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Why is Christianity superior to other religions?

Jul 23, 2011
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We Christians are often maligned, misrepresented and attacked in a variety of ways simply because if we are true to our faith we say that ours is the only way to get right with God and to heaven.

So, if you were callenged on here, or in person, what reason(s) would you give for Christianity being superior to other religions?
 

ianb321red

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I personally wouldn't use the word superior..

I would say it is the Truth. The God of Christianity describes Himself as the one TRUE God, therefore any of the other Gods that are worshiped around the world simply don't exist. This obviously has implications for other religions..

But furthermore, the Christian religion and the church has it's faults - plenty of them. Christianity nor the church is not The truth; Christ is The truth.

Therefore, whether Christianity is superior or better than other religions is of less importance.
But, I would add that Christianity is the only religion in the world where the person who founded it is still alive...
 
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Jul 23, 2011
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I personally wouldn't use the word superior..

I would say it is the Truth. The God of Christianity describes Himself as the one TRUE God, therefore any of the other Gods that are worshiped around the world simply don't exist. This obviously has implications for other religions..

But furthermore, the Christian religion and the church has it's faults - plenty of them. Christianity nor the church is not The truth; Christ is The truth.

Therefore, whether Christianity is superior or better than other religions is of less importance.
But, I would add that Christianity is the only religion in the world where the person who founded it is still alive...

I hear what you are saying and agree with you. The reason that I have used the word superior is for the reasons that you have outlined, therefore without getting involved in semantics, Christianity is superior because (amongst other reasons) truth is superior to lies.
 
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tonybeer

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Have any Christians on here debated with people of other theistic religions about who is correct?

Would God care if you were a different religion when deciding heaven/hell etc? Anyone born in a Muslim country is essentially doomed in this case, for something that is not their fault.
 
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Jul 23, 2011
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Have any Christians on here debated with people of other theistic religions about who is correct?

Would God care if you were a different religion when deciding heaven/hell etc? Anyone born in a Muslim country is essentially doomed in this case, for something that is not their fault.

You list yourself as a seeker, surely if that is the case then you are duty bound to compare and contrast and reach a conclusion?
 
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vespasia

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Tony- have a look at the anonymous Christian, its a theological concept that considers those who are seeking absolute truth even if they live in say a country that forbids any awareness of God let alone Christ may still be saved through Christ by the grace of God knowing that they were seeking the absolute truth.
 
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Jul 23, 2011
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Tony- have a look at the anonymous Christian, its a theological concept that considers those who are seeking absolute truth even if they live in say a country that forbids any awareness of God let alone Christ may still be saved through Christ by the grace of God knowing that they were seeking the absolute truth.

:thumbsup:
 
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stevenfrancis

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We Christians are often maligned, misrepresented and attacked in a variety of ways simply because if we are true to our faith we say that ours is the only way to get right with God and to heaven.

So, if you were callenged on here, or in person, what reason(s) would you give for Christianity being superior to other religions?

As to it being "superior" in the sense that people think of in our modern culture, I'm not sure that's the light in which I look at it. I think of Christianity as the fulfillment of what religion was struggling for and leading to until the incarnation, when God enters human history as Jesus Christ. It is the state of being that God desires of all human beings. Many have heeded the call, and many still haven't. It is "superior, I suppose, because it is the fullness of religion. It is the final actual revelation of God to his creatures. God became man. He took on the penalty for sin for all mankind for all time. He suffered, died, was buried, rose again IN FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURE), and He will come again at the consummation of time to judge the living and dead. His kingdom will be eternal. Until He returns, he has left us His Church, and instituted sacraments in as a physical sign of His sanctifying grace and love for us.

As to the fact that we are much maligned, mistreated, argued with and hated, well.......that is also a fulfillment. I try to remember John 15:

[18] "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
[19] If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
[20] Remember the word that I said to you, `A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
[21] But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who sent me.
[22] If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
[23] He who hates me hates my Father also.
[24] If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
[25] It is to fulfil the word that is written in their law, `They hated me without a cause.'

And also the beattitude from Matthew:

[10] "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
[12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Does this help at all?

Yours in Christ,

Steven
 
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tonybeer

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You list yourself as a seeker, surely if that is the case then you are duty bound to compare and contrast and reach a conclusion?

Duty bound to whom? I was just asking a question of how Christians view other religions and the fate of their followers.

