Christianity vs. Other World Religions {Part 1}
Christianity vs. Other World Religions {Part 1}
The Free Newsletter
The truth is, I was raised in a bubble (also known as a glass house). My bubble was Christian and Pentecostal1. To be clear, I am not unhappy about this, nor am I complaining.
My parents raised me in a loving home where God was the center of our lives. Because my dad was a pastor and then became a traveling evangelist, I spent more time in church than the average person. Today, I am so grateful, and proud of the legacy of faith I was given.
Still, the bubble shielded me from much of the outside world. My siblings and I did attend public school (other than a brief homeschool period), but life was different back then.
I remember in the third grade, having a boy in my class who would always stay seated when we pledged to the flag each morning. My parents explained that the boy’s family were Jehovah’s Witnesses, and they were not allowed to celebrate holidays or birthdays or say the pledge of allegiance. What I took from the conversation was that they did not get gifts on Christmas or their birthday—obviously, a tragedy in my young mind!
When I returned to university to finish my degree (at around forty years of age), I had to take a course on world religions. This experience revealed just how little I knew about non-Christian religions.
It wasn’t that I had never heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, or Buddhists, but that (prior to taking this college course) I did not know much about how they differed from my Christian beliefs.
This quote from Every Woman a Theologian defines a key difference between Christianity and other world religions.
“The Trinity…is the doctrine that sets us apart from Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Each of these affirm God and Jesus in some capacity, but all of them deny the Trinity. The trinitarian doctrine drove the church to develop the Apostles’ Creed and later on the Nicene Creed, which set in stone a set of beliefs the apostles taught and the early church affirmed.” — Phylicia Masonheimer2
If you do not know much about how your Christian faith differs from other religions, remember this. The whole of Christianity is based on the belief in a triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Trinity is not easy to explain or understand. I like the expression, “…the Father sent Jesus into the world and Jesus left the Spirit with the church.”3 This can help you begin to sort out the concept of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three distinct entities or Persons. For the sake of this essay, the point we are making is the God of the Trinity, whom we worship, is not like the god of other world religions.
Statistics to Consider
Though I try to not get caught up in statistics, let’s take a quick look at this information. According to VisionCapitalist.com, the world’s most popular religions (as of March 2024) rank as follows. Take notice of these numbers.
Christianity—2,200,000,000 followers
Islam (Muslims)—1,800,000,000 followers
Hinduism—1,100,000,000 followers
Buddhism—500,000,000 followers
Shinto—104,000,000 followers
Sikhism—25,000,000 followers
Judaism—14,000,000 followers
According to this list, Islam has only 400,000,000 followers less than Christianity and that number is ever-growing. Does this surprise or concern you?
An article by Pew Research Center states, “With the exception of Buddhists, all of the major religious groups are expected to increase in number by 2050.” Why is this important? Regarding Christians and Muslims, look at the following estimates predicted by the year 2050.
Christians—31.4% of global population
Muslims (Islam)—29.7% of global population
This is significant as we consider current events both on the world stage and in the USA. Here are a couple of questions to think about.
How do Muslims (Islam) feel about Christians? Research this if you need to. Keep in mind, there are Muslims living around the world and, as they adapt to other cultures, some may choose to treat people of differing faiths with respect and kindness.
Should we be concerned that the percentage of Muslims in the world is growing ever-closer to that of Christians? Whatever your response, Scripture teaches us that we have no need to fear—God is in control of world events, and He has promised to keep us to the end.
As a Christian, how should we treat people who align with a non-Christian religion?
Some might say this is a loaded question, but the Bible teaches otherwise. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles provide us with advice for how to proceed. Here are suggestions I am learning to put into practice.
Be bold.
“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 5.16
As a Christian, be bold and let your light shine in all circumstances and relationships. I am not suggesting you take every opportunity to loudly quote Scripture or force your faith upon those around you. Exercise wisdom, keep it light, and remain approachable.4
Be respectful, kind, and wise.
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” —Colossians 4.5-6
Spending time around non-Christians may make you a little uncomfortable, and that’s to be expected. You may feel the need to be cautious around certain family members at a holiday gathering, or on the job with co-workers who openly declare their non-Christian beliefs. This does not, however, give us license to show disrespect or be less than kind.5 Ask God to give you wisdom for how to converse with those who are not Christian.
Be willing to listen.
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3.15
In today’s social climate, genuine listening is becoming a lost art. On social media platforms, everyone has an opinion and will stop at nothing to make it known! As Christians, we can set a different tone—both online and face to face. Even if you disagree strongly with other’s convictions and beliefs, there is nothing wrong with listening. It may be difficult but ask God to prepare your heart and give you the words to respond.
Be open to extending an invitation.
“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!” Psalm 66.5
As you engage with non-believers, be sensitive to an opportunity to invite them to experience the Christian faith. Sometimes, it’s best to first ask them to join you for a concert (worship night), a special meal, or other event. Think beyond the Sunday morning worship experience, especially if you know the individual professes to be committed to a non-Christian religion. Look at it as a “come and see what God has done…” opportunity for them to experience the Christian faith in a lighter setting.
Friend, this newsletter edition is Part 1 of a series I’ll be sharing over the next few months. In future editions, we’ll take a more detailed look at today’s prominent world religions—Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—as well as the sects of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Scientists.
I hope you find this to be not only informative, but helpful in relating to the non-Christians you may encounter.
There are many denominations and church fellowships that associate with the label Pentecostal. I was raised in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church denomination (IPHC). Today, my husband and I attend a nondenominational church with a Pentecostal-Charismatic atmosphere and freedom. That said, I believe are all in this together!
The book Every Woman a Theologian is a resource I recommend often. It’s written for the common Christian, meaning anyone can read it and understand what you just read.
Every Woman a Theologian, page 25.
Often, I find myself making comments like, “The Lord was really looking out for me…” This is as natural to me as breathing, and not some premeditated comment intended to trick the non-believer into a conversation about God. I guess I’m saying, as you exercise wisdom and keep it light, continue to be true to yourself.
Please know that I am not suggesting this is always easy. In situations where the Lord’s name is taken in vain (cursing) OR Christians are mocked/made fun of, I have been known to become physically ill. This is my spirit grieving at what I’m hearing. In times like this, it can be difficult to remain respectful and kind. Your best response may be to simply walk away.