All the same god?

midlandsmissus

Hello, in a different thread I said that I beleived all religions are good. At this, some-one said to me that this is the opposite of what the christian church teaches, 'do not worship false idols'. It certainly is the teaching of the cristian church not to worship false idols, but I dont believe other religions are actually worshipping false idols.

I wanted to start a new thread on the matter because I am really interested in what people's views on this are. Could not the god in each religion on earth be the same god?

Here was my argument:

All religions are based around a god obviously. The God in every religion has a different name. In my opinion each god that people believe in is the same god. They just have different names due to different languages and cultures. So it doesn't matter what group you affiliate yourselves with. It doesnt matter. It just depends on your geographical circumstances. Lets look at each main religion:


Islam - Muslims believe in a God who dictated the quoran to Muhammad. Now could muhammad not maybe be their name for the person we call moses. Just different societies give different names? Or maybe there was different prophets sent to different continents. People obviously base their religion around the one theyve heard about. Just because I believe in Jesus and moses, doesnt mean i dont think there could have been other teachers in different places around the world. why not? Muslims believe in many similiarites such as the angel gabriel. Muslims mainly believe jews and christians to be wrong because they distorted the revelations in the quoran. Not that judaism and christiany are completely wrong. just that they went off on a different branch

Hinduism - beleive in god, eternal souls and angels. they call God 'Brahman'. Who is to say this is a different god to the one i believe in? just a name in their language for him?

Judaism - very similiar to christianity, they believe in the 'God of Abraham'. believe in jesus, the only difference is they believe he was a prophet not the son of god.


Buddhism - believe in the prophet Buddha. Who's to say god didnt send a prophet to india to teach there. christianity wouldnt include it because obviously it happened in a faraway area, so people wouldnt have known about it. it makes sense to me for a prophet to have existed in india to influence their religions, and not be in the western world religions.

Buddhists believe in heaven and hell the same as christians do- just different levels of heaven and different levels of hell. They call heaven nirvana.

If you look at all the main religions they all have very similiar ideologies. Alot of religions feature in other religions. In my personal opinion, the god everyone believes in, call him allah, god or whatever, is the same god.

Now last of all, I would call myself a christian, but that doesnt mean i believe every single thing set out for me by churches or the bible. I disagree with things. I question things. I say to myself 'it was a human who wrote that, and whos to say they know any more than i do'. The bible isnt the final word to me. Who's to say it hasnt got distorted over years of translation. I beleive you have to find your own way to god. Not read or let other people tell you what to do.

If you're calling yourself something it doesnt mean you cant disagree with some of the teachings. I wish atheists on here would understand this. you make your own way. it's all about your own personal path. that's what i really beleive.

I beleive in jesus which is why i call myself a christian. but i disagree with alot of things the christian church teaches. I think original teaching becomes easily warped and changed through humans, as it is very easy and probably human nature to bend religion for their own personal gain and power.

I make my own way.

PDN

Are you looking for atheist responses since you've posted this in the A&A forum?

Seems to be it could be quite a predictable thread given that you are asking people who don't believe in God whether they think all gods are in fact the one true God.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Some people say Santa Clause, some people say Kris Kringle, either way it's a fictional character.

Dades

I'm assuming mm is looking for non-believer responses though I'm happy to move the thread if required.
In fact if it was moved to Christianity you get most of the same people in it anyway.

Dinner

Where does Almighty Thor & friends fit into all this?

Fanny Cradock

Dades wrote: »

I'm assuming mm is looking for non-believer responses though I'm happy to move the thread if required.
In fact if it was moved to Christianity you get most of the same people in it anyway.

Yeah, it is an incestuous little circle we operate in! It's either your place or mine, Dades.

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Could not the god in each religion on earth be the same god?

I beleive in jesus which is why i call myself a christian. but i disagree with alot of things the christian church teaches. I think original teaching becomes easily warped and changed through humans, as it is very easy and probably human nature to bend religion for their own personal gain and power.

I make my own way.

You didn't like the rule book so you rewrote it to suit yourself.
I hear that a lot from christians.
There are so many variations in peoples beliefs within catholicism alone that there are in essence millions of gods because you all have your own 'version'.
The answer to your question is yes or no depending on what level of fiction you want to apply to the answer.

midlandsmissus

Yeah to be honest it doesnt matter where I post it, the same people always end up on it!

I'm looking for everybody's opinion.


