Are all religions simultaneously true and false?

reply to post by UB2120


Thanks for your input.

You and I have essentially the same beliefs, I think. All religions can be helpful and/or harmful to the strong and weak alike. The truth is not hard to come by and is easily discerned, but also easily disguised and abused. But the essence of it can be found in all beliefs. Is this not what you are saying?

reply to post by GodIsRelative


That is what I'm saying. I look at it as every individual has their own religion that is fashioned by the knowledge gained over time.

I personally went through a bunch of stuff and am still developing my religion. Currently I have been studying the Urantia Book. (www.urantia.org...) It is not really a religion, but I have found it to be very helpful in organizing my own thoughts about God, the universe and my place in it.

I highly recommend it to anyone who is searching for God.

reply to post by GodIsRelative


From my point of view.

All religions have spiritual beings coming here teaching from my point of view. The whole my way or the highway is the blindness corrupting the message to a "garmented state" instead of the real deal.

The teachers (let's call them Buddhas) know what they are teaching and saying. It is the receivers/students that are not ready for the understanding.

When I read the bible I read it as Jesus coming with the truth and Paul (or someone posing as Paul) and others corrupting it the message just as Jesus said they would.

reply to post by LittleByLittle



I've heard some others also discussing problems with Paul's teachings, but I have not seen any errors myself.

Would you mind pointing some out? Admittedly, I have not read every verse in the bible. I made sure to give my faith shape based on the testimony about Jesus alone. After doing so, I've not noticed anything that should be wrong with Paul's account. What I find beautiful about the accounting of Paul is that it is so true to the message of faith that Jesus preached.

Jesus did not teach "My way or the highway," because that is what the Law taught. Jesus taught only that we need the desire to help each other to reach Heaven. That is why this is the greatest command, to love each other. Whoever follows the command will be lead to Christ, because without Him, we are hopeless to achieve what we need to save us as a species from ourselves. We can do our best to embody the rule without believing in Him, but we will be lead to believe in Him by His Grace alone, because we are human and we are not capable of such great love on our own. With God's Amazing Grace such love is given to us as a gift to be freely shared with all.

GodIsRelative
reply to post by LittleByLittle

 

I've heard some others also discussing problems with Paul's teachings, but I have not seen any errors myself.

Would you mind pointing some out? Admittedly, I have not read every verse in the bible. I made sure to give my faith shape based on the testimony about Jesus alone. After doing so, I've not noticed anything that should be wrong with Paul's account. What I find beautiful about the accounting of Paul is that it is so true to the message of faith that Jesus preached.

Jesus did not teach "My way or the highway," because that is what the Law taught. Jesus taught only that we need the desire to help each other to reach Heaven. That is why this is the greatest command, to love each other. Whoever follows the command will be lead to Christ, because without Him, we are hopeless to achieve what we need to save us as a species from ourselves. We can do our best to embody the rule without believing in Him, but we will be lead to believe in Him by His Grace alone, because we are human and we are not capable of such great love on our own. With God's Amazing Grace such love is given to us as a gift to be freely shared with all.

I love that you are humble in your idea of the level of understanding and nature of love that you can achieve. . If you wanna see Paul with love in your heart (or as a work in progress that even I think he was) then do so.

Some of ous are very sensitive to message manipulation and can feel both with mind and soul when the text are of the mark and strays from the golden rule and become dualistic. Romans 13 is a perfect example of this manipulation. This manipulation leads to duality garmenting of religion with religion vs religion and religion vs atheists. This duality is as insane as racism for skin color is or nationalism.

Where Jesus, Buddha, Rumi and Nanak would be understanding each other on a higher level the followers of their understanding wage hate against each other because they cannot see beyond the duality.

reply to post by LittleByLittle



I still don't think I understand what you mean. Romans 13 is a good chapter on the importance of love, and why we should respect authority. Clearly, you can't just let the authorities do whatever they want. If Paul thought this, he almost certainly would've been killed by the Jews. He stood up to the authorities of the Romans and the Jews, appealing his case all the way to Caesar. This is the kind of trust he spoke of that we should have for the authorities. He knew that they are simply men and fall victim to evil ways just like we do, but he trusted that God would not allow such unjust authority to prevail over the righteous testimony that he was to be killed for.

Taking it a step further, is there an objective truth to which these religions can be held to? Who/what defines truth? How do we know what's true and what's false?

