerely want to tell the world the Good news. So that they too can partake of the Loving Kindness of the Lord.

No one is advocating the merging of Church and State. God will take care of that upon His return.

Meanwhile we are to Save as many souls as possible. The world and everything it are plunging headlong into destruction. It's already been Judeged and found lacking.

The Lord Bless you my friend. May you have a sincere revelation of His beauty.

Peace,

Dave

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

JL,

"ideas" are what religions start from!

Ro

[John Lennon]

Actually your still wrong. The truth is that the religions are jus a cover for a fascist movement. For example the neo-nazis here in America started carrying a bible and called themselves the Arian brotherhood so their nazi ideologies could be grasped by a greater number of people. Sorry to be so harsh but religions, don`t kill people. Crazy terrorists and fascist do.

Religions are "very often" a cover for the evil that men do! And I'll tell you this...I HOPE I'm wrong about right-wing Christians moving towards a Fascist State!! I want to be wrong....KEEP RELIGION IN CHURCH WHERE IT BELONGS and it won't happen.

[John Lennon]

Grace to you,

JL,

"ideas" are what religions start from!

Ro

[John Lennon]

Grace to you,

My children have no choice. They go to Church.

Peace,

Dave

It should always come down to choice. Free-will Right?