The issue of many religions, one God

Of all the questions, i feel that this question is the easiest to answer and the most straight forward. the following answer i provide should satisfy the most logical mind there is out there i guess.

In singapore, they love to have the thing where representatives from major religions stand shoulder to shoulder during national day or during major holidays to pray for the nations. Obviously they will take photo and show a united front for respecting one another's religion. So it inevitable leads to the question of, could all these religions be actually worshipping the same God?

People have written book on this topic but my simple answer is that it cannot be logically true if you actually look into the most basic doctrine of each religion.

Let's assume that it is true that there is only one God and all the other religions are actually worshipping the same God but different name. So yours is buddha, mine is Jesus, his is allah right but they are all actually the same almighty being.

We assume this is really true and we bring up the topic of where do you go after you physically die on earth. Buddhism preach reincarnation where you will reincarnate into someone or something else according to your good deeds or bad deeds. Christianity preach eternal life in heaven after earth. If there is really only one God, it cannot be both true right? Where would you go after you leave earth? Reincarnate or heaven? You'll be one confused soul man...

Let's say you assume all religions to be true, i suppose the "all religion" includes christianity right? so for the statement to be true, all religions including christianity must be able to embrace this statement of many religions one God without contradiction. Let's see, in the Holy bible, there are many instances where God made this statement repeated in the old testament:

Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

~ Exodus 34:14 ~

If all the gods are really all the same, why would the holy scripture stress this point of "no other god" This statment in fact pushes home the point that it does not embrace any other god expect the one mentioned in the bibile.

Jesus stated explicitly in the bible that only one God is accepted:

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
~ John 14:6-7 ~

Ok, lets go to the add on to this question that struck me by surprise. They above arguement could be countered by saying what life is not a test of heaven and hell as christianity said but its a choice making stage. So if you are a christian you'll join jesus, if you're a buddhist you'll reincarnate, if you are a good hindu with enough karma, you'll be your mini God?

Well, its an attractive stand to make. A stand where everyone is happy right? No!

First of all, again the stand is self defeating. Christianity preach about heaven and hell. Not heaven and other religions. So if you don't qualify for heaven, you go hell, not reincarnate. The whole argument topples here.

Second, it is as good as saying the place i will go depends on what i believe in. So one day, if i choose to worship Teletabi, and to add some credibility to it, i have 10 followers. Does it mean we'll all end up in lala land? Or lets say me and my friends worship to god in the game dota, and this religion we create says that when we die we will end up inside the computer screen, does it mean its true?

If you ask me, those people who choose to take this view points are either ignorant, lazy or fearful. They are ignorant because of the many flaws and loop holes in this argument. They are lazy because if they even bother to look into the most basic doctrines of the mainstream religions, they will know that it contradicts one another. They are fearful because sometimes people just do not dare to make a stand when there is a buffet of religions in front of them to choose from. Inconclusion, don't take the easy way out and just choose the option you think will appease everyone.

I rest my case.

Regards,

Jie Hui

Labels: Apologetics