Aren’t all religions the same podcast notes

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One person said to me “Different religions are just like different learning styles. God uses different ways to get our attention.” That would make sense if each religion was saying the same thing but they aren’t. Let’s talk about the differences.

Aren’t all religions the same podcast notes

Who’s is the most arrogant athlete of all time?

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was asked about his confidence and comfort level in the NBA Finals after Sunday’s Game 5, a 104-91 Golden State Warriors victory. “Nah,” James responded. “I feel confident because I’m the best player in the world. It’s simple.”

“I’m like a superhero. Call me Basketball Man.”

“Cleveland fans are awesome, but I mean, even my family gets spoiled at times watching me doing things that I do, on and off the court,”

Floyd Mayweather
“I don’t feel that no fighter has the mental or physical agility to match Floyd Mayweather.”

“Some pay to see me win, some pay to see me lose, but they all pay.”

Serena Williams
“I’m really exciting. I smile a lot, I win a lot, and I’m really sexy.”

Mike Tyson
“I’ll fight any man, any animal, if Jesus were here I’d fight him too.”

Michael Jordan
“There is no ‘I’ in team, but there is in win”

Larry Bird
 “As far as playing, I didn’t care who guarded me-red, yellow, black. I just didn’t want a white guy guarding me, because it’s disrespect to my game.”

Muhammed Ali
“I’m not the greatest, I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round.”

Richard Sherman
“I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you gonna get.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
“I can’t help but laugh at how perfect I am.”
-When asked what he was getting his wife for his birthday: “Nothing. She already has Zlatan”
–“When you buy me, you are buying a Ferrari”
-Reporter: “Who will win the World Cup playoff?”
Zlatan: “Only God knows.”
Reporter: “It’s kind of hard to ask him.”
Zlatan: “Why? You’re looking at him now.”

Let me give you another cocky statement. People are probably going to hate me for this.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6

If anyone else had made this, we would think it arrogant. Since it’s Jesus we give him a pass. But really, it is a cocky statement. Jesus is calling out all other religions. All other ways to God. According to Jesus they all come out wanting.

People don’t like this kind of definitive answer when it comes to religions. “Co-exist” baby.

Here are just a few statements that don’t fit together about Jesus

Islam-Jesus was only a man.  He was a prophet equal to Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses.
Hinduism-Jesus is just one of many sons of God.  Jesus did not die for man’s sins.
Buddhism-Jesus was just a good teacher but not as important as Buddha.
Jehovah’s witnesses-Jesus is not God but God’s first created creature.
Mormon’s- God is a material creature who was once a man like we are now.  Men can achieve godhood through works
Judaism-Jesus was not Messiah, but some accept him as a good teacher

If the same God is saying all of these things, he’s schizophrenic. He’s suffering from multiple personality disorder

Here’s what I notice about most of the rest of these religions. They all include Jesus in some way. There are a lot of counterfeits to Christianity out there. Jesus gives us some clues on how to pick them out.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20

Let me give you a little context to these verses. In Jesus day people ate a lot of grapes and figs. They were a staple to their diet. They were everywhere. But there were also thornbushes and thistlebushes everywhere. Some thornbushes had little clusters that looked just like grapes, but they were bitter and would make you sick if you ate them. There were also thistlebushes that had pods that looked like figs. You couldn’t eat those either. In this one statement, Jesus gives us some great advice about picking out false prophets. Most of the time they look exactly like the real thing. They are only slightly different.

Tekle Zigetta, 45, pleaded guilty to three federal counts of counterfeiting. The counterfeit money looked good, but there was one flaw. There’s no such thing as a one billion dollar bill. My question is, where do you go to try and pass a billion dollar bill. I know they won’t take it a Jack in the Box.

Here’s another interesting story. Police in Wichita, Kansas arrested a 22 year old man at an airport hotel after he tried to pass two counterfeit $16 bills.

Anyone could see through that counterfeiting. Counterfeiting that works is very close to the original. Jesus is saying that what is true of money is true of our faith as well. There are counterfeit’s to God. Let me give you a quick definition of a counterfeit. A counterfeit is anything that distracts you from a real relationship with God. Most of the time it’s not weird, wacked out religions that pull people away from God. It’s something close to the original.

The mormons are latter day saints of who? Jesus Christ. If you ask them if they are Christians, they’ll say “yes we are! See, Jesus is right in the title.” In many ways mormons look like Christians. Just a few changes. If you are really good and work hard you can become a God. It’s not too different. Mormonism is just slightly different. It’s a good counterfeit.

How about Christian Science. Again, it’s in the title. They’re Christian, right. Wrong. They believe some things that are similar, but Jesus wasn’t God’s son.

How about Jehovah’s witnesses. Jehovah is an old testament word for God. So they are the same, right? Not so much. They don’t believe in Jesus and believe that you have to earn your way to heaven.

Each of these groups claim to be God followers. They’ll point to bible passages to convince you that they are on the same side. But they are counterfeit. That’s satan’s plan. Personally, I don’t know any Satan worshippers. I don’t know any witches. But there are millions who’ve fallen for counterfeit Christianity.

My guess is, you’re not going to fall for any of those counterfeits. But there are others. I found a quick test to let people know if they’ve settled for a counterfeit religion.

Everyone compares their phone to the iPhone. Why? It’s the industry standard.