Is Any Religion Good Enough?
“The fate of our times is tragic. We need a religion, but nowhere do we find a God to fit it.”—Lucian Blaga, Romanian poet and philosopher
“Religion and the clergy have been, and will perhaps remain for a long time, among the greatest enemies of progress and freedom.”—Khristo Botev, Bulgarian poet
THE accompanying quotations echo the dilemma in which many sincere people find themselves. Deep down they feel the need for religion, but the mysterious God that the clergy teach is not a God they can understand and love. Moreover, they realize that the clergy and their religions have done much to hinder human progress and freedom. Yes, while the need for religion is increasingly recognized, honest people will not settle for just any religion.
An Important Distinction
Religion plays a key role in mankind’s makeup and history. The New Encyclopædia Britannica speaks of religion “as a fact in human experience, culture, and history” and adds: “Evidences of religious attitudes and loyalties exist in every sector of human life.” But history shows that none of the world’s major religions have been a blessing for mankind.
Indian statesman Jawaharlal Nehru once commented: “The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any rate organized religion, in India and elsewhere, has filled us with horror.” Considering the wars that have been waged and the crimes committed in the name of religion, can you honestly disagree with him?
In the 18th century, the French philosopher Voltaire made an interesting distinction. He wrote: “Religion, you say, has produced innumerable infamous deeds. You should rather say superstition, the superstition that is reigning over our sad globe. Superstition is the cruelest enemy of the pure worship that we owe to the Supreme Being.” Voltaire fought the religious intolerance of his day, but he maintained his belief in God as Creator of the universe. He saw a distinction between true religion and false.
The Need to Choose
Not all agree with Voltaire. Some claim to see good in all religions; hence, they feel no real need to seek out the true religion. Such individuals should heed the warning given by the prophet Isaiah, who wrote: “Woe to those who are saying that good is bad and bad is good, those who are putting darkness for light and light for darkness, those who are putting bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20) False religion has produced what is bad for humanity. It has resulted in spiritual darkness and has left a bitter taste in the mouths of honesthearted people.
The choice, therefore, is not between being an atheist and believing in any religion. It is not as simple as that. Once someone has recognized the need for God, that one must seek out the true religion. As researcher Émile Poulat [male] nicely put it in Le Grand Atlas des Religions (The Large Atlas of Religions): “The things [religions] teach and demand are so greatly varied that it is impossible to believe them all.” In agreement with this, the French Encyclopædia Universalis (Universal Encyclopedia) says: “If the 21st century does return to religion, . . . man will have to decide whether the sacred things he is offered are true or false.”
How to Choose the Right Religion
What will guide us in choosing the right religion? The Encyclopædia Universalis is correct when it highlights the importance of truth. A religion that teaches lies cannot be true. The greatest prophet that ever walked on earth stated: “God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”—John 4:24.
That prophet was Jesus Christ, and he also declared: “Be on your guard against false religious teachers, who come to you dressed up as sheep but are really greedy wolves. You can tell them by their fruits. . . . Every good tree produces sound fruit, but a rotten tree produces bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-17, Phillips) Seeing the bad fruit of the world’s “great” religions, and even of the sects and cults that have sprung up, many sincere people are coming to view them all as ‘rotten trees,’ simply not good enough. But how can they find the true religion?
Obviously it would be impossible to study all the thousands of religions inside and outside Christendom before making a choice. However, if—as Jesus said—we use truth and fruitage as touchstones, it is possible to identify true religion.
Truth and Fruitage
Jesus mentioned truth. As for this, what group of believers reject the religious lies derived from ancient mythology and Greek philosophy that permeate most religions? One such lie is the teaching that the human soul is inherently immortal. This teaching has given rise to the God-dishonoring doctrine of hellfire.
Jesus also mentioned fruitage. As for this, do you know a religion that has produced a genuine international fellowship where racial, linguistic, and nationalistic barriers are overcome by love and mutual understanding? Do you know a worldwide religious community whose members would rather be persecuted than allow politicians or religious leaders to incite them to hate their brothers and sisters and kill them in the name of nationalism or religion? A religion that rejected such religious lies and produced such fruitage would give powerful evidence of being the true one, would it not?
True Religion Is Being Practiced Today
Is there such a religion? Yes, there is. But you must admit that it is not one of the major religions of the world. Should this surprise us? No. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated: “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.”—Matthew 7:13, 14.
