Building on Truths

Often times when one comes into a debate with persons of different religions or of no religious beliefs, our first instinct is to tell them exactly what is wrong with their belief system or religion. This is how we learn it in  Bible college, our pastor tells us what’s bad about other faiths and when we think about other beliefs we automatically lean towards the negative aspects of those beliefs.

Without coming across as ‘new age’ I have to admit that every religion and belief system has some degree of truth to it. If it were all lies there would be no followers. Isn’t a good lie always concealed in truth? To say Islam is totally false, or Judaism is totally false or Hinduism, Buddhism etc. is totally false, would be a blatant lie. And if one were to hold this view then Christianity as a religion would also have to be viewed as totally false since there are some many Christian cults, sects, misinterpretations and false teachings out there that claim the title of ‘Christian’; look around any Christian book store if you don’t believe me. 

As Christians we often come off as opposing everything, history shows it, our preaching shows it. Is that the way things should be done? Is that the way things were done in new testament times? Often times we take stands against things instead of for things. Christians against gay marriage, Christians against abortion, Christians against terrorism…yes, that’s great, those are bad things. But what about Christians FOR love and forgiveness, Christians for peace, Christians for Christ.

Instead of approaching issues and religions in specific from a negative perspective I propose a positive approach. What i mean by this is that one starts with the good in something and build on that, working out all the bad and lies.

Every religion stems from the truth about God, Christ, salvation and the whole story of everything. The same way that everyone, eventually somewhere down the line is related to Adam and Eve. God is the creator, Satan does not create, he only twists, distorts and destroys truth. With that in mind, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to our evangelical mission to approach those people of other beliefs in humility and respect, commending them for the good and correcting them in Love?

There’s a lot more to be said and dealt with, but I’d like to leave it here for now and hear what you think?