Can we use all the Religions in our spiritual effort?

[dattaswami]

Can we use all the Religions in our spiritual effort?

Think that you are the universal human being and not a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim. You belong to all the Religions, which are the same syllabus in different languages. The same Lord appeared in different forms. Every Religion has a Gem. Use all the Gems in your spiritual life. Are you not using the Muslim petrol, scientific technology of Christians and analytical brain of Hindus in your materialistic life? Similarly you can use the merit of each Religion. Suppose paddy is grown in one part, pulses are grown in another part and vegetables are grown in some other part of the country. The department of civil supplies is moving rice, pulses and vegetables through out the country so that every person in the country has rice, pulses and vegetable curry in his meal plate. Such a meal only can give the full satisfaction to every body.

 

[vincubus]

Can we use all the Religions in our spiritual effort?

Think that you are the universal human being and not a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim. You belong to all the Religions, which are the same syllabus in different languages. The same Lord appeared in different forms. Every Religion has a Gem. Use all the Gems in your spiritual life. Are you not using the Muslim petrol, scientific technology of Christians and analytical brain of Hindus in your materialistic life? Similarly you can use the merit of each Religion. Suppose paddy is grown in one part, pulses are grown in another part and vegetables are grown in some other part of the country. The department of civil supplies is moving rice, pulses and vegetables through out the country so that every person in the country has rice, pulses and vegetable curry in his meal plate. Such a meal only can give the full satisfaction to every body.

interesting concept and thread.

i for one believe that spirituality has become gathered up under the various banners of the respective religions as ppl are social animals by and large, and gathered under the rulers and the powerful. i then see religions as being the repository of social mores enshrined in religious language which has power. unfortunately, religions tend to awaken the tendency to polarize us. some ....the more enlightened, or the open minded see all religions as one way to the universal godhead, and these ppl ascend the ladder of understanding past the basic rung of religion to once again a return to spirituality where all paths (more or less) are a valid path to understanding that is specific to the individual, which is what spirituality is. i say specific to the individual because we all must understand our place in the cosmos in our own terms. we cannot borrow terms from others, because they lack substance, they ring hollow. like wearing someone elses ill fitting clothes.

 

[JBeukema]

Due to their exclusive and mutually (and, in some case, self-)contradictory natures, one cannot 'belong to' or believe in all the world's religions. Draw inspiration from, perhaps, but not accept and believe.

 

[Avatar4321]

Due to their exclusive and mutually (and, in some case, self-)contradictory, one cannot 'belong to' or believe in all the world's religions. Draw inspiration from, perhaps, but not accept and believe.

I completely agree. I believe all religions have some truth to them and we can learn those truths through studying them. We can also learn about th ose who practice that faith by learning of it. And the ability to see the world through someone elses eyes is an amazing gift.

 

[mattskramer]

First of all, I’m agnostic. Now, let’s go on.

The Bible says, "I [Jesus] am the way, the truth and the life, No one comes to the Father but by me." Aside from that I think that a Christian can pick up good advice from other religious practices. I was in a comparative religions class and asked about Yoga. I thought that the physical practice of Yoga would be beneficial to one’s health. Yet, my teacher explained that since it was based on Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – not a Christian practice, it should not be used by Christians. It might convert Christians to one of the religions of India. I was totally disappointed by this reply. I think that Christians, as long as they follow the apostle’s creed and “keep the faith” they can also pick up on good healthy practices of other religions and not lose their supposed salvation. Where is it written that "Thou shall not practice yoga?"

 

[vincubus]

First of all, I’m agnostic. Now, let’s go on.

The Bible says, "I [Jesus] am the way, the truth and the life, No one comes to the Father but by me." Aside from that I think that a Christian can pick up good advice from other religious practices. I was in a comparative religions class and asked about Yoga. I thought that the physical practice of Yoga would be beneficial to one’s health. Yet, my teacher explained that since it was based on Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – not a Christian practice, it should not be used by Christians. It might convert Christians to one of the religions of India. I was totally disappointed by this reply. I think that Christians, as long as they follow the apostle’s creed and “keep the faith” they can also pick up on good healthy practices of other religions and not lose their supposed salvation. Where is it written that "Thou shall not practice yoga?"

smile. a catholic bishop (dont remember exactly who) said that practicing yoga is a sign of demonic possession. i have practiced yoga (as well as satanism and paganism) so i must be possessed. lol!

lets try something. lets assume, for arguments sake, there is a god. and this god is all powerful. would that god be capable of communicating with us all where we are, using language, idioms, and experience sets we can relate to? i would think so. if this is true, then the phrasing (i am the way, the truth and the light etc) could be seen as an expression that could be understood by a specific culture/enthic group. now, again, some of us are doomed to stay on the bottom rung of the ladder of understanding, and would take that statement at face value, while others of greater ken could see beyond that into something greater, something more expansive, or realize it for what it could be, merely a rhetorical device.

i have a friend who has been a pastor of a lutheran church for many years. he is in his 70s, and still speaks and reads latin, greek, and german, as well as american. he has told me that he has grasps on the bible that he would not dare share with the congregants of his church, lest he be branded a heretic. the man has an intellectual ability at his age that shames most of the rest of us. he was trained by the jesuits, if you are familiar with what that implies.