BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Spirituality Religious Superiority

I think that maybe it all boils down to the fact that you can be a part of a religion that fills your life with love and joy without negating someone else's religion that does the same for them.

I love hearing people speaking about the hope, faith and fulfillent that the find in whatever spiritual system they choose to be a part of.

But when, and I am saying this about all religions, and not just Christianity, in the course of speaking about their joy, they insist that their way is the only way to seek true fulfillment on a spiritual level, the negate the whole principal that they are attempting to put across.

Take for instance, the christian hell and satan. Why does the topic even have to come up when a christian is talking to a non-christian who does not believe in either concept? Why does a Christian feel the need to "warn" someone about something that is not a part of that person's belief system? That is where the antagonism begins.

I totally agree with Harmony that the focus of any religion should be about the love and joy that it brings a person. But, I also feel that the concepts of heaven, hell, god and satan and the destiny of one's soul should be held within the personal confines of one's faith and not extended as a threat to those who simply do not share the same beliefs.

I don't feel that I require a warning or prayers or threats to my soul. My belief structure works well for me and I am fine as long as it is not challenged. To say that I require intervention from any other human being is to totally negate what I do believe to be "truth."

If a person says.. "I believe that I have to behave a certain way or I am going to hell", I haven't got a problem with that whatsoever. However, when they say "It is my duty to tell non-believers that their pathway is leading them to hell", I do have a problem with that. Now, that person has taken the focus off of themselves and extended into a realm where it simply does not need to be. They are stepping on someone else's spiritual toes.

Yes, spread the word to those among your own religions who believe what you are saying. But if you start to try and infiltrate those beliefs into other religious or non-religious viewpoints, you are simply begging for confrontation.

I always try to remember to say .. I believe.. or in my opinion.. rather than I know this to be true.

Love and Light..

Yes, if they asked him about his Christianity or wanted to know about God and Jesus, he certainly would open up the flood gates , so to speak.

Trying to care for and comfort someone is tough to do for Christians without talking about the care and comfort that Jesus can provide.

However, the hospital implicitly told him not talk about Jesus unless they asked because it is not a Christian hospital like a St. Mary's or something would be.

Me too, Harmony. I've enjoyed this thread a lot. Now, could you please tell me how in the devil (snort....I kill me) you get a quote in that nice, neat little box? I've tried and tried...it never works.

you can copy the text you want to quote then in your reply put {quote} but replace the {} with a []... then at the end put {/quote} and replace the {} with []

This is the way I see it. First, organized religion is a group of people with like-minded beliefs. This includes christianity, hinduism, satanism, etc. Secondly, spirituality is between you and your maker, whoever or whatever that may be. If you were to study the creation stories of each religion, you would find many, many similiarities. Because of this, I believe comparing religions can only be done on a side by side continum. No one is better than another, just different.

Yes, nadaurz, this is a fruitless excercise at the end.

Human nature is to compete, to gain, to conquer, to control, etc.
Does anybody else think there is atleast a possibly that because of our nature we must all think our own "religion" is the best or only true "god"? Isn't it possible there truly is only on higher power? We are just allowed by our maker to tell it any way we want? Wouldn't that make sense that the highest power, knowing who or what they were, would feel no need to prove anything to anybody, giving freewill to all to find their own way? "If you love something, set it free. If it returns, it's yours. If it doesn't, it was never meant to be." Without evil, there can be no good and without light, there can be no dark. We were given these differences and choices in order to find our own ways. I don't believe anyone will ever find the "right" way as long as they are busy messing with someone else's way. As I said, "Spirituality is between you and YOUR maker, not between me and mine". And, yes, cdmohatta, I do agree!

This is an excellent response.

hey there,

i am a new member of the forum and happen to see what you were writing. i believe that you are right. i happen to be a christian myself. we are suppose to help pagans see the light but not force them which sounds like the christians that were coming to your work are doing. they arent suppose to be judging either. now if you dont mind me asking do why dont you believe in god. many of the people that i know do not believe in god for various reasons. well god bless you and may the lord be with you

I like your ID - it shows you are beautifully human!

I am reluctant to tell you why I don't believe in God because I don't like to speak against what is sacred to another.

However, I will say that I believe in LOVE. I believe in the Oneness of all life and that all life is sacred.

I am not perfect in my beliefs and I fall down on my principles many times, especially when I find a cockroach in my house, or my kitchen invaded by ants! I will try to safely remove before I stoop to kill, but that isn't always possible, so if I have to kill an insect, or rid my house of mice I do it quickly and without the use of poisons. (I used to trap mice in a humane trap, then put them in a mouse cage and take them to the bush and release them!)

I used to believe in God, but life experiences gave me a different perspective. I love all those who 'live' love but I do not worship them. So yes, I love Jesus.

I see 'divinity' in everything in Nature, from the ocean and mountains to a blade of grass and a grain of sand.

I do not speculate on where it came from or how it got here. I just accept it and love it.

That is the best way I can explain what I believe. As for what I don't believe, I prefer to simply say that I do not know.

Patience.