Do all paths lead to God?

[+Sherapy]

Do all paths lead to God? I think that any path will eventually lead to God, What if we were all bridges to each other and honored each others path and shared our love of God with one another, Is it possible the major problems of the world would begin to clear up? Why do we spend so much of our energy fighting about God why do we challenge each otherl? Why aren't we challenging the doctrines that have created division amoungst us?

[hyperactive]

we are challenging the greatest division amungst us. it is called the belief in "gods" and what they really are.

[BurnSide]

There was a time that religion ruled the world and no one challenged belief in 'god'.

That time is now known as the 'Dark Ages'. A period of earth history filled with constant torture, killing, murder etc in the name of god.

Why do we spend so much energy fighting about god and challenging the common belief? To put a stop to the dark times and their lack of knowledge. To put an end to killing in the name of religion.

If you want to believe in a faceless entity, then yes your paths will lead to it. I prefer the path that leads away from all those terrible human flaws.

[SilverCougar]

*sniffles* Burns thinks my path is failous....

hehehe X)

[+Paranoid Android]

I wish this was in the Spirituality vs. Skepticism, it'd be so much more fun arguing

Seriously though - my personal belief, John 14:9 - (Jesus speaking) "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Putting aside all arguments as to what happens if people never heard of Jesus before, or those that died before the time of Jesus, or any of a number of arguments, it is my personal and sincere belief that it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus CHrist on the cross for our sins that we can come into a right relationship with God.

Until next time all,

[Jodie.Lynne]

I'm sincerely happy that your belief system works for you BFG. That is the point though, isn't it? What works for you, may not work for me and vice versa. When the human race as a whole, and people in particular, finally mature enough to realize that "one size (anything) does NOT fit all", then we will begin to make some progress.

When people stop letting ego get in the way of understanding, then we will begin to be 'one race'. And by "Ego", I mean that particular response that we all get when someone challenges our cherished notions. Whether it is the "best" ball team, movie, book, or religion, we have to understand that we each have our own opinion, and to let it be.

I think the biggest fault of this is due to people who feel that their choice of (whatever) is the one and only "true & Correct" choice. If someone believes differently, it sets in motion a 'defense mechanism' whereby the person who THINKS they are right, must somehow disprove the other persons beliefs/choices in order to validate their own values.

[Space Commander Travis]

I think the argument is that, while each individual branch of each religion may insist that it is the 'one true way', the only path to God (or whoever), and that all the others aren't, when it comes down to it there is only the one God; that the God that is worshipped by Catholics, by Protestants, or whoever, is all the same one? So all these religious differences are just the different slant that each church puts on it, that they disagree basically on the details.

Am i getting this the wrong way round, or is that what we're saying here?

[+Sherapy]

*sniffles* Burns thinks my path is failous....

hehehe X)

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Loved the little song Merci Beaucoup

[girty1600]

Perhaps the best path to God is one you choose completely for yourself. I find it much easier to relate to God in my own unique way rather than seeking fellowship from others who feel the same way as me. I have searched for years to find an organized religion that suits my beliefs to no avail; there just is not one out there for me. Therefore, I do not affiliate myself with any organized religion.

[dmgspycat]

Before I give you my opinion you should know that I am not of any religious denomination but I used to be a Christian.

I believe there is a higher power other than myself and I believe we all go on after physical death. A religion can be an avenue to a higher consciousness but not totally necessary. I think any spiritual path leads to God.

[+Sherapy]

personally I'm not bothered by anyones chosen path or religion. I prefer people who walk their own path as long as that honors their inner truth, I enjoy all people and often I learn something new, I have friends that are Christian Catholic, Mormon, Atheist and we share our journeys with each other our love of

God and what we are learning personally, I would never bypass sharing in a love of God because of someones religion. Any thoughts

[Kismit]

So we can surmise that, all paths do lead to God, they just twist and turn in different directions.

[+Paranoid Android]

So we can surmise that, all paths do lead to God, they just twist and turn in different directions.

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I'm not sure about that personally. Further on my OP, how can a suicide bomber who kills hundreds of people in the name of his/her God be on the same path as someone who may not even believe in God but lives in harmony with their environment and treat all life as sacred.

That's my two cents worth.

[Kismit]

And an excellent two cents it was. But here's the way I look at it. You and I are bothe genetically very similar. we were both born after a gestation period which took place inside of a human female womb.

The path spoken of is one we have to reach, so I assume this is death and what comes after. Then presumably if we all go through the same or similar process at birth we will all go through the same if not similar process at the point of death.

