GOD AND RELIGION

1
GOD AND RELIGION

• The Uniqueness of Christ

2
Recap

• We understand that there must be a God
• Not only the Physical Scientific Evidence
• But also from the logical evidence
• Must be an uncaused first cause
• Must be a designer for things to have meaning
• Must be a moral Law
• Now we must find out which from the bunch is the
  best candidate.

3
Introduction

• We have no time to talk about all religions in
  one hour.
• Even a college semester cant exhaustively talk
  about a belief that took some people a whole
  lifetime to learn.
• We will do some comparative religion study.
• Point you in the right direction.
• Go over the essentials of the defense.
• Go back to Truth
• Talk about the uniqueness of
• Christ.
• The Biblical view of the Human condition/Capacity.
  
• The Trinity
• Do all roads really lead to God?
• Are all religions essentially the same?
• Or is there one way?

4
E. PLURIBUS UNUM

• On the American Quarter theres an inscription
• E Pluribus Unum
• America is the Melting Pot of the world.
• Here there is a interaction of many peoples
• We have grown to respect the differences.
• Culture, Food, Behavior Religion
• Being Politically correct is aimed at respecting
  differences.
• Religious Tolerance doesnt mean Truth
  Validity.
• With the principle of equal toleration has come
  the idea that no religion has exclusive claims to
  truth. Though the concept of legal religious
  toleration says nothing about the validity of
  true claims, many have drawn the implication that
  equal toleration means equal validity- R.C.
  SPROUL

5
Prologue of World Scripture.

• All religions are connected to the same ultimate
  reality lead people toward a common goal. This
  is true even though the various religions make
  exclusive claims about themselves, sometimes
  asserting the uniqueness incompatibility of
  their God or ultimate principles. Nevertheless,
  in affirming the existence of ultimate reality or
  the ultimate principle, we assume it can be only
  one, regardless of various beliefs which people
  hold about it- be it described as one or many,
  impersonal or personal, absolute emptiness or
  absolute being, and regardless of the name by
  which is called.

6
The Test for a Religion

• 2 Main Category of tests for a religion
• The Use of Logic Truth
• How it reflects reality
• The Test of Meaningfulness
• How purpose and meaning is answered.
• People think there is a wide selection out there.
  
• They fall apart under scrutiny
• Which corresponds with reality
• Which is knowable
• Which make sense

7
Back to Truth

• We said that truth was foundational.
• Conformity to fact or actuality / Reality.
• When you say something is true, then youre
  saying it actually exists (even thought)
• Weve been using the qualities of truth and Logic
  for all our lessons
• We are going to use it again here.

8
Spiritual and Physical Truth

• Why view them Differently.
• People dont think that way about the physical
  world.
• We think of the physical world as objective.
• While the Spiritual is viewed as subjective.
• Stop separating the two.
• if the spiritual is true then it must correspond
  with reality.
• In regards to logic
• Its not a downplay of miracles or supernatural
  things.
• Why believe something if it doesnt correspond
  with reality?

9
Truth applied to religion

• Truth is exclusive
• A Belief must have a sense of exclusivity
• (it must assume something and denounce what
  contradicts)
• Hinduism there are a millions of gods.
• Not a single set of principles, but a diverse
  interpretation of reality.
• The various gods are metaphors for life.
• the problem with the Hindu philosophy is that
  it has opened her arms out so wide that when she
  finally starts to close them, she will strangle
  herself.
• 
  -Dr. S. Radhakrisha, president of India
• G. K. Chestertons modern-day rebel In an the
  attempt to denounce everything, he has lost the
  ability to denounce anything. (but in reverse)
• Jesus- no man can come to the father but by me
  (John 146)

