gita or bible or koran or any other?

[Guest guest]

all religions teach same things! how can one find out which where the truth is? do these scriptures stand the Test of Time?

[Manni]

"how can one find out which where the truth is?"

 

The Ultimate Truth is not individualised, but in the end of the day we are all individuals! This means that we must follow the path that we are most comfortable and happy with - usually this is the belief system you are born into. All religions believe in a higher being - so start off with faith. Search. Find your goal. Then strive for it. Whether you call him Jahova, Allah or Krsna, He cannot ask more of you than to follow your God-given conscience when it comes to choosing a belief system.

 

"do these scriptures stand the Test of Time?"

 

You'll never know until the end of time! are you asking whether the scriptures remain untainted? The scriptures of Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish religions actually do - only interpretations change vastly, hence sects e.g. Shaivism/Vaishnavism, Sufism etc. If you're asking which is the oldest religion - without question this is Sanatan Dharma (origin of modern-day Hinduism). But the age of this religion takes nothing away from the essence of other religions!

 

For thought - every single religion (that i know of) teaches Love (bhakti) for God. This is a nice place to start /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

 

that is a mistake , all religions do not

teach the same thing.

 

There are many different teachings, in various religions.

 

[Guest guest]

you have to study them to see the difference.

you have to study yourself to see the oneness.

 

when we only see difference, we get sectarianism. when we see the unity, we develop love. of course, based on our experience we can always establish the higher truths in the vedas but the soul cannot be limited by the boundaries of religion.

[Guest guest]

 

that is a pantheistic concept.

 

everything is divine.

 

the truth is a little more comlplex.

 

There are religions that teach oppression and violence

as being the duty of the followers.

 

There are religions that teach not going to the doctor

if you get sick is right, and going to the doctor

is evil.

 

there are relgions that teach all sorts of self destructive,

anti social things.

 

They are not all one in essence.

 

sure everything is coming from god, so is animal killing,

child abuse, etc.

 

that does not mean that everything,every philosophy is

godly.

[Manni]

"There are religions that teach oppression and violence

as being the duty of the followers.

 

There are religions that teach not going to the doctor

if you get sick is right, and going to the doctor

is evil.

 

there are relgions that teach all sorts of self destructive,

anti social things."

 

what religions?

 

"sure everything is coming from god, so is animal killing,

child abuse, etc."

 

Is that a question or a statement?

 

[debbie]

Shiva,

I know you are correct in saying there are differences in what is taught in various religions..Although, I believe most of all believe in a higher power,with different teachings varied from one to the next..It is up to us to choose the one that we feel with our hearts to be the right path for ourselves. I agree with Manni in her statement:"For thought-every single religion(that I know of)teaches Love(bhakti)for God.This a nice place to start /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" I am sure there are different things we do not necessarily believe that is right with different religions, but we only have to follow the path that is right for us. What others follow is up to them.The important thing is to become more God conscious and to serve Him,whatever path you choose to follow.This is my opinion and belief,that we really should not judge whatever path one chooses to follow. Debbie

[77_Krishna]

No Religion But Islam.....that what God says....and he also says....No Compulsion upon Religion....

 

What is the right religion except the one that revealed to the human kind One God....Allah....the Past..and the Future..God Allah is the Creator of Everything....He descended the Holy Quran and reaveled what happened in the past and what was deviated and deflected from religions...

 

Islam is the Religion of Our father Adam....and God said that's the Religion that I descended unto thou,Adam.

 

and it continued uptil Muhammed-Peace be upon Him-

 

Islam is the Religion of the Sub-religions.

the Religion of Adam,Noah,Abraham,Moses,jesus,and Muhammed...and all the messengers and the prophets of Allah including Krishna.

 

Each one has His own Book and teachings and they all say..No God But Allah...

And for that Dhyana or sub-religion which means a section of Islam.....was nominated..and each prophet Hast His Sub-religion which is under the Authority of Islam The Religion.

 

But when the sub-religions of Jesus and Moses....and Whose Prescribed sub-religion were deluded and bewildered and deviated....they automatically vanished from the Divisions or Dhyanas of islam.....and became individual religions..

 

and as said No religion but Islam.

Islam is the Religion or Deen....and the sub-religions of Islam are called Dhyanan.

Now there are religionS.....and the word religion or deen cannot be plural becuz there is only One....and as alwayes was.

 

those claimed religions including Hinduism...were actually sub-religions correlated to the Big religion Islam....

Islam is like The Father of those Sons(Dhyanas)....but as soon as those sons were non-devotees....they ran away...and made their own way......exactly that what happened.

