News-Record.com

This is a typical Satanic tactic. ANYTHING to nullify the Crucifixion and Resurrection; because those events are the powerful key to grace salvation, as opposed to the legalistic coutnerfeit of Islam - and all man-made religions and secular systems of self-improvement OR self-indulgence.

All enemies of God's gracious act on the Cross go for the same jugular - Crucifixion/Atonement - because it utterly excludes man's ability to be religious, good or smart enough to effect his own redemption. In other words, it negates human pride.

So, this is just another modern attempt of Islam to nix it's greatest barrier to world domination - along with all the recent Western atheist/humanist attmepts. The only true and cosmic struggle in earth history is that between the biblical Gospel of grace, and the Church it births, AND all false religions, philosophies and movements which hate, reject and oppose it. This is just a good example of how it operates.

I don't see what the problem is. Christians seem to think that other great civilizations of the current day and of the past were also build around false religions. Obviously, a true religion isn't needed for that.

And really, Western philosophy owes a far greater debt to those heathen Greeks than to the Torah.

But hey. Worrying over whether your religion has facts to back it up really shouldn't bother Christians. Faith is supposedly the coin of God's realm, and a fact-based faith is hardly worthy of the name, right?

:)

namtac, that last comment/question is resounding; "Faith is supposedly the coin of God's realm, and a fact-based faith is hardly worthy of the name, right?"!

My comment/question would be thus; Why kind of faith is possessed if something like this is so troubling to one?

If nothing else, this gives the perspective of one's faith tradition via another faith tradition. I personally feel that it would be interesting to view this film.

Anyone know how/what the FBI studies to detect counterfeit bills?

Shalom

"Faith is supposedly the coin of God's realm, and a fact-based faith is hardly worthy of the name, right?"

Wrong. Faith and fact are not mutually exclusive, by any means. I'd think that rather obvious.

Sam, I beg to disagree; "Faith and fact are not mutually exclusive, by any means. I'd think that rather obvious."

Faith by definition is described as the realization of things hoped for, the confidence of things not seen.

Fact by definition is described as a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true.

The faith of a person of Christianity ends when the reality of it is seen; i.e., Jesus the Christ. Until then there is a mystery, a faith....something hoped for.

Why is there such a great problem with the concept of another religion giving its perspective on Christianity? No one is saying that this film has to be liked or agreed with. It is just the perspective on Christianity from someone of another faith.

What kind of faith does one possess when something like this unsettles the faith of that one?

Shalom

"Why is there such a great problem with the concept of another religion giving its perspective on Christianity?"

There is no problem; just as there is no problem with a Christian voicing his opinion of Islam, et al. Is there?

When I critique Islam, Hinduism, Western atheism, etc., I do not do it with hatred of people. I disagree strongly with other faith modes; not because there is no truth in them, but because they are all partial and erroneous in certain respects (reincarnation, salvation by works and rules, polytheism, demonic practices, etc.) The biggest problem with them is that they lack the key ingredient in redemption of individuals and the world - atonement for sin.

Sin is the true and essential problem of all man; not consciousness raising or mental gymnastics. We are all lost and separated from a loving and holy Creator by our sinful thoughts and actions - we are dead spiritually because of our sin nature, inherit from Adam, not because of isolated sinS. Only Christ's atonement satisfies the cosmic justice of God, and only the Holy Spirit brings spiritual LIFE through personal regeneration.

NO OTHER religious system does that - none! They are all based on human concoctions of legalistic dos and don'ts, psychic manipulations of body energy (Yoga), or some other self-help, bootstraps MO to counteract the reactions and affects of sin. They may give some temporary delusional relief to the psyche, but do not regenerate the soul with eternal/divine life. It is the assurance that the sin debt is atoned for, and the consequent infusion of divine life and love that effects true salvation and reunion with the true and living God of the Scriptures. It is unique, perfect and transformative - even though none of its beneficiaries are perfect - only forgiven and heading for perfection in God's eternal Presence.

