If all paths lead to God, why should I choose your religion ?

[YoursTrue]

Well, not all humans believe in God, but yet some of them are religious. It depends on the definition of religion.

For me it means that I believe in non-revealed deity, but not theistic God, yet as a strong skeptic and agnostic I know nothing of that deity.

Interesting. So you don't know God if I understand you correctly. Jesus prayed that people would know God. John 17:3. You might try to look it up. Can I explain everything about this God that I know? No, I cannot. Do I believe the God of Jesus is the only true God, over all, meaning the supreme ruler? Yes, I do.

 

[Windwalker]

I've practiced none and to this point no one in earth can prove it does.
But if you want it to, go for it.

Prove it to who? To those who follow a particular path and say it has led them to God, isn't that proof for them.

 

[Windwalker]

GINOLJC, to all.
there is only one way/path to God, and that's Holness. it was here before Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, or anything else. the "WAY" is Holiness, via righteousness. which is ONLY found in the Lord Jesus. it, (Holiness) , the Lord Jesus, was before the EARTH and the Heavens. and it/him will be when you and I are gone off the face of this planet.

now, whatsoever you want to call yourself..... "Fine", 101G has not problem with that, just be HOLY. Leviticus 19:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying," Leviticus 19:2 "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy."

Leviticus 20:7 "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God."

was that just for OT Israel? let's see. 1 Peter 1:10 "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:" 1 Peter 1:11 "Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." 1 Peter 1:12 "Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." 1 Peter 1:13 "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" 1 Peter 1:14 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:" 1 Peter 1:15 "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;" 1 Peter 1:16 "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

now, who is God Calling unto himself? let the bible answer, Acts 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." ...... Acts 2:37 "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:39 "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

say what? "even as many as the Lord our God shall call." question, is the Lord God calling today? yes, then holiness is for us today.

now to directly address the OP heading, after this...... Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

NOTE: WAYS of DEATH..... WAY(S), yes, way with the "s" at the end, ...... (smile), those MANY WAY(S) will lead to ...... DEATH. as 101G said.... your choice. or the devil .... "(go ahead, eat, those ways to god) and the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die". and the serpent is saying the same thing to U today.... there are many way to God, you shall not surely die. ...... lol, lol, lol, oh the foolish at heart.

just keep this ONE verse in the back of one's mind, Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."., not just ONE way to DIE, but MANY ways to DIE.

101G.

Yikes! Glad that question has been settled so boldly. Who else but someone who has the only truth could post with such a brilliant display of text with bright colors and giant fonts! That settles it for everyone. The 26 point fonts are proof positive the truth has been found. Discussion over.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Interesting. So you don't know God if I understand you correctly. Jesus prayed that people would know God. John 17:3. You might try to look it up. Can I explain everything about this God that I know? No, I cannot. Do I believe the God of Jesus is the only true God, over all, meaning the supreme ruler? Yes, I do.

Well, do you know that God is your version of the Christian God and not any other? I don't.

 

[Boris Norris]

Prove it to who? To those who follow a particular path and say it has led them to God, isn't that proof for them.

Leading to god is basically saying prayers and thinking you received something in return. Like blessings, grace etc. No one can prove any of it exists if you're praying to a god for it. Have you ever known anyone who can prove they've received it or been saved?
Of course not. In their mind it could be real but not in reality.

This particular path, what is it, where is it, how do I find it. Let me guess. I first have to reach out to a god that doesn't exist, pray like crazy and never receive anything then for all my efforts to expect eternity.

I'm not buying it.

 

[Hawkins]

Discuss

A religion serves as the mass media for a God's truth to convey. The basic functionality of a media is to examine the credibility of both the eyewitnesses and their stories before broadcasting. A reporter/journalist makes sure that his source of information is reliable and credible before the story of an eyewitness is broadcast in the name of the credibility of the media. That's the way how a truth shall convey among the mass majority of humans.

Similarly, God dedicated a 'media' which is Israel for the examination of the credibility of the stories from the OT prophets who are the eyewitnesses of God. All those stories were broadcast locally to all the Jews. That's the foundation of Judaism, before the broadcast turns to all mankind. It is more or less like the stage where a media such as CNN gather all the stories of a day as the preparation for the day's broadcast. The final round of stories are from Jesus and His chosen disciples. God's CNN which are the Jews however failed to grant credibility to their stories. Under the circumstance God has to switch His dedicated media from Judaism to Christianity, in order for His truth to be preached/broadcast to all mankind.

This is a typical process for a truth to convey among humans. Moreover, if the US government has an important message for its citizens, the only efficient way for this message to reach its citizen is by means of the media (the credible ones), it can alos dedicates certain agencies such as CNN for the general governmental messages to be annonouced. If CNN failed the job, it may switch to Fox News as its designated source of government annonouncements. Similarly, if Israel failed to do the job of broadcasting God's 'news' (i.e., preaching the gospel), God may switch to another agency which is today's Christianity.