 

I S L A M is the Deen of the Dhyanas...and each dhyana is a division of Islam....Deen is One.....and God is One....and Dhyanas are simulated to Islam....and all books of dyhanas have One Title (No God But Allah)and all books are similar and the same-blood becuz they are To Islam and By Islam.

 

Now.....nothing is obvious.....and bulshit is increasing day after day....

and No one will alter to his true Congenital,Natural born Religion.....Islam.....

Too bad!

And I hope it is not too late for You!

 

Your Friend in Krishna

muhammedmagdi@hotmail.com

[Guest guest]

 

 

you need to learn more about other religious philosophies

before you make statements like you two have.

 

some religions teach that God is not an actual

conscious being, just a vague kind of energy field,

 

others teach that you will become God of your own universe, others teach that God demands human sacrifice,

others teach that God will send you to eternal

death or eternal torture if you do not bow down to their

teaching, and on and on.

 

hardly loving sentiments,many are based on fear,

or gain.

 

As the modern sage Bono said, "we're all one,but we're

not the same ".

 

there are some "christian" sects(mayavadi christians)

that teach going to the doctor is evil,

I forget which ones, butni think christian science

is one.

[debbie]

Shiva,

Maybe you are right,perhaps.I guess I have a lot to learn about religious philosophies, as well,as a lot of other things, too. But I have always been taught, even though I did not believe in someone else's religion, to respect the person's choice,accept it as their own choice,not mine, and not to judge them, because of it. In so saying,one person may look at their religion in a totally different way than you or me might look at it.We choose to follow what path we feel most comfortable to God.Hopefully we have chosen the right one. Debbie

[77_Krishna]

Let's all wait up for the Day of Resurrection and Judgement.

Then we will see who was and is the Righteous One.....

 

 

To Lord Allah be the Glory.....the One God.

 

Your Friend In Krsna

[Guest guest]

There is no judgement.God loves you unconditionally.

 

Joy

[Guest guest]

as debbie and manni points out, we should not be critical of the choice made by others. if there is a god, He is impartially guiding every one according to their nature.

 

the problem of conflict between religions is due to the fact that religions interfere with society and the state. these conflicts can never be completely resolved as people have conflicting self interest. we have to find a balance in the midst of all this commotion.

 

from the point of view of a devotee, the supreme loveable lord krishna is present within the heart of every living entity - including a blade of grass. thus he strives to remember this and remind every one about Him.

[Guest guest]

I know everyone is entitled to their view of Divinity and all may be aspiring to understand the Truth, but we should learn to accept the conclusions of saintly persons who surrendered their whole lives in receiving and distributing divine reverlation. Here are a few thoughts from Srila Sridhar Maharaj who represents the Vaisnavas perspective on Theism. it may be a little long winded but it's worth cosideration.

 

Comparitive Theism

Disciple: In the conception and development of different stages of theism, what is the gradation? Where does it begin and where does it go?

 

Generally we take it that the whole gradation has been divided in this way, fully covered consciousness, e.g. the stones, the trees etc. Consciousness is there but it is thickly covered. Then the animal consciousness, then the primitive class who are not developed so much, half man, half animal, only in the awakening stage from animal to human. Then there is the stage where we have some conception of God. That is varnashram-dharma. Then there is a sub-division within the human section. In one stage of the human section, utilitarian class, altruistic class, they have morality, regard for others but not theism. There they don’t find the necessity for the existence of God. Then there is morality plus theism and morality plus imaginary theism. Imaginary theism with morality is just like Conti’s thesis. He said the conception of God is useful to us, in so much as it helps us to do the work of the police. Fearing God may help us like the police. If man has fear of God , then moral benefit will come automatically. Real varnashram has been given by Ramanujacharaya, both morality and real theism. Then there may be theism without much moral conception also. The so-called theism is there but no moral conception as in sahajiyism. But real varnasram is theistic with a moral basis.

Then ultimately vaisnavism comes which is full of theism and morality, according to this theistic conception. The devotee may use a flower to offer to the Lord, so that the man who has grown the flower will benefit. Everything will be utilized for the satisfaction of the Lord, then that will be helping everybody. In this way it is developing. Everything is for Him, no individual ownership. The only owner is God. Morality, scientific knowledge, all these things are considered minor to all those vaisnavas who know everything is for Him. They are the guardians of the whole creation and they utilize everything for the benefit of the whole world.

 

Levels of God realization

Disciple: When the vaisnava is asked, “Why are there so many different religions, theistic religions, such as worship of Allah, Christ, Rama, Krishna etc. so many under the banner of theism. How should we answer this?

