Toward the beginning of the Race, I was interacting with many Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in my travels and I feel inspired to share some inclusive theological thoughts that meet everyone where they’re at since completely negating another person’s spiritual beliefs doesn’t seem like an effective approach to evangelism. Let’s imagine that as all religions and spiritual teachings state, it’s all about Love. If each path leads to God, it still remains clear that some are longer than others as in much longer as well as much more arduous. Let’s consider for the pure sake of argument that none of us are being completely deceived and that the metaphysical systems of the primary religions – Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and even New Age/Ascension philosophy – seem to be in place. The message of each religion is similar: love, don’t harm each other, and seek to grow closer to God (or enlightenment for Buddhism). However, the afterlife metaphysics are radically different. Christianity along with Islam promises Eternal Paradise whereas the road to the end of suffering is much more circuitous through the Eastern faiths.
I believe that God is extremely merciful. This is where Jesus comes into play. The systems that Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, & New Age spirituality hold to is heavily based upon “the law.” If we don’t follow it perfectly, it’s going to be quite difficult to get liberated completely. In Christianity, the common concept is that Jesus came to free us from the law, specifically the Mosaic law of Judaism which would lead to condemnation if not obeyed and which apparently has been quite difficult for the majority of humanity to obey. It seems clear that this Judaic law is not much different from the karmic laws of Hinduism and Buddhism. According to those Eastern spiritual systems, we all carry with us a karmic debt until we’re fully liberated. The focus upon the Jewish people as a group set apart for fellowship with God along with the intricate design of Hinduism and Buddhism in which we find our way to God or nirvana through right actions as well as meditation, yoga, and physical austerities seem to be the primary religious beliefs from before the time of Christ that still remain to this day. In the Old Testament, it seems that God was a bit surprised by humans’ rebellion and misuse of free will. In Genesis 6 it says, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Much of the Old Testament then continues to describe humans’ inability to live by the prescribed guidelines. Because of this continual failure on our part to be perfectly righteous, it seems as though God gave us a way out which is often referred to as the Good News. Through acceptance of Jesus, who lived a perfect life and died for our sins or negative karma as far as Buddhists and Hindus view it, we can be saved from our spiritual debt and are free from the punishment of death for our actions. This doesn’t mean that we can behave however we want if we’ve accepted Christ as our Messiah and Savior since as Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23) The Christian path requires faith, love, kindness, as well as being open about one’s belief in Jesus since Christ is one’s gateway to Heaven, but it doesn’t have us enslaved to austerities and countless years and lifetimes of meditation and yoga to reach the final goal as Hinduism, Buddhism, and New Age spirituality propound nor does it require us to be weighed down by the law which is required by Judaism and Islam who reject Jesus as a redeemer. When every theology is lined up, it becomes clear that Jesus is the best and most liberating option. As Christ said, “My burden is easy and my yoke is light.” Every other spiritual teaching requires that we jump through hoops and do x, y, and z, whether it be praying five times a day and abstaining from alcohol and pork in Islam, following 600+ laws in Judaism, or doing years and lifetimes of meditation, yoga, and other spiritual austerities in Buddhism, Hinduism, and New Age thought. Being a good person under such systems is far from enough and being a good person apart from any system whatsoever seems to have no promise of salvation attached to it. According to Buddhism, Hinduism, and New Age thought, being merely a good person would only result in continual reincarnation until all lessons are learned and one becomes perfect. However, being a good person and an open believer in Jesus is in fact enough and all that is required as a follower of Christ. As it says in the Bible, “Who the son sets free is free indeed.” I share this in my hope to offer any non-believers in Jesus freedom in this life as well as the one to come and also to provide followers of Christ with a more embracing and effective approach to sharing the gospel. Any thoughts and comments are welcome : )
