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Can It All Be True?


soma

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Can it all be true? That's a question I'm wrestling with now, growing out of a fairly conservative Christian theology. Best people dealing with this question so far: Huston Smith and Frithjof Schuon. Interestingly they both base it on the exoteric/esoteric distinction.

 

From the exoteric point of view it is right and proper for each religion to claim exclusive truth, because for it's followers, it is and any other mind set would undercut the power and benefit of the religious practice.

 

From the esoteric point of view, all religions grow out of the one Absolute, thus all are true, in a sense.

 

Strange: exclusivity and inclusivity at the same time. Something of a paradox, but it seems to make sense to me (to the extent I've been able to understand it so far)

 

Which is why you can have a meeting of religions where the theologians and ministers are in the main room yelling at each other and the mystics are down at the local bar enjoying each others company.

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Your posts are so beautiful. I am going to add to an old vision. We are drinking divine nectar at the local watering hole where people are trying to decide which way is superior. Jesus walks across the water, Mohamed comes down from the mountains with Shiva, Krishna walks across the meadow, and Buddha gets up from under a tree to join us. Sorry, we need the Goppis, Parvati, Saint Thereasa, Mother Mary, and Mary Magdeline. We look at them puzzled to what will come next. Are they going to rumble? No, they come together and hold hands, dancing around and around in one swirl until they become one. We are sitting watching, loving and trying to understand our role. We run to join in the swirl and become one with them. The folks argueing see a brawl and start to fight, but when we look at them while we are dancing it looks like they are dancing too. They look at us and see us fighting, both are true depending whose eyes one is looking through. We can decide which group to join.

 

Recognizing that we are all one in God’s consciousness gives us full protection in His unity by integrating our individual life with the world around us and providing a basic harmony and equilibrium in our hearts and minds. This is a kind of insurance from the flood of negativity surrounding us because a relaxed mind and body is positive, priceless and an indestructible way to receive successful ideas and results. "Love your neighbor as yourself" Thanks you Jesus for showing us how to dance.

 

I hope I don't step on any toes. Love

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Different people learning different things at different times so why can't all be accepted. Can it all be true? No mistakes, everything has a purpose leading us to pure happiness. :lol:

 

Nice points.

 

People learn different things at different times. I know I did. I used to hold beliefs that are completely

 

Funny thing, I went to a Presbyterian PCA church (not exactly the same as the USA brand!)

 

 

There is a PCA church very close to where I live, but not a PCUSA. I didn't realize they are so very different until I looked up the "our beliefs" part of the respective websites.

Edited by Kay
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Best people dealing with this question so far: Huston Smith and Frithjof Schuon. Interestingly they both base it on the exoteric/esoteric distinction.

 

Huston Smith's "Soul of Christianity" is great. I just received "The Fullness of God" by Schuon a couple of weeks ago, but haven't started it yet. I'm finishing up a book called "Pascal's Fire."

 

From the esoteric point of view, all religions grow out of the one Absolute, thus all are true, in a sense.

 

They all contain truth, yup. All truth is God's truth, wherever is is found. :)

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