To the atheists/agnostics: I know you dont beleive in god, but my question is:

Alot of atheists state that religion is ridiculous as it depends on what geographical area you are born in in order to end up in the 'right' religion?

But i'm proposing 'Couldnt the god in each religion be the same god under a different name, and that alot of the religions have very similiar aspects?'

Now I dont know every single thing about every religion, so if there are people from other religions on here, please dont be offended as I know i am generalising. Its just an idea I want to throw out. As a buddhist pointed out to me already, buddhism is really the one that is the most different, I actually thought that while I was writing it, so maybe if you're answering have a look at the other religions. Just want to know peoples opinions, thanks!

OP

If OP is going to copy paste I'm sure I can be forgiven for doing the same:



Buddha was not a "prophet", buddha was a man who had some very insightful and amazing teachings based only on his own, completely human experiences. (This is contrary, of course, to the christian teachings of Jesus, to whom you compare him?)

There are so many profound differences in the entire approach to either religion [Christianity and Buddhism] I don't even know where to start.

I suggest this link as some basic reading:
http://64.233.183.132/search?q=cache:YuR8oF2LKaoJ:ankerberg.com/Articles/_PDFArchives/apologetics/AP3W1101.pdf

Lumping all religions together like this in some attempt at "we're all the same really" is, while understandable, almost insulting to many of them and shows a clear lack of knowledge about them. In one line alone you managed to dismiss the entire of the Hindu religion, with all its devas, asuras, scriptures, debates on whether it is monotheistic or hard polytheistic, its philosophies, the concept of karma and dharma which are completely different to western religions, with "they believe in god too".

And none of this of course deals with the simple variety of gods between religions: thor & co, kali (you must be joking if you think you can compare Kali with Jesus), the list goes on.

OP wrote:

But i'm proposing 'Couldnt the god in each religion be the same god under a different name, and that alot of the religions have very similiar aspects?

No to the first, yes to a degree to the second.

OP wrote:

If you're calling yourself something it doesnt mean you cant disagree with some of the teachings. I wish atheists on here would understand this. you make your own way. it's all about your own personal path. that's what i really beleive.

There is quite a difference between "disagreeing with some of the teachings" and coming out with quite a lot of statements/beliefs which are completely contrary to many of the basic beliefs of that religion.
Why you don't just say "I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian" is beyond me...

Nevyn

What about those that have more then 1 god ?

midlandsmissus

Zamboni wrote: »

You didn't like the rule book so you rewrote it to suit yourself.
I hear that a lot from christians.
There are so many variations in peoples beliefs within catholicism alone that there are in essence millions of gods because you all have your own 'version'.
The answer to your question is yes or no depending on what level of fiction you want to apply to the answer.

hi Zamboni,

This is the argument I always get. But answer me this, why shouldnt people question established teachings? Would you be happier if people followed them blindly? Why do you want people to all follow something like sheep? i really dont get this argument. It always comes back to :you're not being a proper christian or whatever if you question anything. that doesnt make sense to me.

midlandsmissus

bluewolf wrote: »

If OP is going to copy paste I'm sure I can be forgiven for doing the same:



Buddha was not a "prophet", buddha was a man who had some very insightful and amazing teachings based only on his own, completely human experiences. (This is contrary, of course, to the christian teachings of Jesus, to whom you compare him?)

There are so many profound differences in the entire approach to either religion [Christianity and Buddhism] I don't even know where to start.

I suggest this link as some basic reading:
http://64.233.183.132/search?q=cache:YuR8oF2LKaoJ:ankerberg.com/Articles/_PDFArchives/apologetics/AP3W1101.pdf

Lumping all religions together like this in some attempt at "we're all the same really" is, while understandable, almost insulting to many of them and shows a clear lack of knowledge about them. In one line alone you managed to dismiss the entire of the Hindu religion, with all its devas, asuras, scriptures, debates on whether it is monotheistic or hard polytheistic, its philosophies, the concept of karma and dharma which are completely different to western religions, with "they believe in god too".

And none of this of course deals with the simple variety of gods between religions: thor & co, kali (you must be joking if you think you can compare Kali with Jesus), the list goes on.


No to the first, yes to a degree to the second.


There is quite a difference between "disagreeing with some of the teachings" and coming out with quite a lot of statements/beliefs which are completely contrary to many of the basic beliefs of that religion.
Why you don't just say "I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian" is beyond me...

