A Methodist in Your Midst

[fr0d0]

@ FNM: Faith in Jesus is still the only way to salvation.

Shouldn't you be saying "I believe Faith in Jesus yada yada yada..." rather than stating as if it is a fact?

The context was public so I didn't bother with the platitudes.

@ FNM: Faith in Jesus is still the only way to salvation. The statement doesn't seem to contradict that. I very much value all ideas I can think of I've heard on the subject, including those to the contrary. It doesn't then follow that those ideas replicate salvation as I understand it. They can only ever be complimentary. I do believe it necessary for God to have a whole other methodology, but that's God acting and not us. ie our only way to him is through Jesus, but he isn't tied to that route back to us.

So, how do you explain their reluctance to state that everyone of other religions are going to hell?

I believe as they state that it's God that does the saving, not people.

"We know that judgment as to the ultimate salvation of persons from any faith community, including Christianity and Judaism, belongs to God alone"

I don't think (well I'm certain of what they mean to say) that they're saying that there are other routes to salvation. They say as much in the previous sentance. There are lots of circumstances where people don't seem to have a choice... newborns, ppl lacking brain function, where the criterior is innapliccable. I like their statement because it wakes people up to the fact that this endeavour isn't exclusive and there's not only good reason to respect other endeavours, but that it's pretty essential to your own credibility not to disregard them.