Why Religion? Why Not?
Which Religion? Which Church?
Age old questions that man has been
asking himself:
Where did I come from?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?
Why religion? Why not?
From a purely scientific point of view, scientists are now closing
the gap in proving that GOD does indeed exist. Such basic questions as,
"Did the universe come into existence by accident or by design?",
are now being answered by many differing paths that all lead to the same
conclusion. It is indeed no accident, as there is a genius of intelligent
order everywhere that science investigates.
1. From the smallest through a microscope:
Every single human cell is more complex than all of New York City, yet
every part of every cell has a purpose to fulfill, and all parts work in
well ordered unison. There are processing systems, communication systems,
food distribution systems, transportation systems, plumbing systems, waste
management systems, reproductive systems, first aid systems, and much more
in each and every cell. It is all ordered. It is all purposeful.
This cannot be accidental happenstance, but accomplished only by the result
of intelligent design.
2. To the largest through a telescope:
Billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars and planets, all working
in supreme order. Cosmologists have postulated that the so-called "Big
Bang", the theoretical 'cause of it all', must have had a cause in
itself, a prime mover so to speak, a source of great power and "intelligence",
for temperature and mass had to be extremely exacting for it to happen
at all.
This cannot be accidental happenstance, but accomplished only by the result
of intelligent design.
3. And everything in between by using our GOD given
senses, our intellect, and reasoning power:
In fact, science is not even needed to show order everywhere we
look, if we would only take the time to observe and
ponder the simple things in nature. He who has eyes to see, let him
see.
Since there is order in all aspects of science
and of nature, and order cannot be accidental but must be designed by intelligence,
we can reasonably conclude that, yes, GOD does indeed
exist, and yes, a divinely ordered religion and proper worship of Him
is necessary for the assurance of our salvation.
So then...
Which religion?
So many different religions, and so little time. A person who is
committed to belonging to one could spend an entire lifetime researching
them all.
However, never fear for there is a shortcut here.
Some of the major religions of the world, listed in order
of size by the number of participants, (2001).
1. Christianity
2. Islam
3. Hinduism
4. Buddhism
5. Chinese traditional, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, etc.
6. Sikhism
7. Shinto
8. Universalism
And there are many more...
GOD is GOD who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so by using your
common sense, which of the above (if any) would
you choose as being the only one founded by Him? Can you think of any criteria
that would make His chosen religion stand out from all the others?
Here is a hint. All were founded by a human being, who was called a prophet.
Give up?
Only one religion was founded by a prophet who was pre-announced. All of
the rest were founded by self proclaimed prophets. The Old Testament of
Holy Scripture is full of predictions of the coming of a "Messiah"
who would save the human race from its sins. Starting with the first book
(Genesis 3:15) there are a considerable number of startlingly accurate
predictions regarding "He who is to come". Some books such as
Isaiah 53 are chocked full of explicit details of happenings and events
regarding He that would come hundreds of years later and who would fulfill
Isaiah's prophecies exactly as he related.
That religion, its root being Judaism, is of course Christianity, and was
founded by the divine person of Jesus Christ, who is the long awaited and
prophesied Messiah*.
*Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning, the Anointed One. In Greek
it is Christos, Christ in English.
So then...
Which Church?
Since we have now picked the right religion,
of the tens of thousands* of different Christian churches in the world
today, how does one pick the right church? So many churches, so little
time.
*There were more than 33,800 different Christian denominations in the world
as of April 2001.
Source: World Christian Encyclopedia, a Protestant publication.
Of those tens of thousands, there is only one Church which matches all
of the following criteria.
1. It is the only Church
which was founded by GOD in the person of Jesus Christ.
"And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build
my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18
We know it is the only Church because Jesus used the singular word "Church",
not churches.
2. It matches its image
perfectly, which is found in Holy Scripture.
3. It is able to trace its roots
all the way back to its founder, Jesus Christ.
4. It has genuine historical
records stretching back for twenty centuries attesting
to its existence in every day in every century,
and with no gaps whatsoever since its founding. See Matthew 28:20.
5. It is the Church which gave the world the Bible
which all Christians use today.
6. It has an unbroken line
of successors, traceable all they way back to its divine founder.
7. It is obvious that it did not have a founder who was a mere
human person.
8. It is the only Church which has the authority
given to it by GOD Himself. No other church founded by mere human persons
can show a single Bible verse which gives them the authority to found another
church other than that one which was founded by Jesus Christ, and thus,
they will face the wrath of GOD.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For
there is no authority except from GOD, and those that exist have been
instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists
what GOD has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For
rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no
fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive
his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong,
be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of
God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject,
not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience."