10
Truth applied to religion (cont)

• Truth as an object
• A belief must fit snuggly into reality
  (regarding logic).
• Hinduism Says life and Individuality is an
  illusion (Matrix Movie) how do you know its not?
• The one who said it is also an illusion so it
  doesnt really matter.
• Hinduism, Buddhism, Scientology believes in
  reincarnation.
• Buddhism says that Buddha himself was
  reincarnated.
• With reincarnation, if you work backwards, where
  did it all begin?
• A Blessed person or a Cursed person?
• If blessed then it was a reward for good deeds
• If cursed then it was a punishment for bad deeds
• Karma (the force at work) doesnt know what to do
  with the origin?
• By virtue of its own self-imposed rules, it goes
  on forever backwards.
• Jesus
• Classical Apologetics tells us otherwise
• the heaven stretches (physics) Psalm 1042
• The clouds get heavy with water (precipitation)
  Job 268

11
Truth applied to religion (cont)

• All truth is parallel
• A belief must be validated by other truths.
• Islam says God is unknowable, unfeeling,
• hates sinners, Never comes personally to humans.
  
• Problem
• How did Mohammad know what to write if God is
  unknowable?
• Unfeeling Indifferent?
• Hates sinners why is there a plan to for going
  to heaven
• How did Mohammad know what to write if god never
  comes personally to humans.
• The Judeo/ Christian God
• Says Seek me and find me. Deuteronomy 429
• Find another example

12
Truth applied to religion (cont)

• The Law of Non-Contradiction
• A belief must take this into account.
• The Car in the garage illustration.
• Since all religions are fundamentally different
  it is better to say that all of them are false
  than to say that all of them are true.
• Bahai Makes exclusive claims about not being
  exclusive.
• Man had the potential to be reflect the
  attributes of God.
• God has many names and all roads lead to God.
• So which god are your trying to reflect
• Bible says, God cannot Lie. Titus 12/ Heb 618
  

13
Uniqueness of the Biblical View

• Not merely different- but Unique.
• The Human Condition
• What is in my heart.
• The Human Capacity
• What is my potential.
• The Uniqueness of Christ
• His offices and functions
• The Uniqueness of the Trinity

14
The Human Condition

• Other views
• Bahai / Scientology says man is basically good.
• It becomes a false sense of security
• Biblical View
• None are righteous
• The heart is desperately wicked.
• There is a bankruptcy within the human heart.
• Romans 718-19 I know that nothing good lives in
  me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the
  desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it
  out. For what I do is not the good I want to do
  no, the evil I do not want to dothis I keep on
  doing.

15
The Human Capacity/ Potential

• Other Views
• Buddhism says Life is suffering, (your escape is
  Nirvana / afterlife)
• Islam - Theres no way to know God Hates
  sinners.
• Biblical view
• Lord Be holy for I am holy. Leviticus 192
• You are the temple of the holy spirit 1
  Corinthians 619
• God makes a place holy. ( this is holy ground
  !)
• Who is man that you are mindful of him?- Psalm
  84
• I came so You may have life and have it
  abundantly. -John 1010
• You can know God.
• You are now my friends because servants dont
  know the masters plans. -John 1515
• ORIGIN, MEANING, REASON FOR PAIN, DESTINY

16
The Uniqueness of Christ

• The Deity of Jesus (100 God, 100 Man)
• Islam denies Jesus deity but acknowledges his
  virgin birth ability to raise the dead.
• Neither of those are attributed to Mohammad.
• Other Religions give you steps how to be Good.
• Buddhism Life is suffering and suffering ends
  through right speech, understanding, action,
  livelihood, effort, mindfulness and
  concentration.
• The Bible says you can never be good enough.
• ( Gods standard) Be holy for I am holy
  Leviticus 192
• V.S.
• (your ability) Your righteousness are like filthy
  rags. Isaiah 646
• There is a feeling of helplessness
• Grace comes in.
• You need a savior. (JESUS)
• The office of
• 1. Priest 2. Prophet 3.King.
• Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.
  -Isaiah 96

