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Soterios
You've raised an interesting question there.
My thoughts on who/what God is, are likely a little different from yours..but still I think you've made some good points.
What has happend to the contact and closeness that likely a good majority of the population used to have with God?
I think our changing times, perhaps... scientific evedence and other contradictory things.
I think that people have lost a lot of their ability to "believe" in what can't be seen or proven.
Back then, I think people had to rely more on their thoughts, their instincts...what was within as well as without. I think it's what enabled them closer contact with the divine.
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on May 17, 2007 at 12:03 PM
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The right path
Surley the right path is the one that leads to God?
Few people seem to accept the reality that human beings are supposed to have spiritual encounters with Angels and Jesus.
This is something that happened regularly in biblical times...what has changed?
Jesus manifested himself spiritually to the apostles...why should it be different today?
"Miracles and greater shall you do also"...but who is doing them and where?
Something is missing and not being fully understood.
What is it?
posted by
Soterios
on May 17, 2007 at 11:45 AM
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Sunny
Yes, I agree. That's why I try really hard to face the sun; the shadows fall behind me.
posted by
FoliageGold
on May 8, 2007 at 9:44 AM
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Mary
Yes, sometimes it is hard. Life can get us down at times, for whatever reason. We like to remain strong, but sometimes it's too much. And sometimes, when we need faith the most, when we find ourselves at our weakest, it's hard to cling to hope.
We get angry or depressed and wonder why things are allowed to happen to us. It's hard to see clearly when we are in that state of mind.
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on May 8, 2007 at 9:24 AM
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Sunny
My apologies, never mean to confuse. I fail words sometimes........yes, that's it. Faith is wonderful, sometimes it's just hard though.
posted by
FoliageGold
on May 8, 2007 at 9:15 AM
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Mary
Yeah, you've confused me a little. But I think I know what you are saying.
Are you saying that sometimes you have doubts in your beliefs, because of something very difficult you may be going through? I think that is quite natural.
When are beliefs are real and solid, some hard times don't shake them much. 
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on May 8, 2007 at 9:12 AM
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Sunny
This is really interesting. What I've often wondered about are the times when things are happening and they don't 'feel' right, but maybe they're lessons.... I know that I sometimes struggle to 'get out' of them, but it's not until I'm 'through' them, that I see it was the right path after all. Hope I'm not confusing you.
posted by
FoliageGold
on May 8, 2007 at 7:46 AM
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TAPS
It's so true. Believe it or not, I've mulled over this in my mind, numerous times in the past.
Through learning and research, I've come to the conclusion that nothing terrible will happen to any of us when we pass from this world. Nothing bad will happen to us in our "true" form. It is only in forms like this human one that bad things happen to us.
This was my delema in the beginning.... live my life in ultimate fear, because I don't care what kind of person I am or how good or how charitable, or how much I believe in Jesus, if God has got planned that such and such # of people are getting into heaven...like is stated in the Bible.... It would be REALLY arrogant of me to think that I'm going to be one of them....compared to some very special people in this world that turn up, time and time again...just in this lifetime alone.
So where would that leave me? So if it's a risk, for me to live my life believing what I find to make sense, and living life to try to achieve happiness and be the best person that I can find it in myself to be...it's at least an equal risk to the alternative, living a life of unhappiness in constant fear, and for what in the end really?
My inner self doesn't change, based on what I believe. If it is possible to be "condemed", I will be that, either way.
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on April 28, 2007 at 8:22 PM
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joanna
Good luck on your journey! I hope it is a rewarding and educational experience like it has been for me!
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on April 28, 2007 at 8:13 PM
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1997
If you feel that you are happy, and comfortable, and peaceful in your beliefs, I am happy for you. I wish you all the best.
But there is one thing you will want to know, I have quite a knowledge of Chistianity. While I don't believe in the Bible, I believe it is anyone's right to do so...it is their choice....but it is not mine.
I tend to appreciate people for their own actions and personalities...not their religious beliefs or lack of them.
If you are here to try to convert people towards Christianity...you will be sadly disappointed, my friend.
I could go into great lengths to explain my beliefs to you....but I really don't see much point, because I'm not out to convert anyone, nor do I feel I have to explain why I believe what I do.
I have my own thoughts on what exactly God/Goddess/The Ultimate Energy Source is, and it is the SAME for everyone in my opinion (based on research and what makes sense to me.)
I can see from your few comments here, how you think. And I can tell you with certainty... you'd be better to try to save someone else, if that is your goal.... the reason that I'm not Christian....I want NO part of the type of God that you have been describing.
What you're talking about is a God that "made us" the EXACT way he wanted too...inadequate (in his eyes), and then he is going to punish us because he made us this way? No thanks. My bratty 10 yr. old has more compassion than that.
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on April 28, 2007 at 8:10 PM
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1997 - you are really barking at a dead dog's behind with this stuff
if you were in fact responding to my earlier comment.
I'm happy for you that you can believe so absolutely that one of the countless so called "word of God" religious books found amongst our species is the right one. I won't bother getting into its origins, its mutations and manipulations, nor the fact that many other competing "word of God" religious books were censured or destroyed over history in favor of this book. It is also needless to mention that a number of other "word of God" religious books still exist despite this censorship and are held collectively as being the one true "word of God" by a far greater number of people than hold that your holy book is the true word of God. I will say however that when you use passages from your book as a means of providing substance to your contentions and then follow it up with: "That's a pretty harsh reality to contend with, but it is true nevertheless." it is completely meaningless to me.