Hi bluewolf,

I accept that buddhism is the religion which varies the most from all the other main religions. what about the other ones, do you think there are similiarities in the other main religions?

midlandsmissus

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Hi bluewolf,

I accept that buddhism is the religion which varies the most from all the other main religions. waht about the other ones, do you think there are similiarities in the other main religions?

I made reference to Hinduism in both this post and my last one, please read it more carefully. Particularly given it's polytheistic

Schuhart

midlandsmissus wrote: »

i'm proposing 'Couldnt the god in each religion be the same god under a different name, and that alot of the religions have very similiar aspects?'

Just formalising it a bit, I think your essential contention is what the Bahai faith would hold. That said, I don’t know much about them – but you might be interesting in exploring their ideas, and I usually find wikipedia makes for a reasonable start. There seems to be a community in Ireland, if you find its for you.

I think you could organise the sequence of faiths a little differently. As I’d see it, you have the faiths based around the Jewish tradition. Basically, the Jews had a tribal religion that propounded the idea that they had a special convenant with the sole god and creator. Later, Jesus arrives on the scene purporting to be a or the Messiah. Jews typically don’t accept that he was. After the death of Jesus, his followers start recruiting from outside the Jewish community and the Christian faith is born.

Six hundred years after that, Mohammed claims to be getting visions from that same god. He’s living in a place that has Jews, Christians and various tribal religions. He starts a faith that draws an amount from the Jewish/Christian tradition, in particular influenced by Christians called Nestorians. Mohammed includes the legend of Jesus, but says he was not the son of god and that a doppelganger was crucified instead of him. He said Jesus will return at the end of days to take part in the final war and kill the Anti-Christ.

That’s, as I see it, the inter-relation between Jews, Christians and Muslims. Hindus, as I understand it, have an independent history to their religion, and allows for their being many gods. Buddhism, generally, holds that there is no god, but similarly had its origins in Indian spiritual tradition. And then, as Thaedydal draws attention to, you have people following Pagan traditions that would not particularly draw on any of the above. There's probably other traditions that we haven't thought of (I don't know if anyone follows the ancient Greek and Roman gods anymore). But I suppose the point might be that, while Jews, Christians and Muslims must all acknowledge a common heritage, there's other folk who would not see themselves as part of that lineage at all.

Anyway, I suppose the main point is that, indeed, there is a religion that essentially agrees with your concept that all religions have a common base.

midlandsmissus

"

bluewolf wrote: »

If OP is going to copy paste I'm sure I can be forgiven for doing the same:



Buddha was not a "prophet", buddha was a man who had some very insightful and amazing teachings based only on his own, completely human experiences. (This is contrary, of course, to the christian teachings of Jesus, to whom you compare him?)

There are so many profound differences in the entire approach to either religion [Christianity and Buddhism] I don't even know where to start.

I suggest this link as some basic reading:
http://64.233.183.132/search?q=cache:YuR8oF2LKaoJ:ankerberg.com/Articles/_PDFArchives/apologetics/AP3W1101.pdf

Lumping all religions together like this in some attempt at "we're all the same really" is, while understandable, almost insulting to many of them and shows a clear lack of knowledge about them. In one line alone you managed to dismiss the entire of the Hindu religion, with all its devas, asuras, scriptures, debates on whether it is monotheistic or hard polytheistic, its philosophies, the concept of karma and dharma which are completely different to western religions, with "they believe in god too".

And none of this of course deals with the simple variety of gods between religions: thor & co, kali (you must be joking if you think you can compare Kali with Jesus), the list goes on.


No to the first, yes to a degree to the second.


There is quite a difference between "disagreeing with some of the teachings" and coming out with quite a lot of statements/beliefs which are completely contrary to many of the basic beliefs of that religion.
Why you don't just say "I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian" is beyond me...[/quote]"


I'm not dismissing any religion at all. You cant expect me to know every last detail about any relgion, i wouldnt even know that about my own religion! i have studied all the different religons to some depth though, so i know there main teachings. And its just these main teachings that I think are similiar.

But what I'm saying is aswell: do you not think each different main religion is hugely influenced by the culture and history of the land in which it was formed? that is why there are different religions in different areas? and I think they are all as plausible as the next one?

Why you don't just say "I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian" is beyond me...[/

But that's exactly what i do say???

