Christianity and Tolerance

Here are some additional thoughts from Monday's lesson from The Case for Faith:

1) How would you respond to claims that Christianity is intolerant because it claims Jesus is the only way to God?
It is important to remember that Christianity is not the only religion to make exclusive truth claims. Islam would say you are wrong if you deny that the Koran as God's word. Hinduism would say you are wrong if you deny karma or reincarnation. Even atheists make exclusive truth claims by claiming that all religions are wrong. So any person or religion that makes any truth claim of any kind is being exclusive because they are implicitly saying that the contrary is wrong. If A is true, then not-A is implicitly false.

2) How is it fair that a pious non-Christian like Gandhi does not go to heaven because he does not believe in Jesus?
Think of it this way, if going to heaven is simply dependent on piety and being a good person, then how is it fair that some people are born into peaceful, stable societies (ie. Canada, USA) that are conducive for living peaceful, stable lives (ie. they wont have to steal to eat or fight to survive) BUT others are born into hostile, impoverished societies (ie. Baghdad or Darfur) where death, violence, and pain are the norms of life? Those growing up in the latter are presented with daily temptations we in the comfortable West cannot even fathom. So even if salvation depended on simply living "good" lives, God could still be accused of unfairness for not starting everyone off on equal grounds with equal opportunities. That is why the Gospel of Jesus Christ says that piety and good works will save no one. All are equally sinners and equally undeserving of salvation BUT God in his grace offers it to those who stop trusting their own piety and start trusting his Son, Jesus Christ.

Here are some more questions to think about:
- What is unique about the Christian faith compared to other world religions?
- Why does secular society have no problem with a scientist being adamant about the 2nd law of thermodynamics but get offended when a Christian is adamant about Jesus being the only way to the Father? Is there a difference in the two claims?