Dear Seekers of God When we are born, we are put into the environment which is the most suitable to burn up our karma, and put us on the first step to finding God. But later in life we change and we will be drawn again to that Path which is in line with our temperaments. That is, if we are aware of them. Many Seekers are stuck in a religion which is not suitable for them, and they feel pressure to stay on that Path from their Godly friends whom they love and respect. In this thread we may present some different Paths to God which are awaiting to be walked on by sincere Children of God. The Path of Devotion. For those who have a deep love of God which can only be expressed through singing, dancing, chanting, etc., this Path is perfect. Certain denominations of Christianity and Islam are examples of this Path. The Path of Wisdom. For those who see God in science and philosophy and want to reach God through their mental capabilities, this Path is best. Branches of Hinduism, Buddhism, and especially Daoism are examples. The Path of the Guru's Grace. For those who want to see God in flesh; a human embodiment of divinity, this Path is most suitable. To get on this Path one needs to pray for God to send the Guru; nothing more. P.S. It could take many years before the Guru arrives. This is to prepare you bodily, mentally, and spiritually. The Path of Rigor. For those who wish to exert themselves and make their bodies instruments of holiness, this Path awaits. Chinese Qigong, Indian Pranayoga, and Swami Paramahansa Yogananda's Kriyayoga are examples. Your servant will observe if there is a response to this thread before posting more. Namaskar; man is born in vain who, having attained the human birth, so difficult to get, doesn't attempt to realize God in this very life.
Are you suggesting everyone who believes in a god believes in the same god, just down different paths?
I suggest a different path...one which I am personally quite fond of. The Path of The Logical. For those who have seen enough of manmade Gods to know it is an imagined and distracting path to begin with.
probably worth inserting the usual caveat .... WHICH god are you referring to? There are roughly 300,000 documented, and no doubt millions more not documented, and that's just here on earth. Who knows how many gods are out there in potentially infinite universes. You'll need to be specific, and you'll need to justify why you are specific. Otherwise you thread title ought to be changed to "Different ways to MY god".
Dear SMDBill God is a concept of the mind. What God is cannot be described. The Names we use (Jehovah, Krishna, Allah) are only an attempt to personify something which is difficult for us to grasp, yet, we feel strongly attracted to. So to answer your question; yes, everyone who believes in a God believes in the same God, although the senses or reasoning might not think it the same at all. Those that seek God have to choose a Path or have a Path chosen for them. Some are rockier, some longer, some scenic, but all lead to the same concept... God. Namaskar Dear tecoyah Every God is man-made. Every art, science, entertainment, concept, etc. is man-made. But why do you say it is distracting to follow a man-made God? Namaskar Dear crank There are 7.2 billion Gods. Each one is an aspect of universal consciousness. The details of how each consciousness expresses itself should not cause a stumbling block for another person, but rather serve as a mirror for seeing yourself in. How would I know what it means to be bloodthirsty if I don't look into the face of a lion? Namaskar
If the goal is to understand "God" (whatever possible universal consciousness may exist), placing hurdles on the path with the human made versions that are obviously not it will distract from said goal. It's akin to looking through a jar full of pennies for a single date and stamp without separating the ones you know are not the one out when you see them.
Dear tecoyah You are implying that there are man-made Gods and a "real" God. Is that right? If that is so, what is the difference between a man-made idea of a Being who is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present, and a "real" Being who is all those things? Seekers of God each see and focus on a different quality of God which has been given a certain Name. It is like people seeing a chameleon at different times of the day, and each thinking that he alone knows the real color of the animal. The science of an atheistic man is also a Path to God. But is that the Path that a person really wants to follow, or only follows because his peers has influenced him that way? Namaskar
Any implications beyond what I typed: Are entirely created by you. The science I understand is not a path to "God" until it indicates there is something to examine, at this point there has been nothing to use in science. Personally, I do not use my peers to create opinion or understanding...I instead evaluate data to understand reality as best I can.
How arrogant of Christians to think they can treat God as their personal deity.... Guess what dude...lot's of "Humans" have lots of Gods that differ from your own, and to tell them all they are wrong is about as arrogant as it gets.
That is the new theory. I have been inclined to write a paper on it when I get time to do the research because it makes sense for a God to have to appeal to different groups in different ways. Most of the major religions all contain the same components, only the details vary. Loving God is about your devotion to him, not what name you call him so it may very well be that the God the Inuit worshipped is the same one the Persians did.
But one doesn't need evidence to believe in God. If God is all-powerful, then He can guide people without the need of showing them physical evidence of Himself.
Well, I'm not an individual who sees the world solely through the lens of reason. That being said, asrtology and numerology are not all-powerful entities with a perfect Will.
Dear Spooky What you say there is very true, but its acceptance doesn't come easily. High school children can easily accept that what is taught in primary schools is the same no matter which primary school you attend. However, if you are a primary school student your reasoning doesn't go that far, and you have developed psychological attachments to your particular school. Only the Grace of God can truly make a person free from attachment. Namaskar