Having been brought up in Christianity and knowing the Bible well, I think that all religions are one actually. So yes as you say true and false all the same. Christians worship Jesus. They put up crosses with him nailed to it EVERYWHERE. Idolizing him. fyi... against the bible to idolize anything but God including statues. Second.... considering even what I am typing right now this very second is just a bunch of scribbles on a screen.. Who's to say what God's name is? Maybe his name is Buddha or something? Who knows... I don't idolize any religion. I did at one point and had terrible things happen in my life beyond my control. I blamed God cuz well that's what I was taught. Then I started internalizing my spirituality... and all the negative things that were happening ceased to exist. I mean ya I have my days. I have my struggles. But I haven't faced death again since. I haven't watched my entire materialistic life destroyed since. And although I am very new here... I'm sure as time goes on you will come to see that this post will make sense! I don't think I'm God. But I do think love, happiness, and peace lie within me. And really? What else does one look to religion for?

reply to post by lilultra


Take another look at what the Bible says regarding "idols." Loosely, yes, Christians are not to WORSHIP idols, but nothing is said about the religious use of icons, statues, etc.

More to the point, if you're talking Exodus, keep reading further about how the Ark of the Covenant was to be built.

For example: "And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be" (Ex. 25:18–20).

David gave Solomon the plan "for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All this he made clear by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all, all the work to be done according to the plan" (1 Chr. 28:18–19). David’s plan for the temple, which the biblical author tells us was "by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all," included statues of angels.

Similarly Ezekiel 41:17–18 describes graven (carved) images in the idealized temple he was shown in a vision, for he writes, "On the walls round about in the inner room and [on] the nave were carved likenesses of cherubim."

Click here for the rest...

I think that the true idol that most Christians are taught to worship isn't Jesus as they claim, but the Cross itself. They believe in the power of the cross more than the power of the unspeakable name of God. They believe that the power that forgives their sins comes through His sacrifice, and not their own. They are not wrong. However, Jesus cannot erase our sins with the Cross, but only with the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, Jesus would have been the same as the two thieves he hung beside, or the murderer the Jews set free to have him crucified.

Take my opinion only for what it's worth.

GodIsRelative
I think that the true idol that most Christians are taught to worship isn't Jesus as they claim, but the Cross itself. They believe in the power of the cross more than the power of the unspeakable name of God. They believe that the power that forgives their sins comes through His sacrifice, and not their own. They are not wrong. However, Jesus cannot erase our sins with the Cross, but only with the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, Jesus would have been the same as the two thieves he hung beside, or the murderer the Jews set free to have him crucified.

Exactly no one knows what “Jesus” actually looked like so how can they make a statue that they put at the head of every church and say that’s not idolizing it? Even the cross for the sake of basics.... Wouldn't not worshiping a "statue" "idol" etc... and just BELIEVING be more "Christian"? I mean to each their own… I find Christianity a religion of convenience. Many people use it as a way to justify themselves or to make themselves feel better because that person isn’t Christian. I MUST convert them cause I am right and they are wrong. Eh… I have my own beliefs. Therefore I’m not right or wrong. I just am.

I think Christianity has good roots and teaches people good values. I just don't think it should be used as it is by many members of it's church.

so... is ok to practice idolatry as long as god says it is??? :/

reply to post by lilultra


For clarification, just because one may have an icon or statue, that does not by default mean it is worshiped as only God should be worshiped.

reply to post by lilultra


I take it only one step further. I think that it is every Christian's solemn duty to show others the path to the Kingdom, BUT only if they are actually walking it. You can never force a seed to grow. You made not the soil, not the water, not the seed, not the sun.

For a tree to take root, great care must be taken to make sure the seed is planted in fertile soil, where it can reach the Sun Above, and the Waters Below. Then the roots can take a great hold, and the most humble seeds can become a mighty forest.

...This symbolic speaking is really starting to get on my nerves. For God's name...

For clarification, just because one may have an icon or statue, that does not by default mean it is worshiped as only God should be worshiped.

This I know. And given that someone hangs a picture of Jesus in their home doesn't constitute idolatry. The first church that I see a picture of Jesus as a man other than white, brown hair, beard, long hair, and well you know... I'll be a part of that church. The thing that makes it idolatry is the repetiveness and similarities... I believe in a higher power but will not profess to know what appearance nor name. I just believe.

reply to post by lilultra


If there's a higher power, doesn't there have to be a Highest Power?