If God separated the world by language, wouldn't he have sent a prophet who spoke each tongue in order to reunite all of His people?

SPC Rory J. Mattheisen — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 12:29:39 -0400

My question isn't about which religion is correct, rather are they all? In Genesis 11:7 God said, "Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." In my mind it stands to reason when He sought to save His people He would have sent many prophets. Also that it was the leaders of the respective religions that came up with my way is the only way.

Response by PO1 Edward Spencer made Jun 7 at 2016 12:31 PM

PO1 Edward Spencer — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 12:31:04 -0400

Um... wasn't that the whole point of Epiphany? When the Holy Spirit visited the Disciples as tongues of flame over their heads, and they began speaking in every language known?

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Jun 7 at 2016 12:35 PM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 12:35:48 -0400

Well IMHO God being whom he is could speak whatever tongue that was need to speak considering HE gave them the language. And This is a little out of context considering they where building the tower of Babel (Hense the name). They were trying to build the tower to the heavens to approach, or get to, God.
Look at verse 4.

Genesis 11:1-9 New International Version (NIV)

The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar [b] and settled there.

3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel[c]—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Footnotes:

Genesis 11:2 Or from the east; or in the east
Genesis 11:2 That is, Babylonia
Genesis 11:9 That is, Babylon; Babel sounds like the Hebrew for confused.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jun 7 at 2016 12:56 PM

Maj John Bell — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 12:56:13 -0400

Only my opinion: If you look at the dogma and doctrine of most modern religions in the context of how to treat each other, the similarities are pretty remarkable. (If you overlook those eccentric doctrines that demand different treatment of those outside the faith) In my opinion those are eccentricities were written in by powerful people, to help powerful people maintain their power.

If I am allowed , for sake of argument, to assume that there is/are divine creator(s) who take an interest in the affairs of both the human race and individuals, it only makes sense that message would be presented on a plate that fits the culture of the target audience.

Response by SGT Edward Wilcox made Jun 7 at 2016 1:18 PM

SGT Edward Wilcox — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 13:18:17 -0400

I think, if you were to look closely, you would notice that all major religions are very similar. Judaism borrowed heavily from the older Sumerian religions. Christianity and Islam are both heavily based on Judaism. Hinduism remained polytheistic, but still has some of the same ancient stories as Judaism. Then you have Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, which all teach the same basic moral principles as the Abrahamic religions.

Short answer, is yes, they are all correct. Or, more to the point, different versions of the same truth. One could go as far to say that God gave each the same message, but that they interpreted the message differently.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jun 7 at 2016 1:18 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 13:18:23 -0400

For those who have a personal relationship with God, He speaks directly to our spirit SPC Rory J. Mattheisen. God communicates directly with us like He communicated with the prophets of the Old Testament period and the New Testament period.
When we see, hear, smell, or taste what we sense is "processed" by our mind/brain and therefore we perceive indirectly. God communicates directly to those He calls His own.
Islam demands that in order to understand the words of their unique prophet you must be able to read the Arabic text that was extent at his time.
Judaism prefers communication in Hebrew or Aramaic; but it is acceptable to speak, read and listen in the mother tongue of whoever is a Jew.
Christianity can be communicated in any language. Wycliffe Bible Translators and other organizations have been working to develop written languages for those languages which have no written language as a gateway to developing the Bible in each language.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jun 7 at 2016 1:18 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 13:18:29 -0400

It may be argued that although men speak in many tongues, a divinity can speak to all in their own tongue. The challenge for all mankind is to overcome the handicap. I suggest that everyone speak American so I don't have to spend so much on language courses.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Jun 7 at 2016 1:31 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 13:31:37 -0400

I can see it. The problem comes with man's translation and now man understands it. This seems to be the biggest problem.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2016 3:33 PM

CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:33:23 -0400

I don't think this question is for me, but I'll throw an answer out there anyway. With regard to the verse you cite, and being charitable, I'd say the writer(s) wanted to explain the disparity of languages people encountered in the course of dealing with nations like Babylon, Egypt, etc.. Attributing this to a god made sense to them, and still does to some people. And, of course, people who still think it makes sense to attribute language differences to divine intervention can easily conceive of a large variety of ways to justify their belief. But, being an atheist, I would say something like this, wouldn't I?

