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Do you think all religions lead to God?
- Thread starter JayHawes
- Start date
Super Universe
Defender of God
None of the religions lead to God. They do not represent God whatsoever. They represent themselves.
Your maturity into a universal being, your understanding of responsibility and the consequences of action and inaction, your understanding of how the universe works, your completion of all the levels of ascendence is what eventually gets you to heaven.
Your maturity into a universal being, your understanding of responsibility and the consequences of action and inaction, your understanding of how the universe works, your completion of all the levels of ascendence is what eventually gets you to heaven.
lilithu
The Devil's Advocate
God is already with us. Or we are already with God. whichever. Yes, I think that more than one religion "leads to God" because, as I said, God is already with us. We just need to discover/remember that.
No, I don't think that ALL religions lead to (discovery of) God; but I also don't think that any religion precludes it. There are some religions that lead one away from God imo. But if you pick one of them, you can always change later. Maybe that's what you really needed at the time. So maybe they're all right after all. *shrug*
:angel2:
Prometheus
Semper Perconctor
It doesn't get much more illogical than this.
MaddLlama
Obstructor of justice
It doesn't get more off topic than this.
Prometheus
Semper Perconctor
If your beliefs aren't on topic you should not have mentioned them.
I just can't grasp how you can think all Gods exist. Two monotheistic Gods can't exist at the same time by their very nature. Do you think Allah and Yahweh both exist? Do you think Poseidon exists? Surely you have misspoken.
Also, I think JayHawes needs to define God for us.
lilithu
The Devil's Advocate
I have no problem with it.
lilithu
The Devil's Advocate
What if there are certain "locations" where the breeze comes and goes more often than in others?
I think that would be extending the metaphor to the breaking point.
MaddLlama
Obstructor of justice
Your opinion that my beliefs are wrong are off topic.
I believe each God is a distinct and separate being, whether real, or in the minds of the people who believe that God to exist. Two Gods that claim to be the only one, or want their followers to treat them as if they're the only one, and be one of many. However, I don't believe that any God is all-powerful.
And, for the record, I think Yahweh and Allah are the same God.
JayHawes
Active Member
I could say the same. The basic conceptions of God differ so much that to say that they all exist would be impossible. If the God of the Bible existed alongside many otehr gods he would simply vanguish them....therefore solving the supposed existance of many gods.
I'm borrowing a metaphor invented by Jiddu Krishnamurti. He likened the human condition to sitting inside the room of a house, waiting for a breeze (God) to come through the windows. In that situation, there is nothing one can do to make the breeze any more likely. The only reasonable course of action is to open the windows so that when the breeze comes, it can come in.
If we extend that metaphor a bit to tie it into the OP, Lilithu, then the question becomes which religions, if any, either help to open the windows or help to keep the windows open. For no religion can actually guarantee that it will produce a breeze.
Prometheus
Semper Perconctor
If it's that broad then the answer to your original question would be a definitive yes. If it's Yahweh then the answer is no. The Bible is clear on that much.
Blindinglight
Disciple of Chaos
There is not one religion that can lead you to God or Goddess.
All religion does is ready you for your own search. Comparable feeding an infant milk, and sending a child to school.
We all have the potential to be a god though, but some of us reach that potential faster than others.
"Religion" is one of the biggest crutches that hold people back. They think they know how to reach God, and refuse to see any other POVs. That form of arogance only hinders growth and learning.
All religion does is ready you for your own search. Comparable feeding an infant milk, and sending a child to school.
We all have the potential to be a god though, but some of us reach that potential faster than others.
"Religion" is one of the biggest crutches that hold people back. They think they know how to reach God, and refuse to see any other POVs. That form of arogance only hinders growth and learning.
JayHawes
Active Member
lilithu
The Devil's Advocate
Yes, I remember.
I don't really see how that is functionally different from what I suggested.
I asked what if there are some locations where a breeze is more likely than others? I don't think that any religion can guarantee that it will produce a breeze. But some may take you to a place where the probability of experiencing a breeze is greater when practiced. And some may take you to a place where the probability less when practiced. Either way, a religion could not guarantee experience of God. Nor would any preclude it. Yet, it still would be the case that some religions are better than others (assuming that one wants the breeze). And it still would be the case that practicing the "right" religion would be "statistically" preferable to not practicing any at all.
Taking this further, I hear a lot of antipathy towards organized religion from people who are otherwise spiritually inclined. They see it as a barrier towards true experience with God. But what if what is a hinderance to some is actually beneficial to others? And vice versa? What if for some a slow and steady practice is actually what they need, while for others spontaneity is what they need? What if the needs are different at different times in your life? What if what Krishnamurti said is true for him, because that's what he experienced, but it would not be helpful for someone else?
Having said all that, I was just thinking the other day that I do not recall ever having experienced God during a church service, as much as I love a good worship service. But I do think that spiritual practice - prayer, meditation, reflection - has been beneficial to me. And I think that for me, being part of a religious tradition helps motivate me to do spiritual practice. For other people, it might hinder them.