It's all the same!

[Michael_W]

There are a lot of similarities, but also a lot of differences between religions.

I don't think it does any religion justice to say they are all the same, that's obviously not true even cutting down to bare-bones basic philosophical stands. I.e. some religions are nondual, some are dual. Some believe in idealism, some have realism as their core.

Religion is responsible for some good, but also is used often as an excuse, and is often a cause of, much suffering and evil. Being a very human thing, religion contains within it all our traits, projections and desires for better or worse. With no whitewashing, no vilifying, religion is both evil and good, filled with acts of kindness and slaughter alike. It is no more evil or good than mankind's heart.

Sure if you read the literal words of corruption. They all are not man based they are all God based. They were all meant to guide us until greed stepped in.

I've read all the texts. With my comprehension I think they are all the same. With yours you don't.

Who's right? Doesn't matter... that's my point.

 

[Michael_W]

[QUOTE="Baladas, post: 4394697, memberu]I have to disagree here...it is not all the same.
In fact, I would argue that we each have our own personalized "version" of our path.
Like the saying goes: "Many people, many paths".

I would agree that, fundamentally, we are all the same as humans but that is a different story.[/QUOTE]

How can you so boldly say it's not? You have already closed your mind to knowledge. We all should have our own path. However there are plenty of signs leading us to a "preferred" path if you will.

Because what do we know really? Not much! So I'll talk all the guidance I can get. From Vedas Bible Torah Qur'an Math books the tree outside the memories...

Every single thing we think about or see is clues.. if you want them to be.

 

[rusra02]

I agree with your statement that we should love one another, regardless of our beliefs. However, I disagree with the thought that all are worshipping the same God under different names. The Bible reveals there is only one true God, and all other gods are mere false gods. (John 17:3) Further, worship of false gods is harmful, as the account of Elijah"s test with the Baal worshippers demonstrates. Worship of Baal led it's devotees to disgraceful sexual practices and to child sacrifice. They also injured themselves. (1 Kings 18:21-40) I believe false religion has filled the earth with violence and bloodshed. All the major religions are bloodguilty, IMO, and are due for God's day of reckoning. (Revelation 18:21-24)

 

[Michael_W]

I agree with your statement that we should love one another, regardless of our beliefs. However, I disagree with the thought that all are worshipping the same God under different names. The Bible reveals there is only one true God, and all other gods are mere false gods. (John 17:3) Further, worship of false gods is harmful, as the account of Elijah"s test with the Baal worshippers demonstrates. Worship of Baal led it's devotees to disgraceful sexual practices and to child sacrifice. They also injured themselves. (1 Kings 18:21-40) I believe false religion has filled the earth with violence and bloodshed. All the major religions are bloodguilty, IMO, and are due for God's day of reckoning. (Revelation 18:21-24)

Brahman, God, Jehovah, Allah.. Same God. Therefore no ones worshipping a false God. He has left different scripture and teachings all over the world at specific places in different time periods.

You quote the verses from the bible about violence and sacrificing.. that's interesting. The bible alone has more violence and sacrifice literally than all other scripts combined.

A peace way against a Hindu, really?


Everything is God! Kind of hard to not worship Him.

 

[Thief]

We are all ONE on a much greater level. We can experience Maya, the illusion. We can all have separate individual experiences no matter how drastic.

All things are coming from the same One source. Therefore all things are keys and clues to creation and existing. The only things that mislead are the things that have been corrupted by evil.

so you do have a line drawn......evil.....
and whatever is evil is NOT one with whatever is good.

 

[Michael_W]

so you do have a line drawn......evil.....
and whatever is evil is NOT one with whatever is good.

Sure. I was referring to religion when I said it's all the same. There is a line drawn in our mind between good and evil.

"Good and evil of this world of duality are unreal, are spoken of by words, and exist only in the mind."
-Bhagavatam XI chapter XXII

 

[Quintessence]

Once you feel the unity, the indescribable connection.. anything less is almost unacceptable.

Thanks for spectacularly demonstrating why talk of "oneness" makes me cringe. It is accompanied by a sense of superiority and negation or condemnation of other ways as "less."

 

[Thief]

Sure. I was referring to religion when I said it's all the same. There is a line drawn in our mind between good and evil.

"Good and evil of this world of duality are unreal, are spoken of by words, and exist only in the mind."
-Bhagavatam XI chapter XXII

But if you can see the difference between you and someone else.....
that line is real.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

As a polytheist and a pluralist, I have to say that "we are all one" talk really makes me cringe inside. Hard.

We're all made of the same stuff, are we not? We all have souls. It's energy, something we all have. It doesn't have to mean that we are all just aspects of a higher God, but that we can all become connected and we're all capable of great amounts of love. That's what they mean by that.

 

[Michael_W]

But if you can see the difference between you and someone else.....
that line is real.

It's an illusion. What's really anyway. Nothing perceived in the physical world.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I wish we could move foward instead of falling down over and over. Some people keep saying belief doesn't matter, yet constantly hold their beliefs as superior and all others are inferior. Or who claim they want unity yet constantly push aside others if they have views that are a little different. Talk is cheap. We all know love is more important than anything. It's what sustains us. It helps us survive. That is most important. so let's do something instead of just talking.

 

[Thief]

It's an illusion. What's really anyway. Nothing perceived in the physical world.