Srila Sridhara Maharaj: According to the different degrees of theistic receiving capacity, there are different groups. Gradation must be there in worshipping so many different demigods who are in a position of some power in nature. For the satisfaction of lusty desires one goes to Kali. For one who wants renunciation or knowledge he goes to Siva. Siva is performing yoga. Also indifference to these many qualifications is concentrated in Siva, penance is also in him. So many go to worship Siva and those who want mukti, liberation, they go to Vishnu, Narayana. According to their choice, their inner necessity, all are wandering in different stages of misunderstanding and they select a leader. One who wants to be a good actor will go to a famous dramatist, but for those who are searching for real theistic life there are also departments. Christianity, Islam etc. those religious philosophies that accept an eternal God, eternal master, but according to their different nature. Just as there are ksatriya, brahman, vaisya or sudra natures, plus different natures in different nations, according to their capacity as a group, their conception of theism has been distributed to them. But if you offer wholesale theism to them, it will be too complex for most, they have limited capacity. So only installments have been given, not full detail. Then after many births they will come to a higher position and higher education will be imparted to them about full fledged theism. Everywhere this policy has been arranged and accepted. According to their capacity, the degree of education should be imparted, extended to them. Otherwise, they won’t be able to understand anything. Progress does not come abruptly, continuous development is to be administered.

Once during Akbha’s time, that great Moghul emperor. He was very liberal and open to all the religious sections, once there was a showing of all the Hindu gods, and he was asking what is what, what are their lilas and their stories, and when he came to Krsna in Vrndavan, his conclusion was “Oh this God is the highest of them all.” That was Akbah’s remark. Because he has no worries of any management, he is completely free enjoying his life, playing the flute, no worries, the highest conception you have here, so to get his company that will be very much affective. To play without anxiety, and this exhibition was an example of choosing between so many comparative conceptions that are shown for us to taste.

Once an older vairagi woman in red cloth came to visit me here, a follower of Siva shakti. I asked her “What do you want after death, do you want that Kali, to be her maid-servant, or Siva, or do you want to be in the group of those 4-handed Narayan servitors, or do you want to become a gopi or cowboy and wander with Krsna or Nanda-Yasoda? She told, “if I have a choice, I really want to be in Vrndavan, not in Vaikuntha, nor to be one of Siva’s servants or the female mates of Kali- drinking blood, such things are horrible.” I told , “Yes It is a peaceful life in Vrndavan after death, so why do you follow any other path?” Consider what is suitable, a plain, peaceful and beautiful life. The choice and chance is given to us, to see where our taste is and come forward accordingly for your future ambition. What do you want, what appeals to your inner-most heart?

Disciple: The Christians say the only master is Christ himself.

Srila Sridhara Maharaj: The fully fledged is to be found in the Upanishad. Everything has got its central position, i.e. gold or diamonds, industry or religion, everything may not be found in every place. So in theism, India was selected to give the highest position in the world by God. It is not unreasonable. The University cannot be established in every village, some place must be selected for a particular hospital or educational institution or police station. So in this whole world, some place was selected to give the highest seat of religion and that came to the lap of India. We have to understand, we shouldn’t be envious. So the highest school for theistic education should be located somewhere on this globe and that place selected was India. The German philosopher Max Mueller saw it like that stating, “In the Upanishad, what is found there can fully feed all religious seekers and still the water from that fountain is springing eternally. The fountain will not dry up.”

An Open Heart and Mind

When Christ was born in the Middle East why should Americans take his instruction, if it is not given within their own country? So this geographical distance is all maya, illusion. Wherever the real thing is to be found, we must be open to that, in its own intrinsic value and not by physical or mundane affinity such as I am this body and this is my country. We should rise above all this material consciousness with complete openness. We shall inquire after the truth from wherever it comes. The atom bomb was first developed in one country but others didn’t refrain from trying to get that knowledge because it came from another country. No, wherever one finds the truth, we must try to acquire it from that source.

Disciple: The problem I find with so-called Christians at times, is that they can appreciate the higher conception of bhakti, surrender, even above mukti, liberation, but they are afraid to go beyond what Christ has said, and therefore cannot progress beyond the information he has given.

Srila Sridhara Maharaj: But surrender for what, to what? Surrender for love of one’s country? We see so many surrendering their lives for their country, but is that the highest surrender? So what is the conception of God? There are many hazy conceptions of God, but we must come to a clear conception. In biology, the very minute study of the differences of all the germs and viruses, etc. will be understood with closer inspection. So a closer inspection will reveal who God is. God means what? An unknown and unknowable mystery? No definite concept? Attachment to a fixed and limited concept is a common thing but not progressive.

 

[Guest guest]

Excuse the code, I forgot to bring it through word pad.

[theist]

that was very nice guestji, thank you

[Guest guest]

At your service and mercy.