I posed this question generically to all earlier, but I didn't get any answers from christians...?

Question

So I will reword it for you: Christians, if you were born in a different culture, do you believe that would you still have found Jesus?
What I mean by this is, do you think that you still would have found what you hold to be the absolute truth if you were born into a much different society? For example: If you were from Pakistan instead of Oklahoma, would you still have found Jesus? Or would you be worshiping Allah instead, "knowing" that he is the savior, not Jesus?

If not, then how can you hold the bible and jesus as undeniable fact? Do you really think that you would be able to shun everything that you were taught and still find jesus?

Answer 1

There are way too many if's in that question, but I will still answer it. If I were born in a different culture, yes I would still have found Jesus. I really could not imagine my life without God. I would still be a Christian, whether I were brought up that way or not, no matter what culture I was from. I am an adult, I can make my own decisions. I am not living by what my parents have told me. I would still have the same mind and the same heart regardless of my culture, so why would my beliefs change, simply because I was born in a different country? I have shunned a lot of the things that I was taught, yet I am still a Christian. I was taught a lot of crap in school in science class, and I am still a Christian. I have seen documentaries on evolution, and I am still a Christian.

Answer 2

I'm afraid you're not going to fully understand the answer (NOT because you don't possess the intelligence, but simply because you don't appear to be open to a "faith" based response). I will try anyway. Christian belief maintains that the strength of the "word" will prevail against seemingly insurmountable odds to ultimately reach all parts of the earth before the "end" comes; this is biblical prophecy. (Mind you, this doesn't mean that everyone will accept it, but that the invitation will be extended). I have no trouble believing this because Christianity was strongly resisted since its inception. In the region of the world where it began Jesus was crucified in an attempt to halt this spread, yet shortly thereafter (in the scheme of human-history terms) Rome is overwhelmingly Catholic. There was an executioner named Saul tasked with erradicating the spread of this new belief, and this man dispatched his duties with remarkable efficiency. Through rather miraculous means, this man was transformed through an encounter with the spirit of Christ, thus becoming the apostle Paul, one of the most dedicated and famous authors of the New Testament. Christianity has likewise spread into remote parts of Africa, the former Soviet Union (much of this visibly within my lifetime), and other areas too numerous to mention. So, yes, I have no difficulty believing that even if I had been born into a different culture I would have eventual knowledge of Jesus Christ. It may further interest you to know that worshipping Allah would not be a problem for me since Allah, Jehovah, and God all refer to the same deity...you know, a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet....(to paraphrase Shakespeare, badly). Like any other sane person walking the earth I recognize the disparity between a professed peaceful existence a Christian society should have and the reality of violence we all live with...but I have faith that the Word will prevail. I know you may not understand this fully, but I suspect one day you will. Until then...

Answer 3

Ok I'm a Christian. Yes I still think I would have found Jesus. As a matter of fact I believe there are Christians in Pakistan, China, Iraq, Iran, Turkey. I could go on but I think my point is made. Believe me when I finally turned my life over to Jesus I shunned alot of other beliefs for the truth in my life. I was raised a Catholic. Baptized as a baby. But I consider myself a Born Again Christian now. Got married in a Baptist church. Married a Baptist man. That was definately a no no for a Catholic. I also learned once I was saved that it's really all about a personal relationship with God. I wasn't taught that as a Catholic. So yes my beliefs are deep within my soul. God chose a particular time in my life to open my eyes and my heart. I humbled myself and gave my life to Him with no regrets.

Answer 4

What you say clearly has validity; however, are my genetics, my inborn tendencies changed because of where I am born?

Surely, there is a lot of randomness in what religion people have and grow up with in your theoretical situation. It is quite humbling in a way, since it does show you that God doesn't need 'me' or anyone else.

Can you say to me that my makeup would not have made me seek out the Christian God though raised in another country? You cannot! And, neither can I say that I would have for certain. Your question is of the sort that no human has the answer to.

I'll tell you this, the Bible shows that nobody comes to God unless he calls them! Since he called me in my primary situation, wouldn't he have called me (being unchanged) even if I lived somewhere else?