When the US government has an important annonouncement delievered to CNN or Fox News, the media will have a scope of audience to cover, in this case the media shall cover all the states of America such that the message can reach each and every citizens. Similarly, God makes this explicit, the gospel (God's news) must be preached (broadcast) to all nations of this world.

No other religions did the same. Simply becasue the gods behind those religions are false gods.

 

[pearl]

and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

To do justice refers to human behavior in relationship to others. To love goodness refers to the kind of love and concern which is at the heart of the covenant between the Lord and Israel; it is persistently faithful. To walk humbly with your God means to listen carefully to the revealed will of God.
Micah 6:8.

where man-made religions come in at, is adding to these things. or taking away of these things.

That's the question, where does a religious community measure up in its particular expression? Faith is God's free gift of himself, its the 'awe and wonderment'.
“The surest way of misunderstanding revelation is to take it literally, to imagine that God spoke to the prophet on a long-distance telephone. Yet most of us succumb to such fancy, forgetting that the cardinal sin in thinking about ultimate issues is literal-mindedness.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism

 

[101G]

To do justice refers to human behavior in relationship to others. To love goodness refers to the kind of love and concern which is at the heart of the covenant between the Lord and Israel; it is persistently faithful. To walk humbly with your God means to listen carefully to the revealed will of God.
Micah 6:8.

agree, walk is to live, or the act like God in his "WAY"
thanks.

That's the question, where does a religious community measure up in its particular expression? Faith is God's free gift of himself, its the 'awe and wonderment'.

Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."

this is why John was told to measure the Temple in Revelation chapter 11. this measuring is not physical, but spiritual. for the TEMPLE of God is "US" his body. he was to measure the worship service, or practice.

“When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain" that quote from your link says it all.

101G.

 

[Alien826]

I believe the problem is, or at least, from what I've seen and experienced as a medium, that what a person believes religiously can have a direct impact on their afterlife, even causing them to become an earthbound spirit and unable to cross over into the spirit world. As a medium, I've spoken with earthbound human spirits who were confused because they weren't in heaven with God and Jesus, as they expected to be immediately after death, or asleep in their grave, as they were taught. I've often been asked, "Where is God?" "Where is Jesus?" and "Why am I not in heaven yet?" I've had to explain to these spirits, first, that I'm a psychic medium who can see and hear them; second, what happened to them; and third, that I can help them cross over and then persuade them to do so. And, once they get over the initial shock that I'm a psychic medium who can see, hear, and speak to them (most believed that mediumship isn't real or that it's of the devil), they're willing to listen to me and follow my guidance, just like the spirit of a young girl mentioned in a previous post.

As I said, "You'll have less to unlearn after you die and get told how it really is". I can imagine the confusion of people that have believed something their whole lives, only to find that it's not true. From what you say, I assume you can't give us any information about what they find after "crossing over"? Of course the simple fact of survival would be a biggie in itself. Are there advanced spirits that are also helping the confused people? If so, have you talked to them and asked that kind of question?

I'm watching a TV series called "School Spirits". A girl that has been murdered finds herself in spirit form is stuck in the immediate area of the school, in the company of some other "dead" students, and can't remember how she died. She can talk to one close (living) friend and together they are trying to find out who the murderer is. Do you meet spirits that want to find out things about their prior lives? Or try to get you to pass messages to their living relatives?

 

[Alien826]

Yikes! Glad that question has been settled so boldly. Who else but someone who has the only truth could post with such a brilliant display of text with bright colors and giant fonts! That settles it for everyone. The 26 point fonts are proof positive the truth has been found. Discussion over.

That sounds a bit like the old joke "Foreigners understand English when spoken VERY LOUDLY!"

 

[Pete in Panama]

ok, well I guess I don't know what either one of you is talking about.

ah, so I guess that make 3 of us.

Meanwhile, I really do think that the religions can agree even if there are a few members who don't agree. My take is that the religions are apart from some of the adherents.

 

[Alien826]

Leading to god is basically saying prayers and thinking you received something in return. Like blessings, grace etc. No one can prove any of it exists if you're praying to a god for it. Have you ever known anyone who can prove they've received it or been saved?
Of course not. In their mind it could be real but not in reality.

There's something I call GCL (God Can't Lose). You examine the evidence and accept any explanation that fits your preconceived answer, no matter how unlikely it is and how many more likely explanations there are. In the case of prayer, the most likely explanation is that if you have enough problems and enough prayers a small percentage of prayers will appear to be answered (that is the desired result will occur). What about all the other prayers that weren't answered? God didn't want to answer those ones.

