What is unique about Christianity?

Question

Previous to Christianity there were Judaism, Greek, Roman and Nordic mythology, the Celts, the Zarathustra, the Vedas, Buddhism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism and a lot more.

- The idea of a savoir is not unique.
- The idea of someone being the savior running aroung doing miracles and preaching, is not unique.
- Many of the stories in the bible have similarities with the ones from India or the far east(China, Japan, Indonesia, etc).
- The system of worship and practise can be found in the older religions as well.
- The moral and ethics can be found in the older religions as well.
- Even the idea of one God, can be found in religions older than Christianity....

What elements are unique to christianity that cannot be found in any of the elder religions?

The idea of "Confession" existed before Christianity.

Not one Christian I have seen to answer the question lol.

Hell and heaven is not unique to Christianity.
The idea of Demons, Devils, Even a one and only "satan" is not unique to christianity....

The idea of eternal life is NOT unique to Christianity - it was mentioned in the Vedas.

One answers "Christinity boast THE ONLY risen from the dead Savior"

That is not unique to christianity either. Judaism mentions that (just to mention one) and several saviors had already walked the land similar to Jesus before Jesus.

Amelie: No that idea has also presented itself before Christianity...Sorry - good try though...

Unfortunately, Don H, Branching of religions also happened before Christianity - specially in India.

HeVn Bd: Your assumption about my intentions is wrong. And you're also wrong in your attempt to answer the question. A strong similarity can be found in the Vedas, Zarathustra and Buddhism.

the only 1 hobo: Sorry - all that had already been used by other religions.

travis w: thsnkd for the long answer, but there is the Vedas, the Buddha and Zarathustra, that completely undermines everything you present. But very nice effort though.

Answer 1

Christinity boast THE ONLY risen from the dead Savior

No otrher religion even makes this claim

Answer 2

Nothing wrong with that. Religion is an expression of human nature and Chrisitianity seeks to satisfy all the hero legends, need for ritual, and all the other evolutionary baggage we carry. The co-opting usually involved a reinterpretation. For example the in the Tales of Gilgamesh man arose from a drop of blood falling to the ground when two gods were fighting. This idea co-opted in the second Genesis creation story has God as a potter creating man and woman from mud and breathing life into them. Similar story different meaning. Much of Christian teaching can be seen as Pharisaic Judaism of the Temple period, not surprising as this is the religion of Jesus. Paul introduced many Greek ideas into Christianity, not surprising, he was a Roman Citizen and Greek culture was the culture of the day. If anything is original it was how the components were put together and the underlying message. But that too is appealing to basic human needs and human instincts. Western Civilization has co-opted many ideas from Christianity, some wholesale and many with changed meaning. There is no cultural evidence of divine intervention in most of the Christian concepts because it's manifestation is a human endeavor. I will concede that some Christian dogma fails to satisfy the Western civilization test of Occam's Razor? Will you concede that Westen Civilization co-opted many ideas from Christianity? Before you decline to concede, what was William of Occam's day job?

Answer 3

That God has touched their hearts and changed their lives forever. Christians then enter into a real and personal relationship with the living God through His Spirit. The love of God produces a love for God and others within them.

I was an agnostic for years and I agree with you that many aspects of Christianity are not unique and are similar to the beliefs of other religions. What sets it apart is actually finding and experiencing the real and living God in a dynamic and transforming way everyday. The fact that other religions agree with the universal aspects does not detract from, but acknowledges the legitimacy of their truth. Christianity is about living a Spiritual life with God, not a religious one following doctrine and dogma.

Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.

