Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 In a message dated 1/30/03 6:42:37 AM US Eastern Standard Time, Ramakrishna writes: The problem with 'Exclusivist religions' is that they mistake their destination (which is rightfully considered to be absolute) with their paths and their tools (which are necessarily relative and different). As the 'absolute' is difficult to grasp due to our limitations, we go for the next best thing -- We go for the outer form of religions i.e. the scriptures, the doctrines and even the prophets - and give them the same valuation and consider them to be Absolute! Wonderful post. This has been such an issue for me with my dear Christian friends. Even though I tell them that Jesus is the love of my life, they are upset because I don't believe that he is the ONLY way. I also am in the process of distancing myself emotionally from another eastern path I was on that claimed exclusivity. I guess it's easy to think that the prophet or avatar that you love so much must be the BEST one. Katie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Dear Katie, Personally I don't think there is any harm in considering ones ishta (personal God/incarnation)to be the most important.In fact ishtanistha or ones duty towards ones ishta requires it. Just as a wife thinks her husband is the best person in the whole world similiarly the devotee. But this does not give a licence to criticise others. As Jay so clearly pointed out what is needed is an educated response towards the belief and religions of others. I personally have read various texts of various religions selectively and with my limited intelligence felt they were all trying to express the same thoughts and ideas. We must realise that the need of the day is to transform ourselves spiritually and thus go beyond religion. Our religions may be different but spiritually we are all one. When Christ said He was the chosen one He represented our spiritual origin and not the Christ body. This is what I feel. Regards Jagannath --- squeakpal wrote: > In a message dated 1/30/03 6:42:37 AM US Eastern > Standard Time, > Ramakrishna writes: > > > The problem with 'Exclusivist religions' is that > they mistake their > > destination (which is rightfully considered to be > absolute) with their > > paths > > and their tools (which are necessarily relative > and different). > > As the 'absolute' is difficult to grasp due to our > limitations, > > we go for the next best thing -- We go for the > outer form of religions > > i.e. the scriptures, the doctrines and even the > prophets - and give > > them the same valuation and consider them to be > Absolute! > > > > > > Wonderful post. This has been such an issue for me > with my dear Christian > friends. Even though I tell them that Jesus is the > love of my life, they are > upset because I don't believe that he is the ONLY > way. > > I also am in the process of distancing myself > emotionally from another > eastern path I was on that claimed exclusivity. I > guess it's easy to think > that the prophet or avatar that you love so much > must be the BEST one. > > Katie > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Ramakrishna , squeakpal@a... wrote: > In a message dated 1/30/03 6:42:37 AM US Eastern Standard Time, > > Wonderful post. This has been such an issue for me with my dear Christian > friends. Even though I tell them that Jesus is the love of my life, they are > upset because I don't believe that he is the ONLY way. > > I also am in the process of distancing myself emotionally from another > eastern path I was on that claimed exclusivity. I guess it's easy to think > that the prophet or avatar that you love so much must be the BEST one. > > Katie Namaste, Kudos to Jay! Readers would like to get acquainted with Diana Eck's Pluralism Project at Harvard University: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/ Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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