Why so many religions?

Because it's our different interpretations of it.  Usually it's not wrong, it's just something that's unique to the people who believe it.  I think that it's as simple as that, in most cases.

For instance, we don't all like Christianity for the same reasons; I'm interested in different aspects of it than other people might be.  To be specific, I'm more interested in reading the Gospels, but that doesn't necesssarily make me any less of a Believer than anybody else.  At least I hope not
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Er, I'm not sure if that made sense. Where is the delete button, anyway?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]To the repeated posts that all religions say the same thing....Can anyone show me another religions that guarantees 100% salvation to everyone through belief in 1 diety? I was never able to find it in my previous searches and would love to know if there are any others our there.
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Are you suggesting Christianity is best because belief guarantees salvation?

What about belief through evil works? If you believe, you are saved no matter what?

Did you choose it because it offered the most appealing method of salvation?

Moslems and Jews tend to be stricter with their beliefs and have very few different denominations. I have noticed that Jews especially have few schizms and rarely spilt into their own denominations. Christianity has more denominations than every other religion. Some differences range from trivial (Catholics believe Jesus' mother was a virgin, whereas Protestants to not)
to the significant (Jehova's Witnesses claim there is only 144,000 places in heaven and all who do not make the grade will vanish as though they had never existed).

The fact is, too many people believe in what they want: "No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says; he is always convinced that it says what he means." George Bernard Shaw.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Because it's our different interpretations of it. Usually it's not wrong, it's just something that's unique to the people who believe it
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Now that's a wishy-washy answer if ever I heard one.
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How can you have different interpretations and have every one be right?

Is it so hard to admit that some Christians hold WRONG interpretations?

YES, it IS hard, because that wrong Christian might be YOU.
 
I know about people with huge faith in God. I know people (not personally though) who use their faith as a powerful way to do much good. Mother Teresa, Padre Pio and religiously inspired youth workers and aid missionaries... These are religious people I admire.

The Christians on this forum I respect too; thus far, they have put up a fair fight and indulged the majority of my questions.

However, Christianity seems to be either inculcated at birth and nurtured throughout youth (In which case there is no choice until the youngster makes their own inquiries) or is chosen based on the person's own social and political views. Nowadays, there are almost as many cults and sects of Christianity to cater for whatever social and politcal persuasion you may care to imagine. Few people choose religion on choice and do so NOT because they intend to adhere the percieved Law of God, but adhere to the laws and principlesof the sect they join which, more often than not, coincides with their own views.

Has anyone here chosen Faith by their own choice? If so, how did you arrive at the conclusion you were right?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Are you suggesting Christianity is best because belief guarantees salvation?

Did you choose it because it offered the most appealing method of salvation?
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I have to give this initial disclaimer....My converstion was definately not the best way to go about converting to Christianity. Now I understand it better, but back then I did not so.....Yes I did.

My question still stands though...Can anyone show me another religions that guarantees 100% salvation to everyone through belief in 1 diety?
 
Just as soon as you answer my questions
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Why are there Christians that believe in salvation through different means? Why don't all Christians agree on Sola Fide?

This might help:

[b said:
Quote[/b] ] Matthew 12:36,37
I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter;
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

John 5:29
And will come out--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Romans 2:6,7
For he will repay according to each one’s deeds
To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

2 Corinthians 5:10
For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

1 Peter 1:17
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds...

Revelation 2:23
...and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.

Revelation 20:12
...And the dead were judged according to their works...
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BTW, if Christianity GUARANTEED 100% salvation to EVERYONE, there would be no need for Hell, now would there?
 
In answer to your first question...I have no clue. I have yet to read "for God so love the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes on Him and tithes 10% and has their heads covered at the correct time and ....will not perish but have everlasting life. Sometimes, I think we want to make it more complicated that it really is.

It is guaranteed to those who accept Christ as their Saviour. The whole freedom to choose thing comes into play here.