Vespasia - that's interesting. So if you seek the truth and come to the conclusion that there is no evidence for God, you will still be saved and go to heaven? If a God were to exist I'd like to think that's how a fair God would work. After all the ability to admit when one is wrong is a good trait in my book.
If I were a God I wouldn't expect anyone to believe in me unless I provided them with firm evidence, and even if they still didn't I wouldn't punish them. The fact that there are other religions and the majority of scientists are atheists indicates there is no firm evidence to come to any position with certainty. Certainly not the certainty required to condemn someone for eternity for getting it wrong. After all, it all comes down to Faith, and that isn't a basis to punish someone.
 
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Twisted River

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If I were a God I wouldn't expect anyone to believe in me unless I provided them with firm evidence, and even if they still didn't I wouldn't punish them. The fact that there are other religions and the majority of scientists are atheists indicates there is no firm evidence to come to any position with certainty. Certainly not the certainty required to condemn someone for eternity for getting it wrong. After all, it all comes down to Faith, and that isn't a basis to punish someone.

I completely agree. I recently became a Christian because I became convinced it was true, but before I was convinced I didn't even have that option, I simply 'couldn't' believe it. However my family are atheist, as the arguments that convinced me didn't convince them. That is no basis to be sent to hell. It would be ridiculous to expect people to accept a belief they don't think is true, and then if the belief turns out to be true, to punish them for their reasonable and justified skepticism.

Imagine the situation where a Christian is standing at the gates of Heaven, but instead of being greeted by the Christian God, they discover their faith was misplaced, and there is another god waiting there. How would one explain their position to this god? This is very subjective, but in your opinions would it be fair for this god to turn you away for a sincerely held belief in something that turned out to be wrong?

Similarly consider the hypothetical situation that two almost identical people live two identical lives, the only difference is that one has sincerely and truly accepted Jesus Christ, and the other has rejected him. The only difference between them is that the evidence that persuaded one to believe didn't persuade the other.
Why wouldn't God let both of them into heaven?


TR
 
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tonybeer

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A duty to yourself, your eternal wellbeing and how you will stand or fall on Judgement Day!

Did you read the rest of my post? I was asking for Christian opinions.

So I have to make the right choice, just in thought, or go to hell? Doesn't sound very fair or loving to me.
 
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King Mob

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We Christians are often maligned, misrepresented and attacked in a variety of ways simply because if we are true to our faith we say that ours is the only way to get right with God and to heaven.

So, if you were callenged on here, or in person, what reason(s) would you give for Christianity being superior to other religions?

It would be a completely subjective debate.
 
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tonybeer

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I completely agree. I recently became a Christian because I became convinced it was true, but before I was convinced I didn't even have that option, I simply 'couldn't' believe it. However my family are atheist, as the arguments that convinced me didn't convince them. That is no basis to be sent to hell. It would be ridiculous to expect people to accept a belief they don't think is true, and then if the belief turns out to be true, to punish them for their reasonable and justified skepticism.

Imagine the situation where a Christian is standing at the gates of Heaven, but instead of being greeted by the Christian God, they discover their faith was misplaced, and there is another god waiting there. How would one explain their position to this god? This is very subjective, but in your opinions would it be fair for this god to turn you away for a sincerely held belief in something that turned out to be wrong?

Similarly consider the hypothetical situation that two almost identical people live two identical lives, the only difference is that one has sincerely and truly accepted Jesus Christ, and the other has rejected him. The only difference between them is that the evidence that persuaded one to believe didn't persuade the other.
Why wouldn't God let both of them into heaven?
TR

Thanks for that reply, very interesting! Skepticism is a very positive trait and not only stops us falling for every scam a criminal could throw at us, but also helps establish what is true or not.

I think part of the problem here is that the more time and effort you invest in something, often to your own detriment, the more unfair it seems that someone who hasn't say been to church every weekend also gets the same fate as you.

Hypothetically if there were a heaven and every good person got to go, Atheists/Agnostics included, would a Christian feel a bit annoyed after all the time they've spent worshipping etc?

Also do Christians want non believers, who will never believe before they die, to go to heaven?
 
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tansy

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I think part of the problem here is that the more time and effort you invest in something, often to your own detriment, the more unfair it seems that someone who hasn't say been to church every weekend also gets the same fate as you.

didn't quite understand your meaning here?


Hypothetically if there were a heaven and every good person got to go, Atheists/Agnostics included, would a Christian feel a bit annoyed after all the time they've spent worshipping etc?

Good people do not get to heaven, whether Christian, atheist or whatnot.
If that were the case, who on earth would ever get there?
I don't think Christaians would be annoyed if good people got to heaven, despite all the time Christians have spent worshipping etc. But I feel you're misunderstanding some very fundamental things, which I haven't time to go into now.

