[Faith-talk] Fwd: help, prayer, or advice...

Sat Apr 30 15:44:20 UTC 2011

most excellently put and so true. jeanette
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Amy Ragain" <belovedconsecrated2god at gmail.com>
To: "for the discussion of faith and religion Faith-talk" 
<faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2011 9:27 AM
Subject: [Faith-talk] Fwd: help, prayer, or advice...


>I forwarded 1 of the articals that was posted to this list to a friend of 
>mine and asked him for his thoughts...
> here is some of what he said...
> the oridganal thread is attached at the bottom.
>
>
> Amy Ragain <belovedconsecrated2god at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: help, prayer, or advice...
>>
>> OK Amy. You've tossed out a real  challenge!!  The writer of the article 
>> you forwarded really is confused. It would probably require a full 
>> academic year course in comparative contemporary religions even to begin 
>> unraveling the logic or dis-logic that suggests the various religious 
>> paths lead to the same God.
>>
>> The very essence of Christianity differs dramatically from all other 
>> religions in that it is the only one which doesn't require obedience to a 
>> set of laws for salvation.  Salvation is totally up to God.  It is the 
>> only religion that provides a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to guide us along 
>> our journey, turn us away from sin, and toward conformance of our lives 
>> to that of Christ.  So both our salvation and our character development 
>> thereafter are not dependent on our capabilities, but only on our 
>> willingness to focus on God, not on His creation.
>>
>> Since I am by no means a scholar on religions, I can only guess that all 
>> the other religions, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and even Judaism to a 
>> large degree are works-based.  Good works will "earn" you a spot in 
>> heaven.  The better the good works, the better the spot in heaven.  Bad 
>> works (sin) detracts from the points earned doing good works, so you have 
>> to work that much harder to earn your spot in heaven.  Forgiveness plays 
>> a role in some religions, but not to the extent it does in Christianity. 
>> No other religion boasts a Messiah who demonstrated freedom from the 
>> permanency of death.  Of all religious leaders, only Jesus arose from the 
>> dead.  Only Jesus and Elijah ascended into heaven, and only Jesus sits at 
>> the throne of glory with God the Father, on His right-hand side.  Only 
>> Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, and thereby 
>> control entry to the gates of heaven, into the presence of God.
>>
>> Don't know if this helps much so I'll look for some published works that 
>> may be more articulate.
>>
>> Great question Amy!!
>>
>> Blessings, Steve
>>
>> Isa 40:31
>>
>> On Apr 28, 2011, at 23:21, Amy Ragain <belovedconsecrated2god at gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> hey,
>>> as you know I subscribe to list that is for blind christians...
>>> there has been a descussion as of late bout how you do not need to 
>>> believe exclusively in Jesus to be saved and to go to heaven...some of 
>>> the comments break my heart and I'd like to say something in response 
>>> but I do not know where to find exact scriptures to back up my points 
>>> and I am not anywhere close to being ellicquent...cant even spell 
>>> it...:)
>>> the folowing is an example of what is being talked bout...do you have 
>>> any advice for me or anywhere you could send me to get more info???
>>> please pray!
>>> thanks
>>> Amy
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Begin forwarded message:
>>>
>>>> From: Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com>
>>>> Date: April 28, 2011 5:10:13 PM CDT
>>>> To: for the discussion of faith and religion Faith-talk 
>>>> <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Subject: [Faith-talk] this week's reflection - what is the right way? - 
>>>> understanding others
>>>> Reply-To: "Faith-talk, for the discussion of faith and religion" 
>>>> <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>
>>>> There is no clear answer on what the "right" way is.
>>>>
>>>> Of course for us Christians it is knowing Jesus, but the other 
>>>> religions have different perspectives.
>>>> Take this theologians line:
>>>> "Muhammad was sent to the Muslims, as Jesus was sent to the Christians, 
>>>> as Moses was sent to the jews."
>>>>
>>>> What does this tell you?
>>>>
>>>> Well, if you realize the fact that the jews never accepted Jesus as 
>>>> Christus (greek for Christ), but just as one more teacher, so to speak, 
>>>> and that their main holiday to celebrate the glory of God is passover, 
>>>> in which God leads the Jewish nation out of Israel, and the fact that 
>>>> we celebrate our revelation from God, Easter, on the very week, it 