Romans 13:1-5
9. It is the only Church which has all truth.
Let us consult Holy Scripture for the meaning of this:
"I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth;
for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will
speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."
John 16:12-13
Of the tens of thousands of Christian sects, each one teaches something
different in order to distinguish themselves from the others in the pack.
They will all readily admit that they do this. Since there is only one
truth, how can this way of thinking be accepted by any sane person who
is searching for that one truth?
In a deeper understanding of these verses, it becomes obvious that the
Holy Spirit teaches all the truth to only one Church, the only Church
which Jesus Christ founded. How then, could the Holy Spirit teach 'something
different' to the tens of thousands of other denominations which were founded
by mere men or women and not by Jesus Christ?
Here is another verse where Saint Paul reinforces what Saint John said:
"But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the
household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar
and foundation of truth."
1Timothy 3:15
Notice in this verse also that the word "Church" is singular.
We know that the Holy Spirit will teach GOD's one Church all truth, and
that His Church is the "pillar and foundation of truth". It has
to be, since its teaching comes from the Holy Spirit.
Now let us recap this segment with yet a third verse from a third writer
which emphasizes GOD's Church while at the same time excluding all others:
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in
vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake
in vain."
Psalms 127:1
It should be so obvious to everyone that the Catholic Church is the only
Church which fulfills every one of the above criteria. Not one of the tens
of thousands of non-Catholic denominations can match even one of them.
We know it can only be the Catholic Church, as it is the Most Hated Christian
Church in the World. Just as the Catholic Church is the Body of Christ,
so she naturally must follow the trials and tribulations of her founder
and Head. His physical body endured an unmerciful persecution and scourging,
and so must His Mystical Body, the Catholic Church, endure the same.
A comparison between Jesus
Christ and His Mystical Body. He is the head and His Church is His body
(Ephesians 1:22-23). You cannot separate the head from the body. They are
one.
What happens to the one must also happen to the other.
Jesus Christ persecuted..................................His
Mystical Body, the Catholic Church persecuted.
They rebelled against His Authority................They rebel against its
Authority, 2Peter 2:10.
They said Crucify Him...................................Heretics have tried
to destroy it for 2000 years.
He is called Beelzebub....................................It is run by
Satan, Matthew 10:25.
He is a false messiah......................................It is a false
church, Luke 22:70-71.
He called Himself the Son of GOD.................It claims it was founded
by GOD, Matthew 16:18.
He called Himself Truth.................................It claims to be
infallible, 1Timothy 3:15.
He called Himself King..................................It says it is the
only true Church, Matthew 16:18.
He could not sin.............................................It has no
spot or wrinkle, Ephesians 5:27.
He was not believed by many..........................It is not believed
by many, Luke 22:67.
He was denied by many..................................It is denied by
many, Luke 22:57-60.
He was derided, not being understood.............It is derided, not being
understood, 2Peter 2:12.
Not understanding Him, they walked away.....Not understanding it, they
walk away, John 6:66.
He had false accusers.....................................It has false
accusers, Mark 14:56-59.
He was mocked..............................................It is mocked,
Luke 23:35-37.
He was scandalized........................................It is scandalized,
Luke 17:1-2.
He was hated without a cause.........................It is hated without
a cause, John 15:18-25.
His accuser, Judas, died.................................Its accusers die,
but still, the Church lives on.
His enemies would stumble and fall...............Its enemies stumble and
fall, John 18:6.
We have no king but Caesar...........................We have no need of
it, as we have the Bible.
Can anything good come out of Nazareth?......Can anything good come from
Rome? John 1:46
They cried out, "Not this one but Barabbas"...It is also rejected
by the world, John 15:18-25.
He bore His Cross..........................................It bears a cross
also, the cross of persecution.
He died on the Cross......................................It has thousands
of martyrs, many on crosses.
1970+ years later, He lives,
stronger than ever........1970+ years later, it lives, stronger than ever.
However, no matter how hard
the persecutors try... His Kingdom will last forever,
Daniel 7:14, Hebrews 1:8.
His Church will last until the end of the world as promised by Him in Matthew
28:20.
"BEHOLD, I HAVE GIVEN YOU POWER TO TREAD UPON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS,
AND OVER ALL THE MIGHT OF THE ENEMY; AND NOTHING SHALL HURT YOU."
Luke 10:19
"Do not be a stumbling
block to Jews and Greeks AND TO THE CHURCH OF GOD".
1Corinthians 10:32.
