oldbadger wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:49 am
boatsnguitars wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 2:48 am
Ever notice how Christians will say, 'Christianity is clearly superior! What other religion has a Shroud of Turin, or proof that a guy named Jesus existed, or the claim that a guy died and rose again! If your religion doens't have that, it's not worthy of consideration." (There are other examples, in a more scholarly format, but I've made my point.
No, boats....... I've never heard anything about the shroud of Turin from Christian or anybody else in my life....until this thread. Once it had been carbon dated any interest in it just dissipated.
But, sure, Christianity does think that it is the only religion with access to their heaven, the only problem being that it's not going to be the beautiful place it's talked up to be.
Meanwhile, Mormon's say, "Sure, but do you have Golden Tablets? It can't be a real religion unless you got Golden Tablets."
Oh dear....do Mormons really say that? But they haven't got any golden tablets! Never had a single one. Nothing.
Each religion finds their uniqueness, then claims to be superior because of it. Ingroup, outgroup and fanciful thinking. Over and over, and they consider this serious....
That's not religion, but humanity....... Where I live we even have a problem with some government-services-receptionists.... visitors are not paying and so they can be considered as 'low-lifes'!! Humanity can be such a bigot, no?
I was speaking rather casually. I can be more specific, and scholarly, if you like:
Christians:
Christians claim that several aspects of their faith are unique when compared to older religions. Here are some of the most significant ones:
1. Monotheism: Christianity is a monotheistic religion, which means that it worships only one God. This is in contrast to many older religions that worshiped multiple gods and goddesses.
2. Salvation through faith: Christians believe that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. This is in contrast to some older religions that believed in a complex system of rituals, sacrifices, and good deeds as a means to achieve salvation.
3. The Incarnation: Christians believe that Jesus Christ was God in human form, the divine made flesh. This is a unique concept that sets Christianity apart from other religions.
4. The Resurrection: Christians believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead after his crucifixion, which is a unique claim among the world's religions.
5. The Holy Trinity: Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, which is the doctrine that the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons in one Godhead.
6. The Bible: Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and contains the teachings and history of God's relationship with humanity. This is in contrast to many older religions that had a collection of myths and legends that were passed down orally.
7. Archaeological Evidence and Historicity of Jesus: Christians believe Jesus was not another rising and dying god myth, but an actual person who actually died and rose. They believe archeological evidence supports the claims in the Bibles that root it in the real world.
For Christians, the historicity of Jesus is critical because their faith centers on his life, teachings, death, and resurrection. The belief that Jesus is the Son of God and that his life and teachings provide a path to salvation is a central tenet of Christianity. Without Jesus' historical existence, Christianity would not exist in its current form.
Mormons:
In contrast, Mormons believe many of the same things, but they have other specific beliefs that they argue makes their religion unique and the true religion.
For Mormons, while the historicity of Joseph Smith is important, it is not central to their faith. The Book of Mormon, which Smith translated and is considered scripture by Mormons, is the primary focus of their faith. While Smith's role as a prophet is essential to their beliefs, his historical existence is not as critical as Jesus' historicity is to Christians.
Christians may argue that the historicity of Jesus is more crucial than the historicity of Joseph Smith because the Bible is considered the inspired word of God and contains eyewitness accounts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. In contrast, the Book of Mormon is not considered to be the inspired word of God by Christians, and its historical accuracy has been a subject of debate among scholars.
Here are some of the unique beliefs that Mormons hold:
1. Restoration: Mormons believe that God restored the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith in the early 1800s. They believe that the church that Jesus established during his lifetime was lost over time due to apostasy and that the Mormon church represents a restoration of that original church.
2. Modern Revelation: Mormons believe that God continues to reveal his will to prophets and apostles today, just as he did in biblical times. They believe that their living prophet, currently Russell M. Nelson, receives revelation from God to guide the church and its members.
3. Book of Mormon: Mormons believe that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and complements the Bible. They believe that the book was translated by Joseph Smith from ancient golden plates and contains the history of ancient American peoples who were visited by Jesus Christ after his resurrection.
4. Eternal Families: Mormons believe in the importance of families and that marriages performed in Mormon temples can be "sealed" for eternity. They believe that families can be together in the afterlife and that the love and relationships they develop in this life can continue after death.
5. Plan of Salvation: Mormons believe in a plan of salvation that outlines the purpose of life, the role of Jesus Christ, and the steps required for salvation. They believe that the purpose of life is to gain experience, knowledge, and develop Christlike attributes. They also believe that through Jesus Christ's atonement, people can repent and be forgiven of their sins and that obedience to God's commandments is necessary to return to live with God after death.
Mormons argue that their faith is unique and the correct religion because it provides a restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, contains modern revelation, and teaches the importance of families and the plan of salvation. They believe that these teachings provide a path to personal happiness and a closer relationship with God.
So, since Christianity doesn't include these things, Mormons consider it to not be the true, correct religion that honors God. Christians take the specific points that they've decided are important and criticize other religions for not having those things.
Similarly, while Christianity has the TS, other religions have their unique relics that Christians immediately dismiss as unimportant.
That's my point: Each religion takes their uniqueness to use as an example of what it's true, but to other religions is unimportant. (Another example, is that people claim "Christianity is unique because of "turn the other cheek", "love your enemy" - as if that makes it more true, when it's really just a difference of no real importance.)