Treatment of Religions (Pt. 1)

The list of world religions, both major and minor, is an extensive list wherein many billions of people’s hopes, ideals and aspirations are found. Truly a study of these religions is sobering and saddening whilst also being encouraging. For in the study of other religions it becomes clear the claims of Christianity must be considered valid and truthful for they are the only claims, which rise out of the dross as pure. But, however, the treatment of some of the major and minor world religions accomplished by Winfried Corduan in Neighboring Faiths A Christian Introduction to World Religions and John Dickson in A Spectators’ Guide to World Religions An Introduction to the Big Five ought to be compared and contrasted in so far as they are related; additionally it shall be noted as to the prospects of any persons from any religion outside of Christianity becoming a faithful servant of Jesus Christ.

Beginning with the latter and moving to the former what are the prospects of a person converting from another religion to Christianity? In this area arguments made by Richard Dawkins about the origin of a person as the determining factor of their beliefs must be examined in order to gain a fuller understanding of the prospects of faith in Christ for non-Christians. “If you had been born in India I daresay you’d be saying the same thing about lord Krishna and lord Shiva; if you had been born in Afghanistan I daresay you’d be saying the same thing about Allah…”[1] It is this idea, which must be confronted when considering the hope of one’s salvation from another religion.

At its heart this argument assumes that all religions are the same, with all their claims and pageantry, their attempts at saving man’s soul. In so doing it creates a straw man fallacy, rather than facing each religious claim on their own merit (or folly) it bundles them all into a neat scarecrow made of straw and proceeds to topple them over. But, however, this is stripping Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and all other religions of their religion-specific claims. For there are many something’s[2] which differentiate Christianity from the rest of religion, many doctrines that separate it from the straw man. “…While many of the religions are superficially alike, most of them are fundamentally different.”[3] To be sure karma and grace are at odds; mercy and enlightenment are at odds; Jesus the Messiah and the missing Messiah are at odds; the triune nature of God and the oneness of Allah are at odds.

Therefore, because these religions are not the same and because their fundamental claims, hopes, and aspirations are different, it becomes clear that to assume the birthplace of an individual is the final factor in their belief is rudimentary ignorance on the part of the arguer. It would be as one comparing Mozart and The Rolling Stones declaring them the same.  What is more is this argument discounts the power of God (True, it is made by an atheist and therefore is made in the sense of discrediting God).

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[1] Richard Dawkins. Richard Dawkins cruelly answers audience question.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKGtcVoBhBQ

[2] I use the word “something’s” intentionally for it is often the word used when describing the uniqueness or the under current of Christianity.

[3]John Dickson. A Spectator’s Guide to World Religions: An Introduction to the Big Five.  P. 209