What is truth?

[Ben Bet Beh]

I am a middle-aged cradle Catholic Christian who is challenging his long-held beliefs and practices. I do not have any theological problems with my faith perse, however how the church applies the faith in matters of the faith gives me reason to pause. I think of the scripture that says to the effect 'by their fruits you shall know them'. I have a tendency to believe that there is in fact a true faith that can be known, but I am open to others thoughts on this premise as well. I am looking for those who are knowledgeable in their beliefs to share them and give their best reasoning as to why the path they have chosen is the correct one. Thank you and I look forward to your thoughtful replies.

 

[ChristineES]

Welcome to the RF. I am a Christian of the Baptist persuasion. I don't 100% follow the Baptist doctrine, however. .
I have had some deep contemplation about my faith and that of others. I am not, nor have I ever been, 100% convinced that only Christians have "truth". This is because so many different religions have a lot of similarities. This kind of belief has been a thorn in my side with certain other Christians. I am somewhat afraid to tell these certain Christians what I believe, because in the past, those types always throw verses in my face(ones that I already know very well) to prove me wrong. A couple of these types tell me I am not a true Christian for even having these thoughts. I don't feel as though I am qualified to tell others that their faith or religion is "wrong", I am not any more knowledgeable than anyone else and I certainly don't even begin to know everything. The strange thing is that the more I study the bible, the more firm in that belief.

 

[Riverwolf]

The Vedas teach that Truth is One. However, this Truth is referred to with many Names, and imagined with many Forms. This is an essential teaching from the Vedas; the actual seed-verse from which this truth is derived reads:

They call Him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni or the heavenly sunbird Garutmat. The seers call in many ways that which is One; they speak of Agni, Yama, Matarishvan.
Rig Veda 1.164.46

But this truth is also expounded in the Upanishads, which speak of Brahman as the Supreme Reality, as One Without a Second, the Self of all, the Source of all, and the Core Essence of all things.

I follow this path because I discovered many of these truths on my own before I discovered this religion.

 

[Ben Bet Beh]

Welcome to the RF. I am a Christian of the Baptist persuasion. I don't 100% follow the Baptist doctrine, however. .
I have had some deep contemplation about my faith and that of others. I am not, nor have I ever been, 100% convinced that only Christians have "truth". This is because so many different religions have a lot of similarities. This kind of belief has been a thorn in my side with certain other Christians. I am somewhat afraid to tell these certain Christians what I believe, because in the past, those types always throw verses in my face(ones that I already know very well) to prove me wrong. A couple of these types tell me I am not a true Christian for even having these thoughts. I don't feel as though I am qualified to tell others that their faith or religion is "wrong", I am not any more knowledgeable than anyone else and I certainly don't even begin to know everything. The strange thing is that the more I study the bible, the more firm in that belief.

You are not alone. Truth can be found in other religions. Christians could contend that elements of truth are found in others. However, the elements that are incompatible with Christianity would be false.

 

[Ben Bet Beh]

I follow this path because I discovered many of these truths on my own before I discovered this religion.

I'm curious if you believe everyone will at some point come to the same conclusion as you did, or could there be multiple truths?

 

[Riverwolf]

I'm curious if you believe everyone will at some point come to the same conclusion as you did, or could there be multiple truths?

There are many paths up the same mountain. Looking at my attitude, discipline, etc... I'm pretty darned close to the bottom. ^_^

 

[xkatz]

At 0:55. Son Goku is truth.

[youtube]p6Tlpfy5QXY[/youtube]
‪DBZ - Goku's "I AM" Speech [HD]‬‏ - YouTube

 

[Riverwolf]

At 0:55. Son Goku is truth.

[youtube]p6Tlpfy5QXY[/youtube]
‪DBZ - Goku's "I AM" Speech [HD]‬‏ - YouTube

ALL HAIL GOKU!!!:bow::bow::bow:

 

[Onkara]

I am looking for those who are knowledgeable in their beliefs to share them and give their best reasoning as to why the path they have chosen is the correct one. Thank you and I look forward to your thoughtful replies.

Change is pretty much the only thing we can count on. One day we feel one way then the next day we may find we feel differently. Some things change over years. Our senses testify the world changes around us.

Change, like a spinning wheel, spins around a non-moving hub. The hub resides within each of us, not as a thing as such, but as how you know "you" your self when you strip off all the memories, thoughts, likes and dislikes. Turning in and recognising that self (or hub) brings stability in a world of change. With it comes a sensation of silent joy or unconditional love is known as "you". This is essentially the teaching of non-dualism from my perspective, and what I feel Plato meant when he said "Know Thyself".

 

[K.Venugopal]

I am a middle-aged cradle Catholic Christian who is challenging his long-held beliefs and practices. I do not have any theological problems with my faith perse, however how the church applies the faith in matters of the faith gives me reason to pause. I think of the scripture that says to the effect 'by their fruits you shall know them'. I have a tendency to believe that there is in fact a true faith that can be known, but I am open to others thoughts on this premise as well. I am looking for those who are knowledgeable in their beliefs to share them and give their best reasoning as to why the path they have chosen is the correct one. Thank you and I look forward to your thoughtful replies.

It would be very beneficial to us if we take the position that we are inheritors to all of man's knowledge and experience. Particularly a "seeker" should not deny himself the opportunity of availing wisdom from all sources. Everything, positive and negative, have their own lessons to teach. What conclusions we form is our own privilege, so long as our conclusions do not lead to disharmony. And moreover, life offers us ample opportunities to contribute to the corpus of human knowledge and experience. Let not anything, in the form of conditioning, organisation, loyalties or tradition deny us our honourable place under the sun.