OK. Now I have answered your questions, time for you to answer mine
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Ah, I found more than three ways to salvation, here you go:

[b said:
Quote[/b] ] Salvation is by faith only: Romans 3:28: "... man is justified by faith without the [necessity of] deeds of the law."

Salvation is by works and faith: James 2:24: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

Salvation is by works only: Matthew 25:34-45: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me...Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels..."

Salvation by faith motivated by love: Galatians 5:6: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."

Salvation is pre-determined; we cannot influence our own salvation: John Calvin: "God preordained...a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation."

Salvation is by baptism: Nicene Creed: "We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins."

Salvation by special case: The Westminster Confession of Faith: "Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth: so also are all other elect persons who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word." [The document provides salvation for selected infants who die, and for persons who are sufficiently mentally challenged to not be able to understand the Gospel.

No non-Christians will be saved: Rev 20:15: "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."

All will be saved: "The idea that Jesus is the only way to God or that only those who have been washed in the blood of Christ are ever to be listed among the saved, has become anathema and even dangerous in our shrinking world." Episcopal Bishop John S. Spong
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I'll answer your question the same way you answered mine: I don't know.

As you can see from the above, I'm not convinced that all you need is Faith alone.

And if you believe that all you need is Faith alone, and that is the reason you chose Christianity, then doesn't that say that you chose your religion because it is the EASIEST way to salvation?

EDITED to add: If you believe that Faith in Christ, as Savior, is the only thing needed for Salvation, then Hitler, Mussolini and Franco of Spain will be ready to greet you in Heaven.
 
All of the passages you list refer to Christian living after accepting Christ as our Saviour. None mention that one will be saved if they do the works.

Perhaps that is where many get confused.
 
That would make quite a lot of people wrong, wouldn't it? And yet, they think YOU are the one that is wrong.

And what of James?

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]James 2


Faith and Deeds

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.
20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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If Hitler, Mussolini and Franco accepted Christ as their savior...do you really mean to tell me that God has welcomed them with open arms?
 
it says in the bible that as we get closer towards the end times (rapture WEEE!!!), there shall arise many false doctrines and versions of christianity. i personally believe in protestism, but i do NOT understand why people say:

"i am a catholic!"
- what i would say "christian is the word right?"
"no, catholic!"

i am sure that protestism is directly following the bible. (of course not all branches, but i believe that the form of protestism i believe in is not really a version of christianity, but follows what the bible says.
 
Hitler could have repented and accepted Jesus as just as anyone else. BUt without repentance there is no point in anything else. And if Hitler felt like crap for what he did and never did anything like it again... well its my duty to forgive him then..

RAPTURE = WEEEEEEEEEHA!!!!

Yeah... if being catholic is more impoirtant then being Christian then I dunno where your heart is.... because in heaven there are no branches... no Cathlicism or prodestism or any of that.
 
Catholicism is following the catholic doctrine.... Christianity is Following Jesus Christ.... as I am Christian and not Catholic so they are not the same.
 
And Protestants follow the protestant doctrine.

Baptists follow the baptist doctrine.

Methodists follow the methodist doctrine.

Lutherans follow the lutheran doctrine.

Guess what? They're all still CHRISTIAN.

Byblos, you're a NonDenominational Christian, so of course, no sect is going to fulfill your Christian beliefs. That doesn't mean they are not Christian.
 
I never said that you cant be Christian if you are Catholic.... but I am saying Being Catholic surely does not make you a Christian... how can you say they follow Jesus if they have priests which are the biggest blasphemers ive ever heard of?
 
What denomination DOESN'T have blasphemers?

Look at my posts on Benny Hinn, he's not Catholic.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I never said that you cant be Christian if you are Catholic.... but I am saying Being Catholic surely does not make you a Christian
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Would you care to explain this contradiction? According to YOU, how is it possible to be a Catholic AND a Christian?
 
I dont care about Benny hinn....

NO denomination doesnt have blastphemers...

What contradiction? Figure it out yourself Im done talking to you.
 
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