What is it about truth? It’s just so persistent, so relentless. Did I mention relentless? That can be good or bad depending on which side of it you’re on. I am sure that the Sunni’s and the Shiites think they are on the right side of the truth, just like the Confederates and the Yankees did. So, when it comes to religion there are apparently several ‘truths’, depending on what you call yourself. A third of the world call themselves Christian, a little less than 25% are called Muslims, then there are the Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jews, and so on…So who’s right here? And, are any of them totally wrong? C.S. Lewis, of course, does a great job of starting at the singular root of most popular religions: belief in a super-natural being(s).
But after that, the rest is subject to who you want to believe, and who makes the most compelling argument – to you. We also have to consider that in a lot of cases we have no choice in the ‘truth’ we may be subject to; all types of influences lead or push us: tradition, family, nationality, political, even fear of persecution. Now, despite all of these man-borne influences, the real truth still remains unchanged and is most likely a much simpler version of all of these beliefs. What you see when you study religion a bit is that there is agreement on the fundamental beliefs, like a supreme being, right and wrong, and some sort of after-life. Where religions begin to divide appears to be in what I would equate to the ‘terms of the membership agreement’. This division in itself is a strong argument that the greater force that links all mankind is our own sense of self-centered righteousness – that we are right and everyone else is wrong. That is the work of Satan and his desire to see us separated from God and from one another. How clearly that bit of filth becomes once you shine the light of God’s word on it.
Recently, Pope Francis indicated, with some controversy, that the terms for an afterlife in Heaven with God was not so much a matter of which ‘club’ you belonged to but how you respond to the call to duty in ‘doing good’. (Bryan, have you seen this?):
“…The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there…”
You need to read the rest of the talk and this article to understand this apparent shift in Catholic dogma. Do so by clicking on this link – http://www.catholicvote.org/what-pope-francis-really-said-about-atheists/
Take this as a reminder to sharpen our focus on what unites us; we are all the children of God, brothers and sisters, regardless of what we may think the truth actually is…RT
I think I’m beginning to get it…thanks be to God.
Trying less to be a critic.
In other words; “love thy neighbor as your self”.
“we all deserve punishment, everyone of us, and because we all deserve punishment, God has the right and the freedom in God’s self to forgive us all”. (from Hellbound the movie. on netflix)
No one deserves, no one is worthy, no one seeks after God, none righteous…Everyone has a load of crud to be washed away and yet some say “I’m in and your out” because there was something “in me” that was able to respond correctly to God. Jesus on the cross did it All, there is nothing “in us”, nothing we can “do”, to secure our salvation, Jesus is everyone’s salvation.
How will all come to Jesus? Every barrier, wrong belief, misconception, lie, hurt, pain, doubt, fear, will be burned up until all that remains is Jesus. Then we all will see, bow, praise, cry, laugh, and confess that Jesus is lord to the glory of the Father. Amen.
Anything that limits what God will do for everyone is creating “us vs. them”.
One last thought, then why evangelize if all will be saved? Because it is Good News for now, today is the day of salvation. Joy, peace, freedom, the breaking of bondage, He first loved us….and we want to share with you….love, Jesus. God is Love.
Let’s go out and love, (do good)
Bryan