In many threads over my time lurking in RGT (including the Religion v Geography thread), when this correlation is pointed out, theists dismiss it as meaningless and say that "God will send the word to those who ask, even the guy in his hut in the tiny village in the middle of the desert" or similar. You all know the argument I'm talking about.

What I'm posing here can be somewhat seen in tandem with the geography question, not why there's a correlation between geography and religion, but with time period and religion. God is held by all believers to be omniscient, omnipotent, and forever. Given these facts, why did ancient civilizations (such as the Greeks, for example) have completely different religions than in present day?

Please don't suggest that nobody in Ancient Greek civilization was trying to "find God", nor that nobody in Ancient Greece wanted to hear the word, as these would be ridiculous notions and demonstrably false.

This actually leads me to another interesting question. Would it even have been possible for these people to learn of the "one true God" given the fact that the Bible hadn't been written and Jesus hadn't come? How could they have learned of God? Does the fact that man predates the Bible affect the credibility of such a book at all?

Hope for some good discussion, my past threads have been relatively informative (by RGT standards, anyway). Please try and keep the hate and flames out of my thread.

As people say, there is a God-shaped hole in the heart of every man.

Why He did not make himself known through revelation to these men is a question that is beyond me. Perhaps if they had known the truth they would have rejected him, condemning themselves, thus God did them a mercy by not revealing Himself in full to them and let them search with their own hearts for truth. Perhaps it just wasn't part of God's plan to reveal himself to the world.

However, God does make himself atleast partly known to men who look for them. Even if it is not known fully, there is some truth in most religions.

Native American's revere nature - it is God's creation.

Confucius tried to bring about a moral society through traditions and good relationships with others - these are of God.

Buddhists find enlightenment when they detach from the desires of the world - the desires of the world are often sinful.

Hindus believe their deeds are rewarded/punished through Karma - evil deeds will be punished and good deeds rewarded.

The list goes on... and those who follow these religions cannot be said to be worse or better people than Christians, if they follow what they know and what's in their heart.

What, then, makes you so confident that your conception of God is complete/the most complete?

Cue Biblical literalists in 5... 4... 3...

Why did you have to invite them in like that!?

I believe the Catholic Church is God's one true Church he created, promised that the gates of hell will not stand against it, promised to be 'guided into all truths.

It makes much more sense for me to pick the Catholic Church that was there from the beginning, who codified the Bible, and their theology is much more sound than the theology of other Churches. I believe everything the Church teaches, I never have to wonder what the truth is.

The following biblical verses are also part of the reason I converted.


Matthew 16:18-19 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

John 20:23
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

John 6:53-35 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink

nice.

Must be nice to have that kind of confidence.

Truly, it is.

Millions of fundamentalists from different religions all over the world feel exactly the same way.