If I had been changed by being born in a different country THEN your question becomes moot! Why? Because if I am no longer me, then how can I do what I would have done if I am not me any longer?

As you can see, you have created a pair-of-ducks. I am no longer me, but an oxymoron. Hahahahahaha.

I always wanted to say that.

Any comeback?

Answer 5

I actually was born in a different country (New Zealand), with no particular religious upbringing. We celebrated a very family oriented Christmas, but as a child I knew nothing of Jesus on this day. It was a day for presents, family & food (in that order). I didn't even know (and I mean about 5-8 years old) the different sects of religions. I knew of a God who watched me, who could see everything I did. It wasn't until I came to the states to see the crucifix before I started to ask those types of questions. But to simply answer u, the story of the baby Jesus always held me. As far back as I can remember it rang true in my young heart, that Jesus was born for us, the bridge to eternal life is Love, and Jesus is that bridge. Religions got it all wrong dividing us up in everyway~ to quote a silly movie~
"Well if we're wrong what's the right religion?" says the catholic.
"It's not about who's right or wrong. NO DENOMINATION has nailed it yet. Cause they're all too self righteous to realize it doesn't matter what u have faith in ~ AS LONG AS YOU HAVE FAITH!" says Selma Hayek in Dogma.
We are all an aspect of a wholeness called life. one:o]

Answer 6

Yes because the truth is always the truth, regardless of what we are taught. Yes, some leave Christianity, however there are new converts to Christianity from other faiths too. Every Church has it's idiots, don't judge all Christians by the idiots that embarrass us. The true teachings of Christ are not presented by televangelists who are fleecing the flock. Unfortunately, many who profess to be Christians, wouldn't know who God was if he sat down and ate breakfast with them. Check out the ministry of John Olsteen, in Houston, Texas. John teaches the true love and forgiveness of Jesus. I wish I could apologize for the jerks who profess but still don't get it, but I cannot be responsible for their actions. Pay attention to the message, not the messenger who is fallible.

Answer 7

First, I am a Christian,born into a Baptist household but currently a practicing Methodist. Somewhere in there I was the beneficiary of a good Catholic education as administered by the Benedictine monks at a local college, who very nearly taught me how to reason away my faith but what actually happened was that I questioned what I believe and why more carefully. So that now, I believe this and that not because my mom and dad told me to, but because I have found reasons to or simply take on faith.

That said, I do believe that there are good Buddhists who do not need to know about Jesus in order to go to the Buddhists version of Heaven. There are what we would consider heathens or pagans living in the Australian outback who do not know Christ but after living a good aborigine life by their standards, went to whatever heaven is promised to those who lead good aborigine lives

Answer 8

This is actually something that I have thought about.
I believe I may have still been drawn to Christianity.
Even though I was raised in Christianity, I did not just believe everything I was taught. I took what I was taught and studied it. Some of the things I was taught, I no longer believe. I am still a Christian, but I had to find my own way. I was not just blindly led into Christianity. It was something I thought about- I also studied other religous beliefs. In the end, I had to make a choice that had nothing to do with my society.

Answer 9

I believe that different peoples have experienced the divine in different ways and using different metaphors from within the already established culture's collective experience. Several other time-tested religions seem to me valid on face.

However, I believe Jesus is God. Does that mean that only Christians or right?

Not in the least. Jesus does not require our assent that he is God, Paul suggested that. Rather, I think Jesus is the Logos, the Word, the Way and that this Way is available by other names. For me the test of a religion is how it works for the people within it and how it treats the people without.

So it does not bother me that this one is raised as a Hindu or a Muslim and cannot access Christianity. What matters to me is the state of their soul an dtheir actions upon the earth.

Answer 10

You're question is largely foolish. Anyone here knows some Muslims have converted to Chrsitianity, some have become Atheists, some Christians have become atheists in America, some have become Muslim.

For years everyone accepted the reality of the Prism, except Isaac Newton, an uppity student who had other ideas that contradicted his teachers.

This it he nature of homosapiens.

That is why Protestants came into being.