If you could disprove the existence of Krishna to a Hindu, would it make a difference?. Hindus have thousands of gods, to excuse one god would have no effect on the philosophy and way of life of a Hindu. Hinduism does not intrinsically revolve around the existence of Krishna.
If you could prove that Buddha never lived, never existed, one could still practice Buddhism. The credibility and philosophy and belief of Buddhism does not require that Buddha exists.
If you were to ask a Muslim if Allah could have given his revelation to a prophet other than Muhammad, they would answer "of course, Allah is sovereign, he reveals through whom he chooses. Muhammad is not the revelation, simply the means of the revelation." Therefore the Koran and the belief of Islam does not rest on the existence of Muhammad. It could of come from anyone...
This is interesting because Paul says in Corinthians 15 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." I bring this up because so many prominent evangelicals seem to say "my faith would not be swayed if it was proved that Jesus still lies in his tomb because he has risen in my heart..." Didn't we talk about this with our friends when just recently there was a giant buzz about a program on the discovery channel that set out to prove that Jesus didn't rise from the dead? I mean, I understand one's desire to pursue Christ even through the midst of unthinkable ends... Peter most famously told Christ he would never deny Him.
But Paul doesn't look at it quite this way. He insists on a much larger idea, that it is not our faith in Jesus that saves us but rather Jesus who saves us. Jesus was not the means of God's revelation but rather Jesus is the revelation.
Part of the validation of faith is the object of faith. In our case Jesus, who as God outside of time and our understood reality, came into our history and revealed himself according to our understanding. His story thus cannot be disconnected from history.
This doesn't have much of a practical everyday application. Although for me it brings into perspective the weight of belief in Jesus. I believe with all that I am, but I cant prove Him. I can simply point in His direction, and point back where he has worked in my personal history. The weight lies in walking in this belief, risking as Paul says the pity of all men.
Well, I guess that's faith.
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3 comments:
Thank you Joel, as always, for your insight. You should team up with Rob Bell. I think for a minute there I heard his voice as I read your blog...lol. Actually, what I think I heard was Christ. And that's rad. Love you!
Without Jesus there is no Christianity, but without Buddha (Siddartha Guatama) there is no Buddhism. I think the difference is that Jesus claimed he would be risen and without that he is human.
Doug, I think that the main difference is that Christianity revolves around the person of Jesus where as Buddhism revolves around the teachings of Siddartha Guatama... Buddha. To follow the teachings of Budddhism does not require you believe in Buddha. Buddhism essentially revolves around an individuals ability to get themselves to a desired spiritual state - perfect enlightenment. Christianity on the other hand revolves on Jesus' ability to achieve our spiritual perfection.
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