In the previous message we considered seven mysteries. Now in this message we come to the matter of the divine revelation.
Without revelation, every mystery is a maze. Even human history is a maze. For this reason, scholars, scientists, and religious leaders have continually studied the universe and the human race. Through their study, they have discovered many things. Most discoveries and inventions have come by way of inference, by inferring the unknown from the known.
When we were young, we wondered about the meaning of the universe and about the human race. We also questioned the meaning of our life. As the years have passed, these questions have become more and more serious. When I was a teenager, the young people were not as thoughtful as they are today. We were uncomplicated and simply followed the older generation, accepting whatever our parents and teachers told us. During the past fifty years, a great change has taken place among the young people. Today they are very thoughtful and questioning. They question the traditions and the old way of life. It was the thoughtfulness of the young people that gave rise to the hippie movement in the 1960s. In their questioning of the traditions, the young people are eager for something new. I sympathize with the young people in this desire. Their desire for something new causes them to make further inferences and discoveries.
Without revelation, the whole universe is a mystery and is filled with mysteries. Furthermore, humanity is a gigantic maze. During the time of Cain and Abel, humanity was not a maze because there had not been any inventions or discoveries. However, throughout the history of mankind, there has been one invention and discovery after another. Every discovery and invention has paved a new way. Thus, human society today is a complex crisscross of various ways. For this reason, people are easily lost.
Suppose there were just one street in the whole United States. If this were the situation, no one could get lost. Because in the New Jerusalem there will be only one street, no one will be able to get lost in that city. After anyone gets on the street, the street will guide him where he needs to go. How much different is today’s human society! There are many ways, not only in science and philosophy, but also in religion.
In religion there are many different ways, but just one source. Religion is a matter of teaching people according to your belief in God. Without God there can be no religion, because God is the source of religion. For example, Buddhism is not a proper religion. It does not have any God; rather, it teaches people that eventually they can become Buddhas. Because Buddhism is nonsensical and superstitious, it cannot be considered a genuine religion.
What about Taoism and the teachings of Confucius? Developed by thoughtful Chinese, Taoism teaches vanity; it has nothing solid. Not only does Taoism have no God; it has nothing substantial. Hence, it is not a religion. Likewise, the teachings of Confucius should not be regarded as a religion, because Confucius did not teach people to worship God. Confucius did mention God a few times in his writings, calling Him the King of the heavens, or even the heavens. Even though Confucius mentioned God, his teachings are ethical, not religious. Therefore, Buddhism is nonsensical, Taoism is vain, and the teachings of Confucius are ethical. Christianity, coming out of Judaism and including Catholicism and Protestantism, is a genuine religion, for it has the unique God. God is the source of Christianity. Islam is a religion also. The Koran is an imitation of the Bible, particularly of the Old Testament. The Koran even speaks of Jesus, saying that as He was being crucified, He was taken away by angels. Islam’s God is the same as the One revealed in the Old Testament. Thus, God is the source of religion. God is uniquely one. No one can discover or infer the existence of another God. For this reason, there is just one source for all religions.
Although Christianity is a typical religion, it also has become a maze. Thus, not only human society is a maze, but even the religion of Christianity is a maze. In Christianity there are many sects, divisions, denominations, and groups. Moreover, there are numerous ways and practices. This is the reason many people have become confused by Christianity. They simply do not know which way to take or which of the so-called churches to attend.
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