Are you willing to study another religion (and live it for a while -like Buddhism) to test your own faith?

Question

Well I have done that. I have truly expanded myself in many ways. I learned not to be afraid of my old religion anymore. Thank God! (So to speak, hahaha!) I studied and learned that...I basically still believe in God, regardless. Others may not find that. I don't know. I don't believe in Christ though, as my "personal saviour". What a bunch of malarky. If you study other regilions in detail, you'll understand why. And don't just slough it off with this, "Well, Satan was copying Jesus" crap. I used to say that myself until the evidence was far too much. There comes a point...! Zoroastrian, Hindu, Buddhist origins all have histories of very specific "Jesus" lifetime happenings. I DARE you to read about it all. I DARE YOU. And the first century Catholics said of it, "Look what profit we have gained from this enourmous tale!" (That's in the history books too!) Someone put them in the Bible and made everyone believe it and passed it on. WOW. We bought it.

I accepted Jesus as My Personal Savior when I was 8 and then spent the next 15 years praying and being with him. Walking with him, beside him, having a personal relationship with him. But what that was, was nothing. It was all made up. In my mind. Minds are powerful. I wish it was real. That would have been nice. I would have loved to have had a real Jesus. But it wasn't. I had to wake up from that fairy tale.

Also, I do not worship any idols. I meditate for relaxation. I simply have a problem with this Jesus thing. Every single story about Jesus happened to someone else in the Hindu or Zoroastrian religions. From the baby in the manger to the star in the sky to the children being killed to many other occurrences. Why? Because they were all stories told before. Why else?

Answer 1

Hi,
I really sympathize with the position you have arrived at. I often struggle with these kinds of questions (having studied a bit of myth and philosophy).
However I'm not sure if I could accept that the Jesus stories found in the Bible are simply copies of preexisting myths.
Historically it just doesn't work. (see Joesephus refs. to the life of Jesus, Tacitus as well as Africanus) all first hand historical documents which make objective refferences to the life of Jesus suposedly having elements contained in the Gospels without necessarily being on board with the faith.
Also I don't know many people who would claim that Satan somehow ripped off the Gospel and transposed elements of it to alternative faiths.
My own view (which I get from Tolkien and C.S Lewis) is that the reason why there are elements of the Christian story which have parallels in these other religions(although the conections are certainly not definite) is that we all share a common humanity. We have the same questions, we live in the same world and share the same longings.
Therefore it makes sense that our cultural expressions would have similarities. However the christian claim is that Christ fulfills these longings. That what all the worlds cultures have been longing for has come to a fulfilment in the life of christ.
As well as this from what I understand of other religions (i am only familiar with Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Hinduism in any detailed way) the elements you have cited as paralells are only similar to the Christian faith in a superficial way.
The meaning attatched to these stories by (for example) the Gospel writers are radically different.
I know this is a bit of a rant but if you would like to have a look at some alternative views on the subject can I recomend having a listen to this lecture: http://bethinking.org/resource.php?ID=213&TopicID=&CategoryID=

It is by a former Buddhist monk who became a Christian, I think you may find it very challenging. I DARE you even ( ;

Also I have just started a blog that may interest you.

http://muhnlaven.blogspot.com/

I've just started it so there's not much there.

Thanks for the challenging question!

Answer 2

If all you have is a bunch of stuff that you've read in books, or even the Bible, then you still don't have God. There is nothing that I can read now that will persuade me that Christ is not the savior. The reason for that is I have come to know him as a person. I have a personal relationship with Christ. I can no more ignore Jesus that I can ignore myself. I know him and he is real in my life. He has been my Lord, my God, and my friend. Obviously you have never experienced God personally, or you would be in the same predicament as me.

Answer 3

Religion is the most dangerous energy source known to humankind. The moment a person (or government or religion or organization) is convinced that God is either ordering or sanctioning a cause or project, anything goes. The history, worldwide, of religion-fueled hate, killing, and oppression is staggering. —Eugene Peterson (from the introduction to the book of Amos in the Bible paraphrase The Message)

Answer 4

No I am not That's like saying I have to try killing someone to find out if it is wrong or not. Or like the movie guy Ted Baehr who has a so called ministry called the biblical movieguide. he goes to R rated movies to report to us that they are not fit to go see. Do you see the hypocrisy in this? Why does Ted go to movies rated by the unrighteous, ungodly Hollywood people as R rated because of nudity, curseing, sexual content etc.? I dont have tyo open a Playboy magizine to know that it is smut! So in the same context why would I try a false religion when I already know for certain that I know the truth of Jesus Christ? Makes no sense to me. I dare you to read the Case for Christ. Come to Christ .

Answer 5

Buddha was born into a Hindu family so I am not all concerned with his false self.

Hinduism: First it offered a subjective intuitive experience of so-called "reality." But instead of using chemicals like LSD man could alter his consciousness through Yoga and Hindu forms of meditation, such as the Transcendental Meditation of Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi.

Second, Hinduism and Buddhism paralleled evolutionary humanism by offering a continuum of evolution. Man not only had supposedly evolved from slimy algae but could now continue his evolution through transmigration or cycles of rebirth, known in American and Europe as reincarnation.

Third, the Eastern philosphy of Hinduism and Buddhism seemed to give a rationale to many people for the ecology movement. the basic premise of Eastern Philosophy ismonism. Monism is "all is One." We are One with nature, One with the universe, One with all living things, The cosmos is one intertwined unity with no independent parts. We all share of the same essence or cosmic Oneness. Thus saving the environment was more than good stewardship; it was an act of saving ourselves. The humanistic desire of man to be God. Pantheism means "all is God." Not only are we supposed to be One with the universe (monism) but the universe is God (pantheism). therefore we are One with God and in fact are God! In Induism, though "God" or "the universe" is by definition "impersonal enlightenment."

the ultimate goal of Hinduism and Buddhism is to liberate ourselves from this "physical personal existence" and become One with the "Impersonal All."

That's enough garbage for me.

I am a Christian and I believe in Jesus Christ and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I have a personal relationship with my Lord. Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice." I hear the voice of God and I follow the Lord. The Holy Spirit lives inside of me.

I am not Catholic and the Dead Sea Scrolls weren't Catholic and the Word of my God has not changed.

You are following a false religion.

Answer 6

i think it is good to study other religions so if you are trying to defend your faith against someone or somebody elses you better freakin know whatyou are talkin about ... i find all religions fascinating( but have not read in depth about alot of them). You shouldnt be afraid to explore whats out there,,, knowledge is a great thing and so is an open mind

Answer 7

Yes, i did that myself when i turned 18 (no one could stop me then!) I was raised in an evangelical christian school and then a catholic school and even thought they tried their hardest to convert me, I still had a major facination with witchcraft and Wicca and today I am a proud practicing member of the wonderful earth based religion.

Answer 8

Study it, I have. That is why I am a Christian. Do you want some of my books on other religions? I have many of them that I have studied. I will keep the Bible and that is all I need.

Answer 9

dude becareful man I have a feeling that "some" people are now offended by the fact that you have expanded your knowledge. Watch out heres comes the hate mails. Good luck buddy. I admire you.

Answer 10

I did do that with Buddhism. After that, I just looked at all religions as a crock of poo. I do continue studying religions, as I want to be a professor of them one day.