Help with the Faiths (Jesus, ritual, reject, creation, America)

[CDRaider]

I have always struggled with this concept. I have to admit that right now I don't claim a religion. I suppose I claim Christianity because thats what my family is but personally I do not. Heres one of the big reasons why.

I have a problem with religions that say theirs is the only way. Just kinda have trouble beleiveing that God would have chosen one group of people in one area of the world. I mean I know in Christianity I've been told that you will only be judged if you heard the word of Jesus and rejected him. The reason I have a problem with that is because what if you are from someplace that doesn't really have dieties or that is like Native American religions where there is no emphasis on any one man and your mind just can't fathom Jesus being the Son of a SINGLE God and the ONLY way to heaven. I have struggled with this because I don't think God is going to tell you that you HAVE to believe a religion that is radically different than anything you've ever heard of.

I also have a problem with religions that include all of the major prophets because there are many that I do not believe in. That and the fact that the majority of them said they were the ONLY way so how can you have so many ONLY ways all the same??? I'm so confused.

Does anyone have some information to give me some more to think about or reactions? I'm just lost and I want to find something that I think is right.

[Pardus]

Religions are politics.

Think about it.

[michel]

Originally Posted by CDRaider

I have always struggled with this concept. I have to admit that right now I don't claim a religion. I suppose I claim Christianity because thats what my family is but personally I do not. Heres one of the big reasons why.

I have a problem with religions that say theirs is the only way. Just kinda have trouble beleiveing that God would have chosen one group of people in one area of the world. I mean I know in Christianity I've been told that you will only be judged if you heard the word of Jesus and rejected him. The reason I have a problem with that is because what if you are from someplace that doesn't really have dieties or that is like Native American religions where there is no emphasis on any one man and your mind just can't fathom Jesus being the Son of a SINGLE God and the ONLY way to heaven. I have struggled with this because I don't think God is going to tell you that you HAVE to believe a religion that is radically different than anything you've ever heard of.

I also have a problem with religions that include all of the major prophets because there are many that I do not believe in. That and the fact that the majority of them said they were the ONLY way so how can you have so many ONLY ways all the same??? I'm so confused.

Does anyone have some information to give me some more to think about or reactions? I'm just lost and I want to find something that I think is right.

I can understand your confusion; it is something that I think must have occurred to many before (and it is something I have questioned); simply, as you say, because each religion claims to be 'the only one'.

That isn't the only problem; we also have different names for God, and interpretations of what we believe he expects of us.

I have come to the conclusion that every nation has, at one toime or another been blessed by the birth of a very spiritual person, who has taught as best he (maybe she) can.

Of course, the teachings would vary from nations to nations (and have been the bed-rock of cultures at the same time). Personally, I think it most likely that we all believe in the same "Thing"; it is just that we use different words, and names.

[CDRaider]

Originally Posted by michel

Of course, the teachings would vary from nations to nations (and have been the bed-rock of cultures at the same time). Personally, I think it most likely that we all believe in the same "Thing"; it is just that we use different words, and names.

See I believe the too for the most part but its like I dont' tie myself down enough to one religion for me to feel comfortable or to be accepted but I don't love them all enough to feel comfortable going to an all inclusive religion.

[michel]

Originally Posted by CDRaider

See I believe the too for the most part but its like I dont' tie myself down enough to one religion for me to feel comfortable or to be accepted but I don't love them all enough to feel comfortable going to an all inclusive religion.

That is an exact echo of my 'Faith'; there is a lot of Christian teachings that I believe in, but I have (to be honest) fashioned "my own faith" which is parts of various faiths. I am happy with the result, and I will be answerable to God; so it is no one else's problem but my own.

[Hema]

I'm a Hindu. Now I'm not telling you to be Hindu but just trying to say that you can take pearls of wisdom from different religions if you want. I also disagree with people when they say that their religion is the only way. I do not share that belief. In fact the Rig Veda says that God is one, but is called by different names. However, for Hindus, the highest name for God is Om. Even the Bible says that in the beginning was the word and the word was God. Scientists have affirmed that the first sound to come out of creation was Om. When people ask you what religion you belong to just tell them that you are a spiritual person - you pray to God but you don't follow any particular religion. I believe that all religions lead to one God but I love my own religion and will always remain true to it.

