Revised February 4, 2013
The following table contains various views of man's problem and the solution. (The description of each view is obviously oversimplified). The purpose of the table is simply to highlight the fact that one's solution is determined by one's view of the problem. Different views of man's situation lead to different "salvations."
| Belief System | The problem / Man's situation | The solution / Salvation |
|---|---|---|
| Agenda21 (United Nations) |
People are ruining the earth, hindering animals | Depopulation, people-free zones (concentrate people in collectives), worship of Gaia/Gaea (Mother Earth) |
| Humanism / Pluralism | Lack of education, outdated belief in the supernatural, lack of cultural sensitivity | Science, education, diversity, cross cultural experiences |
| New Age | Lack of tolerance and ignorance of the "divinity" in oneself and the animals | Correct thinking, tolerance, holism, acceptance of everyone's "reality," living in harmony with nature |
| Hinduism | Cycles of reincarnations, the illusion of life | Meditation, devotion to a god or goddess, follow your dharma (nature/purpose/place), escape reincarnations by ultimate enlightenment becoming one with the divine |
| Buddhism | Suffering, desire and attachment to things, lack of enlightenment, trapped in cycles of reincarnations | Meditation, elimination of desire, increased enlightenment |
| Liberation theology | Oppression by political, economic, and religious systems | Revolution, freedom from oppression |
| Islam | Lack of submission to the will of Allah because of weakness, forgetfulness, rebellion | Faithfulness to daily prayer, alms, pilgrimage, fasting, Friday mosque services, then perhaps paradise |
| Liberal "Christianity" | Lack of love & sensitivity | Be nice to people, follow Jesus' example |
| Neo-orthodox "Christianity" | Lack of faith | Encounter God, believe for the sake of believing, become aware of your redemption and be more spiritual minded |
| Emergent church | The mistaken notion of absolutes and verbal revelation in the Bible | Worship (by whatever means), discussion of the spiritual journey, appreciating Jesus and his example, social endeavors |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | Sin, rebellion against Jehovah | Allegiance to Jehovah, baptism, faithful support and involvement in the work of the local Kingdom Hall |
| Judaism | Sin, unfaithfulness to God's character as revealed in the Mosaic Law | Repent, trust and obey God. Perhaps heaven (depending upon branch of Judaism – orthodox, conservative, or liberal). |
| Roman Catholicism | Sinners guilty of "mortal sins" | Faith plus obedience to the sacraments of the church, especially baptism and the eucharist. (Or sincere faith in God outside Roman Catholicism.) Afterlife: purgatory, then heaven in God's presence |
| Biblical Christianity | Guilty sinners | The atonement (substitutionary sacrifice) completely accomplished by Jesus Christ. Repentance, faith in Jesus as Savior, living for him. Afterlife: immediately in heaven in God's presence, certainty. |