As I’ve previously mentioned, I just completed a course in world religions, studying Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, indigenous religions, etc. Pretty interesting stuff for a guy like me. I visited a Hindu temple nearby and interviewed the young priest. Then I wrote a paper on Islam. But I’ve been studying Islam for years, and my studies continue. I’m presently reading Did Muhammad Exist, by Robert Spencer, a guy you frequently see on TV as an expert on Islam. What he says in this book agrees with what a lot of the scholars I cited in my Islam paper say. Turns out that Islamic history is really shaky, and there’s lots of information on this. There are no collaborating non-Muslim sources for most of it. The only information on Muhammad himself, the Qur’an, or the “history of Islam” most Muslims are taught is very, very vague, unsubstantiated, contradictory, and downright legendary! It’s possible Muhammad never existed!
It’s certain the Qur’an didn’t “come down from heaven” and certain that there have been many versions of it and many alterations over time. Even the early days of the Arab conquests, the battles, the rulers, the events, they’re all very sketchy. Yes, they conquered huge swaths of earth’s territory, but the details of how it came about often are lost in the mists of time. Yet some 1.6 billion people on this earth believe Islam and all its history to be a definite, sure thing. They truly believe Islam is God’s religion, superior to all others. Wars are being fought all over the place because of Islam. People are ready to blow themselves up for it. I’m sure they’re deceived. They would say I’m deceived. Who’s right?
The Hindus told me their religion is the oldest on earth, and therefore must be the most correct. Hundreds of millions are Hindus, and many of them live here in America. But Hindu “history” is even more distant and convoluted than Islamic history, and Hindu beliefs are very contradictory and irrational.
Other hundreds of millions are Buddhists. Buddha supposedly lived some 500 or 600 years before Christ, but his “historicity” is also very dubious, with some rather legendary rather than factual aspects to it. Today there are several schools of Buddhist thought that don’t agree.
There are also millions of secularists nowadays. They’re convinced no religion is right. Atheists “believe” in their own religion; they just don’t think of it as a religion. They believe in materialism, naturalism. They trust only in human reason, and discount everything they can’t measure or weigh or put in a microscope. Anybody out there really believe that explanation is sufficient for life and the world we live in? There are many different worldviews, philosophies and religions. Who’s right? Is anybody? Are you sure?
Millions in America believe climate change is the greatest danger we face, and humans have caused it. They believe Donald Trump is going to destroy the earth, because he’s “a denier.” They’re sure that 97% of scientists affirm human-caused climate change. But millions of us don’t believe it’s caused by humans. We think that’s total baloney, something that comes out of a political agenda. We believe the 97% figure is bogus. Who’s right? Are you sure?
For almost a year, the Democrats and the media have been telling us that Trump won because his campaign “colluded” with the Russians. Imagine, Donald Jr. actually met with a Russian lawyer to get “dirt” on Hillary Clinton! How could he have stooped so low?!
Now we find out that the Clinton campaign paid big bucks to a former British intelligence agent, to work with the Russians to get “dirt” on Donald Trump! Wow! Does anybody get how huge this is? Clinton also was part of the process of turning over 20% of America’s uranium to a Russian company! Who was colluding with whom?! What the dems accused the Trump campaign of doing, they were actually doing themselves! Democrats and Republicans, progressives and conservatives, we all believe these different narratives. Who’s right? Are you sure? With a biased news media, can anyone be sure of anything today?
Yesterday I watched a documentary about the war in Yemen. The Saudis are bombing Yemen, and the conditions there are just heartbreaking. I saw little starving children brought into a hospital, and I broke into tears. I was eating my dinner, and I had too much to eat, while these poor kids were starving! I wished I could’ve shared my food, but it can’t be done. Even though many of us may want to help, the complications of the situation make it impossible.
Then they showed a protest in the streets of Yemen. The people were protesting America, blaming us for their suffering. I don’t know. We give aid to the Saudis. Maybe we are complicit in some way. Maybe we have played a part. But man, these people, they think we’re devils, and that America is doing this to them, when most of us don’t even know where their country is! I hardly think we’re the main reason for their suffering, yet they’re convinced we are! Who’s right? Are you sure?
It seems that millions in this country believe our president and his party to be racist. I’m a racist, because I believe in secure borders, regulated immigration, and law and order. I think the accusation of racism is absolutely outrageous. But who’s right?
Football players are taking a knee during the national anthem, to protest the oppression of minorities. We’re told police across our country are hunting them down and shooting them. Statistics don’t bear out their story. Though there have been a few terrible incidents of racism and true police brutality, white police aren’t hunting down blacks and unfairly arresting or shooting them. Many of us say this is a false narrative, like the “hands up, don’t shoot” narrative associated with Black Lives Matter and the Ferguson debacle. Who’s right? Are we sure? Can anybody be?
When I used to travel in Latin America, I often saw murals and heard from people everywhere who believed America was against them, was trying to control them. When I was in Russia one time, three different pastors told me they’d always believed America was warlike and ready to attack them. I explained that we were always told the Russians were warlike and ready to attack us! Who was right? How could anyone be sure? Another recent documentary showed that Putin and the Russians believe we’re out to topple their government. Many on our side are sure he’s out to topple ours! Who’s right? Are we sure?
