A claim to exclusivity when, it comes to getting to Heaven, seems offensive in our culture of relativism. A buzz word of the day is that of "pluralism." Religious pluralism means respect for all religions.
While we respect all religions, it really is not fair to say that "anything will work." If I wanted to go from here (Illinois) to Atlanta, GA, I would need to go east. Someone would say you cannot get there by going west if you stay in the United States. Others would make a case that if you kept going west (outside of the United States and all the way around the world), you could eventually get to Georgia. (Of course, you would have to go a little south too.)
If you went straight north or south you would never get there. It would not matter whether saying that was offensive or not. You just would not get there. All roads do not lead to Atlanta.
While there may be more than one way of getting to Atlanta, we do have to agree that not all roads lead to Atlanta.
Likewise, not all religions get to heaven. Especially if they have contradictory points. This does not prove there is only one way, but it does narrow things somewhat. The question is, "how far are things narrowed down?" That is the question with which the Bible deals.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
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This is one of my favorite subjects, and I think it is called Exclusivity vs. Subjectivity. My usual argument in it is that, they don't show how us, flawed humans(and you cannot deny that humanity is flawed, unless you completely ignore human history, and humanity today) can reach heaven, there is nothing there to complete it. It is also the show of selfishness because you are doing this or that for you to enter heaven.(And in many belief systems I have seen selfishness is frownd apon)But Christianity gives you that path to heaven and in a non-selfish way. By just accepting a gift given to us from God.(It goes much deeper than that, but thats just the general idea, or argument)
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