Questions

1
Questions
How is Jesus different from Muhammed and Buddha?
About God
2
Mohammed

• Mohammed spent long periods of time in
  meditation. At age forty, he began to denounce
  the other popular religions of the day and taught
  that all religions lead to God. He proclaimed to
  his culture that Allah was one. He became the
  leader of the political/religious movement called
  Islam. He never claimed to be God, but he did
  claim that his teachings came directly from
  Allah. In order to be a Muslim, Mohammeds
  followers must live out the five key beliefs of
  Islam which include regular fasting, giving to
  the poor, going on a spiritual pilgrimage to
  Mecca, praying five times daily, and testifying
  that Mohammed is the prophet of the only God,
  Allah.

3
Buddha

• Buddhas actual name was Gautama. We was the
  son of a ruler in the modern country of Nepal.
  At age twenty-nine, he went on a pilgrimage to
  find the solution to the problem of suffering.
  Believing he had found the answer through
  meditation, he taught others that the way to
  enlightenment, or freedom from suffering, was
  through focused rejection of human desires.
  Buddhists are taught to reach Nirvana (the state
  of consciousness) through meditation and good
  living. Buddha never claimed to be God in fact,
  he rejected the importance and relevance of the
  existence of God.

4
How does Jesus compare?

• Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies about his
  life, death, and resurrection (Luke 414-21)
• Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection
  and rose from the dead. He isnt just another
  great teacher or prophet (Luke 1831-33)
• Jesus said he was God. Jesus never claimed that
  everyone was God or that all religions lead to
  the same place (John 725-44)
• Jesus teaching was perfect.

5
John 146

• I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
  comes to the Father except through me.

6
Group Questions

• What are major differences between Buddha,
  Mohammed, and Jesus that you see?
• Does the Christian perspective interfere with the
  idea that God is love?

7
An Argument...

• All the worlds religions worship the same
  God, using different names. Islam calls God
  Allah Buddhism calls him Buddha Christianity
  calls him Jesus. Theyre all the same God, and
  they can all lead you to heaven if you worship
  them sincerely. Its the spiritual dimension to
  life thats important not what church you join
  or religion you believe. Mohammed, Buddha, and
  Jesus Christ all teach the same path to a higher
  plane or personal development.

• Do you think that Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha
  teach the same things? Give examples of
  similarities and differences.
• What would someone who supports this argument say
  to the fact that Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed
  taught principles that contradict each other?

8
Acts 412

• Salvation is found in no one else, for there is
  no other name under heaven given to men by which
  we must be saved.

• Why is it not possible for all religions to be
  right?
• Why do you think God cares about who you follow?

9
Pair Share

• Do your friends know who Jesus is?
• Who do your friends say Jesus is?
• How do you respond to friends who think Jesus was
  simply a good teacher just like all the other
  founders of world religions?
• Tell your partner who you think Jesus is and
  what that belief means for your life.