Praying

robindch

> I did answer your question in relation to the op's post.

Not quite, though you did come close (as I mentioned some had), and was going to reply more quickly to your posting, but Talliesin's posting intervened.

Anyhow, your comment is a good one -- I've never understood how people can work out if they're praying to the right deity. How to muslims know that they're not praying to the christian god, or the christians to allah, jehovah or somegody other? After all, the attributes of all these deities are pretty much the same and not all the religions can be simultaneously correct, there must be some large group of people who are inadvertently annoying the deity they're praying to, by saying prayers appropriate to another deity. As I said, it's a good point and perhaps worth considering at greater length?

Nevyn

Well maybe this section of the thread can be split out and but in a more appropitate forum hmmm maybe spirituality.

All gods are not the same they are very different and have differing personalities.
They do not have all the saem attributes.
How much about differing diety and the practice and worship of them to you know or have read about ?
Different prayers of different faiths usually start of by naming or addressing god by name.

Actually the christains, islamics and judaics are all praying to the same god, the god of Abraham. Islam and chirstainity are off shoots of or changing of the ways or keeping of the way depending on the persons view point.

Isaac and Ishmael were the sons of Abraham and it is there that the first split happened, and then you have the split into christainity.

But the God of Abraham was never the only god but he was the only god for his people.

SkepticOne

If you consider gods to be abstract objects of the human imagination or cultural constructions then there are many gods - as many as can be concieved of.

However, Christians, Muslims and Jews believe that their god is not merely their god but the only god. From their point of view (which is the point of view of any monotheist), any god that exists is the one true god and the only one that can exist.

Many Hindus believe that the multitude of gods in their pantheon are facets of one being: Brahman. If you are a monotheist of the Judeo/Christian/Islamic tradition then, logically, you will believe that either a) Brahman is identical to God or b) Brahman as concieved of by these Hindus does not exist.

Anyhow, your comment is a good one -- I've never understood how people can work out if they're praying to the right deity. How to muslims know that they're not praying to the christian god, or the christians to allah, jehovah or somegody other?

Most people of these faiths believe they are all praying to the same entitity: the one true god. I don't know what the official line is as regards the Hindu Brahman, but I've heard a muslim say it is the same god as Allah. Don't know what the Christian position is.

Aisling&M

Can I put my own personal opinion in here?

I firmly believe that the Universal God is far less constricted to human concept than we imagine. The idea of being one entity or a thousand entities can both be correct. God is a force, capable of materialisation in many many ways. I believe this force to be of the highest and most powerful and loving state and too far advanced for me, in this human state to contemplate, let alone understand.

When it comes to religion and praying specifically I think of it, as Sylvia Browne explained it.

Imagine it's your birthday and you have a party. 10 friends come along and give you gifts, all different but you love them all because they were given to you out of love and respect and care. This is the same case I believe with praying to God. It is a sign of respect and adoration to Him/Her/It/Them and it is taken with love and thanks regardless of the words said or the address it was sent to.

Perhaps the concepts of love, God, worship and deities in general are much more simple than we speculate?

Aisling&M

I also wanted to add that God is not human and not limited to human philosophies. The God that I believe in is much much more. Religion I believe is a human rationalisation with images and words and texts that if they lead you to live a life of love and respect can be wonderful. But I know for me, that God will love anyone and everyone forever.

Asiaprod

Aisling&M wrote:

The idea of being one entity or a thousand entities can both be correct. God is a force, capable of materialisation in many many ways. I believe this force to be of the highest and most powerful and loving state and too far advanced for me, in this human state to contemplate, let alone understand.

Now you are close to Buddhism. For us its the force, we know it as The Universal Law, or more simply as The Natural Law.

Perhaps the concepts of love, God, worship and deities in general are much more simple than we speculate?

I do believe so, but the more simpler a thing becomes, the more complex it also becomes.