Comments on: Concerned About the Record http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/2010/02/01/concerned-about-the-record/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:58:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dennis Kim http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/2010/02/01/concerned-about-the-record/comment-page-1/#comment-894 Dennis Kim Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:52:53 +0000 http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/?p=12718#comment-894 There's a difference between recognizing the value of all people regardless of their religious beliefs, and the view that all faiths are equal. The first is descriptive while the second is prescriptive. To the extent that a Christian opts for the prescriptive, he has strayed from what Jesus himself teaches. Since there is ample reason for believing the veracity of the bible over against the scriptures of other religions, both reason and faith ought to impel us to the former and not the latter. In any case, pluralism is self-refuting. There are fundamental and incompatible differences in the essential beliefs of different religions that separate them from each other. For example, some religions believe in one god, others in many gods. Some believe in a personal god, others an impersonal one. Some believe god is totally distinct from the universe, others believe that the universe and god are the same. These beliefs are mutually exclusive and cannot all be true at the same time. The pluralist believes that his view is exclusively true and that the religious exclusivist is wrong. Thus, pluralism is just as exclusivistic as the religious exclusivism that the pluralist opposes. The pluralist, then, is left with two possibilities: 1) Live with a self-contradictory belief; or 2) Abandon pluralism. Is it possible to know if one of the religions is the true one? Any true religion will most likely be logical and fit the facts known through experience. I follow the lead of those who think that any religion worth following will be open to (indeed, invite) critical examination of its truth claims. And any view about religion, such as pluralism, ought to do the same. There’s a difference between recognizing the value of all people regardless of their religious beliefs, and the view that all faiths are equal. The first is descriptive while the second is prescriptive. To the extent that a Christian opts for the prescriptive, he has strayed from what Jesus himself teaches.

Since there is ample reason for believing the veracity of the bible over against the scriptures of other religions, both reason and faith ought to impel us to the former and not the latter.

In any case, pluralism is self-refuting. There are fundamental and incompatible differences in the essential beliefs of different religions that separate them from each other. For example, some religions believe in one god, others in many gods. Some believe in a personal god, others an impersonal one. Some believe god is totally distinct from the universe, others believe that the universe and god are the same. These beliefs are mutually exclusive and cannot all be true at the same time.

The pluralist believes that his view is exclusively true and that the religious exclusivist is wrong. Thus, pluralism is just as exclusivistic as the religious exclusivism that the pluralist opposes. The pluralist, then, is left with two possibilities: 1) Live with a self-contradictory belief; or 2) Abandon pluralism.

Is it possible to know if one of the religions is the true one? Any true religion will most likely be logical and fit the facts known through experience. I follow the lead of those who think that any religion worth following will be open to (indeed, invite) critical examination of its truth claims. And any view about religion, such as pluralism, ought to do the same.

]]> By: Liz Campbell http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/2010/02/01/concerned-about-the-record/comment-page-1/#comment-893 Liz Campbell Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:45:34 +0000 http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/?p=12718#comment-893 It concerns me that religious pluralism creates such pain and turmoil within the P.C.C.How can we live in a multi -faith, multi- cultural society like Canada, and indeed within a world of global communication, and not accept that other faiths are legitimate. Do we greet our neighbours with the message that Christianity is the only true faith,and that theirs must of necessity be inadequate? Is that ecumenism, or the way to further disenfranchise Muslim youth? I find the letters and articles on such topics as religious pluralism and human sexuality reassuring,in that the faith which I practice is open and welcoming. Many of our standards were from another time and another place, and are we as Reform Christians not 'always reforming, according to the will of God?' It concerns me that religious pluralism creates such pain and turmoil within the P.C.C.How can we live in a multi -faith, multi- cultural society like Canada, and indeed within a world of global communication, and not accept that other faiths are legitimate. Do we greet our neighbours with the message that Christianity is the only true faith,and that theirs must of necessity be inadequate? Is that ecumenism, or the way to further disenfranchise Muslim youth?
I find the letters and articles on such topics as religious pluralism and human sexuality reassuring,in that the faith which I practice is open and welcoming.
Many of our standards were from another time and another place, and are we as Reform Christians not ‘always reforming, according to the will of God?’

]]>