I suspect God and heaven can tell the difference.
and it matters to them.
So then we have the scribes and the prophets....attempting to relay the line drawn.

Each one of us gets a shot at sorting out the details....and deciding where the lines belong.
conversely....how we drawn the line....
determines where we belong.

 

[Jainarayan]

We are all ONE on a much greater level. We can experience Maya, the illusion. We can all have separate individual experiences no matter how drastic.

All things are coming from the same One source. Therefore all things are keys and clues to creation and existing. The only things that mislead are the things that have been corrupted by evil.

I'll agree with that only from a scientific viewpoint. We are all ultimately made of hydrogen, the first element created at the time of the Big Bang. But I do not believe that our "souls" are inextricably bound to each other or to a supreme consciousness. In fact Heathen belief is that there are at least 5 components to the individual, there is no single soul in us.http://norse-mythology.org/concepts/the-parts-of-the-self/ There is nothing to return to or be liberated or saved from. That completely flies in the face of most Pagan and Heathen belief. We do not believe this world is an illusion, it exists.

 

[Jainarayan]

Like the Borg Collective?

On the internet resistance is futile.

 

[Tumah]

Why must we classify our differences? There is so much truth in every religion. Why must we hate one another for the things we believe different rather than discuss the similarities?

We are so caught up in hate.

How can we think we are so right that we dismiss every bit of new knowledge that is presented to us?

The moment we close our mind is the moment we stop learning. If we are not learning, how can we learn a greater truth?

The truth is right in front of us all. But we are not AWAKE!

I believe in God, Brahman the creator. The same God the Christian, Jews, and Muslims believe in. Christians won't believe they have the same God as the Muslims when both go back to Abraham. It's pretty simple.. two sons of Abraham were promised great nation's. Through Isaac was Jewish then later Christian. Through Ishmael became Islam. The Star of David even originated as Hindu symbol when we returned from India.

All scriptures are amazing when read with an open mind and clear understanding. Our opinions and beliefs block the TRUTH.

Example:
A person will say they take the bible as a literal understanding, the exact words of God. Yet, when I can point out it literally mentions REINCARNATION they say oh, no it means something else.

.. wait, now it's symbolic?

We can't make excuses and contradict ourselves to back up what we think we need to believe in due to what we have been taught.

We are our worse enemy.

Hinduism is the oldest religion recorded and made it all this time without war. And we are happy.

How can one say they don't believe in violence then support war?

Scriptures have been manipulated strictly for control.

We are so much more than what we are being taught. We have to do something before its too late.

Love is the only way. Let's all love and guide each other.

No two people at the same exact worship service agree on each specific belief. So, why not at least hear out someone a little different.

So basically
tl:dr;
"Everyone should become Hindu, since through it, one can incorporate all other religions and that's a positive thing."

No thanks.

 

[Jainarayan]

Further, worship of false gods is harmful, as the account of Elijah"s test with the Baal worshippers demonstrates. Worship of Baal led it's devotees to disgraceful sexual practices and to child sacrifice.

And your God told Abraham to sacrifice his own son. Your God sent his own son to go get himself killed in a gruesome and horrific manner.

Please explain to me how my worship of Thor, Freyr, Freyja and company is harmful to me or society? And how can a god be 'false'? Acknowledging its existence makes it real.

 

[Jainarayan]

We're all made of the same stuff, are we not?

Yes, hydrogen. As evidenced by the overwhelming preponderance of people's heads full of air.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I'll agree with that only from a scientific viewpoint. We are all ultimately made of hydrogen, the first element created at the time of the Big Bang. But I do not believe that our "souls" are inextricably bound to each other or to a supreme consciousness. In fact Heathen belief is that there are at least 5 components to the individual, there is no single soul in us.http://norse-mythology.org/concepts/the-parts-of-the-self/ There is nothing to return to or be liberated or saved from. That completely flies in the face of most Pagan and Heathen belief. We do not believe this world is an illusion, it exists.

I agree that because we are made of the same stuff, it doesn't mean we are all the same or aspect of the same deity. I don't believe we are automatically connected at first, but I do believe we can become connected on many levels later on in life, like with the Bible where they say the two fleshes are now one during marriage.

I never thought the world is an illusion or that it's a prison. It's a planet we all live on and life should be embraced, not shunned. To shun it, I feel, is unnatural.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

Yes, hydrogen. As evidenced by the overwhelming preponderance of people's heads full of air.

Than this is the proof! lol

 

[Jainarayan]

I agree that because we are made of the same stuff, it doesn't mean we are all the same or aspect of the same deity. I don't believe we are automatically connected at first, but I do believe we can become connected on many levels later on in life, like with the Bible where they say the two fleshes are now one during marriage.

I never thought the world is an illusion or that it's a prison. It's a planet we all live on and life should be embraced, not shunned. To shun it, I feel, is unnatural.

We do have the concept of orlog and wyrd. Orlog is the basic set of universal laws. Wyrd is not unlike a blending of karma and dependent origination. Every action affects something, someone, somewhere. That connects us. But wyrd is not set in stone. It's like a tapestry in which threads can be removed, added, rewoven. That's because the Germanic concept of time is a. not linear, and b. there are only two states: the past and what is becoming. There is no present of future.