Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 jay: Bravo on your dialogues! Your arguments are incisive (and True!) and come right up to the "border" where "reason meets faith." Of course, reason cannot cross that border -- causing the human dilemma of religion vs. religion. Unfortunately, for Exclusivist religions, reasoning will never surmount faith - no matter how cogent. Saying that Christ or the Holy Bible are "contextual" - is simply a blasphemy. I'm not surprised if they didn't ask you any questions about that reasoning - it's just too "unbelievable" - how can God's incarnation and gospel not be True for all time! {If I understand your "contextual" argument, it kind of reminds me of the recent question by Katie, which was well answered by Yogeshananda in digest #1362. Please let me know if I misinterpreted.} I completely agree that the key "reasoning" is the concept of pluralism (I also agree with your questioner, in that pluralism may also be refered to as a "dogma" -- but, so is the "Golden Rule." So, not all dogmas are "bad"). The challenge of the 21st century is how to place that reasoning/dogma in a "context" that will allow Exclusivist believers to see the Light!? For Christians, small slivers of hope are found in Christ's own words: "Whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:40); "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." (Luke 13:29); "Love your nieghbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39); and from God's own "lips": "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" (1st Samuel 16:7) - With Christians, I would contend that God was not looking for "beliefs" or "dogma" when He looks into man's heart, but for what man does with those beliefs to transform himself into a spiritual person (or "new creation" Galatians 6:15). Therefore, it's not the belief that is most important, but the inner transformation it may give rise to. As Apostle Paul taught the Corinthians: "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1st Corinthians 4:20) . Jai Ramakrishna & Christ, Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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