How to defend against this argument?

[kat8585]

Christianity is the only religion that has a Risen Savior. All others have to work their way to Heaven.

[exrockstar]

Well, this has come up a few times in religious discussions and I am unsure how to face it. Basically it is when people say "Well sure you are very firm in your faith and feel personal experience has proven it, but the Hindu and the Muslim feel exactly the same way".

What do I say to that? How can I show that Christianity is different? I have never been Hindu or Muslim so I can't answer through experience.

Hindus and Muslims don't have a savior that has risen from the dead.

[papasangel]

Christ met all criteria for being the Messiah. Cannot say the same for muslim or hindu or any other religion. This has been verified and studied by christians for years in the Bible.

Other "deities" have had sinful lives ie mohamad was a fornicator, child molester etc. plus advocated murdering those of other faiths. Christ told us to love thine enimies.

[Smalcald]

Christ alone offers something that we can relate to as human beings.

He loves us individually and knows us this same way; this is in essence unique among all faiths. Also it solves some of our oldest problems, every religious faith has a moral code, yet none in that faith can meet their own code, their answer is simply to try harder or to use hypocrisy and say that they do meet that code.

Christianity says the obvious, we cannot meet that code, but we can through Christ He can meet it for us in our place. The people who convert from these faiths feel a great burden lifted from their shoulders.

I do think you should acknowledge that Hindu's and Muslims DO have deep seated belief that what they believe is true, that does not make it correct of course, just as from an outward point our faith does not make what we believe correct.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!

Glory! Glory! Golry!

The Difference - Jesus

Jesus Christ And Him Crucified - 1 Corinthians 2:2

The Difference - Jesus

Christ risen from the dead - 1 Corinthians 15:20

The Difference - Jesus

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life - John 3:16

You Sow The Word

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalms 126:5-6

The Holy Spirit Does The Work

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

John 16:7-11

God Gets The Glory

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:11

You Go Bro!

Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING

Love, Your Brother Joe

Good biblical answer, but unfortunately this alone will not be sufficient for a non-Christian. It's not even addressing the subject of Mohamed or the Vedas Priests (or any other Religious writing for that matter). It's just reiterating, as have many in this thread, that "Jesus is Saviour" is a valid and acceptable response. While theologically accurate, it alone will not convince anyone who does not already believe. It is a very valid question that people ask about Christianity in relation to other Faiths and Beliefs, and it takes a much more complex answer than shouting "Jesus Jesus Jesus" over and over again.

My apologies if that sounds a little harsh, but it's frankly the truth as I see it. The argument given in the opening statement of this thread is is not about who the saviour is but about a person's personal experiences validating their various beliefs. If a Muslim has conviction based on personal experience that they have the truth, then what sets Christianity apart from Islam. That requires people to read the Bible. To use an example, if someone's personal life experience has shown them that homosexuals can be loving and caring people who can sustain loving relationships (which I think many can) then therefore the commands in the Bible about homosexuality are wrong. But the Bible transcends personal experience, which is why the only way that you can truly answer the question about personal experience is to ask them to read the Bible, not just quoting scripture verbatim or saying "Jesus is the difference".......

I hope that makes sense because as far as apologetics go, very few responses so far would have convinced me 8 years ago, when I was 19 and still living as a non-Christian.

Edited July 18, 2007 by ParanoidAndroid

[ParanoidAndroid]

Christ met all criteria for being the Messiah. Cannot say the same for muslim or hindu or any other religion. This has been verified and studied by christians for years in the Bible.

Other "deities" have had sinful lives ie mohamad was a fornicator, child molester etc. plus advocated murdering those of other faiths. Christ told us to love thine enimies.

*boldened relevant quote*

I know you put "deities" in quote-marks, but just to be certain, I wanted to point out that Mohamed is not considered a deity in Islam. He is a Prophet, just as they believe Jesus was a Prophet. He was not divine. Incidentally, Mohamed advocated peace amongst all people, especially with Christians and Jews (whom he considered brothers - lost and misguided, he considered them, but brothers still). His commands for advocating murder were given towards the end of his life when the nearby nations rose up against him in war - you could argue that his commands to fight and murder non-believers are solely in the context of a war and not indicative of how they should treat all non-Muslims.

Though you are right about the rest, he was a fornicator, and technically a child molester also - but many relationships in that era were exactly like that. Our modern view on child-rape is tainting how we view Mohamed's actions towards women. Many women in biblical times (for example) would have been no more than 12 or 13 when they were married and bore children either.

Just trying to clear up some facts about Mohamed....... sorry for pulling us a little off-topic. I'll be quiet now

~ Paranoid Android

Edited July 18, 2007 by ParanoidAndroid

[WayneB]

Well, this has come up a few times in religious discussions and I am unsure how to face it. Basically it is when people say "Well sure you are very firm in your faith and feel personal experience has proven it, but the Hindu and the Muslim feel exactly the same way".

What do I say to that? How can I show that Christianity is different? I have never been Hindu or Muslim so I can't answer through experience.

Actually a true Hindu or Muslim would never respond that way because with their belief, there is NO personal relationship with God. Christianity is the ONLY FAITH that teaches a personal relationship with God. They do not know Him as Lord. I wrote a study on the progression of restoration recently. Nothing earth shatterring by a long shot but simply it points out:

God Almighty spoke to Abraham,

The great I AM dwelled with Moses,

BUT Jesus dwells within every believer today!

Abraham did not know God as Lord but only as God Almighty.

So explain not just the personal experience BUT the persoanl relationship you have with Christ and how He dwells in you relfecting His glory!

[EricH]

Arguing from personal experience has its own inherent strengths and weaknesses. That is why in addition to our experience, we should also have other reasons why we believe

[forrestkc]

One of the main differences is that Christianity offers a set of historically verifiable FACTS as the rational basis for our beliefs; the Eastern religions reject rationality altogether.

Well actually, arguably Buddhism which is more philosophy than religion is nothing but rationality.

[forrestkc]

Well, this has come up a few times in religious discussions and I am unsure how to face it. Basically it is when people say "Well sure you are very firm in your faith and feel personal experience has proven it, but the Hindu and the Muslim feel exactly the same way".

What do I say to that? How can I show that Christianity is different? I have never been Hindu or Muslim so I can't answer through experience.

If there was a good answer to this question then there would be no Muslims or Hindus. I don't know about Hindus, but devout Muslims feel as though they have a personal relationship with God (Allah). So I am not sure how you get around that. What you can do is talk about what faith means to you, and the fruits of it.