It’s interesting. I mentioned Robert Spencer’s book, and I’m enjoying it. I believe most of it. Yet in the beginning, Spencer, a reformed Jew, mentions how Judaism and Christianity went through a period of critical analysis in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and both religions had to alter a lot of what they believed. So Jews revamped their religion to be more in sync with modern thinking, and many Christian denominations did the same thing. He thinks Islam should be willing to do this.
Well, I happen to know Spencer’s behind the times on this. Yes, for almost a century conservative Christians wrestled with this attack on the Bible’s historicity and accuracy. However, as time and study went on, that criticism was debunked, and the Bible’s inerrancy was upheld. Today we don’t at all accept these ideas of liberal Judaism or Christianity, and have felt no need to alter the faith “once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3) Though many still think these criticisms are true, our confidence in the gospel is stronger than ever!
Although I like Spencer’s books and thoughts on Islam, I would say I’m probably more knowledgeable about Christianity, Church history, and the Bible than he, though I don’t have a doctorate. But lots of people with doctorates tell me Spencer can be refuted on these matters. That part of his book, I believe, is just wrong. I’m sure that Muslim scholars would also have counter arguments for everything he says about Islam as I do about Christianity, of course. I also believe that modern Judaism has strayed very far from the truth of God, and most Jews are in the dark, because they have rejected their Messiah, so I would argue with Spencer regarding modern Judaism as well. But who’s right when it comes to all these religious debates? Can anybody be sure?
When you study theology as I am, you find all sorts of contradictory beliefs in Christianity too. We have Calvinists and Arminians and Open Theists, for example. There’s the Roman Catholic view, the Eastern Orthodox view, and the Protestant view. There are all these popular teachers and preachers on TV with thousands of followers, many of whom have beliefs theologians would refute. You might be surprised at how many different opinions there are within Christianity! Yet many Christians are sure what their particular denomination or pastor teaches is the truth, and the others are just in error. They won’t even consider another view.
Well my question is, are you sure about what you believe? Have you looked into it? Are you a critical thinker? So often in my 40 plus years of being a Christian and studying the Bible, I’ve found commonly accepted views to be misguided or unsubstantiated. Sometimes I’ve had to change my views after careful study, only to discover that other Christians called me a heretic for it, or told me they were worried about me because of it. I guess it’s dangerous to really study about issues then? I’d like to ask such people, “Are you sure? Have you studied it as I have? Are you willing to look at any contrary evidence, or are you just satisfied with the story you’ve been told?” I’ve found many really are not.
There are so many contradictory opinions in this world! Though theoretically, they could all be wrong, they absolutely cannot all be right. That means that literally billions of us believe things that are untrue. The fact is, all of us have believed or still do believe some things that are just wrong. We’re all ignorant in some areas and have been deceived about some things! Nobody has it all right – that’s just not possible! Even the apostle Paul said, “We see through a glass, darkly.” (1 Cor. 13:12) The question is, do any of us have any of it right?
It would take many books to answer that question well. But consider this – there is actually a lot that we can be certain of. We do know that 2 + 2 = 4, right? We have learned so much about space and time, chemistry, physics, biology. There are historical facts we can know. There is evidence to prove things about the Roman Empire or the Civil War, for example. Eventually, crimes are usually solved, and fog is dispelled concerning things about which we were previously in the dark.
This is the case when it comes to religion as well. There is actually a lot of evidence for the historicity of the Bible, the coming of Jesus the Messiah, His miracles, death, and resurrection. There is evidence for the practicality of biblical morality or principles for living. You can look at countries where there is a predominantly Christian worldview, for example, and see a better way of life than you see in places where that is not the prevailing view. Everybody has their theories or beliefs, but to me, the Christian faith is the most solid and believable of all religions, and the one that works best in the real world. For those willing to invest the time and effort, there is much that attests to its veracity.
Now, I’m still learning many details, and still sifting through the many contradictory doctrines and philosophies and theologies. I’m sure I’ll never get all of it straightened out till I reach the other side. But I know enough! Christianity is the most historically reliable and substantiated belief out there. Our manuscript evidence for the Bible far surpasses that of any other so-called “holy book.” There is more miraculous evidence as well, both from the past and from more modern times. I myself became a Christian through a supernatural and miraculous experience with God in 1976. I’ve never been the same since that experience. Since that time, I’ve had many other experiences, and have learned a lot more which has strengthened my faith and conviction that Jesus Christ is the way. I want to still keep an open mind though, because there’s so much to learn. I want to be a critical thinker, and I want to evaluate everything the best I can.
What about you? Do you know what religion, philosophy, or worldview is true? In all of the issues I mentioned above, which side do you come down on? Is your side right? Are you willing to look at contrary evidence? Are you open to new truth? Given that all of us are ignorant and/or deceived on some things (I hope everyone can at least admit this part!), do you think you’ve found the truth in the essentials? Where do you stand on the really important issues of life? Do you know? Are you sure?
By the way, stay tuned. Next time, I’d like to talk about what is right with all religions. You might be surprised to hear I actually believe there are some things in all of them from which we can learn and profit.