Thanks for the reply.

"as it would be true if we were talking about two sides of a flawed perspective of human wisdom, but the Bible doesn't claim to be that."

No, but YOU claim that your grasp of the scripture IS not flawed, and is not less than perfect. Despite the fact that the Bible itself is inspired by God, you also have a responsibility and role in HOW you understand it. If you don't have the humility or ability to recognize that, you've missed the point. Even Paul states VERY clearly that he saw only dimly, as in a mirror.

How many Christians through out history have acted based on their interpretation of the Bible, and done horrendous things? Therefore, unless we have the humility to recognize that what we CHOOSE to believe about the scripture is the choice no one can avoid, we miss the point. We focus on dogma, justifying it as 'true' because scripture says so, instead of realizing in humility that scripture is a guide, and that we ourselves must grow and develop our understanding of it.

"Divinely inspired human writings". Indeed. So why can not God inspire other human writings? Answer: He can. Of course he can. But even God is limited by the capacity of the instrument. Or otherwise, why did not God reveal through Moses the higher understanding that Jesus brought? I'll tell you why. Because Moses and the prophets were not at the level of spiritual growth that Jesus had.

The New testament, while written by men, is what it is because those men and authors were able to inherit the foundation of Jesus. BUt even Jesus stated, very clearly, "I have many things to teach you, but you cannot bear them now".

What if one of the things Jesus has to teach us is how the jigsaw puzzle of the world's religions inspired by God come together with Christ as the centerpiece? If it is, you'll never know it because you've chosen to block any other view of the truth out based on your own flawed view.

You cannot teach Highschool Geometry to a kid from elementary school. You cannot teach Post-graduate physics to a second year junior high school student.

I have studied other religions. As I say, the teachings are far, far more in common than not. The core teachings are very very similar. However, They cannot and do not reach the level of Christian understanding BECAUSE they do not have Jesus' foundation. Obviously.

You cannot blame a goat for not being a cow. A cow is a cow and a goat is a goat. They both can deliver milk.

Moreover, the different faiths each had different missions. Of course they do not point people towards Jesus! (Even the old testament did NOT point people towards Jesus himself, but to the Messiah, the Christ. The problem was that the Jewish leaders and people at the at time did not realize or recognize that Jesus is Christ.)

But if all the people in the world were barbaric Moloch worshippers, how far would Jesus' teaching have gone? The truth is, there were numerous religious reformations established around the world approximately 400 years before the advent of Christ, as was also the case in Israel, through the final prophet Malachi.

We cannot deny that the mission of the Chosen people was taken from the Israelites and given to the Christians. Parable of the vineyard shows this 100%. So what would have happened IF Israel had received Jesus instead? His teachings would have spread to the entire world very quickly, because different landing pads were prepared in different parts of the world.

Not very familiar with Talmudic Judaism, and I suspect your own view is highly prejudiced, so I cannot comment except to say that Judaism failed in its mission to accept Christ and fulfill the mission of the chosen people, the very reason God had established them. But we include the Old Testament in the scripture BECAUSE it is foundational to Jesus advent and teaching.

Islam acknowledges Jesus as a holy man, but does not have the core teaching and understanding of the Christ, the 2nd Adam. I mean, der. Of course! If it did, it would be Christianity! But many of the teachings in Islam were a massive improvement over what existed there before in the Arab world.

Why does Christ return? To save the world. Who murdered Jesus when he came? the VERY people who God had prepared for thousands of years to receive him. Only a few Hebrews received Jesus. 72 disciples is not that many.

Christians are very much in danger of failing to fulfill their mission in the very same way, if they do not learn the lessons from Israel, and what caused them to fail. Arrogance was the start. Inflexible, unable to grasp the new way of understanding that Jesus brought. He brought the upgrade to the 2000 years of Hebrew teaching and history, and they failed to receive it because they clung to their limited view.

Any Christian who is unable to realize how God has been working and who only clings to their limited arrogant view is very liable to be one who rejects Christ when He returns, and whom Jesus predicted he himself would reject. Matt 7:21

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

So, what is the will of the Father in Heaven?

