Can all religions come together?

[Shadow Wolf]

I wouldn't say it's so much a question for the religion as it is the adherents. Plenty of them do with no problems. Some have problems with it.

 

[Dawnofhope]

That's true. Some Christian churches either in declining membership or in growing, do save space by sharing accommodations. But across widely disparate belief systems it would be much more difficult. A can't see an evangelical church sharing space with those 'idol-worshipping' pagan Hindus.

Personally, I don't like to see things like buildings really underutilised. although many Christian churches are only utilised a few hours a week.

The Dunedin Baha'i community has about 50 - 60 members including a sizeable number of university students. We have an under utilised Centre with about 300 m2 space. At our assembly meetings and community gatherings the issue of having it used more by community groups that are aligned to our vision has been raised. Sharing our space with mainstream Hindus fits that vision IMHO. Our assembly has consulted about it and is exploring the idea though a final decision is yet to be made.

 

[shunyadragon]

Keep your mystery. I will give it the deserved thought.

No mystery(?)

 

[shunyadragon]

I have to agree with Luis...your point requires some missing words to be clear...here is my rewrite which I infer is what you meant:



Not a sentence but a label which is more coherent (as was this).

OK

 

[Vinayaka]

The Dunedin Baha'i community has about 50 - 60 members including a sizeable number of university students. We have an under utilised Centre with about 300 m2 space. At our assembly meetings and community gatherings the issue of having it used more by community groups that are aligned to our vision has been raised. Sharing our space with mainstream Hindus fits that vision IMHO. Our assembly has consulted about it and is exploring the idea though a final decision is yet to be made.

Sounds like it would work well for both parties. Our first shared room was with a very loose group unofficially known as the Gita reading group. It was a single room in an office building, and out temple was in there for about 6 years, if memory serves me right. Eventually we wore out our welcome with the landlord. Too much smoke from the incense going through the building.

So that might be a problem in your case. Of course one thing you could do is start out on a trial basis. Looking forward to how it goes.

 

[shunyadragon]

I don't think it is such a boast in the HIndu perspective to recognize an affinity or potential for being God.

Both are expressions of the full mystery of God as source of all.

Recognizing an affinity or potential of God is pretty much universal is pretty much universal from the perspective of all whole believe in God.

This is not the issue of the assertions and claim of @Shantanu. One religious worldview condemning all others.

There are two approaches to the mystery of God: one of familiarity and identity (Holy Ghost, mystical experience, etc) and one of servitude and remoteness (Yahweh, Allah, etc.)

Pretty much all religions accept both as attributes of God.

 

[Manoah]

The RF forum has been invaluable for me in learning other perspectives and even feeling friendship with those who believe differently from me.

To me the key is building common ground, whether in a safe public forum or a personal safe place in the heart. We can be philosophically open while still being authentic to personal identity or local communion, right?

I also thought that the big, stable religions have common-ground and tolerance techniques built in, for example, as Jesus said, do not judge, do not pull up the wheat and tares, be in the world not of the world, win the respect of outsiders, do good to all people (not only family of believers)...

 

[Spirit of Light]

I want to say thank you to all who took part in this thread.I am sorry i have not been answering any of the questions or reply that was to me, I had to take some time away from the forum because of family matter. When i write this it is soon midnight where i live so i will try come back in the morning to answer some of the questions or try to give more details to why i open the thread

Again, Thank you

 

[Vinayaka]

At our Tamil New Year celebration today, I talked with a Catholic who is married to a Tamil. He's a fairly strong Catholic. So we got to discussing our children, and whether or not they follow in our footsteps. One thing led to another, and he said something about how he was happy if they could just acknowledge the creator God or some such thing, regardless of which religion they took on. It struck me how I couldn't really say anything about how the Gods at the temple aren't seen as creator Gods. He simply wouldn't understand, and what value would it be anyway? It'd just start an argument.

During the conversation I mentioned how I figured children need a personal experience, more than anything else, to have any real sense of Hinduism. He asked me what my experience was, so I told him. He just gave me this blank stare ... God permeating all that there is, isn't part of his faith. He too would need some experience to 'get it'.

So without being rude, I just nodded my head, and let the conversation die. All too often on these forums I've encountered that same assumption. God ... and my version of God is the only version there is. It's understandable, as if that's all you've ever encountered. People need to get out more.

There is no need or point to get into much religious discussion. It doesn't usually add much to anything.

 

[BilliardsBall]

.

This would be the good beginning for the argument that all religions are false including your own.