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

hi Zamboni,

This is the argument I always get. But answer me this, why shouldnt people question established teachings? Would you be happier if people followed them blindly? Why do you want people to all follow something like sheep? i really dont get this argument. It always comes back to :you're not being a proper christian or whatever if you question anything. that doesnt make sense to me.

Hi mm,

You can question teachings all you want but christianity is not a democracy.
The reason it comes up is because christianity is so at odds with modern life that people for various reasons (homosexual, living in 'sin' etc) try and rationalise their faith by cutting out and ignoring the bits they don't like.
The end result is that there are people calling themselves christians but they're not really.

midlandsmissus

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I'm not dismissing any religion at all. You cant expect me to know every last detail about any relgion

Mlm, you're the one trying to propose all religions are the same with very little apparent knowledge of them. I'm not expecting anything of you except that you have some idea of what you are talking about when starting a thread on the subject. And by some idea, I mean the basics of a religion, which you seem to have demonstrated you don't know at all.

i have studied all the different religons to some depth though, so i know there main teachings. And its just these main teachings that I think are similiar.

Right. You think karma and dharma are similar to what exactly in, say, christianity? And hard polytheism, where does that come in?
How about rebirth vs reincarnation vs one life only?

But that's exactly what i do say???

you've insisted a few times you're a christian, so no, it's not what you do say.

midlandsmissus

Zamboni wrote: »

Hi mm,

You can question teachings all you want but christianity is not a democracy.
The reason it comes up is because christianity is so at odds with modern life that people for various reasons (homosexual, living in 'sin' etc) try and rationalise their faith by cutting out and ignoring the bits they don't like.
The end result is that there are people calling themselves christians but they're not really.

That's fine by me. I prefer not to have a label anyway. I'm just me, with my own beliefs. If I had to group myself christianity is the nearest thing to me which is why I call myself a chirstian. But Whatever you call me I know my own beliefs and im happy in them!

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I call myself a chirstian.

New sect?

rockbeer

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Why you don't just say "I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian" is beyond me...[/

But that's exactly what i do say???

Is it? I thought you described yourself as a christian.

Many religions have teachings that directly contradict those of Christianity. On what basis do you justify cherry-picking the often-tenuous similarities?

I'm a bit confused about what you're actually saying here. Are you suggesting that faiths should all abandon the bits where they disagree with each other? Unless they do that I really don't see how you can say they're all basically the same. The fact is that they're mostly quite different.

Mena

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Could not the god in each religion on earth be the same god?

To answer your main question as posted in the OP. No, they are too different in my view. Then again, even if they were it would not make a blind bit of difference. They're all still creations of the human mind.

destroyer

Ah but you're wrong. If you don't believe me
just ask tom cruise.

midlandsmissus

bluewolf wrote: »

Mlm, you're the one trying to propose all religions are the same with very little apparent knowledge of them. I'm not expecting anything of you except that you have some idea of what you are talking about when starting a thread on the subject. And by some idea, I mean the basics of a religion, which you seem to have demonstrated you don't know at all.


Right. You think karma and dharma are similar to what exactly in, say, christianity? And hard polytheism, where does that come in?
How about rebirth vs reincarnation vs one life only?



you've insisted a few times you're a christian, so no, it's not what you do say.

Right Zamboni,

Instead of calling myself a christian i'll say I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian if that makes you happier. I dont mind what you call me.

Bluewolf,
I would say karma means at its most basic level means every action has a consequence. This applies in christianity aswell?

"with very little apparent knowledge of them(religions)."

Right if you want to go down that track, ask me something, anything then! I am not as ignorant about other religions as you think. Why would I post this thread if I didnt know anything to argue with? Especially in the atheist forum? I'm not that stupid!

rockbeer

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Right if you want to go down that track, ask me something, anything then! I am not as ignorant about other religions as you think.

Where did you get the idea that Mohammed might be the same person as Jesus?

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Right Zamboni,

Instead of calling myself a christian i'll say I take some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian if that makes you happier. I dont mind what you call me.

Stall the ball missus, I was only joshing because of your spelling error! :pac:

midlandsmissus

rockbeer wrote: »

Is it? I thought you described yourself as a christian.

Many religions have teachings that directly contradict those of Christianity. On what basis do you justify cherry-picking the often-tenuous similarities?

I'm a bit confused about what you're actually saying here. Are you suggesting that faiths should all abandon the bits where they disagree with each other? Unless they do that I really don't see how you can say they're all basically the same. The fact is that they're mostly quite different.

