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non-Christians only: universalist arrogance?

Eddi

Agnostic
Premium Member
This is for non-Christians only!

Christian Universalism is the notion that non-Christians can be saved along with Christians...

I have just realised that Christian Universalism is condescending and disrespectful to non-Christians

Basically, it says to non-Christians "your path leads to my God"

As opposed to wherever it is they believe it leads

I'd find this insulting if someone said that to me

It's like saying "Christianity leads to nirvana!" (although that would not personally offend me but it would others)

I respect the paths others take

But it would be wrong and arrogant to insist that they all truly lead to my destination, to my God

And that is is exactly what Christian Universalism does

Unless of course there is a thing that happens to all people once they die, which is unlike how Christians imagine it...

I think that is a very real possibility but that there is no way to ever know, hence I'm going to carry on practicing Christianity without trying to Christianise the religions of others

I think that would be the right thing for me to do

So no, Buddhism and Hinduism (for example) do not lead to where I want to end up and it would be crass, wrong, and rude for me to impose my God-concept onto them, which is what Christian Universalism does with those religions. However, they are equally as valid as my own religion even if I don't believe what they believe
 

The Kilted Heathen

Crow FreyjasmaðR
Frankly, it's just as arrogant as saying that if you don't believe in their god you're going to their perdition. Or any other religion's beliefs on the afterlife fate of non-believers. It's not so much a matter of arrogance (as it's not really about one's own importance), but more audacious and assumptive.
 

Starlight

Spiritual but not religious, new age and omnist
Universalism or universal salvation make no sense without reincarnation in my opinion
 

Exaltist Ethan

Bridging the Gap Between Believers and Skeptics
Basically, it says to non-Christians "your path leads to my God"

i don't think you fully understand the difference between non-Universalist Christianity and Universalist Christianity.

Both paths lead to God's decision: Heaven or Hell or just Heaven. Think about this: non-Univeralist Christians believe their path leads you to Satan, something in which many people don't believe even exists. God created the angel Lucifer that became Satan. According to Christians, all Christians, all paths lead towards God, even if it goes towards his arrogant creation.

Because of this, your points don't make any sense to me.
 

Ella S.

Dispassionate Goth
I don't think having a disagreement about my afterlife means that either one of us is necessarily condescending, insulting, or arrogant.

In my opinion, people should believe whatever it is they think is most likely to be true, not whatever is most respectful. The fact that we disagree on these points is what leads to discussion.

If I wanted to silence all disagreement in my life, then I wouldn't be posting in a forum dedicated to such a controversial topic as religion.
 

Exaltist Ethan

Bridging the Gap Between Believers and Skeptics
Either accept Jesus as the only "Way", or you're damned.

I meant that statement to be taken figurately. Yes, I know Christians and other religions similar to Christianity say that Hell is a remoteness from God. But the way I interpret Christianity is that, if God created everything, including Satan, there can be no remoteness from him. I'm sorry for the confusion, I shouldn't have said...

According to Christians, all Christians, all paths lead towards God, even if it goes towards his arrogant creation.

But frankly, Christianity is just filled with contradiction after contradiction anyways.
 

mangalavara

सो ऽहम्
Premium Member
Basically, it says to non-Christians "your path leads to my God"

I think it would sound condescending if a Christian were to use the term my god in that same statement. The reason is that it sounds polytheistic as if Christians were polytheists who believe in Jesus, his Father, and countless other deities. Worshipping Osiris, Bacchus, Rudra, etc. would somehow lead the worshipper to Jesus. But what happens to Osiris, Bacchus, Rudra, etc? Do they tip their hats to Jesus and then work in a heavenly garden after the general resurrection? I don’t have to know, but it would be interesting to hear about.

If a Christian or Muslim were to tell me, ‘I think your religion will lead you to God/Heaven/Paradise/Salvation’ or whatever, I would want to hear a good explanation for why they believe that. One fine reason would be that they believe in perennial philosophy. In my opinion, Universalism does not sound authentically Christian. On the other hand, Perennialism is a good theory as to why there are different religions, and it allows a Christian to be a pluralist. There are hints of it in the Bible, in my humble opinion.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
This is for non-Christians only!

Christian Universalism is the notion that non-Christians can be saved along with Christians...

I have just realised that Christian Universalism is condescending and disrespectful to non-Christians

Basically, it says to non-Christians "your path leads to my God"

As opposed to wherever it is they believe it leads

I'd find this insulting if someone said that to me

It's like saying "Christianity leads to nirvana!" (although that would not personally offend me but it would others)

I respect the paths others take

But it would be wrong and arrogant to insist that they all truly lead to my destination, to my God

And that is is exactly what Christian Universalism does

Unless of course there is a thing that happens to all people once they die, which is unlike how Christians imagine it...

I think that is a very real possibility but that there is no way to ever know, hence I'm going to carry on practicing Christianity without trying to Christianise the religions of others

I think that would be the right thing for me to do

So no, Buddhism and Hinduism (for example) do not lead to where I want to end up and it would be crass, wrong, and rude for me to impose my God-concept onto them, which is what Christian Universalism does with those religions. However, they are equally as valid as my own religion even if I don't believe what they believe
My thoughts:

- yes, this mindset is arrogant.
- it's still overall better than the ****ty, non-universalist mindset of "I believe the god I think is perfect is going to send you to Hell."
 
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