June 15, 2004

Re: Contradiction
Elendur

Annatar: You say the truths in your example contradict each other. They don't, except in one case, and in that case one side is right and the other wrong.

I am assuming the religions teachings are false. If they were not, there would be different conclusions, but still no true contradicting statements.

You wrote of the sacrifices:
"They die for others to benefit. This is the highest definition of love."

True.

You wrote:
"Perhaps some people of other religions would say, all other religions(especially ones where people die in adherence) are evil and all works of such religions are evil.

The first part of the sentance(from "perhaps" to the first "evil") is true, again assuming the religions teachings are false.

Now we come to the contradiction, that "all works of such religions are evil" . As you said, an act cannot be of love and be evil so the "people of other religions" are wrong in this case. There is no reason to believe both sides are right.

In regard to your question of whether faith or love gets us to heaven, I'll quote the much-quoted verse that Jesus said:
"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me."

As a Chistian, I believe Jesus's love, not ours, gets us to heaven. All we need to do is accept him.

-Elendur

PS- To all you people wondering why we're wasting our time arguing about truth when we could be arguing about whether Glofindel of Gondolin and Glorfindel of Rivendell are the same: Please be patient. It's hard to give up an argument like this once it's begun..