Table of Contents
Let the Journey Begin!….............…….……….......……....9 Establishing the Framework……....….....................….…15
~ PART I ~
AN EVALUATION OF THE CLASSICAL MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS
Zoroastrianism……………………………….…...............25 Shintoism.……………….………………….……………..41 Jainism…………………………………………………….49 Baha’ism………………..……………………..…………..60 Judaism……..…………………………………..…………66 Taoism……………..…………………………..…………..77 Sikhism…………..…………………………..…………….85 Confucianism…………..…………………………..……...93 Buddhism…………..………………………..………….....98 Hinduism……………………..……………..……………112 Roman Catholicism.………………..……………………133 Islam.………………………..………..………………......148
~ PART II ~
AN EVALUATION OF THE MAJOR CULTS AND ALTERNATIVE BELIEF SYSTEMS
Apocalyptic Cults………………...........……..………….181 Christian Science……………………………..….………185 Unification Church…………………..……….………....193 Transcendental Meditation…………………..………....201 Freemasonry……………..……………………….……...206 Scientology…………………………………….…………212 Jehovah’s Witnesses………………..……..…………….220 Mormonism………………………………….…………..232 New Age Movement……………………….………..…...246 Atheism………………………………………………..…254 All other Past, Present and Future Faiths, Cults and Belief Systems……………………………259
APPENDIX A: Your Eternal Future According to Jesus Christ………………..……...265 APPENDIX B: An Expanded Apologetic Outline from Creation to Beyond the Cross…...278
WORKS CITED……….…………………….…….……287
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY……………...300
------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Excerpt from page 11) Let the Journey Begin!
You have likely heard the question before, but if you died today, do you really know where you will spend eternity? Are you at least reasonably certain what your forever future holds? Are you completely confident that your faith alone offers the correct answers amidst a sea of literally thousands of cults, belief systems and established world religions from the past and present which claim to explain where faithful and non-faithful human beings will spend eternity? Do you know what members of other faiths believe? Do you know why you believe what you believe? It is my contention that we can know with great assurance the answers to these and other all-important eternal questions. While it seems obvious that no living person can know with absolute 100% authority what follows death, I am convinced that one may be virtually certain what lies beyond the grave and can realize the correct pathway to the best possible eternal destination. This book seeks to stimulate your mind to personally discover beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt the best pathway to a brilliant eternal future by examining the truthfulness of the world’s various religious systems. Since these systems have likely considered every possible angle and provided every conceivable answer related to the afterlife issue, and since it is also likely that one of them is entirely correct, it makes perfect sense to evaluate the validity of each individual religion in an effort to determine which faith provides the most evidential and truthful foundation. (Since all the various faiths in the world are definitely contradictory on such fundamental teachings as God, salvation, Heaven and Hell, logic tells us that the eternal perspective of only one of the conflicting religions can possibly be entirely correct.) The faith proving to be most truthful based on the revealed facts is the one that we should reasonably place our eternal trust in. As you may have already guessed, I believe that Christianity alone can adequately answer our probing eternal questions and satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. I assure you that my choice to be a confident Christian is not based on a preconceived, unfounded and arrogant bias, which has no place when considering eternal matters, but was cemented following a thoughtful and honest consideration of the historical, scientific and textual evidence. I accept Christianity not simply because this is the religion that I grew up with, but since it appears to be the most reasonable faith based on the best available evidence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Excerpt from page 16)
The overwhelming and multi-faceted proof for biblical Christianity, coupled with the strong, rational evidence against all other faiths is one of the main reasons I am a Christian. It is this evidence that I wish to share and personally invite you to consider as you read this book. As we consider the evidence for Christianity and against all other religions, it is my hope that you will personally meet the one true God and that your faith in Him and belief in His grand eternal plan will be fortified. If you are already a Christian, then expect your faith in the all-sufficient Christ to be greatly strengthened through studying the contents of this book. I challenge you to master the information contained herein and invite you to share it with many others. If you are currently not a Christian, then I, for the final time, humbly ask that you contemplate the following reason-based evidence with an open and thoughtful mind prior to making your personal and eternal decision. Your forever future hangs in the balance.
Brad Cummings January 1, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Excerpt from page 43) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Shintoism ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Origin
Shintoism, which stems from the Chinese word “shen-tao,” literally translated “the way of the gods,” is the native religion of Japan. It exists as one of the smallest major world religions with approximately four million adherents, having lost much of its influence following World War II...(continued).... -------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Excerpt from page 44)
General Beliefs and Practices
1) “Kami,” representing the numerous semi-divine spirits pervading nature, are central to Shinto thought and are believed to have transferred divine spiritual power to every living and non-living thing in the world, especially throughout Japan.... (continued)... -------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Excerpt from page 47)
8) Religious boundaries in Japan are not distinct as Shintos are also free to practice Buddhist rituals or those of other religions present within the country. Ultimately, unending adherence to the Japanese community is far more important than following a specific faith.... (continued)... -------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Excerpt from page 50)
Reasons for Doubt
12) Shintoism asserts that Heaven (the “High Plain of Heaven”) exists, but does not clearly tell how one can get there and is certainly more concerned with earthly than eternal issues. It is one of the few world religions which does not chiefly consider or offer definitive teachings concerning the afterlife. It also fails to present an organized plan for how one is to live this present life. A faith which does not provide clear guidance for daily living or a solid plan of salvation does not deserve our further attention. (While Shintoism is not primarily concerned with eternal matters, Shintos do believe that all humans, good or bad, will exist in a supernatural form after death.20 Thus, one takes no eternal risk by denying Shintoism at this time.)
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