 

[PolyHedral]

Truth is P∨¬P.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

Truth is knowledge which should always be chased but never found.

 

[TheKnight]

I am a middle-aged cradle Catholic Christian who is challenging his long-held beliefs and practices. I do not have any theological problems with my faith perse, however how the church applies the faith in matters of the faith gives me reason to pause. I think of the scripture that says to the effect 'by their fruits you shall know them'. I have a tendency to believe that there is in fact a true faith that can be known, but I am open to others thoughts on this premise as well. I am looking for those who are knowledgeable in their beliefs to share them and give their best reasoning as to why the path they have chosen is the correct one. Thank you and I look forward to your thoughtful replies.

Life is not a war between good and evil, it is not a struggle between us and them, it is not a desperate attempt to find the "true religion" so that we can be "saved" and go to some place better than where we already are.

It is an opportunity. It is an opportunity to be, to experience, to live, to love, to discover eternal Unity and to make oneself infinitely better.

I once believed that I had the correct beliefs. I believed that God created the world, mankind sinned, Jesus came and died to correct that sin, and the point was to believe in Jesus and be "saved" from sin so that we can live forever in heaven with God.

But then I left Christianity. Once outside I discovered and began to appreciate how beautiful life is when you're not looking for the "correct path" or "correct way". I learned that there are many paths all going to various destinations. Multiple paths leading to each destination. The point is to walk a path that will make you happy, that will fulfill you.

What you do is only wrong if at the end of the day you look back and regret doing it.

 

[K.Venugopal]

Life is not a war between good and evil, it is not a struggle between us and them, it is not a desperate attempt to find the "true religion" so that we can be "saved" and go to some place better than where we already are.

It is an opportunity. It is an opportunity to be, to experience, to live, to love, to discover eternal Unity and to make oneself infinitely better.

I once believed that I had the correct beliefs. I believed that God created the world, mankind sinned, Jesus came and died to correct that sin, and the point was to believe in Jesus and be "saved" from sin so that we can live forever in heaven with God.

But then I left Christianity. Once outside I discovered and began to appreciate how beautiful life is when you're not looking for the "correct path" or "correct way". I learned that there are many paths all going to various destinations. Multiple paths leading to each destination. The point is to walk a path that will make you happy, that will fulfill you.

What you do is only wrong if at the end of the day you look back and regret doing it.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. Particularly the last line. But what if I hurt someone and have no regrets?

 

[TheKnight]

I agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. Particularly the last line. But what if I hurt someone and have no regrets?

Right and wrong are not dependent on whether or not someone is hurt. And even if they are, my perspective is not about right or wrong, but about walking the path you've chosen. If you harm others physically with no regret and without justification then people who walk the path I walk will come along to stop you.

 

[Pegg]

I have a tendency to believe that there is in fact a true faith that can be known, but I am open to others thoughts on this premise as well. I am looking for those who are knowledgeable in their beliefs to share them and give their best reasoning as to why the path they have chosen is the correct one. Thank you and I look forward to your thoughtful replies.

I was never really interested in christianity until I learned that God had a name. I know that sounds strange, but once I knew his name, I could not turn back. I had to learn more. Studying the bible showed me that God has always used a specific channel to communicate with mankind.

In the days of Noah, He used Noah to preach about the coming flood. Before Noah, it was Enoch. After Noah, God communicated through Moses, then thru the various prophets of the hebrew scriptures, finally through Jesus and his Apostles.

So it was clear to me that not all of the christian churches could really be of the same channel...especially considering that they all have different teachings. So, like you, I did believe that there must be a channel God would be using. I came to my conclusion based on the good conduct & love expressed among the members, the teachings in harmony with the scriptures and the fact that all members were actively involved in Jesus command to go and preach the kingdom message.

 

[Onkara]

I was never really interested in christianity until I learned that God had a name. I know that sounds strange, but once I knew his name, I could not turn back. I had to learn more. Studying the bible showed me that God has always used a specific channel to communicate with mankind.

Hi Pegg

What is His name?

 

[Pegg]

Hi Pegg

What is His name?

In hebrew it is יהוה - YHWH - ha‧wah′
The most accepted Hebrew form is Yahweh
The most recognized English form is Jehovah

In all my years of watching Jesus movies at christmas time (that was the extent of my knowledge of christianity growing up) I never knew God has a personal name because it was never mentioned. So when i learned that from the JW's I though they know something that most other churches wont even mention... i wanted to know why that was the case and in further study, i got my answer.

 

[TheKnight]

In hebrew it is יהוה - YHWH - ha‧wah′
The most accepted Hebrew form is Yahweh
The most recognized English form is Jehovah

In all my years of watching Jesus movies at christmas time (that was the extent of my knowledge of christianity growing up) I never knew God has a personal name because it was never mentioned. So when i learned that from the JW's I though they know something that most other churches wont even mention... i wanted to know why that was the case and in further study, i got my answer.

Most accepted Hebrew form? The name is not pronounced in Hebrew. It's replaced with Adonai or HaShem.

Besides, Yaweh certainly isn't correct as there's no W in Hebrew.

 

[earlwooters]

Jehovah is one of the seventy sons of El. El is the most mentioned God in the Bible, and the oldest historical and biblical deity known. What happened to El?