Aren't All Religions The Same?
A lot of the time we hear that all religions are the same, or every religion leads to the same God. A couple of guys named Kurt and Marko do a good job of explaining why this doesn't fit with what the Bible says. Here's there response:
Almost nothing in this world is "all the same." When you go to Baskin-Robbins to get ice cream, the flavors aren't all the same. You have 31 different types of ice cream to choose from! Starbucks sells all kinds of coffee. You can get a one-dollar cup of plain ol' stuff or pay five dollars for one with mocha, caramel, and whipped cream. Try going to a bike shop and saying, "I'd like to buy a bike, please. Any bike will do since they're all the same." The mullet-headed, nose-pierced, bike-shop-owner dude would look at you as if you looked weird or something.
Religions aren't all the same, either. They may have some things in common, but they aren't all the same. Some of the ways religions are different from each other include what they teach about God, what they teach about Jesus, what they teach about getting to heaven, and what they teach about the Bible. There are other differences, but those are the biggies.
Another question we hear a lot is, "Are all religions true?" Again, another good question that deserves an answer: NO! The reason all religions can't be true isn't just because they're different. Different types of coffee are still true coffees, and different ice cream flavors are still true ice creams. The reason all religions can't all be true is because they all hold different beliefs that they claim as truth...beliefs that are totally opposite from each other. If beliefs about the same thing are opposite from each other, they can't both be true.
A simple example is how somebody gets to heaven. Christianity says that heaven is a free gift. Many other religions believe a ticket to heaven must be earned. Christianity believes that the gift of heaven is given to us through Jesus, God's Son. Many other religions believe that Jesus was a good guy but wasn't God's Son and has nothing to do with heaven. How can both be true?
Another difference between Christianity and other religions? Christianity isn't just a religion. Most religions make a big deal out of making sure you say the right stuff, do the right stuff, and stay away from the wrong stuff. Most religions focus on looking good on the outside. And while Christianity holds outward behavior as important, it's not the most important thing--it's about friendship with Jesus. And a true friendship with Jesus doesn't have a whole lot in common with religion.