I've heard the same thing said about countless other "holy" scriptures on different continents and in different languages. . . . while every last one of those people hold the level of conviction (or faith if you prefer) that you do towards your "word of God" religious book. Every last one has overcome the inconsistencies of the exclusivity of their method of salvation with statements such as: "No where in the Bible (Koran, Vedas, Tipitaka etc.) does God ever say that he will save everyone."
posted by
gomedome
on April 28, 2007 at 2:35 PM
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Re: Sunnybeach7 - that is a good point made by a previous commentor
In order to accept the fact that there is only one path to God/salvation, one must believe that the Bible is the only, true Word of God, which he divinely inspired a group of men to write. If God were primarily a god of love and mercy, then he could easily excuse the sins of mankind, allowing everyone to ultimately be saved. However, the true and only God is first of all a god of perfect holiness and justice. Therefore, our sins demand a payment, which was made for us through the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross. We can either choose to accept that payment on our behalf by faith or we can pay for our own sins eternally in hell. Hard as it may be to accept, this is the absolute truth. There is only one way to God because he made it that way. No where in the Bible does God ever say that he will save everyone. He did say that he desires for everyone to be saved, but already knew that this would not happen. In fact, in Luke 13, Jesus said that only a few would be saved in the end out of all of mankind who has existed from the beginning. That's a pretty harsh reality to contend with, but it is true nevertheless. God's ways are simply above our ways. We can only understand so much about him with the finite, limited minds we possess on this side of eternity. God expects us to trust and obey him by faith, not by sight or intellectual reasoning. Such faith is solely a gift from God. No one has the capacity to develop true, saving faith on their own. If that were possible, Jesus wouldn't have had to suffer and die for us. Finally, read Proverbs 14: 12, which says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." This passage is talking about spiritual death, not physical death.
posted by
1997
on April 28, 2007 at 1:47 PM
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Sunnybeach7 - I don't know why my font size changes when I comment
posted by
gomedome
on April 28, 2007 at 12:20 PM
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Sunnybeach7 - that is a good point made by a previous commentor
How disconcerting it would be indeed; to come to the end of a long journey and find oneself in a place one does not wish to be. Thinking this way myself is exactly why I feel so sorry for those who think that an ancient religious text coupled with a set of religious constructs that have been fabricated over the last few centuries, somehow constitutes the one and only path to salvation. They have convinced themselves that their set of manmade rules are somehow God's rules and manage to ignore that only a small segment of all of humanity believe as they do, which in turn excludes the vast majority of people that have ever existed from salvation. They also manage to ignore their own definition of God in the process. An all loving, all knowing, omnipotent creator being has informed only a minute portion of all humanity as to the one true path to salvation, the remainder of human souls are simply out of luck. If they were born into Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism or any of the other world's religions or life guiding philosophies they had better exercise their free will and become Christians or they are damned? . . . pulllease.
If there is a one true path to salvation it must be universal, it must envelope all human souls and it most certainly cannot be exclusive by either human determining factors or the acceptance of one solitary or specific dogma. So in answer to the question this blog title poses: mankind cannot possibly know which is the right path, we can only do our best in life, adhere to what we know is right and just and follow our own inherent sense of what we believe.
posted by
gomedome
on April 28, 2007 at 12:18 PM
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Sunnybeach
No matter how right and how pleasant, how uplifting and enthralling a path might seem, how disconcerting it would be to come to the end of a long journey and find oneself in a place one does not wish to be.
posted by
TAPS.
on April 28, 2007 at 11:08 AM
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Gome
Hahaha, I
thought you might enjoy it.
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on April 28, 2007 at 10:49 AM
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Sunnybeach7 - wow - for the first time ever I'm speechless
posted by
gomedome
on April 28, 2007 at 10:38 AM
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The "Right" Path
According to the Bible, which is the word of God, there is only one right way; and that is eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Many people doubt the validity of the Bible, yet many nonbelievers have come to believe in it by trying to disprove that it is God's word.In fact, many scientific proofs have been discovered over the years that actually prove the Bible's authenticity. Unfortunately, most people today are being lead to believe that there are no absolute truths, and that all paths lead to God. That couldn't be further from the truth. It is a great deception that is, in reality, leading people away from God. God is not some impersonal, unreachable cosmic being who just sits back and lets us do whatever we want. He is the one, true God who not only created the universe in six days, but who also loved us enough to send his son to take the punishment we deserve for our sins, so that those of us who truly believe can have eternal life in heaven. Do you really think that God would send his son to die a horrible death by crucifixion if there were other ways to be saved? Also, do you think that Christ's disciples would have willingly died for the cause of christianity if it was all a hoax? What we as humans don't get is that God's ways are completely different from ours. Yes, there is alot of suffering and evil that God allows in this world, but all of it is the consequence of humanity's free choice to do evil. God did not want to create a world full of robots who obeyed him perfectly all the time. He wanted to create a world in which people had the ability to choose good or evil. He wants people to choose to love him out of their own free will. Unfortunately, most choose otherwise. While all of us are born with a sinful nature, which is naturally hostile towards God, many choose to accept his gift of faith and to follow him out of their own free will. However, because there is only one path to God, and because it is not easy by any means, most people will reject it and follow their own path. Jesus himself said that only a few would be saved in the end. Most follow the easy pathways, which ultimately lead to eternal damnation, while the minority choose to follow the narrow path to eternal salvation. I do apologize if I have offended anyone, but I'm not the one who made the rules. My only intention is to tell the truth in the hope that many will be saved in the end.
posted by
1997
on April 27, 2007 at 4:23 PM
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Trying to beat a path to something good.
hope I find a good one. And you too !
posted by
joanna360
on April 26, 2007 at 10:50 PM
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Afzal
Thanks, sweetie.
posted by
Afzal_Sunny7
on April 26, 2007 at 10:17 PM
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I agree with you . Excellent post .
posted by
afzal50
on April 26, 2007 at 10:15 PM
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