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2016 3:38 PM

LCpl Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:38:50 -0400

Every religion has to potential to be correct, just as no religion has the same potential. Questioning which (or how many) are correct is useless, epistemological skepticism applies here. We have to assume that hopefully one (or more) is correct to progress in our lives, we don't need to be preferential towards one or another, just the concept.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made Jun 7 at 2016 4:24 PM

PO3 Sherry Thornburg — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 16:24:32 -0400

Have you heard of the day of Pentecost? The disciples came out into the streets preaching and prophesying to the people in all languages. I've heard many accounts of missionaries who have picked up local languages very quickly when in the field as they worked away from home. God equips his messengers.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2016 6:44 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 18:44:20 -0400

And if languages were meant to prevent us from understanding each other, why are some people able to learn more than one?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2016 7:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 19:23:43 -0400

Religious are made by man to make sense of the world, it should come as no surprise that people in harsh climates would perceive God as harsh or that people in areas that easily supported life would perceive God(s) differently. One way we can judge religion is by looking at the impact it has on it's followers. If one looks hard enough though, there is no doubt in my mind that almost every religion has really good and really terrible people following it which makes identifying the goodness or badness of a religion extremely difficult. Outside of noting that fundamentalism tends to sour the fruit in any religion where it's applied overzealously I hesitate to condemn the religious beliefs of anyone. All we can do, is do our best to love God(s), this world and our fellow men.

Response by CPT Louis Clark made Jun 8 at 2016 8:15 PM

CPT Louis Clark — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 20:15:29 -0400

I believe the God sent the Holy Spirit to fix this.

Response by LT Charles Baird made Jun 8 at 2016 11:32 PM

LT Charles Baird — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 23:32:49 -0400

Good question; what you need to understand though is that even though God created man; we are not all his people. God separated a people out for himself. As Leviticus 20:26 states: “And ye shall be holy unto me; for I the Lord am holy; and have SEVERED you from other people, that YOU should be MINE”. He spoke this unto the children of Israel, not to anyone else.

The children of Israel are a BLOODLINE not a religious group; they are blood descendants of Jacob whom was renamed Israel after wrestling with an Angel.

Gen 32:28 - And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

The prophets did go unto HIS people as they were all Israelites. Christ himself stated that he came for no one except the descendants of Israel:

Matthew 15:24: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

The house of Israel he was speaking of here were the descendants of Jacob. If you read the whole section of scripture you will see that Christ ignored the woman as she was a Canaanite and not an Israelite; he even likened her unto a dog in verse 26.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

21Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

(Also see Mark 7:24-30)

So, to answer your question about are all religions correct – I would have to say based on the fact that God himself stated that only one people were his that NO they are not all correct. Again, being an Israelite is a bloodline NOT a religion. Religion is a man-made concept; nowhere in the scriptures does it talk about a religion.

However, with that said, that does not mean that eternal life is only for Israel; God also has set aside a portion of the Gentiles (non-Israelites) unto himself.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2016 5:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 17:47:43 -0400

There are roughly 6500 languages being spoken in the world today, however over 2000 of those languages have less than 1000 speakers and are likely to disappear within a few generations. Then there is the fact that no language prevents man from understanding each other, some extra effort may be required... however I can speak into my phone and have it translate into 50 languages today. If I really want to understand someones language well, I can learn it. If God had intended for us not to understand each other, I don't believe it would be that easy to undo God's work.

Response by Capt Gregory Prickett made Jul 8 at 2016 1:28 PM

Capt Gregory Prickett — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 13:28:57 -0400

Response by PFC Teresa Walker made Sep 4 at 2016 9:36 AM

PFC Teresa Walker — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:36:29 -0400

Brother we do have one language in Christ and to Christ. We have had since the day of Pentecost. Many can not receive this language because they have been taught against it. The secular world also has another one world language. Remember what He said about it the first time???? "Now NOTHING is impossible for them!!" Brother our knowledge today has brought to the point of being able to turn off the switch to the aging process. Immortality apart from God. I hear His previous footsteps on the porch brother. He will knock soon!! The new one world language is the binary code computers are based in brother. The Bet belongs to my Father, and His uses it to catch men. The enemy, well you know what they use it for.

Response by Olivier Souan made Nov 26 at 2016 7:33 PM

Olivier Souan — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 19:33:37 -0500

For the time being, God prefers His prophets to be tortured and slaughtered by only one ethnic community at a time. Out of sheer compassion for the products of His own mercy. In our time of globalization that may change and even sound cool though I would not like to be this kind of multilingual prophet!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2018 1:03 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 13:03:03 -0400

This has already happened! Recall the Pentecost ...
Acts 2 English Standard Version (ESVUK)
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.[b] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants[c] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Response by MAJ Hugh Blanchard made Jul 14 at 2018 1:10 PM

MAJ Hugh Blanchard — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 13:10:33 -0400

Not necessary..Remember the Day of Pentecost? Everyone heard the disciples speaking in their own native tongue. God can do the translating.

Response by SGT Mary G. made Jun 16 at 2021 4:16 PM

SGT Mary G. — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 16:16:53 -0400

SPC Rory J. Mattheisen - Interesting thought about religions. Makes sense to me.
It is interesting how a comment about religions, in general, turns into comments about specific religions, i.e. advocating for a religion and/or criticizing a religion especially when the comment starts with "My question isn't about which religion is correct".

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Jul 11 at 2021 1:50 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 13:50:32 -0400

This is a religious message based on the bible