Ok, so, I believe in Jesus. I was raised to, at least, and everything Jesus talks about in the New Testament I agree with, and try my hardest to follow. There is one thing, though, that bothers me a great deal: Christian entitlement and arrogance.
Let me explain, before you start making plans to burn me at the stake for speaking my mind. Most Christians believe that they are on the "right" track, while everyone else is simply in denial about their native cultures and beliefs, and will ultimately go to hell unless we quickly "save" them through evangelizing. This is a problem for me, not because I don't believe of course, but because of the MILLIONS of people in this world who value their OWN faiths outside of Christianity, and would rather not be converted. They have had their ways of life for thousands of years, and many cultures developed before Christianity came about. How can their traditions be unrighteous? Are they really going to "hell" simply because their stories of creation and morality differ from mine?
I think not. May I be struck by lightning and ground into a pulp if I am mistaken, but hear me out, because God may have a little more up His sleeve than the average Bible scholar thinks. Many religions have very similar creation and savior (messiah) stories to the ones written long ago in the Bible. For instance, there is the story of Noah and his ark, which is incredibly similar to the epic legend of Gilgamesh. Then there's Moses vs. Sargon (of the Pagan variety). How about King Herrod vs. Cronus? Jesus vs. Dionysus (and Horus of the Egyptians....all three born of virgin mothers and immortal fathers - all three of whom died and were risen again on the third day)? The Pagan stories were written and retold hundreds of years before the Bible.... So what does all this mean?
Jesus said, "I am the way...". Would it be more accurate to say, "I am a possible way...one of many..."?
Guys, put down your pitchforks and torches, please don't run me out of town. I'm not trying to make anyone angry with this - I'm simply asking questions that have plagued my mind since I was a newbie Christian. If I can't ask questions, then what's the point?
God is the Creator, I believe that....and I believe that He did send his Son to die for a message to us....But, I don't believe He limited his audience to the Jews of the time. Isn't God a bit more complex than we would like to admit? Or, do we honestly think we have Him all figured out...?