No. what I'm really trying to say with this thread is in my opinion there is no one correct religion.

that is all

And to be honest with regards with calling myself 'a christian', or 'some-one who takes some of the christian teachings without actually being a christian' as proposed by zamboni, is much of a muchness to me.

I dont agree with all of the christian teachings, but I do beleive in jesus, so call me what you will.

midlandsmissus

Zamboni wrote: »

New sect?

I hope you never suffer from fat finger!:D

Zamboni

Zamboni wrote: »

Stall the ball missus, I was only joshing because of your spelling error! :pac:

I think she has confused you and me.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

midlandsmissus wrote: »

No. what I'm really trying to say with this thread is in my opinion there is no one correct religion.

therefore there is no religion which is correct therefore every religion is incorrect.

kiffer

mm I know a good few people that would be pretty insulted by the suggestion that their god was just an aspect of the judochristian god.

Heck... I actually think I know people who would be more annoyed by that then they would be with me telling them that no gods exist.

I got told off once for saying Venus and Aphrodite are the same goddess...

Any evidence for the existance of one god would open up the way for the existance of more.
It's one thing to claim your god exists but once you claim that he does is it not hypocritical to maintain that yours is the only god...

Also is Nirvana not a state of mind rather than a place you go after you die? I could be wrong there though...

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

what I'm really trying to say with this thread is in my opinion there is no one correct religion.

Surely the next logical step it to discard religion then?

Surely?

midlandsmissus

rockbeer wrote: »

Where did you get the idea that Mohammed might be the same person as Jesus?

Excuse me that was actually a typo in my op, I meant to say mohammed was similiar to moses not Jesus.

In that they both had teachings revealed to them by god. Fixed it now!

midlandsmissus

Zamboni wrote: »

Surely the next logical step it to discard religion then?

Surely?

Why do you think that?

I know its done me personally alot of good to believe in god. as long as we're happy with what we believe in, that's a good thing, no?

destroyer

Zamboni wrote: »

Surely the next logical step it to discard religion then?

Surely?

The ONLY logical step. This is nonsense looking for similarities
in a few main religions and deducing one common god.
There are hundreds of different religions/beliefs/sects
with wildly conflicting views. They can't all be right ,its crazy
to think one could be right and all others wrong, so therefore
ALL ARE WRONG.. ITS ALL NONSENSE FFS.

midlandsmissus

bluewolf wrote: »

I think she has confused you and me.

Bluewolf, I did mean to write this seperately to you, but it got mixed up in my post to zamboni somehow, so this one was yours:

I would say karma means at its most basic level means every action has a consequence. This applies in christianity aswell?

"with very little apparent knowledge of them(religions)."

Right if you want to go down that track, ask me something, anything then! I am not as ignorant about other religions as you think. Why would I post this thread if I didnt know anything to argue with? Especially in the atheist forum? I'm not that stupid!

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Why do you think that?

You just said there is no correct religion.
So why would you bother following an incorrect one?
You're losing me rapid here

destroyer

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Why do you think that?

I know its done me personally alot of good to believe in god. as long as we're happy with what we believe in, that's a good thing, no?

Of course its good for you. It just isn't logical.
So hold onto it for yourself but dont put it out there like
its some great universal truth.

kiffer

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Why do you think that?

I know its done me personally alot of good to believe in god. as long as we're happy with what we believe in, that's a good thing, no?

Is it? Would it not be better the get professional help for problems rather that believe a father figure in the sky will help you solve your troubles and woes? I know this is a little insulting... But if someone believed that the spirit of Lucy from "I love Lucy" had come back to help them through their problems you'd think that was pretty crazy... And maybe a little unhealthy too... Even if it helped them cope.

midlandsmissus

Zamboni wrote: »

You just said there is no correct religion.
So why would you bother following an incorrect one?
You're losing me rapid here

No. What I was saying with 'there's no sole correct religion' is that I believe there isn't one 'right religion' and that all the others are wrong.

I think they're all as good as each other

I think you might have interpreted it as 'there is no right religion at all', which wasnt what i meant.

midlandsmissus

kiffer wrote: »

Is it? Would it not be better the get professional help for problems rather that believe a father figure in the sky will help you solve your troubles and woes? I know this is a little insulting... But if someone believed that the spirit of Lucy from "I love Lucy" had come back to help them through their problems you'd think that was pretty crazy... And maybe a little unhealthy too... Even if it helped them cope.