How so? I don't follow you here.

 

[shunyadragon]

How so? I don't follow you here.

This . . .

We can certainly respect one another, there are many truths in other religions. Salvation, if it exists, would be vital, though, for all persons in all religions, right?

This would be the good beginning for the argument that all religions are false including your own.

Negates the meaningfulness of any one religion in terms of salvation.

 

[BilliardsBall]

This . . .



This would be the good beginning for the argument that all religions are false including your own.

Negates the meaningfulness of any one religion in terms of salvation.

Or some religions are meaningful or one religion is meaningful.

The Earth is round, I don't say, "there are flat Earthers also, so the Earth is neither round nor flat."

 

[metis]

So often people in different religions tend to argue like siblings over who's right, whereas when one takes a look at the major teachings of most of the religions what you find is plenty of commonality, such as the belief in what some call the "Golden Rule".

Therefore, with me, I can walk into any one's services and feel quite at home. The one's I feel less comfortable with are those who believe in and practice the "my way or the highway" approach. I've been told by them I'm going to hell so many times that I'm sorta looking forward to the trip.

 

[shunyadragon]

Or some religions are meaningful or one religion is meaningful.

. . . because of the fallible weakness of human nature, and the lack of provenance of ancient scripture, and the many diverse conflicting interpretations it is unlikely that 'only' one religion is meaningful, but that is what each one of the many diverse conflicting religions and belief systems claim.

 

[BilliardsBall]

. . . because of the fallible weakness of human nature, and the lack of provenance of ancient scripture, and the many diverse conflicting interpretations it is unlikely that 'only' one religion is meaningful, but that is what each one of the many diverse conflicting religions and belief systems claim.

Fortunately, Jesus rose from the dead, so we can get clarity on all this.

 

[shunyadragon]

Fortunately, Jesus rose from the dead, so we can get clarity on all this.

No clarity, because it is a claim based on a religious belief. Actually, the response did not address the problem.

 

[Shad]

Would it be possible to unite all religions in to a discussion forum (physically place. not internet) to benefit the understanding of each others? Not to become one united religion, but to be able to respect each others?

All? Nope. Not all religions nor the "sects" within each are benign enough to exist in such a state of mutual respect.

Example what would it take for Christians to sit down with Muslims and discuss on a higher level then to argue against each others all the time?

Holding a moderate view of religion not a radical or fundamentalist view

Or for Buddhists to sit down with Jews to discuss?

See the above

Personally i think we can benefit from each others as human beings, not in the differences in the different religious beliefs

We "could" if people would get over religious supremacy

 

[Spirit of Light]

All? Nope. Not all religions nor the "sects" within each are benign enough to exist in such a state of mutual respect.



Holding a moderate view of religion not a radical or fundamentalist view



See the above



We "could" if people would get over religious supremacy

I agree with your post
I see the different religions as different "schools" that some people attend, the teaching is about the same topic, but seen from different angles, but the main message is the same, to gain some from of Enlightenment or go to a paradise of some sort. I am not so well known with some of the newer "sects" But i think they can gain a lot of the same too. So i would not count them out

 

[Shad]

I agree with your post
I see the different religions as different "schools" that some people attend, the teaching is about the same topic, but seen from different angles, but the main message is the same, to gain some from of Enlightenment or go to a paradise of some sort. I am not so well known with some of the newer "sects" But i think they can gain a lot of the same too. So i would not count them out

I was talking about radical sects that hold supremacy views of "my way or the highway" that shutdown any sort of discussion along the thoughts you posted above. Westboro and ISIS for example. Those type of "schools" would believe all other "schools" are invalid due to supremacy, and mutually exclusive doctrine and dogma people have issues moving beyond. Those two are not redeemable as it would be destruction of the school itself.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I was talking about radical sects that hold supremacy views of "my way or the highway" that shutdown any sort of discussion along the thoughts you posted above. Westboro and ISIS for example. Those type of "schools" would believe all other "schools" are invalid due to supremacy, and mutually exclusive doctrine and dogma people have issues moving beyond. Those two are not redeemable as it would be destruction of the school itself.

Well if people could stop seeing Isis as a religious sect it would be good, Non of those guys has anything with true religion or spiritual practice to do. Yes they use the little knowledge they have about Islam to use that as their weapon, but as i have said many times in this forum, Those guys do not know anything about islam, Yes they do recite the quran but when asked what the words actually means, they do not know. So personally i do not see them as Muslims.