[CDRaider]

Originally Posted by Hema

I'm a Hindu. Now I'm not telling you to be Hindu but just trying to say that you can take pearls of wisdom from different religions if you want. I also disagree with people when they say that their religion is the only way. I do not share that belief. In fact the Rig Veda says that God is one, but is called by different names. However, for Hindus, the highest name for God is Om. Even the Bible says that in the beginning was the word and the word was God. Scientists have affirmed that the first sound to come out of creation was Om. When people ask you what religion you belong to just tell them that you are a spiritual person - you pray to God but you don't follow any particular religion. I believe that all religions lead to one God but I love my own religion and will always remain true to it.

Right now I am in the process of studing other religions as a way to find my path through the politics of religions to the spiritual side of it.

I really appreciate your posts about your experiences as a Hindu. I really helps to give light to a religion that i've not come across too much

[lilithu]

Hello.

Originally Posted by CDRaider

I have always struggled with this concept. I have to admit that right now I don't claim a religion. I suppose I claim Christianity because thats what my family is but personally I do not. Heres one of the big reasons why.

I have a problem with religions that say theirs is the only way. Just kinda have trouble beleiveing that God would have chosen one group of people in one area of the world. I mean I know in Christianity I've been told that you will only be judged if you heard the word of Jesus and rejected him. The reason I have a problem with that is because what if you are from someplace that doesn't really have dieties or that is like Native American religions where there is no emphasis on any one man and your mind just can't fathom Jesus being the Son of a SINGLE God and the ONLY way to heaven. I have struggled with this because I don't think God is going to tell you that you HAVE to believe a religion that is radically different than anything you've ever heard of.

There are many Christians who don't believe that their way is the only way. The problem is that they generally don't go around saying that, whereas the Christians who do believe "it's either my way or the highway to hell" go around saying that very loudly. But if you look around these forums you will easily find Christians who do not believe that someone is going to hell just because they don't believe "correctly."

Originally Posted by CDRaider

I also have a problem with religions that include all of the major prophets because there are many that I do not believe in. That and the fact that the majority of them said they were the ONLY way so how can you have so many ONLY ways all the same??? I'm so confused.

Well, I think that most of the traditions of which you speak, who recognize the validity of more than one "prophet," also believe that their words are not to be taken absolutely literally, that their message may have gotten distorted over time, or that it was distorted from the beginning because of the limitations on the way that we perceive things. I don't think - tho I could be wrong - that you are going to find people who believe that everything that Jesus said is absolutely and literally true AND that everything that Mohammed said is absolutely and literally true, for example. Instead, they see important truths in their words.

Usually, when people see a unified message across the different "prophets" it has to do with ethics - how we should behave - and not statements on the nature of God/the Universe/etc.

Originally Posted by CDRaider

Does anyone have some information to give me some more to think about or reactions? I'm just lost and I want to find something that I think is right.

I'd reccommend that you not think of this as something that you can the right answer to and then be done with. Faith is an active thing that must be constantly guarded, ie - re-examined. If you choose one thing and then find it doesn't work and choose something else, that isn't bad. You haven't wasted your time with the previous choice. It's part of the journey. Otoh, you need not (imo) sample everything just to make sure you've considered all the options. From what I've seen, you can get to the same place regardless of which tradition you choose, when you start to see the particulars as just the particulars and the universal as the universal. But, also from what I've seen, you have to get there through the particulars. Jumping to the conclusion of universality without having grappled leaves one with a relatively shallow faith.

Don't know if that will make sense to you. Basically, what I'm suggesting is that you not stress about finding the right religion and instead concentrate on what you believe, what you have faith in. If you know what you believe, you may find a religion that will help get even further than you would without it. But if you don't know what you believe, then any religion that you might choose would just be a crutch.

Hope that helps.