Faith, in the NT sense, is not empty, willy-nilly trust in unproved, invisible postulates. Rather, it IS full reliance in the spiritual facts of one’s own sin and lostness, and God's historical, factual work on the Cross. It has been verified by countless millions over the centuries who have had the exact experience of Paul, Augustine, Susanna Wesley, Malcolm Mugridge, Judy down the street or Lu Shin, the factory worker in China. All have known the SAME new birth, perfect peace, and joy of soul.

If this film is the same jumble of errors, half-truths and biases as the other anti-Christian films and books that have flooded the market in the last few years, it is a waste of time. I might check it out, as I doo most fo them. Indeed, it may be engaging on a certain level, but it will NEVER give you new birth, true peace or eternal life. In fact, it may keep you from it. It is just another of the many hammers have struck the indestructible anvil of the Word of God.

Nikos, the excessive discourse is not necessary to to state one's point. Sadly, I am learning to read the beginning and ending paragraphs to see the gist of what is written. Being succinct is something that can help one's standing.

Shalom

Sorry Darryl; didn't mean to impugn your attention span. My wife tells me I'm a frustrated writer, and that I should write a book instead of clogging up the blogosphere. She's very wise, so perhaps I should heed her advice. Maybe you're the very goad I needed. And I must confess that I do the same thing with very long entries. So you're probably right that it will help my standing - whatever that is. It seems to be either acceptance or loathing.

I do agree, though, Darryl that I get carried away. Sometimes I think blogging is an addictive/compulsive disorder of the brain. My wife claims to be a blog widow sometimes. Or perhaps I just forget that The Front Pew is just another sound-byte medium of low content and whistle stop discourse - rather than an E-venue to develop ideas of depth and significance for our time. Ooops, here I go again. I can stop - I know I can! (biting fingers - ouch!).

The falsehoods being taught and believed in are the result of ignorance of the message.
So many people arrogantly believe what they hear or want to hear in order to continue their greedy and selfish ways. The truth is that each person must make their own journey and Jesus or anyone else cannot do that for them. Jesus came with a message and was murdered and people are so wrapped up in their salvation that they ignore what Jesus taught completely. To place someone, including Jesus, or Buddha, or any other religious figure, above ourselves, is missing the point completely. It is sad that so many people choose to believe others and never take time to work their own divine magic.

"It is sad that so many people choose to believe others and never take time to work their own divine magic."

Jesus did not come just to teach, Gilbert; but to make atonement for a lost humanity,spiritually dead and blinded by sin - and under the judgement of God. We absolutely cannot make atonement for ourselves - and so remain alienated from the life of God, and as Revelation says, we do not realize that we are "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."

The new birth is crucial to true spiritual life. One cannot even begin to understand the Scriptures, including the teachings of Jesus, without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, Who is given to those who trust in Christ's atonement.

It is not just that we are removed from God's just judgment by Christ's efficacious sacrifice on the Cross-altar, but are inwardly transformed and endowed with eternal (divine) life - none of which we can provide or effect for ourselves. As Paul said, "For by GRACE you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

As long as we think WE can generate our own spiritual life and ignore our sin debt, we are doomed to wander aimlessly in the wasteland of human effort and misery. All those who have known this true salvation across the centuries testify to its turth and joyous release, and give praise to God alone for his gracious gift.

Faith and science are not inconsistent. The Enlightenment was all about the quantification of philosophy; providing a formula for philosophy just like they had for mathematics.

It was the Christian idea that the universe was governed by a rational being, and not simply random (like Zeus throwing thunderbolts) that was the cornerstone of understanding how the universe works. If the universe is governed by a rational being, it too must be rational. We can, therefore, understand it. A classic example is Sir Issac Newton and gravity.

Moreover, many seem to misunderstand the scientific method. Scientists throughout history have been sceptics. They don't really "prove" anything. They test hypotheses and theories constantly to see if they withstand scrutiny. To the extent that they do withstand scrutiny, they are still a valid theory. Some of these theories, i.e., gravity, are so well tested that we rely on them without question. It was not until recently that scientists moved from the realm of neutral observers to cheerleaders for certain causes. One should be sceptical of any scientist who is not a sceptic.