Has God spoken to us through one of the major world religions? In this page we look at at how the various religions answer some of the most pressing questions we might want to know about God.
If we want to know the truth about the different religions, perhaps the most important questions are those relating to the purpose of life, how we know truth about God and what God requires of us. Here's a summary.
(Please note: it is difficult for an outsider to grasp and summarise the subtleties of these religions - I have done my best to be fair, but further reading is recommended if you want to know more.)
All of the 12 major world religions have their sacred writings. In some cases the writings are believed to have been dictated by God (e.g. Islam) or at least originated with God (e.g. Christianity, Judaism); in others the authority of a teacher is considered sufficient (e.g. Confucianism, Baha'i, Sikhism, Buddhism). The Hindu sacred writings have many authors and were developed over more than a millenium.
The important question for us is whether we can believe these scriptures came from God or at least tell us real truths about him. This requires some assessment of the historical evidence for these writings, whether their teachings are consistent with what philosophy and science tell us about God and the world, and the credibility of the authors (a very subjective matter).
Most religions began with a prophet, teacher or leader who inspired and taught others. Leaders such as Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, the Buddha, Lao-Tzu, Baha'u'llah, Guru Nanak and Confucius (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Baha'i, Sikhism and Confucianism, respectively) are believed by historians to be historical figures (whether or not all stories about them are historical is another matter). However some religions did not begin with one teacher (Hinduism, Shinto); in others the historicity of the teacher is less certain (Jainism, Zoroastrianism).
These leaders have differing status and authority within their religion:
Most monotheistic religions, and Sikhism, believe that God requires a strict observance of ethical codes of behaviour, and/or the particular rituals of that religion, for example:
These elements of rules and rituals are also found in some forms of Christianity, but at its heart, Christianity is more about receiving forgiveness than about earning merit. Thus Jesus did not just provide the teachings which started the Christian faith, but Christians believe his death was a sacrifice which provides forgiveness for those who ask for it.
In the taoic and dharmic religions (apart from Sikhism), the aim is not to please God (not all have firm beliefs in a god or gods), but rather to conform one's behaviour to the life force of the universe (however that concept is expressed):
Trying to live an ethical life is not easy. Obeying rules can be difficult, and maintaining a right attitude is even harder. For all believers, regardless of their religion, there is an element of us struggling 'down here' while God watches from "up there'.
In most world religions, believers are required to discipline themselves in order to live the life expected of them. The rituals and practices of their religion assist them to achieve this, and most religions believe God is gracious and assists those who seek to please him. However the struggle to please God is a core part of most beliefs.
Christianity differs from the other religions in its belief that God is present and active in the life of each believer, in the form of his Spirit. Jesus taught that his Spirit (not just an impersonal force, but God in a personal but non-visible form) would give his followers advice and power to overcome their tendency to fail.
When we ask these important questions, it is evident that, with two exceptions, each of the religions in the three groups (monotheistic, dharmic and taoic religions) shares many similar attributes with the others in that group. The two "exceptions" are:
Comment on this topic in the discussion section.