Also, note: Jesus says MANY. Not "a few"

We are called to use our upgraded understanding of Truth through Jesus to understand HOW to discern between what is true and what is not true. We cannot grasp clearly what is NOT true about the teachings in other faiths unless we can see clearly what IS true in their teachings.

Mercy, kindness, service to others, sacrifice - these are taught by ALL the great faiths. Righteousness, etc. The standards vary depending on their culture and level, but these points are common.

If you, as a Christian, are unable to recognize this, what chance to people of OTHER faiths have to recognize the superiority of Christ's teachings? They shall know my disciples by their love.

Christianity is the only belief system that focuses on God's reconciliation and love for us

It's more than that. Christianity is the only belief system that focuses on rebirth through God's own son.

But that, dear friend, is the entire point. That IS what makes Christianity unique. It's so arrogant and illogical to say, other religions are 100% wrong because they are NOT Christianity.

Basically, its like saying, if someone is NOT a Christian, they have no value, no connection to God, and God does not love them. They don't know anything.

I find this viewpoint to be narrow in the extreme. Salvation comes through a relationship with Christ, NOT through Christian dogma.

Anyway, that's my view.

May God guide us both.

Thanks for the reply.

"Divinely inspired human writings". Indeed. So why can not God inspire other human writings? Answer: He can.

You cannot teach Highschool Geometry to a kid from elementary school. You cannot teach Post-graduate physics to a second year junior high school student.

I have studied other religions. As I say, there is far, far more in common than not.

Moreover, they each had different missions. Of course they do not point people towards Jesus! Even the old testament did NOT point people towards Jesus. What they did point to was the Messiah, the Christ. The problem was that the Jewish leaders and people at the at time did not realize or recognize that Jesus is Christ.

Not very familiar with Talmudic Judaism, and I suspect your own view is highly prejudiced, so I cannot comment except to say that Judaism failed in its mission to accept Christ and fulfill the mission of the chosen people, the very reason God had established them. But we include the Old Testament in the scripture BECAUSE it is foundational to Jesus advent and teaching. Islam acknowledges Jesus as a holy man, but does not have the core teaching and understanding of the Christ, the 2nd Adam. I mean, der. Of course! If it did, it would be Christianity! But many of the teachings in Islam were a massive improvement over what existed there before in the Arab world.

Why does Christ return? To save the world. Who murdered Jesus when he came? the VERY people who God had prepared for thousands of years to receive him. Only a few Hebrews received Jesus. 72 disciples is not that many.

Christians are very much in danger of failing to fulfill their mission in the very same way, if they do not learn the lessons from Israel, and what caused them to fail. Arrogance was the start. Inflexible, unable to grasp the new way of understanding that Jesus brought. He brought the upgrade to the 2000 years of Hebrew teaching and history, and they failed to receive it because they clung to their limited view.

Any Christian who is unable to realize how God has been working and who only clings to their limited arrogant view is very liable to be one who rejects Christ when He returns, and whom Jesus predicted he himself would reject. Matt 7:21

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

So, what is the will of the Father in Heaven?

Also, note: Jesus says MANY. Not "a few"

We are called to use our upgraded understanding of Truth through Jesus to understand HOW to discern between what is true and what is not true. We cannot grasp clearly what is NOT true about the teachings in other faiths unless we can see clearly what IS true in their teachings.

Mercy, kindness, service to others, sacrifice - these are taught by ALL the great faiths. Righteousness, etc. The standards vary depending on their culture and level, but these points are common.

If you, as a Christian, are unable to recognize this, what chance to people of OTHER faiths have to recognize the superiority of Christ's teachings? They shall know my disciples by their love.

Christianity is the only belief system that focuses on God's reconciliation and love for us

It's more than that. Christianity is the only belief system that focuses on rebirth through God's own son.

But that, dear friend, is the entire point. That IS what makes Christianity unique. It's so arrogant and illogical to say, other religions are 100% wrong because they are NOT Christianity.

Basically, its like saying, if someone is NOT a Christian, they have no value, no connection to God, and God does not love them. They don't know anything.

I find this viewpoint to be narrow in the extreme. Salvation comes through a relationship with Christ, NOT through Christian dogma.

Anyway, that's my view.

May God guide us both.