 

[Alien826]

When the US government has an important annonouncement delievered to CNN or Fox News, the media will have a scope of audience to cover, in this case the media shall cover all the states of America such that the message can reach each and every citizens. Similarly, God makes this explicit, the gospel (God's news) must be preached (broadcast) to all nations of this world.

Excuse my uncontrolled laughter. It's the idea that God would use Fox News as a medium for truth! Should we listen to Tucker Carlson or Rupert Murdoch? They don't seem to agree. (Conservatives can use CNN here as the amusing idea).

Yes, I know it was just an analogy. More seriously though, why wouldn't God just get on TV and talk to everyone? Maybe only Fox News has a direct line to God. They seem to think so.

 

[pearl]

“When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain" that quote from your link says it all.

If memory serves, the quote is one of Abraham Heschel's in his 'God IN Search of Man', where he distinguishes between faith and religion.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

From what you say, I assume you can't give us any information about what they find after "crossing over"? Of course the simple fact of survival would be a biggie in itself. Are there advanced spirits that are also helping the confused people? If so, have you talked to them and asked that kind of question?

My personal beliefs about what is going on in the spirit world are based on my knowledge as a psychic medium and spiritualist, but neither my spirit guides nor the earthbound spirits I've spoken with have been very forthcoming with precise information about what is going on in the spirit realm. As I previously stated, earthbound spirits have asked me why they aren't in heaven yet or where God or Jesus are, but I haven't received definitive answers as to whether God exists or if there are other deities in the spirit world. The spirits I've questioned either refuse to answer or quickly change the subject. My spirit guides, on the other hand, have been honest with me, telling me that I must wait and see for myself. However, I've learned from my spirit guides over the years that human spirits can evolve and grow in knowledge in the spirit world, which is why I said I'd like to evolve into one after I enter the spirit world.

As a medium, I also know that certain spirit guides assist human spirits in communicating with the living and crossing over into the spirit world. I've met and spoken with angelic spirit guides as well as human spirits who appeared to have crossed over to the other side to a higher plane of existence. I've often worked with both of these spirit guides when I've had difficulty understanding a spirit's mental message or convincing a lost and confused spirit to cross over. They are kind and caring and come to me whenever I need their help. As a medium, I feel as though I have a spiritual connection with these spirit guides whenever I am with them and conversing with them. I feel as if I know them and they know me. It's similar to the feeling I get when I know a good friend. Finally, I'd like to state that I will not give up searching for the answers I seek. I might come across a spirit guide, an earthbound human spirit, or a human spirit who has returned from the spirit realm who can provide me with the answers I seek. I'll keep looking for the answers to these questions.

I'm watching a TV series called "School Spirits". A girl that has been murdered finds herself in spirit form is stuck in the immediate area of the school, in the company of some other "dead" students, and can't remember how she died. She can talk to one close (living) friend and together they are trying to find out who the murderer is.

That sounds interesting.

Do you meet spirits that want to find out things about their prior lives? Or try to get you to pass messages to their living relatives?

Yes, I've met human spirits who have inquired about their previous lives and loved ones. I've had to tell them that I don't know and then persuade them that whatever is happening to their loved ones is beyond their control and that it's best for them if they cross over. I've met some human spirits who didn't realize they were dead, so I had to persuade them before convincing them to cross over. I've also met other human spirits who had no idea how they died or how long they'd been dead. However, it's heartbreaking to meet the spirits who don't understand why they're not in heaven yet, as they believed they would be after death. They believe they must have unforgiven sins that prevent them from entering heaven, or they are angry and say they are foolish for believing in God, or they feel betrayed and deceived. These spirits are the most difficult to persuade to cross over. Most of the time, they flatly refuse.

 

[Alien826]

My personal beliefs about what is going on in the spirit world are based on my knowledge as a psychic medium and spiritualist, but neither my spirit guides nor the earthbound spirits I've spoken with have been very forthcoming with precise information about what is going on in the spirit realm. As I previously stated, earthbound spirits have asked me why they aren't in heaven yet or where God or Jesus are, but I haven't received definitive answers as to whether God exists or if there are other deities in the spirit world. The spirits I've questioned either refuse to answer or quickly change the subject. My spirit guides, on the other hand, have been honest with me, telling me that I must wait and see for myself. However, I've learned from my spirit guides over the years that human spirits can evolve and grow in knowledge in the spirit world, which is why I said I'd like to evolve into one after I enter the spirit world.

