What is unique to Christianity? That cannot be found in any other religion?

Question

Really. I know the knee-jerk answer some were taught was "relationship with god" but study Wiccans. They have relationships with gods too.

Seriously, what is unique about Christianity?

Marc, I was rolling my eyes at that one too. I guess they gave "Egypt" a pass when he was in school :)

Answer 1

Ahh, I believe one of the unique attributes of Christianity is grace, which sadly has not been mentioned by a single one of 32 answerers, and that makes me sad...But I believe the concept of grace to be relatively unique to Christianity compared to other major world religions.

Answer 2

All religions that have a god or gods are about having a relationship with that god or those gods; what changes is the nature of the relationship, and how it is handled.

I need to start with setting up a couple of concepts first.

Essentially all religions have prescribed behaviors that are enjoined and proscribed behaviors that are discouraged; if you think about it, even the Eastern religions that do not clearly own notions of right and wrong still teach that you can rise or fall on the ladder of reincarnation, or that your future lives can enjoy felicity or experience suffering, as a response to your deeds of an earlier life. The two ends of this are "righteousness" and "sin" in the common vernacular.

When you look at religions as a whole, they all discuss how a human (or a soul, when we're talking about religions that believe that there is the potential for being reincarnated as some non-human life form) can make amends for their sin, however sin is construed, and thereby earn the right to eternal bliss, be it the reunification of the spark of divine that is called "soul" into the godhead (thus erasing all individuality), or Paradise, Nirvana, Valhalla, the Happy Hunting Grounds, Heaven, or whatever you want to call it.

With this clearly in mind, the unique point in Christianity is easily stated. The Judeo-Christian Holy Writ is the record of God reaching down to Humanity (the rest is Humanity reaching up to God), and ultimately (as recorded in the uniquely Christian portion of the Bible) solving the issue of sin by His bearing it vicariously for Humans.

Numerous religions have gods becoming human: the Graeco-Roman pantheon is rife with that, for instance, and the Hindu faith speaks of avatars. There are also those religions that have resurrected deities: check out Isis, Horus and Seb, for instance, or Tammuz and Semiramus.

Uniquely, Christianity avers that God became Human, to bear the penalty for Human sin (by dying by crucifixion), rising again from the dead to credential the success of His labor; that God chose to reach down to Humanity because Humanity was incapable of reaching up too Him, and He desired that we should share Eternity with Him.

Believe me, I oversimplify the theology here, but the core concept is, I think, adequately and comprehensibly explained.

Answer 3

In order to answer this question, it would seem that a person would have to be fluent or at least know something about every religion which would be a massive undertaking. After 30 years or so, I can not even say that I know everything about my own religion. Seeing that there are people rolling their eyes at others here instead of politely educating and informing others of different beliefs and customs, I hesitate to answer at all since I also am ignorant of perhaps hundreds of different religions and belief systems around the world. As I continue my study of different religions I have found striking similarities and common lines of thought, expression and experience. What is true then rings and reverberates with other religions, cultures and peoples around the world.

What I can say specifically and with absolute certainty is that the person of Jesus Christ himself is unique to Christianity.

Answer 4

Relationship with god isn't an exclusively Christian concept.
Most religions seek some form of salvation or enlightenment.

If Christians try to be respectful of other religions then there's nothing wrong with them.

It's the reach out and hate someone approach to other religions that proves the religion isn't from God.
While the faith and love part prove there's something to be said for the teachings of Jesus (NOT the Church a.k.a. the Christian Religion).

The biggest difference is that the BIG secret to the teachings of Jesus is that we are all Gods or at least could be if we just learn to love. He makes it plane and says so rather clearly. It's concealed in a web of lies and misconceptions from the Christian Religion.

If Jesus were around do you think he'd be telling gays they were going to hell, or that people of other faiths are doomed, or putting up any other barriers between man and God? If you say yes then you are a member of the Christian Religion and not a disciple of Christ.

