Walk Wise

There are so many religions, how do you know yours is the true one?

There are different approaches to answer the question, how do I know my religion is the true one[1]. It is possible to start with the definition of religion and who defines this definition.[2] It is possible to start with four different answers to this question: no religion is true; only one single religion is true and all the others are untrue; every religion is true, but there is only one truth; and all religions share in the truth.[3] Keller says that every claim to the truth is exclusive because when my religion is the true one then all others are untrue and they do not lead to salvation and with that all other religions are inferior.[4] Geisler uses the following approach: (Geisler, 1976, 7):

… the Christian is interested in defending the truths that Christ is the Son of God and the Bible is the Word of God. However, prior to establishing these two pillars on which the unqiqueness of Chsitianity is built, one must establish the existence of God. For it makes no sense to speak about an act of God… unless of course there is a God… Theism, then, is a logical prerequisite to Christianity. What is more, an adequate test for truth is a methodological prerequisite to establishing theism. For unless the  Christian apologist has a test by which he can show other systems to be false and theism to be true, then there is no way to adjudicate the conflicting claims of various religions and world views.

In his other book, When Skeptics Ask, Geisler discusses six different worldviews[5] and an objection to those worldviews.

So there are different approaches to answer the question of this essay. Each approach formulates an answer from a certain context. The question for this essay stands alone and does not have a context except that it is an assignment for the Apologetics module. So the context which is used in this essay is the one of question asked in a post-modern and pluralistic and western society[6]. According to Stackhouse there are three definition of pluralism: firstly is a state of affairs; secondly it is a preference to have choice; and thirdly as an ideology in which it is impossible to judge other religions or truth claims[7]. The last option is related to relativism.  It is important to prove that relativism can not be true. Relativism claims “there is no absolute truth about anything” (Campbell and McGrath 2006, 605). But that can not be true because if it is true then this claim claims to be an absolute truth. And that makes this claim to be false. If this claim is false then an absolute truth exists. So relativism in the sense that there is no absolute truth is in both ways leading to existence of absolute truth. So relativism claiming that there is no absolute truth is senseless, even when it is an ideology to strive for. Because “do you really believe, one might ask that Nazism is just as good as Judaism?” (Stackhouse, 2006, 6).  Relativism does not stand firm on its own grounds, which means that there is an absolute truth. But the question is then: how do I know that my religion is the true one? Or how do I know my religion has the absolute truth? And is my religion the only one with the truth? Could there be more roads to God then only trough my religion? This last one is closed question, which only could be answered with a yes or a no. But both answers claim a truth. “For to claim that all religions lead to God, one must be in the position of God, able to see that this is where all the paths converge” (Campbell, 2006, 606). So in that sense humans cannot answer that question unless humans are God. And it does not prove that my religion is the true one. But it does prove that it is pointless to argue about the question which religion lead to God[8]. But how do I know that my religion is the true religion in a post-modern society? McGrath says,

Christianity has as much right as any other belief-system to gain a hearing. But with that advance comes a retreat. All belief-systems are to be regarded as equally plausible. Something is true if it is true for me. Christianity has become acceptable, because it is believed to be true by some - not because it is true. (McGrath, 1992, 225)

So in a post-modern society something is true because someone beliefs it is true. So that makes the claim for truth subjective, that means that is not based on facts and evidence and reason but on ones own belief. So it is only possible to prove that my religion is the true through explaining why I think or why I believe it is the true one. So that means that my religion has to be more attractive than other religions[9]. Keller also says this when he is writing about which is religion is least exclusive and therefore most attractive, or most truth. “Christians, then, should expect to find nonbelievers who are much nicer, kinder, wiser, and better than they are.” (Keller, 2008, 19) And that makes Christianity unique and most welcoming and most respectful to other religions[10]. According to McGrath the question if my religion is the true one is not relevant. He says that the question if my religion is credible is more relevant[11]. “This is a direct invitation to discuss the foundations of Christian belief…The question of evidential basis of Christianity can thus be placed directly upon the agenda.” (McGrath, 1992, 225).

Still the question, how do I know my religion is the true one, is not answered. But there is a reason to believe in an absolute truth and to explain why I believe and why that is important to answer. But to answer the question of this essay it is important to prove the existence of God because there is no reason to believe in God unless God exists. Atheism, knowing that God does not exist is a unique position. There are only a few people who are Atheists. Today and through history most people believed in gods or in gods, or at least are religious. But that does not make atheism untrue, but it proves that most people disagree with atheist from their common sense. “Humankind’s intuitive awareness of God is broadly confirmed by social anthropology, which recognizes a virtually universal religious consciousness. In global terms atheists remain very much in the minority.” (Milne, 2008,67) Atheists state that everything has a cause, and so does God. And god cannot exist because he is beyond a cause. And if he existed who caused God?[12]

Atheists must believe that something comes from nothing, that potentials actualize themselves, and that matter generated mind. It seems much more reasonable to believe in a God who made something where there was nothing, who actualized the potentials that could not actualize themselves, and whose Mind formed matter. (Geisler, 1987, 235)

Hector Hawton says when he defend theism,

The argument run as follows: We can observe, that every effect is preceded by a cause, therefore unless we admit an infinite regress, there must be a First Cause. Similarly we find order in Nature, and this cannot have arisen by chance; there must be an Orderer. (Howe, 1982, 88)