So where is true religion to be found? In all humility and honesty, we must say that Jehovah’s Witnesses form an international community walking along this ‘narrow and cramped road.’ True, mainstream religions scornfully call Jehovah’s Witnesses a sect. But that is exactly what the apostate religious leaders in the first century C.E. called the early Christians.—Acts 24:1-14.
Why are Jehovah’s Witnesses confident that they have the true religion? Well, they make up an international brotherhood that reaches into more than 200 lands and that is overcoming the divisions of nationality, race, language, and social class. And they refuse to believe doctrines—however ancient—that clearly contradict what the Bible says. But how did they come into such an enviable situation? And what does the practice of true religion involve? This and other questions about religion will be discussed in the next two articles.
[Footnotes]
For well-documented proof of the mythical origin of this belief, see the book Mankind’s Search for God, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., pages 52-7.
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The Crusades were part of false religion’s bad fruitage
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Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
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True religion produces good fruitage
Is Your Religion the Right One?
Many people believe that their religion is the only right one. How can one tell? Is there a way to be sure?
How sure are you that yours is the only right religion? Almost every Catholic, Protestant and Jew believes that his religion is the right one. The heathen also believes that his religion is right. So it becomes obvious that, believing alone is not enough. Being able to prove your religion is the right one is an all-essential factor. Peter tells Christians to be “always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you.” Paul counseled: “Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is right.” This means knowing your religion, understanding what you believe and why.—1 Pet. 3:15; 1 Thess. 5:21.
Your religion should have solid basis, not on religious leaders, not on religious systems, but on God’s Word, the Bible. You should make sure your religion speaks according to God’s Word before you hold fast to it. If you learn that your religion is teaching what is not right, you should let go of that religion, even as Paul found it necessary to do when he was in Judaism. You must be willing to see and accept the truth. By so doing you will come to worship God in the right way and thereby win his approval.—Gal. 1:13-24.
How can you tell whether your religion is the right one or not? A simple way of telling is to expose it to a test of God’s Word. If your religion is not in accord with what the Bible teaches, then it is not in harmony with truth. It is not right. “And if they speak not according to this word, they shall not have the morning light,” said God. It is important, then, that you “keep testing whether you are in the faith,” as Paul declared. Keep checking to see whether the things you believe are in keeping with God’s Word. But the question is, Are you willing to put your religion through such a test? There is nothing to fear, because if you have the right religion you can only be reassured by the examination. And if what you believe is not in keeping with the Bible, then you should welcome the truth, because it leads to light and life.—Isa. 8:20, Dy; 2 Cor. 13:5.
Following are a few questions that should help you to see whether your religion adheres to the Bible. Answer the inquiries as you read them. Then ponder what the Bible has to say. If yours is the right religion it will be in harmony with the Bible. Now for our questions.
Does your religion teach that the soul is immortal, which means it cannot die? Now note what the Bible says: “Let my soul die the death of the upright ones.” “You must deliver our souls from death.” “Our souls are to die instead of you people!” “Let my soul die with the Philistines.” “And every living soul died.” “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” The Bible answer is obvious. It teaches that souls are mortal, that they can and do die. Does your religion teach that? It should if it is the right religion.—Num. 23:10; Josh. 2:13, 14; Judg. 16:30; Rev. 16:3; Ezek. 18:4, 20, AV.
Try another question. Does your religion teach that only the wicked go to hell, that hell is a place of fire, that none are redeemed from hell? Of Jesus Christ the Bible says that he was in hell three days and was redeemed from there. Peter said of Christ: “That his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” Jonah was another man that was in hell and got out alive unsinged. When swallowed by a big fish, Jonah said: “Out of the belly of hell cried I.” Where was Jonah? In the fish’s belly and there is no fire there. What, then, is hell? The Bible answers that hell is mankind’s common grave. “What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave [the hand of hell, Dy]?” Does your religion teach that hell is the grave? The Bible does, and so will the right religion.—Acts 2:31, AV; Jonah 2:2, AV; Ps. 89:48, AV; Gal. 1:8, 9.
Now for another question. Does your religion teach that the dead are conscious? The inspired Scriptures say: “For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” “The dead themselves do not praise Jah, nor do any going down into silence.” No, according to the Bible the dead are not conscious.—Eccl. 9:5; Ps. 115:17.