We are all part of God and hence part of each other. I am Wiccan, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Christian, Atheist and any other label or term we put on ourselves to divide us.

While members of these groups might disagree with the idea that I am part of them I still love them all.

This shouldn't be a mystery, but it is because it goes against what we've been taught.

Expand your horizons love and see the Heathen, Pagan, Catholic, Atheist, perspective and become something much greater something Christ.

Blessed Be

Answer 5

Absolutely nothing. Sin is in other religions, especially ancient religions... right along with Hell (though there are different names for these things because they come from different cultures with different languages). Raising from the dead... does anyone here ever read up on ancient religions???????? Or have they all been taught to ignore those because mainstream deems them "evil"? If they haven't even looked into it, then I dare say, they can't answer this question properly.... at least, not without looking ignorant. Relationships with the Gods/Goddess' is throughout ALL religions... it's what they are all based on, one's interaction with their respective Deities. Resurrection is also a typical idea in religions, with a few exceptions. A godman coming to save his people (Jesus himself claims to come only for the lost tribes of Israel... His People) is common among Pagan religions, especially during Jesus' time, so it's not surprising this idea ended up in Christianity. The idea of blood of a pure sacrifice is evident in many ancient religions as well. Any doctrine/idea you look at in Christianity can be found in any Pagan religion, especially those that thrived during Jesus' own time and shortly after.

Generation after generation of mainstream religion and it's adherents screaming that everything else is evil has proven to be their own downfall. Anyone who looks into it with honesty will find that Christianity is really no different than any other religion. And one thing that stands out.... if Christianity is the "Narrow" path.... why are there so many??? Doesn't look to be very narrow to me. Looks more like the wide road... the easy path... And it's a shame, there are some good things to it, good teachings that are sound... but they leave that behind in order to push their doctrine of salvation by belief in a human sacrifice.

Answer 6

Christianity's uniqueness includes: The Trinity - 1 God in 3 persons, Christ the mediator, 12 Apostles, The instititution of the Catholic Church, The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the moral law differs from other religions in that we are to love our enemies; The Office of Pope, The old and New testament Bible (most religions have only 1 testament); Gothic Church construction; its idea of Martyrdom is based in goodness and not fighting back; its founder died a violent death on a cross; etc.

Answer 7

The uniqueness of true Christianity is found in the faith that Christians put in Jesus, the Christ.

Though I understand what you mean by your question, true Christianity is not really a religion. 'Religion' connotes an observance of institutionalized attitudes, beliefs, and practices. While there is a large religion known to the world as Christianity, the majority of its practitioners know absolutely nothing about a relationship with Jesus, the Christ.

But, real Christians are unique in this: they have put their entire hope into Jesus, the Christ, and what he did in life and -- more importantly -- in death. His death was what paid the price for every sin ever committed from the dawn of time. His death was/is the means of access to a permanent relationship with God.

Jesus said he was God when he walked the earth. No founder of any religion has ever made that claim. In fact, when he made that claim, it automatically put him at odds with every religious and political leader of his day and in danger of retribution from them. But, even when faced with torture and death, he didn't back off from that 'blasphemous' claim.

True Christians believe that Jesus is God and that a personal relationship with him is the only way into a relationship with God.

Answer 8

There is nothing you can do on your own (works wise) to gain salvation. God through His awesome grace has given everyone who wants it a chance to be saved. All others are purely works based

Also the Bible unlike all other faiths, was not revealed to just one man who had a dream, or had an angel talk to him. It was written over a span of 1300 years by various authors who all wrote on a centralized theme.

Also it is the only religion that is made illegal in other countries around the world.

Answer 9

Ummmmm Jesus is the ONLY unique thing to Christianity

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 10

I think its a combination of things. It's forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. Other religions may have an idea of going to "heaven" and eternal life, but only in Christianity do you have a Saviour who died for our sins to be forgiven and once you accept his death as remission for sins, you will have eternal life. This is the only way in Christianity. No other religion has it work this way.