A counter argument to this argument is that not everything has to have a beginning.[13] Nevertheless if not everything has a beginning or a cause, and that something can exist infinitely, what is then the cause for this infinitely existence? Therefore there must be something which does not have a cause. And what is this matter with a cause? Is it god? So either everything has a cause, even god but what caused the first cause. Or everything has a cause but there is something which existed infinitely. In both cases there is something which caused the first cause or something which existed always.[14]

Another argument for theism is the teleology argument. That is, “the argument from design or purposiveness of the world to the existence of a Designer (God).” (Geisler, 2008, 302). This argument means that the change is very little that from nothing a universe came in existence which is orderly and understandable in nature laws.[15] Another argument for theism is the moral proof of the existence of God. That is, “the very fact that a person feels he or she ‘ought’ to act in a certain manner implies a responsible Agent or Source for that deep-seated sense of responsibility.” (Howe, 1982, 96)[16] There are more evidence for the existence of God, such as the ontological argument, the mental proof and the prophetic proof, however this essay is too limited to discuss all the arguments.[17] All the arguments make clear that God exists. The question is than: who or what is this god? Is it the god of the Jews, the Muslims, Christians, or is it something else?

Christianity, my religion, is unique as a religion because it is the only religion based on the incarnation, god who became human; it is the only religion which promises salvation through grace. Men does not have to do anything to be saved, the only condition is to believe that Jesus Christ the son of God is and that salvation only happen through him. Also Christianity is the only religion where God has a preference for the poor; it is the only religion where God comes to men; it is the only religion which has promises absolute certainty when it comes to salvation.[18]

To summarize, my religion is the true religion because, firstly, it is unique religion. Secondly, there must be an absolute truth. Thirdly, there are more reasons to believe in a theism than in any other worldview, such as the reason of the existence of order and nature laws in the world and universe, the moral argument, that every men has a consciousness of moral responsibility; and the argument that everything has a beginning and that God is at the beginning of the first cause. However the reason why I think my religion is true because it is the only religion where I don’t have to earn my salvation but the salvation is given to me by grace because I believe in Jesus Christ, son of God, who came to the people and not a god which is sought-after by men or which is invented by men.

Word Count: 1993

Bibliography

Campbell and McGrath (2006): Campbell (ed), Jack and McGrath, Gavin (ed) J., New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics, Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press

Gaukroger (1987): Gaukroger, Stephen, It makes Sense, London: Scripture Union

Geisler (1987): Geisler, Norman L., Christian Apologetics, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House

Geisler (2008): Geisler, Norman L., When skeptics Ask: A handbook on Christian evidences, Grand Rapids: Baker Books

Hick and Hebblethwaite (2001): Hick, John (ed) and Hebblethwaite, Brian (ed), Christianity and other religions: Selected Readings, Oxford: Oneworld Publications

Howe (1982), Howe, Frederic R., Challenge and Response: A handbook of Christian Apologetics, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House

Keller (2008): Keller, Timothy, The Reason for God: belief in an Age of Skepticism, New York: Dutton

Keller (2009): Keller, Tim, In Alle redelijkheid: Christelijk geloof voor welwillende sceptici, Franeker: Uitgeverij van Wijnen - Dutch translation of The Reason for God

McDowell and Stewart (1994): McDowell, Josh and Stewart, Don, Answers to tough questions about the Christian faith, Bucks: Alpha

McGrath (1992): McGrath, Alister, Bridge-Building: effective Christian Apologetics, Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press

Milne (2008): Milne, Bruce, Know the Truth: A handbook of Christian belief, Nottingham: Inter-Varsity Press

Stackhouse (2002): Stackhouse, John G.., Jr., Humble Apologetics: defending the Christian faith today, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Cook (2009): Cook, Rob, The Problem of Religious Pluralism, Gloucester: Redcliffe College

[2]  McGrath, 1992, page 151ff

[3] Hans Küng, In Hick and Hebblethwaite, 2001, page 121ff.

[4] Keller, 2008, page 4

[5] Geisler discusses the following worldviews: Atheism, Deism, Pantheism, Panentheism, Finite Godims and Polytheism. (Geisler, 2008, page 35ff.)

[6] I have friends who are Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic and Christian. So in my own pluralistic context the question how I know my religion is the true one is relevant. In my context pluralism was a state of affairs: my friends have different religions. Although some of my friends would argue for combining the best of all the religions or for pluralism as an ideology.

[7] John G. Stackhouse, Jr. Discusses the problem of pluralism in his book Humble Apologetics, page 3ff, Cf. Geisler, 2008, page 53ff.

[8] One could argue that the way to salvation is revealed in the bible, but that is not the eaim of this essay.

[9] McGrath, 1992, page 225ff.

[10] Cf. Keller, 2009, 40ff

[11] McGrath, 1992, page 225

[12] Cf. Milne, 2008, 67, cf. Geisler, 2008, 37ff, cf. Geisler, 1987, 215ff

[13] Cf. Bertrand Russel in Howe,  1982, 89

[14] Cf Howe, 1982, pp. 88-93, Cf. Milne, 2008, pp. 67-74

[15] Cf Howe, 1982, pp93-96, Cf. Milne, 2008, pp. 67-74

[16] See also Milne, 2008, 70

[17] See for those other argument Milne, 2008, pp. 67-74

[18] See Gaukroger, 1987, pp 36-40, cf. Rob Cook, The problem of Religious Pluralism