What is True?

While teaching a year 6 scripture class a few years ago, one of the kids told the class that while he definitely believed in God, he didn't believe in heaven and hell, and he certainly didn't believe that Jesus actually died and rose again. I responded by asking him if he thought you could just choose what you want to believe and then call it true? If His teacher was introducing the class to 12 x tables, and this bright spark put up his hand and said “Miss, I can cope with 12x1 and 12x2, but there is just no way in the world that I can believe 12x3=36, I'm sure his teacher would be upset with him for being so arrogant and tell him that you can't change what is true just because you don't believe it. Truth is truth, all we get to do is discover it.
My great ambition in life is to follow Jesus with all my heart and to help others do the same. My parents feel exactly the same, and I've always deeply admired that about them. Growing up in their house, I saw how real their faith was and wanted that for myself. But what If I was born in a remote village in Pakistan and my parents were devoted Muslims, would I now be a religious leader teaching the way of Islam?
So then if all religions claim to own “the truth” how do we decide which one is right? Are all religions basically the same? If you are in the market for a new religion, how do you know which one is best? Is it just about personal taste or preference like choosing cereal from the supermarket? Can you just choose the best bits from each of them?
Karl Marx said “Man is incurably religious.” People feel the need to be seen doing something to actively work towards their own salvation and to try and keep the God's happy. Yet I think our basic problem is that no amount of self control, hard work, and good deeds can ever make a person clean and new. We do actually need someone to help us, maybe even to save us from ourselves.
Look I don't know everything, but If someone were to ask my advice, I would always say that although Christians don't have a monopoly on truth or on God, there is only one savior and that is Jesus, so if our basic problem is that we do actually need rescuing its probably going to be a good plan to trust Jesus to save. I'm not going to tell anyone to trust in Buddha or Mohammad, not because they are dodgy blokes, but just because they never claimed they could save anyone
Whether you grow up in a Christian culture or a Muslim one, the question remains 'Do I blindly follow a religious system of beliefs and practices, or do I seek, ask, search, for what is real and true?' God is not insecure, He promises that if anyone really goes looking for him with their whole heart, they will find Him.

What about Hell?

If I could have a dollar for every time someone has asked me “How could a loving God send people to hell?”...well I'd still be scratching for money, but it certainly is one of the most common complaints against Christianity. Yet in addressing the issue, I'm sure most people's immediate assumption is that God is some sort of cosmic bully. i.e: “here is what I want you to do - believe in me, be a good person, go to church etc and if you don't do what I want, then I'm going to destroy you and send you to suffer in Hell.” It seems that God is determined to punish those who won’t do what he says.
I know some Christians who feel that people need to be constantly reminded about the dangers of Hell for the sinful person as a way of motivating people into joining the church. Yet when is avoiding punishment or pain ever an appropriate basis for a relationship? Think of a marriage where the only reason she hasn’t left is because of the fear of what he’ll do if she walks out.
Ultimately people resent being judged. I think there is built up anger towards the church from most non Christians because they feel as though they are constantly hearing that their life is wrong, they are bad and that they had better change big time. So if God is just going to reinforce the guilt and judgment then why bother at all. 'Turn or Burn' doesn't sound very much like good news!
Yet while Jesus was on the earth, His message was one of acceptance and inclusion especially toward those who were labeled sinful and were rejected by society. In fact, the only words of judgment were reserved for the religious leaders who were making it impossible for people to really experience the love of God.
Now as much as I wish it wasn't so, I do think that Hell is a reality. But as for God sending people there, I'm really not sure that's how it works. Just like a loving father would be devastated if one of his kids chose to leave home at 15 to do whatever they want, so a brokenhearted God, feels the same at our choice to reject His love and choose independence from Him. Maybe the choice is up to us? If someone willfully chooses to live their life totally independent from God on this earth, then why would they be with God when they die? It's not what they wanted.
Hell will be a terrifying place not because people are being punished, but because they've chosen to be in a place where God is not. If He is the source of all good, then if He is not present then only only evil and darkness will remain.
Instead of seeing God as the mean bully, what if God is constantly reaching out to us in every way, exercising mercy and love, forever drawing people close, forgiving, always giving more time, more chances, more mercy, but never forcing our hand, hoping, waiting, longing for us to choose Him...until it is too late and He can do no more.