D. Allan Posted February 17, 2007 Posted February 17, 2007 I like the three elements you list. They are what I like about Christianity. But are they the essence of Christianity? What is the one most important element? Didn't Jesus say the greatest part of religion is to love God with all your heart, soul and strength? To me that is the essence of Christianity - loving God by a personal relationship, not through some abstract idea. All else is secondary, and worthless if that one item is missing. Therefore I say it is the essence - the one thing essential. ~d.allan Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
David Koot Posted February 18, 2007 Posted February 18, 2007 David, the issue I was addressing was one which I have heard on a number of occasions. You quoted Ghandi, but there are others who have said similar things. Perhaps it is a question of semantics--the 'essence' of religions. The fact is that the great world religions teach that man may reach heaven by his own works, sooner or later. Why, even the Muslim faith (Sunni) teaches that if a Muslim does good deeds, he will go to heaven, but if he does bad deeds in this life, he will spend time after death in the equivalent of purgatory, after which he will be admitted to heaven. Protestant Christianity is unique in teaching that man cannot reach heaven by his own works, as well as the understanding that we are not gods and never will become gods. Quote
D. Allan Posted February 18, 2007 Posted February 18, 2007 I'm no authority on eastern religions, but I know they believe the essence of religion is loving God. I understand that you don't relish the Christian (protestant) religion having anything in common with another, but it seems that they do have that in common: loving God. Of course there are differences, and you have mentioned important ones. I don't know enought to either uphold or refute them. But it seems that what we call 'religions' must have a basic essence common to all that makes it a religion. Otherwise we would have to say it is not a religion. The most basic thing I can think of is having a good relationship with God, having a spiritual rather than a materialistic orientation. What we are looking for is what religions have in common. Not what makes one unique from others. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
D. Allan Posted February 25, 2007 Posted February 25, 2007 V. S. Ramachandran, M.D., PH.D, who teaches neurology at UCSD made this comment in his book Phantoms in the Brain, p.256: Science - cosmology, evolution and especially the brain sciences - is telling us that we have no privileged position in the universe and that our sense of having a private nonmaterial soul "watching the world" is really an illusion.... Once you realize that far from being a spectator, you are in fact part of the eternal ebb and flow of events in the cosmos, this realization is very liberating. Ultimately this idea also allows you to cultivate a certain humility - the essence of all authentic religious experience. -------------------------- True prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible and the heart has turned to stone. -Thomas Merton Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
D. Allan Posted February 25, 2007 Posted February 25, 2007 Gregory, has the Hindu lady gotten her turn to speak yet? How did it turn out? I mean did members of your group learn to have more respect for other religions? Or is that out of the question? Same with the Moslem - how did it go. What did you learn? A Moslem once invited me out to dinner. I met him at his house ( he was careful not to invite me in) and we went to the House of Hunan. He explained to me several times the five requirements for becoming a Moslem. And tried to question the validity of Christianity. After that meal his obligation was over and he never approached me again. As I understand them the feel the once they have told you how to become a Moslem and you don't do it then you are classed as an unbeliever. They are not too kind to unbelievers - are they? ----------------------- We become the sum of all we give away. -Sam Hamil, Dumb Luck p. 74 Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
David Koot Posted February 26, 2007 Posted February 26, 2007 I'm no authority on eastern religions, but I know they believe the essence of religion is loving God. Quote
D. Allan Posted February 26, 2007 Posted February 26, 2007 Quote: Quote:What we are looking for is what religions have in common. Not what makes one unique from others. Says who? And why? Change to "we are" to "I am"... Why? What makes them unique is all too obvious. Why not? Quote: Even materialism can, indeed, be a religion! That's stretching things a little, I'd say. Many Christians are materialists. I don't think we have anything in common, Dave. Maybe we are both human beings. -------------------------- Jonah's problem was that he loved Judgement more than Grace. -(from a sermon of Dr. Richard Wing) Top Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted February 28, 2007 Author Moderators Posted February 28, 2007 Quote: Gregory, has the Hindu lady gotten her turn to speak yet? How did it turn out? I mean did members of your group learn to have more respect for other religions? Or is that out of the question? Same with the Moslem - how did it go. What did you learn? The Hindu woman regularly attends our SS class, and has begun attending the preaching service. She participates regularly in the SS discussion, and is really enthused by the lessons in the current Quarterly. She is beginning to quote from the " 'gita" in the discussion, and I typically followup up with additional material from the 'gita after she has given her quote. I spoke with her last Sabbath, told here that while we often did not agree with her we welcomed her, and were glad that she and her daughter attended. Her response was that she was well aware that we often did not agree with her, but that was O.K. She did not expect us to agree with her, and what she appreciated in us was that we accepted and welcomed her regardless of our lack of agreement with her. She will present her version of Hinduism one Sabbath late in March, but it will not be her version of the SS lesson study. WE are doing it as much as anything to reach her. Some of our class members likely will not attend. I am preparing some questions. As to the question regarding Islam: The person presenting Islam was actually Bahai. In my personal preference, it would have been more valid if Islam had been presented by an Islamic. In some ways, we learned more, in my opinion, about Bahai. Back to the Hindu woman: Hinduism has been called a family of religions, as is Christianity. This woman lived for several years in a Hindu Temple in the U.S. She is clearly informed. She knows the 'Gita as well as many of us know the Bible. She is intelligent. However, she is a unique person who will clearly give her unique spin to Hinduism. And, it will be presented in a light most favorable to be heard by Christians. We, in this class are pretty solid in our beliefs, even though we range in spectrum from the conservative to the liberal. I do not see her presentation as being harmful to us spiritually. Quote Gregory
D. Allan Posted February 28, 2007 Posted February 28, 2007 Thanks, Gregory, for your full reply. Wish I could attend your class, too! The Hindus are very open to all religions. Some as you must know have come over here to the States as missionaries to us. There is an interesting book by Swami Prabhavananda called The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta, written about 1963, I think. Have you heard of it? Perhaps the Hindu lady would profit from it. _____________________________ Be very kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. -St. Philo of Alexandria Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted March 4, 2007 Author Moderators Posted March 4, 2007 I do not have that one. Quote Gregory
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted March 4, 2007 Author Moderators Posted March 4, 2007 As I was leaving church yesterday, her young daughter came up to me, shock my hand, and said: Happy Sabbath. Quote Gregory
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted March 4, 2007 Author Moderators Posted March 4, 2007 Quote: The Hindus are very open to all religions. Some as you must know have come over here to the States as missionaries to us. I beleive that she would tell me that a practicing Hindu could be a follower of Christ! Quote Gregory
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.