In one of his sermons, Billy Graham said “religion is man’s attempt to reach god and Christianity is god’s attempt to reach man”. I think this is a very vivid description of the distinction of Christianity from other religions. While all the other religions are full of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ with a view to reach out to the divine, Christianity does not stress so much on these ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ but rather it emphasizes more on repentance, believing, compassion and understanding the true meaning and purpose of life and creation. This is why it would be a blunder of great proportion if someone is to view and accept Christianity as another religion and just practice all the Christian rituals and ceremonies like the devotees of other religions without understanding and believing the true meaning behind these rituals and ceremonies. Therefore if we are to view the world religions as a big rock, Christianity is certainly the fault line clearly visible in this because though many consider Christianity as just another religion, it is in fact not a religion but a divine revelation.
Every religion has its own belief system, doctrines, dogmas, rituals and ceremonies. Some of these are so complex and complicated that they may be incomprehensible to a common man. But still, many blindly follow these rituals and ceremonies because they have been taught to do so from childhood. And in such environments, an individual may not be encouraged to apply his critical thinking or logical reasoning power over the things that he or his community does in order to please a so-called god. People are simply made to believe and practice things that have been passed down to them from the preceding generations. And any deviation from this will be easily considered as being adverse to one’s roots, family, beliefs or even outright rebellion. And since people have their own beliefs and faith, they usually do not feel the need and urge to learn about other philosophies and faiths because they have this inherent idea that all faiths and religions have been passed down from generation to generation and that all the faiths and religions are fundamentally the same. And this is why so many are against the idea and practice of conversion because they think that every person has the right to believe in his own god without interference.
But this is where Christianity comes in direct conflict with other religions because Christianity, as described by Billy Graham, is God’s attempt to reach man and not man’s attempt to reach God. And as such, the idea and practice of conversion is something indispensible in Christianity because it was our Lord Himself who commanded us to reach out to the ends of the world with His message. And therefore when missionaries reach out to people of other faiths with the gospel, they are not doing so to convert them from one religion to another but to deliver God’s true message to them. But many seldom understand this and this is where the danger lies.
Gandhi said, “all religions are true but every religion has some errors in them”. The idea and logic of secularism has come to dominate and influence the conscience of the modern world in a great way. The logic behind secularism says that all religions are good and so everyone should be left free to decide which god he would believe and worship. It also says that it is not logical or worth fighting over our faiths or religions as these are irrelevant to our practical daily lives. It also seems fair enough to say that we give different names to our gods but that all routes lead to the same god. Logical human reasoning may also say that we should respect other people’s faith and religion instead of meddling or interfering in them. From a humanistic and rational point of view, all these arguments seem rational and justifiable.
But Christianity does not conform to these ideas and assertions of human logic and this is where the fault-line becomes vividly apparent to all. Christ says that “a blind man cannot lead a blind man” and this is the fundamental logic behind the gospel, “how can we be silent when someone is being led and deceived by a blind man?”
Christ also said, “I have come to set free those who are in captive”. Down through the Old Testament times, the children of Abraham were burdened with so many ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ and they had to approach their God though certain persons and in certain ways. But the messiah came to deliver them from all these bondages and give them a new lease of life wherein they could live life to the fullest by simply realizing the truth. And when Christian missionaries go to unknown territories, they are inspired and guided by this principle of setting men free of their bondages which have held them captives for many years. But many seldom realize this.
Many also reject the gospel on the ground that it is a foreign religion. They say, “we have our own religion passed down to us by our forefathers and so, why do you come to us with this religion of yours… follow and worship your god yourself and allow us to worship ours”. From the logical point of human reasoning, this argument also seems fair enough. But these people who reject the gospel on the ground of it being a foreign religion will have no hesitation in believing or accepting even a foreign idea or thing if they know that that idea or thing is superior or advanced than their own and that it has the potential to change their lives completely.
So for the people who view the gospel as a foreign religion, it would be desirable if they would consider the gospel not as a foreign religion but a divine revelation or a foreign message that is much superior, advanced and truer than the ideas that they hold and that it has the potential to turn their lives upside down for good and forever. So I guess the preachers of the gospel will also get better results in their tasks if they enter foreign lands with this idea that they are approaching the people with a divine revelation or message from the Creator Himself rather than approaching people with the mission to let them discard their own religion.
Of course, once a person comes to understand and believe the gospel, he will himself relinquish his religion. But the point is that a foreigner cannot just enter a foreign land and tell the people to discard their beliefs instantly in favor of a new religion. It has to be a gradual process. Let them continue to have their religion. Do not condemn their religion or call their gods as false gods and proclaim yours as the true god. And do not criticize them for being religious or for practicing meaningless rituals.
But rather the missionaries should start by complimenting the natives for being such religious people and for believing that there is a god and for being meticulously afraid of and being in reverence of a Supreme Being because there is indeed a Supreme Being who is omnipresent and omnipotent. And then the missionaries can start by seizing hold of any opportunity to preach the gospel not as a new religion but as a message or divine revelation. Yes, missionaries should never present themselves as propagators of a new religion but as messengers of the truth.
Yes, our savior has commanded us to go to the ends of the world and make disciples of all nations. But many missionaries find themselves in troubled waters because they miserably fail to first respect, honor and value the faiths and beliefs of the natives. God has blessed even the most barbaric and savaged people living in the remotest corners of the earth with something called conscience and reasoning power. And therefore, the best way to approach them is by appealing to their conscience and logical reasoning which certainly cannot be done by looking down on their culture or belief system.
Nothing worthwhile has been achieved by looking down on someone’s culture, values or faiths. But great things can be accomplished when we appeal to the conscience of man in the right way. As is rightly said, “all doors are open to courtesy”.
Many will not complain as long as we keep our faiths to ourselves. But Christians have not been commanded to keep their faith to themselves but to share it. The idea and practice of ‘secularism’ may be the most practical way for the world to remain at peace. But for Christians, “secularism” is something which stands in direct confrontation with what we have been commanded to do. And this is why our savior also said, “I am sending you as sheep amongst foxes.”
