Masters of Religion

Masters of Religion course Dissertation paper

By Rev. Jacob Holt

The Masters of Religion course taught me to realize that no matter what religion you practice, whether it's Muslim or Christian there is only one (1) Lord and God. The only difference is the belief system of the religion you practice. It is an ongoing battle of who's "Right" and who's "Wrong" based on the bibles interpretation. The bibles interpretation has been twisted and cut & pasted for many generations and also in today's society. The main problem is that the bible is taught opposite of its purpose. If the bible is taught the real way it was meant to be taught and transcribed stating its exact interpretation, there would be no mis-interpretation. What each book of the bible says is exactly what happened at that point in time. For example, if John the Baptist baptized Jesus, then that's what we should teach that he did. Not argue the fact that just because Jesus is the Messiah then he didn't need baptism. That just shows ignorance of the fact that Jesus was born of the flesh and was in human form for his life. He came to be among men, and not to be considered "special". Another misconception is the fact that people and society in general think that the bible has a lot of contradiction when in actuality it doesn't. To prove that point, consider answering this question if you consider the bible to contradict itself. How can the bible contradict itself if it is 66 individual books, written on three (3) continents, in three (3) languages over a period of 1500 years by more than 40 authors who have written the same material?

When you look past all the contradictions of how the bible is to be taught, we should look at what is accepted and what is not accepted in the church. When it boils down to it, the bible teaches us to love and forgive all and to love and accept all. No matter what the persons past is or the trials and tribulations they experienced. When we realize this and accept it, how do we react when and if a prostitute visits our church to worship? It is taught that God is the judge, not us. How ever long a person takes to resolve the problem of his/her life is between the person and God only. As Christians, we know that prostitution is wrong or bad. But when such a person visits the church we are not to turn them away. We are to accept them, teach them and influence them other wise they would not have visited the church, right? Then when we have saved a life or if we do, God will forgive with all his love, and we can only save a person that has come to be saved, expressed all of their sin to God and continue to realize through faith and respect for self. The same goes for all addictions of the flesh.

The final topic that I consider debated is divorce. The bible teaches of divorce of countries and only that both Jesus and Paul only recognized the "possibility" of divorce. But does not specifically describe what is to be divorced, does it? The course itself teaches divorce from marriage. Divorce can be sinful too. Although the sin lies in the months and years spent that lead to divorce. To help reconcile a mariage is to forgive the sin with the heart. On the matter of forgiveness and just before discussing divorce, Jesus said to the disciples "So also shall my heavenly Father do to you if you from your hearts forgive not men their trespasses". What that tells me is that in all we do in our daily lives we must forgive, ask for forgiveness from the heart and we shall be forgiven by God. In my completion of the course, it has opened my heart to accept all things as they are as well as to give forgiveness as well as ask for it in times of need.

Thank you so much Amy for helping me when i was having difficulties in recieving the lessons throughout the course! You have done a stupendous job with the Seminary and look forward to my completing my next courses too!

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