Which religion should I choose to believe in?
Choosing a religion.
Most people, at some time in their lives, would be curious about what is purpose of life other than mere survival and procreation.
For some, this curiosity develops into a personal void needing to be filled.
For many, searching the secular realm and science would not provide adequate answers to this question.
From the beginning of recorded civilization, spiritual theories have been used to explain the purpose of life, natural events, health, political power, death and the thereafter.
One
of these theories is Judeo-Christianity. Its text is the Bible.
I will use the secular mathematical tool of chance and probabilities to test the reliability of the Bible.
If I predict correctly all four digits in a four–digit lottery, the likelihood of that occurring by chance is one in 10,000 because for each digit, the probability is one in ten. If I predict another four digits correctly, the likelihood of this event occurring by chance is one in 100,000,000. If I predict correctly another four digits, the probability of this occurring by chance is one in 1,000,000,000,000.
The correct prediction of a four-digit lottery three times in a row is extremely unlikely to occur by chance. It is more likely to have happened by design. This could happen if I control the process of selecting the winning numbers. This could happen if I have knowledge of the future (prescience). Where has this ability come from? One explanation is that it is from an omniscient intelligence.
I apply this argument to the prediction of future historical events. Predicting one specific historical event in the future is possible by guessing. Predicting many specific historical events in the future is very unlikely by guesswork. Predicting a series of specific historical events in a specific order is even more unlikely by guesswork.
From
my reading of the Bible, the Qur’an and the Bhagavad Gita,
I found that the Bible contained by far the most predictions of events
recorded in secular history (click here)
The likelihood of these correct predictions occurring by chance is extremely remote. In other words, it would be almost impossible for the predictions to happen merely by coincidence. Hence it is more likely to have occurred by design.
I believe that the designer is a prescient intelligence possibly from outside the four dimensions that I exist in. I believe this prescient intelligence revealed the events of the future to various people called prophets who recorded their predictions. These predictions (prophecies) are compiled in a book called the Holy Bible.
I
believe the Bible contains clues to the identity of this prescient intelligence.
On re-examining the Bible I found many predictions about a man. These were
fulfilled in one person called Jesus.
(click here)
This is why I believe in Jesus.
Why I do not believe in other religions.
Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6.
Taken literally, this means all other
ways are false. This sounds very exclusive.
But what about other religions? Don't they have some
validity?
I posed these questions in my prayers and I got the
following answer.
"--- seek, and ye shall find---" Matthew 7:7
So I went seeking by researching the various other major religions.
From my study of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age and Baha'i, I believe there is logical reason that they are false. To see why I believe they are false, click on the respective hyperlinks.
If you now believe in Jesus Christ, you may like to click here for an Invitation.
Resource
material.
The Concise Oxford
Dictionary, Tenth Edition, 2001
Josephus,
Flavius. The Essential Works. Translated and edited by Paul L. Maier. Angus
Hudson Ltd, Concorde House. Grenville Place, Mill Hill. London NW7 3SA. ISBN
0-8254-3260-X. © 1994
The Holy Bible. King James Version.
The Qur’an. A modern English version. Translated by Majid Fakhry. Garnet
Publishing Limited. 8 Southern Court, South Street, Reading, RG1 4QS, UK. ISBN 1
85964 086 9 © 1997
The Bhagavad Gita. Translated by Paramahansa Yogananda. Self Realization
Fellowship, 3880 San Raphael Ave. Los Angeles, California 90065-3298, USA.
Second Edition. ISBN 0-87612-030-3 © 1999
Definitions.
Religion
is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a
personal God or gods; a particular system of faith or worship.
Science
is the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of
the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation
and experiment.
Experiment is a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test
a hypothesis or demonstrate a known fact.
Hypothesis is a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of
limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
Theory is a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain
something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing
to be explained.
Truth is the quality or state of being true.
True is in accordance with fact or reality.
Fact is a thing that is indisputably the case.
Reality is the state of things as they actually exist.
Veracity is conformity to facts, accuracy, and habitual truthfulness.
Evidence is information indicating whether a belief or proposition is
true or valid.
Coincidence is a remarkable occurrence of events or circumstances without
apparent causal connection.
Prescient is having knowledge of events before they take place.
Omniscient is knowing everything.
Prophecy is a prediction.
Prophet is a person who predicts
the future, an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
I understand that scientific method involves the
awareness that observation by my five senses supersedes any theory proposed to
explain the observation.
I test the validity of a hypothesis by experiment. If observations from
experiment are consistent with the results predicted by the hypothesis, then the
hypothesis becomes a valid theory. As long as fresh evidence continues to be
consistent with the theory, the theory remains valid. Otherwise the theory is
considered as untrue.
To see my answers to some challenging questions, click on the following hyperlinks.
Secular evidence for the existence of
supernatural reality (Home page)
How I explain supernatural reality
Bible prophecies have correctly predicted events in secular history
Predictions about Yeshua (Jesus)
Which religion should I choose to believe in
Why I believe Islam and Islamic
belief are false
Why I believe Hinduism and Hindu
belief are false
Why I believe
Buddhism and Buddhist belief are false
Why I believe
New Age and New Age belief are false
Why I believe Baha'i and Baha'i belief are false
Miracles performed by Jesus
Christ
Why things happen the way they do
Is there free will when exercising choice
How can three be one
Invitation to spread the message
Back
to home page
If you are coming back here again, you may like to bookmark this page
Please contact the Webmaster at questionsfinallyanswered@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.