How shall they hear?

Discussion in 'The Commons' started by Rexlion, Jun 15, 2023.

  1. Rexlion

    Rexlion Well-Known Member

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    This former atheist discusses the impact that Jesus has had on the other world religions, even those which existed before His incarnation.


    Romans 10:14 says, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

    It never occurred to me until now that the message about Jesus Christ has spread much farther and more widely in the world than has Christianity. Even though many people have only heard of Jesus within the context of their own religion, it still strikes me as significant that so many have heard of Him and may be led to wonder, investigate, and learn more of the truth.

    Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

    Might Jesus' return be nearer than we suppose?
     
  2. Invictus

    Invictus Well-Known Member

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    This video is superficial to an astounding degree. The Muslim Jesus is not the Jesus of historic Christianity, or even the Jesus of the Gospels. There are no Beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount, or Lord’s Prayer coming from the mouth of Jesus in the Islamic presentation of him. He is different figure entirely going under the same name. Jesus is not an important (or even relevant) figure in Buddhism and the only way to make Jesus palatable for Buddhists is to eliminate all of the Christian distinctives of the traditional view of him. There is no Creator God in Buddhism, no soul, no beginning of the universe, no final judgment, and no atonement. Whatever Buddhist appropriation of Jesus may exist is a different figure entirely from the Jesus of the Christian Bible, going under the same name. Superficial similarities and cherry-picking isolated instances of appropriation coupled with radical modification do not constitute evidence of influence. A Buddhist who truly believes the tenets of Buddhism can only reject Christianity if consistency is to be maintained. The same goes for Islam. This is why it’s so important to study other religions on their own terms.
     
  3. Rexlion

    Rexlion Well-Known Member

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    Well, I'm sorry you didn't like that one. How about this next video? Maybe it won't seem so superficial.
     
  4. Invictus

    Invictus Well-Known Member

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    It’s nothing personal. It just assumed that all other religions were a sort of anonymous Christianity in a way, and I think that does a disservice to the adherents of those religions as well as anyone who seriously wants to learn about them.
     
  5. Rexlion

    Rexlion Well-Known Member

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    That is a mischaracterization of what the gentleman said (in fact it's the exact opposite of what he said), which makes me wonder if you were paying attention.
     
  6. Invictus

    Invictus Well-Known Member

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    I was indeed, and I stand by my original statement. :D
     
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  7. Laine

    Laine Member

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    We can only hope.... Even so, come Lord Jesus!
     
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  8. Tiffy

    Tiffy Well-Known Member

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    That is not what was implied in the video though. And historic Christianty itelf may not be the 'Christianity' that Christ himself preached.

    Most of what we consider to be historic Christianity was developed over the more than 600 years AFTER the death and ascension of it's founder and there is no absolute guarantee that every nuance and aspect of its doctrines accord with what Christ himself might say are the essentials of his philosophical message to mankind concerning the part they each all play in HIS eternal destiny. In other words, it is ALL about Jesus and even his church do not know ALL about Jesus. Knowing ANYTHING about Jesus, (even just his name, meaning 'saviour'), is better than knowing nothing about him.

    That is not to say though that important truths concerning his divine nature and purpose for the whole of mankind have not been discerned by his church on earth. Only that it has not yet fully performed the function he intended of it, mostly through its own fault and failure. Just as Israel has yet failed to achieve its God intended destiny. Any imperfect understandings of the person and teaching of Jesus Christ by other religions can be attributed to a church on earth that is itself imperfect, but that is all Jesus Christ HAS or perhaps CHOOSES to work with. He is a carpenter forced to work with blunt chisels though still capable of eventually producing a Masterpiece.

    I found the first video interesting but not ignorance-shatteringly informative. No wonder the world religions know so little about Jesus though.
    .
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2023
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