With the passing of Pope John Paul ll, perhaps some reflection on religious beliefs is appropriate. Religion is defined as a set of beliefs concerned with explaining the origins and purposes of the universe, usually involving belief in a supernatural creator and offering guidance in ethics and morals. It also consists of any of several institutions with their own beliefs, rituals, and teachings. Throughout history and even still today, most religions claim to be the one true religion and all others are considered either phony imitations or some sort of heretical sacrilege. It is a sad reality that most people do not recognize the benefit of what can be learned from other religions along the way of their spiritual journey. If one studies the major religions of today such as Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism etcetera they will find more similarities than differences. They are guides for how to live and grow spiritually. Some would argue that religion has been one of the biggest causes of humanity's problems but others counter that it is the misinterpretation of religious tenets that causes strife. Still further, many people see religion as a form of control over the masses whereas others see it as a necessary shield against evil influences. I had the opportunity to read a book recently concerning near death experiences {NDE}. The book was a compilation of individual testimonies by those who left their bodies temporarily and returned to tell about their experience. The author characterized their stories and then pointed out the large similarities and small differences in each of the NDE's. Two personal friends of mine have had an NDE and shared their experience with me. I've also communicated with a deceased friend by way of a psychic medium. All three sources agreed that upon death of the body, we travel through a tunnel toward a bright, warm and loving light. Upon entering the light, we are given a life review. During the life review, we re-experience all the thoughts, words and actions that came from us. Anything negative is re-experienced as though we are the person on the receiving end of our negativity. For example, one of the contributors to the book re-experienced the event where he had severely beaten another man although this time, he felt the blows he had administered. The whole premise for experiencing the light appears to be an opportunity to examine what we have learned along our spiritual journey. In conclusion, it appears that Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Confucius, and Buddha were all very wise men who made a significant impact on humanity teaching spirituality as it applied to a specific civilization. Perhaps if humanity could somehow integrate all these religious belief systems toward the goal of one spirituality with God, we could finally begin to see the emergence of world peace.
wow..... that was quite the first post. welcome to the forums, joebialek. that was very well-put; did you write it? i don't know if i quite believe in the possibility of communicating with the dead, john edward-style; i've read some books on near-death experiences too, and found the subject interesting. haven't discussed it much. i believe you put the need for study of religion in words quite eloquently. hope you enjoy your time here! peace, sophia
why does everyone need to realise that all religions are one? the teachings of many religions teach that theirs is the way, and often the only way... what would be true to these peoples and Gods teachings would be for everyone to respect and love everyone regarless of where their faith lies... we do not need to all think/beleive the same, but respect the same...
Because all religions ARE one. name any religion whose ultimate goal is something other than eternal bliss and happiness. If everyone could see that this is the whole reason for any religion, then every person could see eye to eye. But since religions get confused with prayer, ritual, and history people lose sight of their underlying meaning. Religions teach that one must act a certain way, pray a certain way, or praise a certain figure, and if you dont then youre out of favor of your religion. People rely to heavily on others for spiritual guidance. We study figures such as Abraham, Moses, the saints, and Jesus and his teachings. If we would realize the symbolism behind his life, instead of interpreting and trying to mirror him, we would have a purer understanding of his teachings. If everyone would see the real meaning behind spirituality, instead of following a certain way of life presented to them by organized religion, then we could all unite under a common faith.
i can say im not trying to mirror Jesus, i am mearly trying to live the most sin free life i can and following the teachign which He presented to us
I never said everyone has to believe or practice the same, but understand that every set of beliefs and practices leads up to the same ultimate truth. As for teachings, it is all we can do to be true to oursleves in attempting to follow our path. However, it is important that teachings be understood in te right way, bothin terms of symbolism like colors said, and in terms of context and setting. The teaching given to a highly intellectual person who has studied many philosophies would be drastically different form that given to an illiterate farmer. Again the teaching given to an Indian would be different form the teaching given to an American. Teachings in the 20th century would differ from those in the 17th century. They all express the same things, but in different ways through different practices and different paths and different lines of reasoning according to the context. If these things are not taken into account then we run into the danger of totally misunderstanding and misinterpreting the teachings of the great masters. We can see this happening all around us.
I agree, all religions are but different views of the same Ultimate Reality. For it would make sense that if there is a God or Ultimate Truth or what have you, that all religions are culturally influenced experiences of that Truth, and that studying any religion will lead you back to the one Truth. The trouble is the cultural influence makes that path back razor thin and easy to get lost on cultural tangents. This is why it is important to trust your own experience, for it is there where you are in the most intimate contact, or rather, in IDENTITY, with this Truth. (identity in the mathematical sense of being one with, 1=1)
Many faiths lose sight of the fact that all religions are man-made interpretations of Truth. This doesn't make them wrong, but it is easy to see why many believe there is only one path. I believe that there is a difference between religion and faith, far too many people rely on the church for insight, and many churches opperate using fear. This is a slimy tactic, but it works.. I think that many people pick fights over religion because they are not at peace with themselves. The best thing to do is give them patience and understanding. I am just glad that I have made peace with myself, because now I can make peace with those around me. Ghandi said "All faiths constitute a revelation of Truth, but are all imperfect and liable to error." and also "I do believe in the other world [the afterlife] there are neither Hindus, nor Christians, or Moslems."
When Gandhi spoke of the other world, he did not mean the afterlife, he meant the world of spiritual awakening.
