Baptists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, other Christians, Muslims and so forth: How is yours different?

You ask....Baptists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, other Christians, Muslims and so forth: How is yours different?

You do not have to study and compare the teachings of all the many religions. You need only learn what the Bible really teaches about true worship. To illustrate: In many lands, there is a problem with counterfeit money. If you were given the job of picking out such false money, how would you go about it? By memorizing every kind of counterfeit? No. Your time would be better spent if you studied real money. After you knew what real money looked like, you could recognize a counterfeit. Similarly, when we learn how to identify the true religion, we can recognize those religions that are false.

See

How can we identify the true religion?

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/bible-teac...

The only way you can know for certain of spiritual truths is to take your questions to God. There is no way to put into words what spiritual confirmation is like because words don't do it justice. The best way I can think of is saying it is burst of enlightenment. Everything from beginning to end becomes crystal clear and all the doctrines and principles taught in the religion becomes very clear how it all works together to move forward the same divine purpose. When I say I can't put it into words, I literally cant because it is just this flash of understanding and if you tried to explain it to someone, they really wouldn't quite get what you are saying unless they had experienced it.

I was once in a meeting where there was one of those puzzles that had a hidden word in it. I spent an hour staring at it and couldn't figure out the word. Finally, it popped out and I could not only see the word perfectly (it was family) but after that no matter what I tried, I couldn't NOT see it. That is the closest I can come to explaining how it works. Truth is right in front of you but sometimes we can be staring at it and not see it for whatever reasons holding us back, but the second we see it, it clarifies and you can never deny it again. It isn't faith anymore. It is knowledge and everything from that point forward in the Gospel, the scriptures, the talks, all fit together brilliantly and you can form in your mind how it all works and as you live these principles, you can see in your own heart and mind, it working the way it testifies it should work.

Yes, all religions can claim this and to an extent, it is true because all religions teach an underlying understanding of charity and love that will connect every religious person to the love of God and certain truths. But I don't believe God wanted us in the dark and I know he provided a way for those seeking further understanding to gain that knowledge. We are here to learn and grow, after all.

When I say I know, it isn't a feeling. When I picture the Gospel in my head, it isnt an intellectual thought process. It is like this brilliant picture from beginning to end of how everything fits together and I know without any doubts that it is correct and why the things we are being taught works to serve that end goal.

As much as people claim to know, a good deal of them really only feel kind of good about it. Those that do know, change their lives to reflect this knowledge. You can see it in the lives and hearts of those around you, who actually received some true confirmations of spiritual truths because they will be the ones centering their lives in pure charity.

All Catholics and all Protestants agree with the 5th century Apostles' Creed, which states the bare minimum of Christian fundamentals. Pseudo-Christian groups, like the JWs and Mormons, refuse to say "Amen" to it. That is because they are neither Catholic nor Protestant. They are totally break-away groups (from mainstream Christianity), boasting that God has rejected all of Christendom and raised them up to be the only true church today.

By doing that, they call Jesus a liar, for He said He would build His Church, and the gates of Hades would never overcome it. This Church is built upon the confession of faith Peter stated there, in Matthew 16:13-17, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. All who make that good confession form part of Christ's Church - which has absolutely nothing to do with denomination. However, JWs and Mormons have their own meaning of what Jesus being the Christ and the Son of God is - and it does not square with Christianity's declaration. That is why they avoid the Apostle's Creed. Here it is, for your consideration, and for you to remember that all Catholics and all Protestants are agreed on it:

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic [universal] church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.” Also:-

“Writing in Greek somewhere around the year 200, Irenaeus describes a creed that has some similarities to the Apostles' Creed, and may have been a precursor. He presented his creed not as something new, but as something the church had been using for a long time.... An early Latin version of the Creed is in the writings of Tertullian, from North Africa, about the year 220. About a century later, Marcellus, from Asia Minor, shared a similar creed. In A.D. 390, after study in Rome, Egypt and Judea, Rufinus had a similar creed in northern Italy. Augustine, bishop in North Africa in 400, had a nearly identical creed, and it was apparently standard in Gaul in 650, even before Charlemagne. The text accepted today is identical to what was written in 750 by Pirminius, who lived in what is now Switzerland.”

So you can believe all of that and call yourself a Christian – of any, or no denomination. That will be enough to get you going in the Christian faith. JWs and Mormons insist you must join them to be saved. And the Muslims utterly deny almost everything the Bible says about Jesus Christ.

Simply by comparing one's religion with the Bibles True Teachings. If they match, then it is correct. Ephesians 4:5 makes it plain there is only, "one Lord, ONE FAITH, one baptism, with one God over all..." So there is only one true religion with literally thousands of false ones.

John 13:35 says, "By this you will know they are my disciples. If they have Love among themselves." Greek has 4 definitions of Love. Here it is Agape'. Meaning based on righteous principles. This would forbid any participation in any wars, racism, nationalism nor tribalism. Any of which could harm a spiritual brother or sister. Faith is not restricted by race or national origin. Just that one command, not request, from Jesus. So who obeys this today? That wipes out all but singles numbers. Add no racism, leaving only one single religion.

1 Corinthians 1:10 is another identifier. "LOVE one another...Speak in agreement...Same mind and line of thought." All but one fail at that too. Not even 5 miles down the same road, with the same religion on the sign out front. Each teach different doctrines.

Jesus gave a commission to his true People at Matthew 28:19-20. He backed this with a prophecy this would be done world wide at Matthew 24:14. Only two do that, but one only puts out teenage males for only two years. Like work release.

Jesus though never put a Tim err limit on such a ministry. 1st century Christians, including the apostles, remained ministers for life. The ministry is to vital a work to be left after such a short time.

So once again, using the Bible standards, we are left with only one. The same ONE for all 3 examples.

As a Mormon we differ in a lot of ways.

We believe in a restored line of authority and modern prophecy; which is a continuation of the biblical Christian church.

We don't believe that we'll go to heaven and all others won't - all men will be judge for their works.

We've got additional scripture unique to our religion.

We don't talk down about other religions; while we believe that we have the fullness of truth we don't consider others as being wrong. I follow my religion because I think it's right and it brings me closer to God than anything else I've seen.

Many Christian religions are about compromise, ours drives a man to strive for his full potential in life.

I think the majority of JWs have indeed studied many religions before choosing to be a JW because it makes sense. Most JWs were not born into the religion, unlike other religions where people are born into a religion and never question it.

All comes down to how you view Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly shows He was Lord at His birth and God incarnate. JW's don't believe He was nor do Muslims. Jesus is the key. Its a relationship we can have with Him and not merely a list of do's & don'ts to follow. Religion is man's search for God. Christianity is God reaching man via the person of Jesus Christ. [The gospel of John is a good read]

I am Anglican. But, I don't claim it to be the one true faith. I know that all Jews, Muslims, and Christians pray to the same God. Hindus have one God - I'm prepared to accept theirs is the same as mine.

Anglicanism works for me. It is the glasses by which I view, and understand God. I attended a Catholic seminary that had Anglican, and Eastern studies departments. We were a LOT more alike than different! I know Muslims who are very devout. Better that than being Atheist!

God is BIG. There is more than one way to understand Him.

Only by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior will you enter into Heaven.

The only true Religion is the one that says Jesus Christ IS God and only by Faith and Grace can a person receive Salvation.

All others are false Religions.

Mine is different in that I don't have one. I don't believe anything important without evidence. I can see answers like cadisneygirl's and see the logical flaw in them: many think that their beliefs are confirmed spiritually, and they have contradictory beliefs.

They can't all be true. They can all be false. That's by far the most likely conclusion.