Em...Professional help....Problems.... What? I dont have any big problems, no more than the next person, thanks.

No dont worry you haven't insulted me, only I can say, I know you think the religious viewpoint is 'pretty crazy' but I don't at all.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

midlandsmissus wrote: »

No. What I was saying with 'there's no sole correct religion' is that I believe there isn't one 'right religion' and all the others are wrong.

I think they're all as good as each other

I think you might have interpreted it as 'there is no right religion at all', which wasnt what i meant.

Every religion professes to be the sole correct one. This is intrinsic in their construction.

If we take what you say to be true, that a right religion is not necessarily unique, then every religion is incorrect, as the 'rightness' of a religion is predicated on the fact that it is correct (obviously enough). So there is no 'right' religion.

You are right in saying they are all as good as each other. They are equally incorrect.

midlandsmissus

Schuhart wrote: »

Just formalising it a bit, I think your essential contention is what the Bahai faith would hold. That said, I don’t know much about them – but you might be interesting in exploring their ideas, and I usually find wikipedia makes for a reasonable start. There seems to be a community in Ireland, if you find its for you.

I think you could organise the sequence of faiths a little differently. As I’d see it, you have the faiths based around the Jewish tradition. Basically, the Jews had a tribal religion that propounded the idea that they had a special convenant with the sole god and creator. Later, Jesus arrives on the scene purporting to be a or the Messiah. Jews typically don’t accept that he was. After the death of Jesus, his followers start recruiting from outside the Jewish community and the Christian faith is born.

Six hundred years after that, Mohammed claims to be getting visions from that same god. He’s living in a place that has Jews, Christians and various tribal religions. He starts a faith that draws an amount from the Jewish/Christian tradition, in particular influenced by Christians called Nestorians. Mohammed includes the legend of Jesus, but says he was not the son of god and that a doppelganger was crucified instead of him. He said Jesus will return at the end of days to take part in the final war and kill the Anti-Christ.

That’s, as I see it, the inter-relation between Jews, Christians and Muslims. Hindus, as I understand it, have an independent history to their religion, and allows for their being many gods. Buddhism, generally, holds that there is no god, but similarly had its origins in Indian spiritual tradition. And then, as Thaedydal draws attention to, you have people following Pagan traditions that would not particularly draw on any of the above. There's probably other traditions that we haven't thought of (I don't know if anyone follows the ancient Greek and Roman gods anymore). But I suppose the point might be that, while Jews, Christians and Muslims must all acknowledge a common heritage, there's other folk who would not see themselves as part of that lineage at all.

Anyway, I suppose the main point is that, indeed, there is a religion that essentially agrees with your concept that all religions have a common base.

Schuhart,

Thank you very much for that. I know I beleive in God and Jesus, but I disagree with alot of the christian teachings, and I definitely believe all religions are as good as each other. I really call myself a Christian because it was the religion that was closest to my beliefs. nothing really suited me exactly. And I am new to religion this year after all.
That bahai faith is very interesting. It does seem to be exactly what I believe in, event though I had never heard of it before. Thank you very much for the link! I am going to read up more about it.

rockbeer

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I think they're all as good as each other

But they all contradict each other. You have to make a choice at some point. Do you believe in reincarnation or not? Do you believe Jesus was the son of god or not?

These things are true or not true. You can't have it both ways. Not unless you're a bit out there, I guess. Which you might be.

rockbeer

midlandsmissus wrote: »

That bahai faith is very interesting. It does seem to be exactly what I believe in, event though I had never heard of it before. Thank you very much for the link! I am going to read up more about it.

Fantastic! Does A&A get an award for helping someone find god? :pac:

midlandsmissus

Just read more about the Bahai Faith. That is actually really really interesting. Thank you very much Schuhart! I was actually feeling lost because even though I believe in Jesus, Christianity still didn't exactly suit me, and I didn't know which way to go really. I only started believing this year.
I've just read that artcle about the Bahai faith and its uncanny how much it fits me and what I think about, I can't believe it.

I'm going to have to do more research into it. Thanks for signposting me again, I had never heard of it.

Zamboni

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I've just read that artcle about the Bahai faith and its uncanny how much it fits me and what I think about, I can't believe it.

