Would the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?!?!?!

Would the Real Jesus Please Stand?!?!

In our post-modern world... you and I are told that all religions are the same, because they all lead to God. Oprah says, "It doesn't matter what you call your personal god (I intentionally use god with a little "g" when quoting her because her theology is off in left field somewhere), nor does it matter how you worship your god... as long as your sincere and passionate, that is all that really matters!

Well, the problem with that is... you can be as sincere and as passionate as you want, and still find yourself being sincerely and passionately WRONG! I would say that an Al Qaeda extremist who straps a bomb to himself and walks into a coffee shop is somewhat sincere and passionate... somewhat. However, I pray you don't believe that he worships the God that you do, just because he is passionate and sincere!

I am going to leave the investigation up to you. Below... you will find what various religions believe about Jesus. Let me know if that sounds like the same Jesus in the Bible:

Hinduism - Jesus was one of many of god’s sons. He was a teacher, or guru. He didn’t rise from the dead.

Buddhism - Jesus was a man who had good teachings. He may have been an enlightened teacher. He was not god.

Judaism - Jesus was a good teacher who taught things that were similar to the teachings of other rabbis of his day. He was not God. Some in the faith, say that, Jesus was a heretical, or a crazy – troublemaker.

Islam - Jesus was a very highly esteemed messenger of Allah. Jesus was one of the greatest prophets, but was not God. Jesus did not die on the Cross, but “was made to appear so to them.” Allah saved Jesus from the cross by raising Him to Himself before death. Many believe that Judas was the one on the Cross.

Mormonism - Jesus lived as a sinless human to show people the way to earn their own exaltation. Jesus was also the brother of Satan, and He had several wives.

Jehovah’s Witnesses - Jesus is God’s created son. Jesus was a perfect human being, but was not god. His death and resurrection earned humans the right to perfect life on earth.

Quotes from Some Famous People:
“Jesus of Nazareth, was a moral man, but I have some doubts about His divinity.” – Benjamin Franklin
“We’re more popular than Jesus. We’ll be around longer than Christianity.” – John Lennon, of The Beatles 1966
“Jesus died too soon. If he had lived to my age, He would have repudiated His own doctrine.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher
"I regard Jesus as a great teacher of humanity, but I do not regard Him as the only begotten Son of God.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“One of the biggest mistakes we has humans make is to believe that there is only one way. Actually, there are many diverse paths leading to what you call God. There are many paths and many different names that end up at the same spot, God.” – Oprah Winfrey in 2002.
“Jesus is not God, I believe I am God.” – Marilyn Manson


However, make no mistake... the Jesus from the Bible is very different from any of the above!

1) Jesus claims the power of forgiving sins showing that He claimed to be God.
"And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven." - Matthew 9:2

2) Jesus Christ is to be Judge of all mankind. Only God could do this.
"The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." - John 5:22 - 23

3) Jesus existed and had ultimate glory before the world was created.
"And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed." - John 17:5

4) Jesus claimed that only through Him could someone get to the Father!
"Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

The Jesus of the Bible is very, very different than the Jesus of other religions. Be very careful... just because a religion or a person uses the name of Jesus, it doesn't mean that it is the same Jesus... the Son of God, the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings.

Just another rant!
Shane

We Love Terrorists, but we Hate Babies

Are we living in a nation that is suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder? Sometimes I feel that we are! We have laws and bills that totally contradict each other!

(Side note: I am not in any way making fun of or lessoning this disorder. I know that there are people who suffer from this disorder, and it is very serious. In fact, that is my point. We have a serious disorder in this Nation when it comes to our views on ethics!)

This past January, our new President, in full view of rolling cameras and clamoring press signed an executive order that would close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, and would also ban torture in the process of questioning terror suspects. This means that our military who risk their lives to protect us has to play nice with terrorists who want to destroy this nation by wiping you and your family off the face of this planet, because you are an infidel. So, I guess the new tactic to retrieve valuable intel from imprisoned terrorists on future attacks toward our country must done over a friendly game of Candyland! (By the way, that is my 2 1/2 year old's favorite game.)

Then, the very next day, without the coverage of the media (not a coincidence by the way), our new President signed an order that lifted the ban (placed by the Bush administration) that would allow for U.S. taxpayer money, usually in the form of Agency for International Development funds, to go towards international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion. The rule also provides federal funding for groups that lobby to legalize abortion or promote it as a family planning method.

WHAT?!?!?! Let me say it again! WHAT?!?!?!

We provide protection to terrorists, but we will give you money to do away with your baby?!?! I don't know about you, but I haven't seen any unborn (innocent) babies flying planes into buildings lately! What are we doing?!?!

We are making this statement as a so called "Christian Nation" (I use the term very loosely): The real threats to this Nation are unborn babies, not terrorists!

Besides that... I think I have read somewhere that we are in an economic crisis? (Sense the sarcasism) We are suffering economically, yet we have the money to send to other countries to help them with abortions. Wow!

Lastly, for all of us law-abiding taxpayers. Our money, whether we agree with abortion or not, is going to help do away with human life. Jeremiah 1:4 is clear on when life begins: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." So, if I am paying taxes, and my tax money goes toward abortion... Does this make me an accessory to murder?

God Bless the USA! Right?? Oh Lord, save us from ourselves...

But, what do I know? I am just a crazy ranting pastor!
Shane