Answer 4

I agree that there have been some similarities to past beliefs but there are large differences. No one claimed to be eye witnesses of any of these other examples you are exhibiting. No one gave a historical dictation and dialogue concerning these other individuals. There were not multiple historical accounts of people actually witnessing these individuals. Granted there is evidence of a belief but not one single evidence of someone actually saying I witnessed it, let alone multiple eyewitness accounts, and none even come close to dictating anything in the historical fashion within the New Testament. From a historical stand point there is no comparison. Also as far as saviors dying and rising again, some of the religions that you mention and their figure heads do in fact predate christianity, but not one of these documented beliefs have any historical data of a ressurection predating christianity. What I mean by this, is when you take some one like mithra or some of the other savior gods of the relative time of Christ, the element of death and ressurection in actual historical evidence form is not found until dates well past christianity. The belief in mithra and other supposed savior Gods may predate Jesus, but the death and ressurection portion does not, they were add ons after Christ. What else seperates the beliefs? Jesus has been the most effective. Even in our post modern world, people are still drawn to this figure. Even people like Einstein, who was either agnostic or pantheistic said he was "enthralled with the nazarene man." Jesus simply is the most compelling figure in the entire history of the world, and what makes him different is that He is still relevant. There is something more compelling, real, attractive, honest, humbling, and drawing about Jesus. As a matter fact, almost all major religious figures since Jesus have all conceded their inferiority to Jesus. Muhammad and Ghandi and many others have pointed in his direction as the pinnacle of morality and wisdom. He is the make or breaker, the one man that everyone must make a decision about. Everyone has a stance on Jesus, and I believe he intended for us to have to make a decision about him. Lastly, there is no other world religion past or present that operated, revolved, and hinged on the word Grace. Grace makes christianity unique, but I would still stick with Jesus as being the real defining characteristic of christianity.



Please tell me from a historical perspective how any of those will compare to the number of manuscripts, dating, number of eye witnesses, and existing copies to this day. The answer is that there is no comparison. Not to mention, did Buddha do anything miraculous? No. He did not. He was a philosopher. Any tales of miracles concerning Buddha did not happen until multiple centuries after his death. Buddha by his own admission was a man, and man alone. To compare the historical Jesus and Buddha as being similar is pure propaganda. One the amount of historical evidence is not even close, and secondly they were on two completely different plains as far as who they claimed to be, and what was claimed they done. You must be specific in how they are similar, and then please show me one historian who will vow that the historical data for Buddha is compareable to Christ. As a matter of fact the foremost ressurection historian (yes he is a christian obviously) did a comprehensive study of every scholar holding a university chair who did not believe in Jesus as the son of God meaning (atheist, agnostic, or non christian) and how many of them in the last 40 years have held the position that Christ was simply an imitation of other myths. Well over a thousand published non christians ranging from enlish, french, spanish, and german and other and less than 5 HISTORIANS held the view that you are throwing out as the gospel. As a matter of fact this fad argument that you are pushing is not a new argument, but sadly for you very few actual historians buy it. The vast majority of historians do not hold to your view, and if you do not believe me try to find me actual historians that hold your view. You will find a few, but not much more than that. If you ask me to do the same, it shall take me some time, but I will give you a hefty list of atheist and agnostics that think what you are preaching is utter propaganda and dishonest at least from a historical point of view.

Answer 5

I think that the idea that all 9,999 different versions of Christianity are all the one true and only way to salvation is amusing.

Does that qualify as unique?

Love and blessings Don

Answer 6

The idea of confessing your sins is unique and not practive in any other religion. Although, if I'm correct, its only for the Catholics.

Answer 7

In all other religions God is remote and strict. You have to do many good deeds or make offerings before he will accept you. In Christianity all you need to do is accept what he already has done for us.

Also, it is for everybody: children, the lame, the sick. We don't need to do countless rituals or meditate for hours. St Augustine said that faith is holding out an empty hand to God.

Answer 8

The truth !!!! A risen Saviuor , Prophecy some that have happened and some about to happen, A book written, long ago talking about things going on and happening today .A willing God that sacrificed Himself for all, not needing sacrifices to Himself .A God of all and one that was and is the Creator .

Answer 9

not christian but the one unique thing about it is the number of people who have been killed in its name no other religion can match it track record in that department-everything else about it is just a rehash of someone elses religion--------enjoy the day
i just answered this question a little while ago-----enjoy the day

Answer 10

The inhumane and non sense in Christanity cant be found in any other religion