So I’ve been going to church the past few weeks and the sermon that the Preacher was giving is based on a book called “God is not Dead”. I started reading the book and have not finished it, but in it, the author talks about the dangers of blind faith, using reason and science to prove the existence of God.
I’ve always had a belief in God. There’s never been a time in my life where I questioned the existence of God. But what is God and religion? If you use the intelligence and reason we were given as humans and expand your understanding of religion and look at everything with an open mind you begin to see how several of humanities “core” religions are connected. These religions all have a moral ground of “doing good unto others”, a belief system built around good and evil and spiritual rewards for living a good life.
We all know that there’s nothing original in Christianity, not even the aspects of the life of Jesus is original to our religion. If all these religions share the same story, and are separated by thousands of years, and in some cases separated by thousands of miles of ocean (there are South American religions that share similar aspects in the telling of a savior that is divinely conceive born of a virgin) then logic would conclude that these stories have a common root.
Of the 5 main religions in the world today 3 of them share a common ancestry. Christianity got its roots from Judaism; Islam got its roots from Judaism. All three worship one God.
There is a fourth religion that worshiped one God. Zoroastrianism is an ancient religion of Persia (modern Iran). Founded around 600 BC it contains both monotheistic and dualistic features. Concepts of one God, judgment, heaven and hell, likely influenced the major Western religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Zoroastrianism teachings were in place before the Jewish Captivity. It is known, as a historic fact that the Jews and the Persians came in contact with each other at an early period in antiquity and remained in more or less close relation throughout their history. Most scholars, Jewish as well as non-Jewish, are of the opinion that Judaism was strongly influenced by Zoroastrianism, and also that the monotheistic conception of Yhwh may have been quickened and strengthened by being opposed to the dualism or quasi-monotheism of the Persians.
As for the other two of the main 5 religions today, you have Hinduism and Buddhism. Both of these religions predate Christianity. Buddhism predates Christianity by over 500 years and Hinduism dates as far back as 5500 – 2600 BCE which predates even Judaism. The similarities these share with Christianity is the story of a savior, divinely conceived and born of a virgin.
Divine virgin birth is not an uncommon thing in ancient religions. When the first Jesuits traveled and met with religions of the Far East they considered virgin birth to be an abomination (this word should sound familiar to many Christians).
When comparing Buddhism and Christianity (Buddha & Jesus).
Both went to their temples at the age of twelve, where they are said to have astonished all with their wisdom. Both supposedly fasted in solitude for a long time: Buddha for forty–seven days and Jesus for forty. Both wandered to a fig tree at the conclusion of their fasts. Both were about the same age when they began their public ministry: “When he [Buddha] went again to the garden he saw a monk who was calm, tranquil, self–possessed, serene, and dignified. The prince, determined to become such a monk, was led to make the great renunciation. At the time he was twenty–nine years of age… “Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age.” (Luke 3:23). Both were tempted by the “devil” at the beginning of their ministry: To Buddha, he said: “Go not forth to adopt a religious life but return to your kingdom, and in seven days you shall become emperor of the world, riding over the four continents.” To Jesus, he said: “All these [kingdoms of the world] I will give you, if you fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). Buddha answered the “devil”: “Get you away from me.” Jesus responded: “…begone, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10). Both strove to establish a kingdom of heaven on earth. According to the Somadeva (a Buddhist holy book), a Buddhist ascetic’s eye once offended him, so he plucked it out and cast it away. Jesus said: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and throw it away;.” (Matthew 5:29).
When comparing Hinduism and Christianity (Krishna & Jesus).
According to Bhagavata Purana some believe that Krishna was born without a sexual union, by “mental transmission” from the mind of Vasudeva into the womb of Devaki, his mother. Christ and Krishna were called both God and the Son of God. Both were sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man. Both were called Savior, and the second person of the Trinity. Krishna’s adoptive human father was also a carpenter. A spirit or ghost was their actual father. Krishna and Jesus were of royal descent. Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by a star. Angels in both cases issued a warning that the local dictator planned to kill the baby and had issued a decree for his assassination. The parents fled. Mary and Joseph stayed in Muturea; Krishna’s parents stayed in Mathura. Both Christ and Krishna withdrew to the wilderness as adults, and fasted. Both were identified as “the seed of the woman bruising the serpent’s head.” Jesus was called “the lion of the tribe of Judah.” Krishna was called “the lion of the tribe of Saki.” Both claimed: “I am the Resurrection.” Both were “without sin.” Both were god-men: being considered both human and divine. Both performed many miracles, including the healing of disease. One of the first miracles that both performed was to make a leper whole. Each cured “all manner of diseases.” Both cast out indwelling demons, and raised the dead. Both selected disciples to spread his teachings. Both were meek, and merciful. Both were criticized for associating with sinners. Both celebrated a last supper. Both forgave his enemies. Both were crucified and both were resurrected.
My question is why is it so hard for people who believe that God is all knowing and all-powerful to believe that He has interjected Himself into the lives of man throughout the history of man? We are finite creatures trying to comprehend the infinite. As Christians we are the blind man grasping at the leg of the elephant arguing that the blind man holding the trunk is wrong about his description of the elephant.
*Majority of this is not my own research but research conducted by others. I’m not going to list all the sources, mainly because I’m lazy that way.
Search: