Nowadays, some people think there are multiple ultimate realities. It demands we answer:
- Aren’t all philosophies and religions ultimately right?
Our first question… “What do you mean by that?” (Mean face)
Our second question… “How did you come to that conclusion?” (Magnifying glass)
Our action… Listen and ask follow-up questions. (Big ears)
Let me propose using Bill Faye’s questions from my first chapter as two ultimate questions. First, “If you died right now, where would you go, heaven or hell?” Second, “If what you believed were not true, would you want to know it?”
We’ve already shown that if statements contradict each other that both may be false, but if one is true the other must be false. Different spiritual belief systems teach differently about what happens to us after we die. If there are contradictory beliefs, one may be true, but the others must be false.
What are those beliefs? Some atheists believe in nothingness after death; but the Judeo-Christian scriptures teach we continue to exist after death. Some hedonists believe in separation from God, but a long party in hell; but the scriptures teach that hell is a place of torment. Some believers in reincarnation think that we keep coming back until we get it right; but the Judeo-Christian scriptures teach that once a person dies, their spirit continues in either separation from God (hell) or fellowship with God (heaven). Catholic traditions teach purgatory as a place where Catholics may go after death to pay for their sins; but the scriptures clearly teach that Jesus paid our debt and that anything we might do is like dressing in filthy rags. These are contradictory beliefs.
Is there nothingness after death or something after death? Are we appointed to live and die once or do we live and die more than once? Is Hell a party or not a party? Was Christ’s death sufficient or insufficient?
Rather than considering arguments for or against any one particular view, let’s logically consider that the different religions do in fact hold – not just different views – but contrary views. The views contradict each other concerning the ultimate question of what happens to us after we die.
The logical argument (syllogism) is:
Aren’t all philosophies and religions ultimately right?
All philosophical and religious beliefs cannot be right (true) because philosophical and religious beliefs contradict each other and two contradictory claims cannot both be true.
- Aren’t all philosophies and religions ultimately right?
Our first question… “What do you mean by that?” (Mean face)
Our second question… “How did you come to that conclusion?” (Magnifying glass)
Our action… Listen and ask follow-up questions. (Big ears)
Let me propose using Bill Faye’s questions from my first chapter as two ultimate questions. First, “If you died right now, where would you go, heaven or hell?” Second, “If what you believed were not true, would you want to know it?”
We’ve already shown that if statements contradict each other that both may be false, but if one is true the other must be false. Different spiritual belief systems teach differently about what happens to us after we die. If there are contradictory beliefs, one may be true, but the others must be false.
What are those beliefs? Some atheists believe in nothingness after death; but the Judeo-Christian scriptures teach we continue to exist after death. Some hedonists believe in separation from God, but a long party in hell; but the scriptures teach that hell is a place of torment. Some believers in reincarnation think that we keep coming back until we get it right; but the Judeo-Christian scriptures teach that once a person dies, their spirit continues in either separation from God (hell) or fellowship with God (heaven). Catholic traditions teach purgatory as a place where Catholics may go after death to pay for their sins; but the scriptures clearly teach that Jesus paid our debt and that anything we might do is like dressing in filthy rags. These are contradictory beliefs.
Is there nothingness after death or something after death? Are we appointed to live and die once or do we live and die more than once? Is Hell a party or not a party? Was Christ’s death sufficient or insufficient?
Rather than considering arguments for or against any one particular view, let’s logically consider that the different religions do in fact hold – not just different views – but contrary views. The views contradict each other concerning the ultimate question of what happens to us after we die.
The logical argument (syllogism) is:
Contradictory claims cannot all be true.
Philosophical and Religious beliefs contradict each other.
Therefore, not all philosophical and religious beliefs can be true.
Aren’t all philosophies and religions ultimately right?
All philosophical and religious beliefs cannot be right (true) because philosophical and religious beliefs contradict each other and two contradictory claims cannot both be true.
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