Anyone who persecutes the Catholic Church has made himself/herself a stumbling
block to the Church of GOD. It is a clear violation of Holy Scripture.
"For I am the least of
the Apostles, and I AM NOT WORTHY TO BE CALLED AN APOSTLE, BECAUSE I PERSECUTED
THE CHURCH OF GOD." 1Corinthians 15:9
"Do not be surprised,
brethren, IF THE WORLD HATES YOU." 1John 3:13
"IF THE WORLD HATES YOU,
KNOW THAT IT HATED ME BEFORE YOU. IF YOU WERE OF THE WORLD, THE WORLD WOULD
LOVE ITS OWN. BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU
OUT OF THE WORLD, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATES YOU. REMEMBER THE WORD THAT
I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU: NO SERVANT IS GREATER THAN HIS MASTER. IF THEY HAVE
PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO; IF THEY HAVE KEPT MY WORD,
THEY WILL KEEP YOURS ALSO. BUT ALL OF THESE THINGS THEY WILL DO TO YOU
FOR MY NAME'S SAKE, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HIM WHO SENT ME. IF I HAD
NOT COME AND SPOKEN TO THEM, THEY WOULD HAVE NO SIN. BUT NOW THEY HAVE
NO EXCUSE FOR THEIR SIN. HE WHO HATES ME HATES MY FATHER ALSO. IF I HAD
NOT DONE AMONG THEM WORKS SUCH AS NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE, THEY WOULD HAVE
NO SIN. BUT NOW THEY HAVE SEEN, AND HAVE HATED BOTH ME AND MY FATHER; BUT
THAT THE WORD WRITTEN IN THEIR LAW MAY BE FULFILLED, 'THEY HAVE HATED ME
WITHOUT CAUSE',
(Psalms 35:19)".
John 15:18-25
I would say that Jesus Christ said it all in these verses, which were written
with the inspired pen of Saint John, wouldn't you?
Name another Church which
is attacked so much on a daily basis as is the Catholic Church?
Jesus Christ warned us, "You will be HATED BY ALL NATIONS for My Name's
sake."
Matthew 24:9
"Blessed are you when
men reproach you, and persecute you, and speaking falsely, say all manner
of evil against you, for My sake. REJOICE AND EXULT, BECAUSE YOUR REWARD
IS GREAT IN HEAVEN; for so did they persecute the prophets who were before
you." Matthew 5:11-12
Every time you see someone
persecuting the Catholic Church, or speaking falsely against her, be happy,
because those people are merely helping Catholics to gain their eternal
reward in Heaven.
It is a promise from Jesus Christ Himself. See Matthew 5:11-12.
A message from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen...
"If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in
the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along
well with the world; in other words, I would look for the Church which
the world hates. My reason for doing this would be, that if Christ is in
any one of the churches in the world today, He must still be hated as He
was when He was on earth in the flesh. If you would find Christ today,
then find the Church that does not get along with the world. Look for the
Church which is hated by the world, as Christ was hated by the world. Look
for the Church which is accused of being behind the times, as Our Lord
was accused of being ignorant and of never having learned. Look for the
Church which men sneer at as socially inferior, as they sneered at Our
Lord because He came from Nazareth. Look for the Church which is accused
of having a devil, as Our Lord was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub,
the Prince of Devils. Look for the Church which, in seasons of bigotry,
men say must be destroyed in the name of GOD as men crucified Christ and
thought they had done a service to GOD. Look for the Church which the world
rejects because it claims it is infallible, as Pilate rejected Christ because
He called Himself The Truth. Look for the Church which is rejected by the
world as Our Lord was rejected by men. Look for the Church which amid the
confusion of conflicting opinions, its members love as they love Christ,
and respect its Voice as the very voice of its Founder, and the suspicion
will grow, that if the Church is unpopular with the spirit of the world,
then it is unworldly, and if it is unworldly, it is other-worldly. Since
it is other-worldly it is infinitely loved and infinitely hated as was
Christ Himself. But only that which is Divine can be infinitely hated and
infinitely loved. Therefore the Church is Divine."
Msgr (at the time of writing) Fulton J.
Sheen D.D..
Preface to Radio Replies Volume #1, Fr. Leslie Rumble and Fr. Charles Carty,
a Tan Book.
For those of you who deny that the Catholic Church was
founded by Jesus Christ,
then I would ask you to name the one Church which He did found?
Remember, it has to match all of the criteria which I have presented here,
and it must still be with us after almost 2000 years, as He promised us
it would be.
Written by Bob Stanley
February 6, 2002
Updated February 19, 2002
Back
to Home Page...