Also do Christians want non believers, who will never believe before they die, to go to heaven?

Personally, I would love it if everyone got to heaven...but maybe it depends whether people really want heaven or not.
 
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vespasia

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Vespasia - that's interesting. So if you seek the truth and come to the conclusion that there is no evidence for God, you will still be saved and go to heaven? If a God were to exist I'd like to think that's how a fair God would work. After all the ability to admit when one is wrong is a good trait in my book.

Given that everyone currently posting on this forum has not as yet done with life and are about to shuffle off this mortal coil it is possible; this is why I am an inclusivist rather than an exclusivist. ^_^
Mine you whilst its hard to pin down evidence for God what we have does not refute the existance of God either, its one of those things that just refuses to be proved either way leaving it down to us to decide if we have faith in an ultimate reality/truth beyond our understanding or no.


If I were a God I wouldn't expect anyone to believe in me unless I provided them with firm evidence, and even if they still didn't I wouldn't punish them.

The big problem is that God, as far as the various philosophical understandings and the better theological ones go, is very other to humanity. God is not us so anything we speculate about the nature of God is human conjecture. There is a something that causes some to have faith though.

The fact that there are other religions and the majority of scientists are atheists indicates there is no firm evidence to come to any position with certainty.

It is a presumption to assume the majority of scientists are atheists just because a few of the Brights make a lot of noise. You will find the same number of Christians who are scientists who teach and learn as well as research, have a look online for them. I know they exist as I have access to one of their Uni debating groups.

Certainly not the certainty required to condemn someone for eternity for getting it wrong. After all, it all comes down to Faith, and that isn't a basis to punish someone.

Exactly- it comes down to faith and that is very hard to quantify.
 
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David Brider

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I hear what you are saying and agree with you. The reason that I have used the word superior is for the reasons that you have outlined, therefore without getting involved in semantics, Christianity is superior because (amongst other reasons) truth is superior to lies.

I think that's going to be a problematic attitude in our relationships with those around us. Obviously you and I believe that Christianity is true; but, e.g., a Hindu believes that Hindusm is true. By your argument, (s)he can believe that Hinduism is superior to Christianity, because truth is superior to lies..?

Better, surely, to just stick to, "I believe x, you believe y, we don't know for definite which is true and which isn't." Bringing concepts such as "superior" (and, by implication, *in*ferior") to the discussion just makes us look arrogant.
 
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Jul 23, 2011
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I think that's going to be a problematic attitude in our relationships with those around us. Obviously you and I believe that Christianity is true; but, e.g., a Hindu believes that Hindusm is true. By your argument, (s)he can believe that Hinduism is superior to Christianity, because truth is superior to lies..?

Better, surely, to just stick to, "I believe x, you believe y, we don't know for definite which is true and which isn't." Bringing concepts such as "superior" (and, by implication, *in*ferior") to the discussion just makes us look arrogant.

True, but I have no idea how much you hold Christianity to be true or ultimate truth, but what I do know is that the only way to a living relationship with the living God is through Jesus Christ His Son the only Saviour.

No other religion offers what Christianity offers, ie, reconciliation with the Creator through Jesus, which leads to eternal life instead of eternal death. So, in that (and many other respects) it is superior - why? Because;

Jn 14: 6 Jesus says, "I am the way the way the life and the truth, no-one comes to the Father except through me."

That is why Jesus Christ and therefore true Christianity is superior!
 
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tonybeer

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The big problem is that God, as far as the various philosophical understandings and the better theological ones go, is very other to humanity. God is not us so anything we speculate about the nature of God is human conjecture. There is a something that causes some to have faith though.

The fact that there are other religions and the majority of scientists are atheists indicates there is no firm evidence to come to any position with certainty.

It is a presumption to assume the majority of scientists are atheists just because a few of the Brights make a lot of noise. You will find the same number of Christians who are scientists who teach and learn as well as research, have a look online for them. I know they exist as I have access to one of their Uni debating groups.

Certainly not the certainty required to condemn someone for eternity for getting it wrong. After all, it all comes down to Faith, and that isn't a basis to punish someone.

Exactly- it comes down to faith and that is very hard to quantify.

Hi. Here is a Guardian article which cites quite a few studies that demonstrate my point about scientists more likely to be atheists than the general population The likely atheists | Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Not that I'm saying 100% are atheist, and I remember being taught by quite a famous scientist who is a Christian, but the majority are.
 
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Tenebrae

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Why is christianity superior to other religons?

IMO, it itsnt. I'm too sick of meeting damaged people in my work in mental health, who ended up that was in large part to the abusive actions of christians
 
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