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Question on Religions

DATE: April 24, 1995 
NAME: C. Sibug
ADDRESS: VCF - Angeles

Kindly explain the beliefs or doctrines of different religions. In what sect do born-again Christians under? Are we still Catholics?

Answer

We have heard of the phrases, the "born-again experience" and the "born-again Christian" but, we have to understand that to become a Christian one must be born again (John 3:3-7). 

"I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born again when he is old?" Nicodemus asked, "surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. You must not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.'"

The phrase born again and the word Christian should mean the same. Because the phrase "born again" is a personal experience of any individual who came into the understand of God's plan for his life. One does not become born again by entering a seminary or by joining a denomination or by becoming either an Anglican, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Baptist, Presbyterian or Evangelical Free. It is an encounter in which God initiates (John 6:44) for man to know, believe and trust Jesus His only Son (John 3:18) as Savior and Lord resulting to regeneration or Spiritual rebirth (John 3:13) or, using the most popular term to be "born again". One becomes born again by entering the right relationship with Jesus and fellow believers not by entering a denomination or a church, because it is not a new religion.

Categorically speaking, yes, we are Catholics. If you will look it up in the dictionary it means general or universal. God is the Sovereign Ruler of the universe and it is quite natural for Him to mandate His subjects to share the hope that they have to people of every nation (Mark 16:15). The early church fathers are aware of this that they have included the line, "we believe in the holy catholic church..." in the Apostle's Creed -- that the church membership extends across the earth from people of every nation with the gospel (good news) that is applicable to all cultures, language, political or economic status, understanding, sex, age, or color (race) and time. 

However, in a different sense, we cannot be Catholics, that is, Roman Catholics, here's why:

1.      Roman Catholics places tradition in an equal and often higher level than the Bible. Whereas, biblical Christianity affirms that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God that has the final authority for faith, life, doctrine and practice (Mark 7:7,8,13).

2.      Roman Catholic tradition exhorts praying to (in biblical standards, praying to is a form of worship) the saints and even exalted Mary as an advocate who intercedes to God to obtain grace for the sinner. Whereas, biblical Christianity submits that we must worship and serve the Lord God only (Matthew 4:10); and declares that there is only one mediator between God and man, who is Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

3.      Roman Catholic tradition also admonishes the sacrament of penance which instructs the performance of good works which the priest assigns after confession for the forgiveness of sins. Whereas, biblical Christianity regards forgiveness of sin as a gift that cannot be earned by any effort and that good work is only the consequence of or gratitude for that forgiveness and is insufficient to earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8,9).

These are some but the few of the major contrasts born again and Catholics have. Among them are issues like: the existence of purgatory, the use of statues and images, the saying of the rosary, prayer for the dead, etc. Although we may have some things in common, like belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior and the Trinity, the two are contradictory.

Answer

We have to understand that even though many religions seem to be the same on the surface, e.g., belief in the supernatural, answers to human inquiries about mysteries, life and afterlife, miracles, existence of good versus evil, doing good works, etc. They cannot be true at the same time because the deeper one understands the central teachings the more obvious the differences become because they teach many things totally against each other. They may all be wrong, but they cannot be right. For instance, the Jesus of Islam did not die to save mankind from sin -- he was not even been crucified. 

Here are some of them, in parenthesis are Scriptural reference why they contradict the Bible:

Agnosticism. An agnostic is usually someone who does not know whether God exists. He is a doubter. He has not made up his mind on God. Some agnostics are searching for God although most of them do not make a real effort to know Him. (See John 7:17.)

Atheism. Atheists affirm there is no God although he cannot prove that there really is no God. (See Psalm 53:1)

Humanism. Humanists believe that man will be able to solve his own problems. According to them "man is the measure of all things" but they fail to provide concrete solutions to world- problems. (See Colossians 1:17-20)

Islam. Muslims believe in the Koran as the word of God. To them, both the Old and the New Testament of the Bible is also divinely inspired but have been altered by Christians and Jews. Muslims have the following basic beliefs: (a) There is no God but Allah, an absolute deity whose will is law. (b) Angels are messengers of Allah. (c) Allah revealed himself through Scriptures, but only the Koran is totally trusted by Muslims. (d) They believe in the prophets and that Muhammad is the greatest among them since Jesus is sent only to the Jews. (e) In the Great Day of Judgment, all men will be judged according to their works. Muslims will enter paradise though some will have to be purged first; non-Muslims will be condemned forever to a pit of fire. (f) The ritual prayers performed five times a day facing Mecca. (g) Alms giving offering 1/40 of their income for the needy. (h) Observance of Ramadan where they fast during the daylight hours. (i) Pilgrimage to Mecca is required of all Muslims before death.(See John 1:1; 6:29; 14:9; Matthew 16:16; Hebrews 1:3; Luke 1:30-35; 23:33; 2 Timothy 3:16,17)

Hinduism or Brahmanism. The basic thought behind Hindu religion is to obtain release from evil, from this whole evil world. This escape from the evils and sins of this life can only be secured when a man's soul has been fully perfected and purified. At this point Hinduism brings in the caste system by which soul is perfected. This process of soul perfection begins in the lowest caste (Sudra). Upon death, transmigration takes place -- that is, the soul is reborn into a person in a higher caste. If an individual faithfully carries out the duties connected with his caste, his soul gradually will rise after many rebirths to the status of the Brahmin. As part of the process of reincarnation, Hindu believes in the sacredness of life. Men and animals are part of the same stream of life. Not only do souls pass from caste to caste, from Sudra to Brahmin, but at times they may be reincarnated in the form of some animal. Hinduism reveres all animal life and the people are vegetarians. To sum up the essentials of Hinduism, this religion may be said to present the following ideas: (a) belief in the evil nature of this world, (b) transmigration of the soul through successive lives, (c) purification by accepting the caste duties of each life, (d) reverence for all animal life, especially cow, (e) retreat from the evils of worldly affairs into mystical meditation. (See Hebrews 9:27; Exodus 20:4)

Buddhism. Gautama, later called Buddha was born 563 BC in the northern India as a son of a king belonging to the warrior caste. When he renounced his rank, wealth and family to seek answers to his many questions about life and afterlife, he lived as a hermit for seven years practicing the most extreme forms of self-denial and even torture. Gautama came to view that life consists of sorrow and the only way to escape this is by way of unselfishness and service. Reincarnation and other theories except the caste system were taken from Hinduism. In this sense, his faith attempt to reform and simplify the Indian religion. Buddhism (Buddha means enlightened one) emphasizes moral conduct of this world. Only by right conduct can the soul escape from the world and find peace (Nirvana). Right living consists of rules which forbid such sins as murder, thievery, impure thoughts, false language, covetousness, and anger. Buddha was a simple and humble teacher who claimed no supernatural powers but left behind him beautiful and noble rules for right conduct among men.

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