www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Christianity, Judiasim and Islam

In my studies and meditations of world religions since 1989 I have come to see simularities between Christianity, Judiasim and Islam.
For Christians there is the Chalace and it is sacred. If there is no chalace the Bible is made sacred.

For Muslims there is the Koran and every copy is sacred. Muslims will remind you that the Koran has not changed since it was written, this is why it stays in Arabic.

For Jews there are rich traditions dating back 6000 years and those traditions are sacred. Jews also focus on positive thought control.

As a student of world religion I have chosen Orthodox Christianity as my religion, but also have interest in one day reading the Koran in Arabic and am educated in positive thought control. I also respect the sabbath and observe when I can.

As I see it mutual religious respect can lead to world peace.

I have focused on this prayer I made at a Native American cermony on my 30th birthday in 1994.

In my studies spirituality seems to come together in threes. There is of course the Holy Trinity. Then there is Scripture, Holy Tradition, and Church Fathers. I see a parallel between this and the trinity with Holy Tradition (father), and Holy Scripture (son) and Church fathers (spirit).

I expand the analogy to Judiasim (father), Islam and Christianity.

I expand it further to include all higher thought of the human race. (Even science and eastern religions)

I pray for spiritual world peace.

Thi sis good, and I agre that we should study other religions, and seek peace and unity Civilly where we can.

However, we also mutst be midnful, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of all mankind, and those who do not acknowledge him are currntly in the highest of risks of Eternal Seperation from God.

It is tus not the Duty f evey Christain to oblitorate all Religious customs and practices foudn useful, but it is the Duty of all Christians to spread the Gospel pf Jesus CHrist and hope conversion happens to all, even our Jewish and Muslim Cousins in the Faith.

While it is good to respect the religius beliefs of all we must consider this: either ONE of them is right or NONE of them are.

Almost all religions claim to be the sole dispenser of truth. Most religions contradict each other. So which one is right?

As I Catholic, I most certainly believe that Catholicism is truth. While the Church acknowledges that there are aspects of truth in other religions, it rightly ascerts that it is sole dipenser of the WHOLE truth.

And how do we know this? Because limitless God became limited man, in the person of Jesus Christ, so as to truly experience the human condition. In this was our Redemption. The Christ, God Incarnate, promised that the gates of Hell should never prevail against our Church, and Christ can neither deceive nor be deceived. Thus it must be true.

We should respect the religious beliefs and traditions of others, but to say that other religions are equally valid is to negate the Gospel and Christ Himself. Truth cannot contradict itself.

I highly recommend reading the Holy Father's new book "Jesus of Nazareth". It is, perhaps, the best book in defense of Christianity in the last 40 years.

God Bless.

I look forward to the second volume. But about similarities, there are similarities between Egyptian practices and Judaism, but there are essential differences which are incommensurable. Ecumenicalism can be a dangerous game to play.

(Do not read anything here as pertaining to you personally, I don't know you, but this is what I have to say about this issue.)

I have a Qur'an, I've browsed through a Book of Mormon, but my purposes in reading them would not be to search for truth. If the Word which became flesh is merely another opinion or myth of men and not "the way, and the truth, and the life", then there would be little more in life than our imaginations. But if the Word truly did become flesh and dwelt among us and we abandon all hope and look at scripture as only a collection of good sayings and tradition as just a good practice, then our imaginations have failed us.

The life of faith, as the saints have shown us, is far deeper than that. The object of our faith (to which a life of faith points) is far greater than all of our imaginations combined, yet He created us from nothing. There are limits to ecumenicalism; even if all the world's population were to breach those limits and fall into religious or spiritual unity, there will still be war. I would recomend that book as well.

Terry

Byzantophile,

Although I also believe Catholicism to be true, I don't think it logically follows that either one existing religion is right or none of them are. That's not logical. There could be, theoretically, a unpracticed/undiscovered/unrevealed religion which is the "true" religion.

Alexis

I agree. I have enough to study and grow in my Christian walk. I'm aware of other religions and understand then in their own terms. I respect them, but I wouldn't convert. I study the general spirituality as an example of how God works in the universe.

I have an interest in spiritual mechanics. I ask questions about what effect this or that will be on the life of those involved. I see the divisions between religions as a huge jigsaw puzzle and sometimes I see how the pieces of what is now broken should fit together. It is like putting back together a shattered chalace.

Alexis,

Thank you for pointing out the missing third option in my argument.

I remember a college friend of mine, a Bulgarian Orthodox girl, related to me a very odd belief among certain Bulgarians.

In any case, she said that before we take flesh in our mother's womb our souls are in Heaven for a brief time. When we become flesh we each have a small memory of Heaven that we take with us through our life. In some it it the memory of the angels singing thus they are drawn toward beautiful music; in others it is the memory of Heaven's beauty and they are drawn toward beatiful architecture or landscapes or art; still in others it is the memory of Heaven's odor of sanctity and they are drawn toward certain smells, &c. Together these memories help to put together a picture, albeit incomplete, of Heaven. She said that the Church has done the best job of piecing these memories together in its liturgy to give us what many saints have called "a foretaste of Heaven".

I have never heard anything like this before or since. Intriguing, though...

Alexis,

You did say "theoretically," but I am still reminded of this passage from Isaiah:
Peace,
Deacon Richard

Unfortunately this theory could only have merit for our consideration BEFORE the advent of Christ. He came to reveal to us the truth. And as He Himself told us, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life . . ." There is no truth outside Him and we accept it because He revealed it to us directly.

On the other hand, for one who denies that there is a final revelation of Absolute Truth to the whole world, your theory stands.

In Christ,

BOB

Christ is beyond truth. Truth to me is only knowledge. It is possible to have a good education in Christ, but not be in Christ. John 1:1 says that Jesus is the Logos. It is translated to English as the word made flesh.

I'm the kind of person who likes to understand how things work. It annoys me to not know how to build this computer I'm using. I drive a car and know how it is built and how it operates. I like the nuts and bolts of spirituality too. It was an act of faith for me to spend the years learning spirituality otherwise I would probably be athiest. I used to believe Jehovah Witness teachings as a child on blind faith. I have math models of how things work too. The following helps me in understanding religions. I like this because I like to understand the nuts and bolts of the workings of spirituality.

Metaphysical teachings include cosmic 'planes' of spirituality. They are:
Physical-Stimulated with food and sex. Animals seldom go above this point.

Astral-Which is the emotional body. Many primitive practices focus on medicine for the astral body, so do crystals, incense, and candles and such.

Mental-Which is stimulated by education. Many intelectuals are very strong here. This forum stimulates this part of the spiritual body. (This forum is not a liturgy)

Buddhic-Should be called psychic. Inspirition from spirit world that some call divine.

Atmic-No spirit or entity outside of Christ goes beyond this point. National entities and Church entities are Atmic entities.

Monadic-Natural laws of life, and the laws of physics.

Logoic- The logos. As I said St. John said that Jesus is the Logos.

Richard,

That is an interesting ranking of the states of consciousness.

I would say that Christ is the Truth because He said so. But that, in turn, redefines Truth. It can no longer be mere data or normal knowledge. In Christ, Truth must be / is perfect union with God.

-- John

This sounds like a teaching influenced by the Bogomil heresy ... that influenced Balkan Orthodoxy more than people sometimes realize.

It sounds like a beautiful thing to say to a child, though I have never heard it before, nor know if I really believe it...

"Truth to me is only knowledge."

I can't agree.