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Permalink Reply by Susan Furry on 4th mo. 5, 2011 at 11:44am

"The humble, meek, merciful, just, pious and devout souls are everywhere of one religion; and when death has taken off the mask they will know one another, though the divers liveries they wear here makes them strangers.  This world is a form; our bodies are forms; and no visible acts of devotion can be without forms.  But yet the less form in religion the better, since God is a Spirit; for the more mental our worship, the more adequate to the nature of God; the more silent, the more suitable to the language of a Spirit.  -- William Penn 1693 "Some Fruits of Solitude"

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Permalink Reply by Lola Georg on 4th mo. 8, 2011 at 9:20pm

I often wonder when others espouse that there is only one way to God.

 

The God of creation created trees. There are birch trees, oak tress, cherry trees, lemon trees, pine trees, maple trees, walnut trees, apple trees, chestnut trees, sequoia trees, hemlock trees, etc. And even among one type of tree, say pine trees, each individual tree is different. We could then talk about flowers - daises, roses, tulips, daffodils, crocus, carnations, gladiolas, etc. Yet each flower is different from every other flower.

 

Why would a God of such diversity ever create only one path home? The view of one path seems contradictory to the diverse world we have the pleasure to inhabit.   And what about the stars?

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Permalink Reply by Howard Brod on 4th mo. 11, 2011 at 1:47pm

There is nothing for Christians to fear from universalism. 

 

Aren't Christians missing the point of Jesus' message if we start judging others by their religious labels?  Wasn't his a simple message of "God is Love", and didn't he just want all to awaken to that reality?  Didn't all his parables, sayings, experiences, and sermons point to this simple theme?  When that 'Spirit of Christ' is awakened within one's heart, one is "born again" - and labels simply don't matter.  If that is "universalism", then so be it.  If one calls himself/herself whatever (Christian, Buddhist, Atheist, etc.) - but lives and experiences this reality and Spirit of Love, are they not a follower of Christ - even if they are not aware of that?  Is Christ not larger than our human labels and stipulations that we want to put on people?

 

Conversely, if one practices compassion and self-realization, are they not following a Buddhist teaching, even if they don't adopt that label? 

 

Let's concentrate on the indwelling Spirit that unites us in love, rather than labels that only serve to divide. 

 

For a Christian to suggest there is any other requirement in order to be following the "way" is missing the whole point of the teaching and ministry of Jesus, in my opinion.  I do believe he would be puzzled by all notions other than this simple message.

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