Do we all pray to the same God?
- Thread starter mystic
- Start date
The father of a good friend of mine is a Rabbi. He's quite the jokester. I remember the 1st time he ever stepped foot in our Mandir. As he approached the entrance, he removed his wedding band and gave it to his son and told him to give it to his mother in case he bursts into flames or something.
We're probably closer now than then.
Yep.
Nor do I.
Where the harm comes in is when people interpret Christianity as some kind of ill-informed Hinduism, or Hinduism as some kind of short-sighted Christianity.
The greater issue I have (and not with NJ) is with those who do bits of Christianity they like, and discard the bits of Christianity they don't like (read: challenging) by arguing that Hinduism, or Buddhism, or whatever, says something different... it's using aspects of one to undermine aspects of the other, and undoes both ...
I had a recording of the Dalai Lama talking to Catholic monks. "What's all this about 'one life and then the judgement'?" he asked. A monk explained the teaching to him. "Ah, that's a really powerful idea! That's really good!" What he didn't do was find something in Tibetan Buddhism to dispose of the teaching, but saw its efficacy in relation to the whole message.
Yes, I was one of those people when I started my spiritual walk, until one day when discussing Christianity with a Native American, he said "what about the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims e.t.c, don't they count"?
I never forgot those words and that started me seeing all religions from a different view.
I never forgot those words and that started me seeing all religions from a different view.
Frankly I'm with your mum.
I used to do Japanese martial arts. Before ever session we knelt and bowed three times to the 'kamiza' – the 'higher' end of the practice hall, where there would sit something — a picture of a swordsman, or a Shinto or Buddhist reference. I know Christians who would go ballistic at the idea of my praying to Shinto deities. I wasn't, but I was showing respect. I think it shows a certain shallowness of faith and understanding.
I would do what your mum wants. Even Jesus did what His mum told Him ...
Bhaktajan II
Hare Krishna Yogi
- Messages
- 2,277
- Reaction score
- 115
- Points
- 63
I'd like to cite the following text.
Upon a chariot stationed between the vying sides of the start of a royal civil-war 3102 BC,
The Supreme Personality of Godhead spoke to the Prince-warrior:
"O best among the Nobel Humans, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service
unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.
"Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best.
For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me.
"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in
knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service,
he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me,
knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.
"Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto
demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.
"I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship some demigod,
I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to that particular deity.
"Endowed with such a faith, he endeavors to worship a particular demigod and obtains his desires.
But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.
"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary.
Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods,
but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.
"Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krish-na,
was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality.
Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature,
which is imperishable and supreme.
"I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent.
For them I am covered by My internal potency,
and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible.
"As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past,
all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come.
I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows."
etc etc etc
(7:16-26)
Upon a chariot stationed between the vying sides of the start of a royal civil-war 3102 BC,
The Supreme Personality of Godhead spoke to the Prince-warrior:
"O best among the Nobel Humans, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service
unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.
"Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best.
For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me.
"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in
knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service,
he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me,
knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.
"Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto
demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.
"I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship some demigod,
I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to that particular deity.
"Endowed with such a faith, he endeavors to worship a particular demigod and obtains his desires.
But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.
"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary.
Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods,
but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.
"Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krish-na,
was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality.
Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature,
which is imperishable and supreme.
"I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent.
For them I am covered by My internal potency,
and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible.
"As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past,
all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come.
I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows."
etc etc etc
(7:16-26)
arthra
Baha'i
For the record Baha'is believe all our religions have the same Divine source:
Therefore the purposes and accomplishments of the divine messengers have been one and the same. They were the source of advancement to the body-politic and the cause of the honor and divine civilization of humanity the foundation of which is one and the same in every dispensation.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - , p. 275)
Therefore the purposes and accomplishments of the divine messengers have been one and the same. They were the source of advancement to the body-politic and the cause of the honor and divine civilization of humanity the foundation of which is one and the same in every dispensation.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - , p. 275)
Woman, what has that to do with me?I would do what your mum wants. Even Jesus did what His mum told Him ...
My mother might a slapped me for that.
Why do you say the Jews have the only proof of God's miracles? From my perspective, it's all about faith and what one accepts as proof. Be that as it may, ultimately we're talking about the same God. Only our perceptions of that God differ. So if we accept that there is proof of God's miracles, there is proof of God; not just for the Jews, but for all believers.
Lot's of different folks in the world. Lots of different beliefs and disbeliefs. Hinduism in particular has a myriad of ideas and perspectives. We even have one member who professes to be a Hindu Atheist. I can't speak for them all. I can only speak from my own perspective and what I perceive to be true.
Who does? Some have issues with her Arabic name...
By definition abrahamic religions have the same G!d, as does every monotheist.
I had spoken to a Hindu philosopher a while back and had asked him this question. If Hindus don't live by the 10 commandments of the bible, would you agree then that they are not praying to the Jewish God? His was response was "Yes". What's you guys take on this please, for any religion that don't live by the bible's commandments?
Hinduism is an extremely diverse religion with a vast spectrum of beliefs and ideas. Unless they are devotes of Christ, Hindus can not be expected to directly follow Abrahamic teachings or to pray in Abrahamic ways. Hinduism is an entirely different philosophy that approaches God from a completely different direction.
As far as the ten commandments are concerned, one of the core goals of Hinduism is to achieve Dharma. While there is no single English word to adequately cover its meaning, Dharma is essentially right conduct, righteousness, following moral law, and duty. Making Dharma central in one’s life is to strive to do the right thing at all times in accordance with one’s duty and abilities. Basically, that's the point of following the ten commandments.
Most Hindus are not praying to the Jewish idea of God. They are praying in accordance to whatever Hindu interpretation of God they follow. As such, they are not directly following the ten commandments as described in Abrahamic scripture, but rather accomplishing the same goal by striving to achieve Dharma.