TEST YOUR RELIGION ON THESE POINTS
Most “Christian” religions teach that men should love one another. Does your religion teach that? Why, then, in recent wars have Catholics on one side been found killing Catholics on the other—the same being also true of Protestants and Jews? Is this the showing of love one for another? Hardly. Jesus said: “For all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul [life] in behalf of his friends.” The giving up of one’s life in behalf of his neighbor and not the taking of it is the way of love and true religion. Does your religion practice this?—Matt. 26:52; John 15:13; Matt. 22:39.
Test your faith a little further. Does your religion teach that ministers should preach from house to house? Instructing his followers, Jesus said: “When you are entering into the house, greet the household; and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it.” “And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” “While I did not hold back . . . teaching you publicly and from house to house.” Do your ministers preach and teach from house to house? Jesus did. His apostles did. And so do ministers of the right religion today.—Matt. 10:12-14; Acts 5:42; 20:20.
Is your religion an integral part of this world and its politics? Does it encourage you to be? Of his followers Jesus said: “They are no part of the world just as I am no part of the world.” James, a disciple of Jesus, wrote: “Do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” “The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: . . . to keep oneself without spot from the world.” Is your religion without spot from the world? The right one is.—John 17:16; Jas. 4:4; 1:27.
Examine further your belief in the light of God’s Word. Does your religion teach that the name of God is Jehovah? At Psalm 83:18 the name of God is given: “That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” “I am Jehovah, that is my name.” Does your religion teach that? The right religion does.—Isa. 42:8, AS.
Does your religion teach that God is a trinity (three persons in one God), that Jesus is God the second person of the trinity? The Bible says: “For there is one God [not three], and one mediator between God and men, a man Christ Jesus.” “One body there is, . . . one God and Father of all persons.” “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” Not a trinity, then; he is one God. Of himself Jesus said: “I am God’s Son,” not God. The angel told Mary that Jesus would be called the “Son of the Most High.” Does this compare favorably with what your religion teaches? It should if yours is the right religion.—1 Tim. 2:5, 6; Eph. 4:4-6; Deut. 6:4; John 10:36; Luke 1:30-33, 35.
Does your religion teach that Jesus was equal to God? Trinitarians believe that he was. But Jesus said: “The Father is greater than I am.” Not equal but greater. Paul said of Jesus’ prehuman existence that he “gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.”—John 14:28; Phil. 2:6.
Take another question. Does your religion teach that heaven is the destiny of all righteous mankind? Note what the Bible says: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” “For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth.” Jesus agreed: “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.” Not heaven but the earth will be the destiny of the majority of humankind. Does your religion teach that? The Bible does.—Ps. 37:29; Prov. 2:21; Matt. 5:5.
COMPARE THIS WITH WHAT YOU BELIEVE
There are religions that teach men have seen God, but the apostle said: “No man has seen God at any time.” To Moses God said: “No man may see me and yet live.”—John 1:18; Ex. 33:20.
Other religions teach that men prior to Christ, such as David, Enoch, Elijah and others, went to heaven. Peter said: “Actually David did not ascend to the heavens.” Jesus declared: “Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.”—Acts 2:34; John 3:13.
Others teach that when Christ returns the whole world will see him. But Jesus said: “A little longer and the world will behold me no more.”—John 14:19.
Some instruct that we are still under the law of Moses. But Paul said: “You are not under law but under undeserved kindness.” “Christ by purchase released us from the curse of the Law.” “By means of his flesh he [Jesus] abolished the hatred, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees.”—Rom. 6:14; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 2:15.
Others say and teach that all men will eventually be saved. Jesus said that he gave his soul “a ransom in exchange for many”—not for all men. “He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”—Matt. 20:28; John 3:36.
How does your religion measure up with all of this? Test your religion. Make sure it is in keeping with the Bible.
Perhaps you are of the belief that all that is required is that one be sincere in one’s religion. The Bible says: “There exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.” Sincerity is essential but it is not all that is required. Jesus said: “Many will say to me in that day: ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you at all. Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Apparently these were sincere in their worship and had works to prove it, but sincerity and works did not save them. They were judged lawless because they did not have and practice the right religion, which is essential to salvation.—Prov. 14:12; Matt. 7:22, 23.
To choose the right religion intelligently will require some personal study on your part. God has provided his Word, the Bible, which outlines right religion. Study the Bible. Learn its principles. Prove what is false and reject it. Prove what is true and hold it fast. “Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is right.” Christians have but “one faith.” Through a diligent study and application of the Bible, you will find that one right religion—the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ.—1 Thess. 5:21; Eph. 4:4-6; Prov. 2:1-9.