All roads lead to God. I never said that God was an all loving entity, just that God, IS.

[SilverCougar]

If my path leads to someone elses god.. then I surmize I took a wrong turn.

Honestly... If I came here and said.. "All paths lead to the Goddess.." I can bet most of you would be against that notion..

So why think that you're ideas are right above anyone elses, thus thinking you have the right to superimpose it on everyone else?

[Jodie.Lynne]

Maybe they would SC, but the concept of god and/or goddess, is that it surpasses the human limitations.

You are female, and I am male. And, despite any surgical advances to the contrary, that is what we will remain in this incarnation. God/Goddess, transcends the boundaries of male/female, and encompasses both aspects of creation. Some folks just find it easier to refer to any celestial entity, in a familiar frame of reference rather than go against the 'norm'. It's also a helluva lot easier to say/type "God" or "Goddess" than it is to continually say/type "God and/or Goddess".

Me, I find it amusing when people get so polarized over the gender of the deity. I was at a seminar once, where the speaker referred to the deity as "she", about a dozen people got up and left at that point.

[Super Pancake]

I was at a seminar once, where the speaker referred to the deity as "she", about a dozen people got up and left at that point.

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I wish god did have a gender and the look on those peoples faces would be priceless if god was female.

Anyway I don't believe there is a path, for all you know God could have been the person you see in the mirror.

[+Sherapy]

So we can surmise that, all paths do lead to God, they just twist and turn in different directions.

677715[/snapback]

I'm not sure about that personally. Further on my OP, how can a suicide bomber who kills hundreds of people in the name of his/her God be on the same path as someone who may not even believe in God but lives in harmony with their environment and treat all life as sacred.

That's my two cents worth.

677726[/snapback]

I used to think like that also when I was caught up in the reward system of religion on the note of the suicide bomber they really believe they are doing that for God for their religion (I"m not for killing in any form) Actually they are conditioned from early what a hero they will be where does that idea come from I say from theology, Ever read the Quran reference after reference of a God that commands killing even in our bible, So is it wrong or a huge misunderstanding of God Society sells a punishing vengeful God ,who has a low self esteem, and if his not her but if his needs aren't meet well need I say more. Thankyou for that point.

[Kismit]

It's a good point Silver. But in the end it doesn't matter who we worship, we will all go through the same process at the end. Wether it is a simple process of decay, making us one with the Earth, and I feel we can considered the earth as a God like entity. Or wether we all die and go to a spiritual realm good or bad, it's all God's/Goddess's creation.

[GodsMessenger]

How can all paths lead to God?

GOOD choices and actions and motives lead to God

Bad choices and actions and motives lead away from God.

Simple duality tells us this.

if there is an up there is a down which is AWAY from the up

if there is a hot there is a cold which is AWAY from the hot

if there is a good there is a bad which is AWAY from the good.

[hyperactive]

dualistic thought is the greatest of all idiocies!

[Kismit]

Dualism doesn't work, it's actually impossible. If there is an up there and a down there then there is also an in the middle. Three sides, and it is no longer a dualistic principle. I could be wrong, but I highly doubt it.

[_Nyx_]

The way I see it, be a good person, be good to others. You don't neccessarily have to live by any commandment or doctrine. Whatever you choose to be, be a good one. A life well lived will have many benefits.

[+Sherapy]

I'm not familiar with the dualism concept, could someone explain it. The way that I understand (without hot there is no cold without love there is no hate) Hot is the lack of cold , fear is the lack of love, up is the lack off down. Same energys just different perspectives, yet one cannot be without the other, you can't have hot unless you have cold you cannot have female unless you have male, because what would we compare it to, the circle is always complete meaning it leads back to itself. If the universe is inherently good( the universe not the world) meaning all there is is love if you are really looking Life is self supporting self sustaining nature always adjusts isself to support any condition The physical system shows us that , just look around than how could NOT any path lead to God, again only theology sells us on the idea that there is a specific way. Could someone explain dualism to me????????????

[Super Pancake]

Dualism is often described as a doctrine that the universe is under the dominion of two opposing principles one of which is good and the other evil. We can also broaden it to other areas as well as you stated hot and cold, love and hate.

The trouble with dualism is that there is no universal meaning for all the dualistic values we create, also people do not consider themselves evil in their actions. A man can kill your father for whatever reason, you will consider it an evil act and maybe go as far as calling him an evil man, but the man would justify his actions and said he did a good. Who is right when it comes to good and evil the man or you.

Anyway you get the point, right and wrong and all the other dualistic values is all perspective not universal, we are all God's to judge.