muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
I'm not sure .. what do you think it says?
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The Us vs Them dogma within a religion
- Thread starter Estro Felino
- Start date
That the most likely reality is that the gates are indeed non-existent or at the very least not particularly meaningful.I'm not sure .. what do you think it says?
muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
They are very meaningful, as far as I can see.
A person can remember God in different ways.
They can remember Him by praying regularly .. that is one gate to paradise.
They can remember Him by fasting regularly .. that is another gate.
They can remember Him by educating their families, and looking after their welfare .. that is another gate.
..all very meaningful, to me..
There is more than one way to remember God.
Actions speak louder than words.
I don't doubt your sincerity. I just don't see the point.
muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
The point, is that by remembering God, it will keep us away from evil.
Evil is something that destroys us .. causes failure.
I think we all want to be successful, don't you think?
Sometimes, we might see success as obtaining a PhD, or receiving a large salary.
Whilst those things are not in themselves evil, they do not guarantee success by themselves.
We are in need of spiritual guidance.
Why, sure. But for me that implies, among other things, not going out of my way to pursue feeble hopes that I do not even want.
Perhaps. But in my case at least, there is absolutely no need whatsoever of a god, least of all of an Abrahamic god.
muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
Well, I must have been fortunate to have discovered that I did need God's guidance when I was in my 20's..
It didn't seem so at the time .. it was a bit like "teething", as it was most uncomfortable.
..but I haven't looked back since, and that was 45 years ago.
I have learned so much, while being a practicing Muslim, and God has never let me down. I often let myself down, but that is another matter.
My faith gives me a positive sense of direction .. a blessing in this life, and most importantly, in the next.
I do not have anything to hide .. apart from my sins, of course .. but my conscience is clear.
I doubt it. I truly do.
Wildswanderer
Veteran Member
What church?
That's not biblical.
muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
What do you think might be UNFORTUNATE about it?
You have learned to third-party your values, duties and responsibility to the judgment and directives of a version of Abraham's god.
I sincerely do not wish that to anyone.
muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
My responsibility is to myself and others.
I judge by what Almighty God has revealed, yes.
My point exactly. Thanks.
The Catholic Church. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them
belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ"; "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." "the people of God of the Old Covenant, which has never been revoked".
St Paul says (Rom 11:16 ff) about the "root" and the "branches". The Church and Christianity, for all their novelty, find their origin in the Jewish milieu of the first century of our era, and more deeply still in the "design of God"
Wildswanderer
Veteran Member
The Catholic teach that only applies to those totally ignorant of the truth. Which would be very rare in this age.
Care to explain?
Wildswanderer
Veteran Member
In other words, you have to accept the gospel once you know about it, or you will be lost.
They won't say for sure that those completely ignorant will be saved just that's it's possible.
Viker
Your beloved eccentric Auntie Cristal
What does that even mean? Or do you think it means what you intended it to mean?
Viker
Your beloved eccentric Auntie Cristal
Be that as it may, history teaches us something entirely contradictory to that calling.
Yes, that's true. The history of Christendom is a history of wars and conflicts against non-Christians.
Or against fellow Christians.
But now, in the 21st century, having such a stance is anti-Christian because all churches, all Christian denominations preach the love of your enemies, and whoever hates non-Christian is not considered a Christian by the community.