As a medium, I also know that certain spirit guides assist human spirits in communicating with the living and crossing over into the spirit world. I've met and spoken with angelic spirit guides as well as human spirits who appeared to have crossed over to the other side to a higher plane of existence. I've often worked with both of these spirit guides when I've had difficulty understanding a spirit's mental message or convincing a lost and confused spirit to cross over. They are kind and caring and come to me whenever I need their help. As a medium, I feel as though I have a spiritual connection with these spirit guides whenever I am with them and conversing with them. I feel as if I know them and they know me. It's similar to the feeling I get when I know a good friend. Finally, I'd like to state that I will not give up searching for the answers I seek. I might come across a spirit guide, an earthbound human spirit, or a human spirit who has returned from the spirit realm who can provide me with the answers I seek. I'll keep looking for the answers to these questions.



That sounds interesting.


Yes, I've met human spirits who have inquired about their previous lives and loved ones. I've had to tell them that I don't know and then persuade them that whatever is happening to their loved ones is beyond their control and that it's best for them if they cross over. I've met some human spirits who didn't realize they were dead, so I had to persuade them before convincing them to cross over. I've also met other human spirits who had no idea how they died or how long they'd been dead. However, it's heartbreaking to meet the spirits who don't understand why they're not in heaven yet, as they believed they would be after death. They believe they must have unforgiven sins that prevent them from entering heaven, or they are angry and say they are foolish for believing in God, or they feel betrayed and deceived. These spirits are the most difficult to persuade to cross over. Most of the time, they flatly refuse.

Thank you. That was most interesting and informative.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Thank you. That was most interesting and informative.

You're welcome.

 

[Trailblazer]

No one can prove any of it exists if you're praying to a god for it. Have you ever known anyone who can prove they've received it or been saved?
Of course not. In their mind it could be real but not in reality.

Of course not, since there is no proof that God exists. However, that is a moot point, because it is not proof that makes God exist. Proof is just what some people want in order to believe that God exists.

I believe that God exists in the absence of proof, since God chooses not to provide proof of His existence, only evidence. Evidence is not proof because evidence only indicates that God exists, whereas proof would verify God's existence as a fact.

The reason God does not prove He exists is because God wants our faith. If God proved He exists then we would no longer need faith because we would know for a fact that God exists.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

 

[Windwalker]

Leading to god is basically saying prayers and thinking you received something in return. Like blessings, grace etc.

That's not what I had in mind. I was referring to an encounter with something vastly beyond yourself and all of our attempts at knowing ourselves and reality. Something which utterly transforms your entire understanding of yourself and the world. Something which leads to complete peace and joy.

But of course what you describe is what some think God is, like looking for signs of some mysterious supernatural entity, like finding footprints in the snow for the elusive Yeti. Or it could be seeing postivitive things in life through a change to a more positive, hopeful mindset and seeing goodness in life through that, which can be understood as "from God", where God is understood as "goodness".

Those all can be what God is like for some people, but that's not what I was referring to however. I was talking about an actual life-altering experiential confrontation with the Transcendent. Something where the experience itself is undeniable proof to those that experience it, like never needing to question the fact you had a car accident, for instance. "Well, that might not have been a tree I hit....," sorts of internal self-doubts.

No one can prove any of it exists if you're praying to a god for it.

What can be proven is the change that happens. But again, that is not about proof to the person who experienced it. That's only evidence to others who themselves have no direct experience of it, like not being able to see a black hole, but being able to see evidence of "something" that is affecting the surrounding environment.

If you're going to use scientific language, then you're not dealing with proofs anyway, but evidences.

Have you ever known anyone who can prove they've received it or been saved?

Again, back to my original question. Prove to who? To themselves, certainly, as it was a direct experience. Prove it to others? Can we prove our own subjective experiences about anything to anyone but ourselves anyway? No. But what we can give evidences to show what we claim is our experience must have some truth to it.

Proof, is something the other person has to find for themselves through having a similar personal experience. This is true of anything in life, isn't it?

Of course not. In their mind it could be real but not in reality.

Are you saying personal experiences are not reality? If so, that is a curious point of view.

This particular path, what is it, where is it, how do I find it. Let me guess. I first have to reach out to a god that doesn't exist, pray like crazy and never receive anything then for all my efforts to expect eternity.

I'm not buying it.

There are many paths that lead from the foot of the mountain, but at its peak we all gaze at the single bring moon, said the Zen poet. What you described is one of many different types of paths, and certainly not the only one. What I was answer is this, look within. Find who and what you are beyond what we think we are with our minds and our language. Mediation is an effective tool for this.

This is probably more effective for someone who has had their minds poisoned by fundamentalist Christianity and their idea of God as a fearful vengeful deity waiting to pounce on your for your dirty thoughts.

 

[Sundance]

You shouldn’t choose my religion, especially at nothing but my word. Rather, you should search your own self, and choose a religion that suits your spiritual needs. Let the Inner Guide point you in the direction you’re meant to travel.