Are there any similarities between how God is viewed by Muslims and Christians? How about between Hindus and Christians? What about between Animists and Christians? Are there any similarities between Jews and Christians?
There is an endless list of religions, cults, and worldviews. The interesting thing is that many of them point to some form of a High God. In fact, many of the beliefs and attributes of gods of various religions actually point towards the true God, the God of the Bible. Various religions talk about God being personal, all powerful, compassionate, eternal, and all knowing. Most consider God to be the creator of the world and many consider Him to be the final judge.
Those who adhere to the Islam faith believe in one God who is the creator of the universe. He is all powerful and has spoken to the world through many means including prophets, written word, and angels. He knows the thoughts and deeds of people and someday will judge all the evil of the world (Halverson, 110). All these views align with what the Bible teaches. In Genesis 1:1 it says that God created the heavens and the earth. The Bible constantly speaks of the power of God and throughout it He can be found speaking through prophets and angels. Psalm 139:2 affirms the idea that God knows our thoughts and deeds when it says “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” The Bible also confirms that God will judge the evil of the world in many verses including Ecclesiastes 3:17 which says “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed."
Hindus believe in millions of Gods. In fact, in Death of a Guru Rabi says that to him God is everything and everything is God (Maharaj, 24). Still, they also hold some views of God that are similar to Christians. Although they believe that God is impersonal and has no moral distinctions (Halverson, 89), they do believe God is extremely powerful just as it says He is in the Bible. Psalm 147:5 says “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit”. In Artharva Veda it says “most humbly we bow to You, O Supreme Lord. At Your command moves the mighty wheel of time. You are eternal, and beyond eternity.” Hinduism and Christianity are said to be complete opposites but they still have at least one thing in common.
The various branches of Judaism all have different views of God. Orthodox Jews believe that God is personal. Orthodox Jews believe He is compassionate, which the Bible affirms in Psalm 145:8 and Matthew 6:26. Psalm 145:8 says “the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy”. Then Matthew 6:26 says “look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them”. They, just like Hindus and Christians, also believe God to be eternal and powerful. Conservative Jews believe that God is impersonal and Reform Jews do not have a firm set of views (Halverson, 125).
Animists believe that “God exists but He is beyond our abilities to know Him or to communicate with Him” (Halverson, 44). Christians have beliefs that are very different from Animists beliefs in that sense. Christians believe that we can know God and communicate with Him. So what similarities can be found between the two religions? Well, Animists have strong beliefs in spirits and Christians believe in the supernatural as well. Adherents of both religions believe that even though God exists there are also other forces in the world, even if the kinds of spiritual forces described by adherents of the two religions would be different.
Of course, not all religions’ views of God can point to the God of the Bible. Buddhists believe either that there is no God or that He is an impersonal being (Halverson, 242). Followers of the New Age Movement worldview believe in an impersonal God without moral distinctions (Halverson, 167). Shintoists believe there are many gods which may be helpful or hurtful (Halverson, 207). Still, many different religions do indeed point to the God of the Bible.
However, at the same time it is important to acknowledge the many differences between the viewpoints of God among various religions and the God of the Bible. For example, while many similarities can be found between the God of Islam and the God of the Bible there are also many glaring differences. In the book I Dared to Call Him Father Bilquis says the idea of lowering God down to our level and calling Him father is preposterous to a Muslim (Sheikh, 46-47) yet scripture says God is a “father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). Many other religions would think Christians calling God ‘Father’ would be ridiculous as well, especially religions like Hinduism because they see God as an impersonal being.
The idea that God forgives us would also shock many adherents of other religions. Most people of other religions believe in karma and that there is no forgiveness for sins – we must pay for our wrong doings. However, in the book The Case for Christ it says that Jesus forgave sinners just as God forgives sinners (Strobel, 157-158). Not only do they not believe in God’s mercy many, like the Muslims, do not think that He loves sinners (Halverson, 110). Christians know that while God hates sin, He loves the sinner. In Romans 5:8 it says “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.
Even Muslims who believe in a personal God do not believe it is possible to know God (Halverson, 242). Christians would disagree. Many followers of other religions would disagree that there is a trinity. Some like the Hindus would argue there are millions of gods while Muslims would say there is only one God and He has no partners. While the term ‘trinity’ is not used in the Bible there are many verses that suggest it. For example, Matthew 28:19 says “therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. Then again the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are mentioned in 2 Corinthians 13:14 when says “may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”. While certain similarities between the God of the Bible and the gods of other religions it is clear that there are also a fair amount of differences.
While how followers of other religions view God is very important, it is also important how they view Jesus. The unfortunate news is that all religions except Christianity do not see Jesus as the Savior. According to Relevant magazine’s article “What Other World Religions Think About Jesus”, Muslims agree that Jesus was a prophet, should be revered, was born of a virgin, ascended to heaven, and will come again (Wallace). Still, they do not believe Jesus to be the Messiah. Neither do Jews who believe Jesus to be a miracle worker, one who should be respected, and a man who was crucified but not the Savior (Wallace). Some religions like Hinduism even consider him to be a god but certainly not the only one or the Savior of the world (Wallace).
Didn’t think similarities could be found between Animism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity? Well, there are. Many religions have similar views of God as Christians do. Quite a few agree that God is powerful, compassionate, the creator, personal, eternal, and all knowing.
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