17
The Uniqueness of the Trinity

• The Trinity Father, Son, Holy Spirit
• (1 God, 3 personality (in the context of
  purpose- i.e. 3 purposes)
• Hinduism believes Shiva manifests in 3 forms.
• Creator, Destroyer, Sustainer
• Buddhism says Buddha has 3 bodies and 3
  personalities.
• the nirmana-kaya or created body which manifests
  in time and space the sambhoga-kaya or body of
  mutual enjoyment which is an archetypal
  manifestation and the Dharma-kaya or 'Reality
  body' which 'embodies' the very principle of
  enlightenment.
• Hear O Israel the Lord your God is one God.
  -Deuteronomy 64
• But there are other monotheistic (one god)
  Religions.
• (i.e. Islam, Zoroastrian)
• QUESTION
• Since God is the creator of all
• Who was God able to express love to before he
  created angels and man.
• There is community and Relationship within the
  trinity.
• E Pluribus Unum that unity in diversity.
• quintessence - that which unites all 4.

18
Conclusion

• WE SAID
• Before we can talk about a God of love, we must
  first establish that God exists.
• Then Before we can talk about a God that exists,
  we must first understand truth and reality.
• Then we provided logical evidences that God truly
  exists.
• But then the question came Which God is it?
• So we established, by using truth, which God
  corresponds reality.
• Not cause he is bound by it
• Not cause he is limited
• But because he created truth, logic, and reality.

19
JESUS AMONG OTHER GODS

• The exclusive Claim.
• The Correspondence with reality
• The accurate identification of the human
  condition
• The Need for a Savior.
• He addressed Origin, Pain, meaning, Destiny.
• The Genius of the Trinity.

20
Not quite.

• In school, what do you call someone who almost
  passed?
• Some comes close but, they just dont cut it.
• No other belief system can address truth this
  well.
• No other world view can address meaning this
  well
• Only Christianity is able to address the entirety
  of the qualities of Truth
• How? Why? cause it is true.
• And He has made himself knowable,
• since he is a personal God.
• I will dine with him and he with me.. Revelation
  320

21
notes

• Hear O Israel the Lord your God is one God.
• Buddhism was born in rejecting Hinduism
• Some Hindus say god is personal and other Hindus
  say god is not
• Every assertion rejects something.
• Jesus is offensive. When you talk about God
  people are willing to give you a hearing. That is
  a very acceptable concept- Since I can be a God.
  But the moment I talk about Christ, I am labeled
  as a religious, prejudiced fanatic.

22
Notes

• In philosophy, Ultimate Reality is the absolute
  nature of all things. It is different from
  ordinary reality, which is considered a product
  of the individual conscious mind. Ultimate
  Reality is independent of observation.
• Wicca
• An it harm none, do what ye will.
• Do what you will, so long as it harms none
• The rule of three (or threefold law) is an
  important tenet in Wicca. It states that both the
  good and the evil that one creates in the world
  will be returned threefold (in joy or suffering).
  
• Scientology
• What is true is what is true for you. No beliefs
  should be enforced as "true" on anyone. Rather,
  the tenets of Scientology are expected to be
  tested and seen to be true, or not, by its
  practitioners.
• Scientology teaches entry-level recruits that it
  is fully compatible with all existing major
  religions. The Church of Scientology has publicly
  stated
• "Scientology respects all religions. Scientology
  does not conflict with other religions or other
  religious practices." (What is Scientology? 1992,
  p.544)
• "Although there is no policy or Scriptural
  mandate expressly requiring Scientologists to
  renounce other religious beliefs or membership in
  other churches, as a practical matter
  Scientologists are expected to and do become
  fully devoted to Scientology to the exclusion of
  other faiths. As Scientologists, they are
  required to look only to Scientology Scriptures
  for the answers to the fundamental questions of
  their existence and to seek enlightenment only
  from Scientology." (Response to Final Series of
  IRS Questions Prior to Recognition of Exemption
  Under Section 501(c)(3) As a Church, October 1,
  1993)
• "Gods are fragile things they may be killed by a
  whiff of science or a dose of common sense."
  -Chapman Cohen
• So many Gods, so many creeds, So many paths that
  wind and wind,When just the art of being kindIs
  all this sad world needs. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox\
• Science without religion is lame, religion
  without science is blind." -Albert Einstein

23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)