>>>> shows you that the right way isn't set in stone.
>>>>
>>>> Because our 2 religions have 2 completely different revelations, one 
>>>> from Moses and one from Jesus, both who were messengers of God (and for 
>>>> Christians, Jesus is part of the holy trinity, which is God)
>>>> In effect, both revelations were made by God on to us in different eras 
>>>> and in different forms.
>>>>
>>>> Now add to that one more layer.
>>>>
>>>> In the gospel, Jesus says something very interesting after the first 
>>>> revelation of his passion to the 12 disciples. When Peter asks, 
>>>> "Master, why do the scribes say that Elisha must come first?"
>>>>
>>>> Jesus replied "I assure you Elisha will come…" then says "…but surely 
>>>> Elisha has already come, and man has done on to him what they will."
>>>>
>>>> That part caught my attention. If you know your old testament, you know 
>>>> that Elisha, as known by the Christians, has already come. His book is 
>>>> written years before the new testament even begins.
>>>>
>>>> But… where and when and who is the Elisha that Jesus says will come?
>>>>
>>>> I believe the answer is, and I hope that you take this with a 
>>>> theological point and not with bias, but I think it was a reference to 
>>>> the Muslim prophet Mohammed.
>>>>
>>>> Is this not "unChristian?" you ask.
>>>>
>>>> My answer is this,
>>>> God is the ultimate creator, and the ultimate power, all religions 
>>>> agree on this do they not?
>>>>
>>>> Some may ask why Mohammed never appeared in the bible, or any of the 
>>>> later religious figures.
>>>>
>>>> Simple answer.
>>>> For each his own messenger was sent.
>>>>
>>>> Signs in times of trouble.
>>>>
>>>> First came Moses, in the old testament. His people were inslaved in 
>>>> Egypt at the time. If you remember the old testament well, due to the 
>>>> writings of the time, the Hebrews are called "God's people" in the 
>>>> text. Without diving into too much detail,
>>>> Moses saved the people of Israel, and led them not only out of Egypt, 
>>>> but set standards for them in a life in Israel, in accordance with the 
>>>> will of God.
>>>>
>>>> Then came Jesus.
>>>>
>>>> Jesus appeared in a time where Israel was controlled by the Romans, and 
>>>> the religious leaders at the time were many times corrupt and power 
>>>> hungry.
>>>>
>>>> Notice that his teachings brought on huge crowds, but soon after, and 
>>>> at the birth of Christianity, the jews that had followed Jesus split 
>>>> into 2 groups. Those who called themselves Christians, and those who 
>>>> stuck to the original Torah.
>>>>
>>>> Notice now the appearance of Mohammed.
>>>>
>>>> He, too, like Jesus, was born to a family of humble station. They were 
>>>> merchants. Soon he became well known for his honest business. When he 
>>>> turned 40, he had his first vision, threw the angel Jabril, known in 
>>>> English as Gabriel.
>>>>
>>>> He too, preached in a time when there was a lack of morals and values. 
>>>> Unlike Jesus, who preached to the Jews, who had been given previous 
>>>> commandments, the people of Mecca at the time were polytheists.
>>>>
>>>> And now consider my last example.
>>>>
>>>> The Buddha.
>>>>
>>>> This prince, born in one of the royal families of India, renounced all 
>>>> wealth, and lived in poverty before finding the middle path threw 
>>>> meditation.
>>>>
>>>> He too, stressed the same exact code of behavior as Jesus, as did 
>>>> Moses, as did Mohammed (peace be upon them all) but in different 
>>>> language.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I believe the right way is not a single religion, or a sect, it is a 
>>>> way of life.
>>>>
>>>> If you do kindness, be generous, and humble, despite whatever greatness 
>>>> you might reach,
>>>> then you are, though perhaps unknown to you, obeying the same code that 
>>>> almost all religious figures have taught threw out the years.
>>>>
>>>> And now if I say that the right way is one, why different religions?
>>>>
>>>> Simply a matter of understanding and language.
>>>> My statement as far as that goes will be this:
>>>> pick the faith not that your parents had, but that YOU have.
>>>>
>>>> That means,
>>>> it doesn't matter what faith your parents had,
>>>> but as long as it is something in which you are strong in faith,
>>>> that is your true religion.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for reading, and remember no one else is better then oneself. 
>>>> Converting others to your religion is simply changing the language of a 
>>>> message that is already there--but I believe you should convert, as 
>>>> long as you don't defame the name of God, or any of his messengers, no 
>>>> matter what their name may be.
>>>>
>>>> Jorge
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>
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