MM
This is wild speculation.
And I am genuinely not trying to be mean.
Let me know if its far from the mark.

It sounds to me that you are searching for something and you're not quite sure what it is.
You equated your prior atheism to being the reason this something was missing and came to the conclusion that religion would be the answer.
Christianity is the dominant faith here and the obvious starting point but you are obviously disillusioned with various elements.
So now you're basically on the lookout for anything that, and I quote, 'fits'.

I would like to make a suggetion and say that atheism was not the reason for the void in your life so acquiring a religion/faith/belief system is not going to fill that hole.
Join a tennis club or something

midlandsmissus

Zamboni wrote: »

MM
This is wild speculation.
And I am genuinely not trying to be mean.
Let me know if its far from the mark.

It sounds to me that you are searching for something and you're not quite sure what it is.
You equated your prior atheism to being the reason this something was missing and came to the conclusion that religion would be the answer.
Christianity is the dominant faith here and the obvious starting point but you are obviously disillusioned with various elements.
So now you're basically on the lookout for anything that, and I quote, 'fits'.

I would like to make a suggetion and say that atheism was not the reason for the void in your life so acquiring a religion/faith/belief system is not going to fill that hole.
Join a tennis club or something

Zamboni,

Thanks for your input, but you are indeed way off the mark. I am very content with all areas of my life. I'm very lucky with what I have:family, friends, work, boyfriend, and I am very grateful for this.
This year alot of unusual things happened to me (vague I know but its the only way I can explain it), to make me believe in the spirit world, God, and Jesus. That belief is absolutely unshakeable. Now I did call myself a christian because thats what I thought I must be, but I dont agree with alot of what they say. So while I know what I believe in, and it includes god and jesus, I suppose there is no real 'term' for it. Im not going to jump into the bahai faith now, it is just interesting to read up on it. I actually prefer being unlabelled really anyway. Im just me and im happy!

Botany Bay

MM,



Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
- Epicurus


Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh heavier than lead, and with their wings exceedingly small. He did not, and that ought to show something. It is only in order to shield your ignorance that you put the Lord at every turn to the refuge of a miracle. - Galileo Galilei



I suggest you read, re-read and read again.The two above pieces from two well known historcial figures. Particular emphasis should be placed on the highlighted piece. You and every human being that exists and has existed, is merely a carbon unit. A simple, bio-chemical life-form, on a little blue, ball of gas spinning around in the arse end of nowhere. You and every other human being including my good self, are utterly meaningless and irrelevent in the universal, cosmological sense.

So arguing over what is effectively semantics, between religious beliefs, and apparent similarities between their "Gods" is irrelevant. Do something important and worthwhile. Create your own meaning, join a sports club, cookery class, or book society. Go back to college. After all, the only meaning and purpose thate exists in your life, is that which you create yourself. THERE IS NO GRAND MEANING OR PURPOSE. Your beliefs in the supernatural and your God, are nothing more than self imposed delusion. It may give you some contentment or perceived happinness, but all it is, is fantasy.

You're wasting your time, trying to derive meaning from what religion is "correct" or which God is the "right" one. In fact you'll find, by their nature that the various religions that happen to be popular at the moment, are diametrically oppossed to one another. They're incompatable. All you're trying to do, is engage copious amounts of cognitive dissonance by trying to rationalise which parts fit with your viewpoints and which don't. By the process of cherry-picking, you are in fact by default, dismissing each and very religion that you come across. That in itself should tell you something.

You're not special. There is no grand purpose or design or plan. At least not in the cosmic, universal sense. Only that which you create yourself. So lose the antropocentric, egotistical, self-centred baggage, and develop a bit of intellectual and emotional honesty. In essence, GROW UP.

lostexpectation

>> http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=535

Zamboni

lostexpectation wrote: »

>> http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=535

Not sure why you posted that link but it made me laugh at that forum as it reminded me when I was a dumb teenager.

Christianity: Age 1-13
Spirituality: Age 14-15
Pagan: Age 15
Atheist: Age of reason and onwards...

This thread has veered on and off topic for a bit (guilty as charged) but Botany Bay has made a cracking post there.
Comparing religions is futile. Its like comparing Star Wars to Othello.

Mal-Adjusted

to answer the op's question, of the main religions, i guess Christianity, Jeudism(sp?) and Muslim are all pretty much the same fundamentals underneath it all. Budhism isn't a religin and Hindu is compleatley separate.