Jesus Is My Guru

[zpotus]

There are certain moments/events in life we know are from God. Certain dreams, for example, that are so clear and so real that they leave no doubt as to their meaning, and we live them out and look back and think, "Wow." And for me, there are certain books (in an endless list of books I've read and books I'm reading) that I know for a fact have

Comments

[chrysologus400]

"The truths of all the faiths of all the ages fit into Him with room to spare, allowing each to be equally and unequivocally true at the exact same time without need to imply that if one is true, the others must be lies."

That makes no sense. Something can't be both true and not true at the same time and in the same way. Ergo, all the religions of the world can't be completely right. It really is wrong to burn your children to death to please the gods. And so are other doctrines.

[zpotus]

sigh... so literal.

First, there really isn't any real need for you and I to agree on this point.

However, since I'm here in response-mode...

I confess "all" is probably not what I really mean. I don't think pagan "religions" and religions that burn babies and deny the existence of any power higher than Self fit into this category.

But I do believe (hope) that (1) there are things that make perfect sense to God that make no sense to us; and (2) that the spirit (if not the actual mucked-up practices) of the religions that believe a single, omnipotent God of love and peace can, in the infinite possibilities of God, all be true at the same time. I personally just don't see my God of infinite-love for His creation playing a zero-sum game with it, whereby if one person "wins" with the "correct" religion, then another must "lose" with the "wrong" one.

But that is JUST me. In this belief, right or wrong, I feel the fruits of the spirit manifesting themselves within me.

If you feel the opposite, then stick to it:)

[pastorlenny]

So can I ask you what you think sin is? And how it affects a human being seeking a relationship with the Father? Can a "religion" claim as a central tenet belief in a "single, omnipotent God of love and peace" -- yet still completely fail to address the issue of man's inherent sin-nature?

[zpotus]

I haven't studied all the world's religions in-depth, I confess, just as I confess that I have no one correct-for-all-time definition of "sin" by which I live my life. I don't think "sin" has one defintion that covers everything in every moment, just as I don't think faith has one definition

[pastorlenny]

Actually, it was a pretty good answer for what it answered. Thanks for taking the trouble to formulate it.

I would agree that "sin" is often addressed in "one manner or another" by various religious models. My last question had more to do with the possibility that some of the prescriptions offered for their "sin-equivalents" by some religions could be entirely ineffectual in terms of actually removing the obstacle-to-relationship that sin presents.

[chrysologus400]

OK, that statement is more agreeable and logical. The "spirit" of all religions that believe in the one true God could, theoretically be the same, I suppose. An actual look at Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, however, does not bear that out, if you ask me. In any case, I agree that this does not mean that only those who belong to the correct religion "win" while everyone else "loses." God offers his grace to everyone and Jews and Muslims have a special place (especially Jews) in God's plan.

[pastorlenny]

Most especially, positively, and absolutely Jews from the New York metropolitan area who can sing, dance, and tell jokes! :)