What's The Purpose Of Life

[hummingbird]

Feb 13, 2009, 10:02pm, jmeraz wrote:In regard to Christ, though, many people say many things about Him, and whether He's the only way, etc. I really steer clear of people's opinions about Him. I prefer to look at what He said about Himself, some examples of which are earlier in this thread. It's pretty hard to deny that at least He thought He was the only way.Then why does God create human beings who live in places where they will never hear about Christ, who will be born & raised in other belief systems? Doesn't He love them too? Basically you're saying that non-Christians do not have access to God & heaven. I can't agree with that. I think God's heart is big enough to accept all good people, from any faith. And perhaps this is our challenge - to rise above dogma and foster tolerance and respect for each other despite our differences. And because we do not understand all, nor are we meant to."1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. 13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (I Cor xiii)

[hummingbird]

Feb 14, 2009, 10:58am, mojobone wrote:MMMmm...whenever I hear somebody tell me they have the only way, whether it's the path of righteousness or a trimmer waistline, I put my hand on my wallet. If I wasn't explicit enough about where this 'only way' stuff tends to lead...

[llama]

Love the video clip The problem with the "many ways theory" is that it goes against the basic tenets of Islam, "There is only one god and he is Allah and Mohamed is his only prophet". Christianity, "I am the way the truth and the light and no one one comes to the father except through me", Also the reincarnation beliefs of Hinduism or Buddhism cannot be reconciled with the believe in the resurrection of Christianity or Judaism. So my problem with the many ways theory is that it cannot be borne out due to the incompatibility of the basic tenets of most of the worlds religions to one another.Of course you can take a bit from this and bit from that as is so common in this modern age. But then your really inventing your own religion. I go back to subjective and objective truth. But I won't bore you by going over that again. Also what Jonathanm said about finding out for ourselves by actually reading the Bible, the Koran, Bhahagva Gita and all and making our own minds up after weighing the evidence instead of relying on others opinions. Be they pastors, philosophies, relatives or fellow Taxi members. Not to say that discussion of the topic is not important because it is, and this is a great discussion here, where we can express opinions in an open and respectful manner. But I think that it is up to us to make our own mind up using the best available information and through serious investigation, which means going to the source materials. Bible, Koran, Tolle, Gita, Upanishads. etc Derek

[allends]

Feb 14, 2009, 11:55am, llama wrote:...So my problem with the many ways theory is that it cannot be borne out due to the incompatibility of the basic tenets of most of the worlds religions to one another.Derek, that is a very good logical statement, but there is another way to approach the "many ways theory". There are a couple of ways to say this, but today is a national holiday celebrating the power of love so I'll say it this way:Love is many things to many people, but I choose to think of love as the realization of the essential oneness of the lover and the beloved. In short, through the eyes of love, all things are one.Without love, all one sees are the differences that divide.-Allen

[llama]

Feb 14, 2009, 12:13pm, allends wrote:Feb 14, 2009, 11:55am, llama wrote:...So my problem with the many ways theory is that it cannot be borne out due to the incompatibility of the basic tenets of most of the worlds religions to one another.Derek, that is a very good logical statement, but there is another way to approach the "many ways theory". There are a couple of ways to say this, but today is a national holiday celebrating the power of love so I'll say it this way:Love is many things to many people, but I choose to think of love as the realization of the essential oneness of the lover and the beloved. In short, through the eyes of love, all things are one.Without love, all one sees are the differences that divide.-AllenIndeed a fine statement. Love is after all the most important human emotion. And love certainly does bring us together. But then do we then ignore the writings from the afore mentioned books? Agreed we should love one another. But there are real differences in the world religions that seem incompatible. I'm not saying that we should separate ourselves from others who don't hold our belief system. Indeed love is a great uniter in that respect. But the source material themselves are not compatible to any depth. If we choose to ignore that then we are no longer following that religion we are off on our own thing. For many that is fine. Of course we should not look down on another's religion or think that we are better then another because of our chosen religion but there are inescapable incompatibilities in the various believe systems......Love is something that unites us in our many believes. But IMHO not all believes are true.....PS gotta head out for a few hours...Love this thread...

[mojobone]

The key word there is "seems". One might conclude that science and religion are incompatible, until one looks more deeply. (one might also have to consider that every word of the Bible is not, nor is meant to be taken as literal truth, and same goes for the Q'uran) We speak of an objective Truth with a capital "T", and it's like an elephant in the room, and each of the world's great religions is one of the blind men describing it. Christianity in particular has layers and layers of dross that were added later to make the religion palatable to a new group of converts-and resurrection is another word for reincarnation.

[squids]

I know, right? Education is key here.......not only studying what was written but who the people were who wrote it, when they did, why they did, etc.The whole "one way" thing.....I don't know, it makes me sad. I mean, what if I die and I don't get to collab with Derek when he does too? I mean, probably he's gonna live foreva like everyone else except those of us who figured out we're not (cancer is such an eye-opener! LOL) and I'm all behind that, I've reconciled the fact, based on stats and a ton mo education about the types of cancers out there and my particular brand and personal stats, I'm gonna forge ahead of all y'all into the Great Unknown. Then what? Does that mean I won't be able to see/write with/hang out with all y'all again because I'm not Christian/Muslim?That makes me a bit sad. I mean, Derek, jes think of all the resources we'd have on hand and we won't be able to do fun things because I won't be where you are. Kinda makes you think "well, what's the purpose of life then?" Also, I won't get ta do the live gig thing with Mojo or the siren thing with bird......no mo fun taxi discussions. It's segregation all ova again and believe me when I tell you as a southern girl, it don't work, neva did, neva will here. Why would it work there?

[jonathanm]

Love the thread. Will jump back into the discussion when I'm back home (out for the weekend) and have better than a 14.4k connection (yes, dialup. Incredibly painful ). I know I'll have some catchin' up to do by the time I get back.

[llama]

Feb 14, 2009, 1:29pm, mojobone wrote:The key word there is "seems". One might conclude that science and religion are incompatibleI think this is something that occurred in the last 100 yrs or so. Newton didn't have a problem with science and religion as well as Pascal etc. etc.and I don't see why we would either. It's a man made schism.......the notion being if you're religious you can't be rational therefore you are against science..It's a straw man argument....But that's a whole other ball of wax. As far as resurrection and reincarnation being the same word........I don't know.... but what I do know is that Christianity describes an eternal life with God in a place called Heaven with a resurrected body. There's nothing we can do to deserve this since Jesus was our savior etc. etc. Where as Hinduism describes the soul occupying many bodies, human and animal and on Earth not Heaven over many many lifetimes burdened by karma . Doesn't look like the same thing to me.As for us all not being in the same place when we finally "kick the bucket" yea it is sad.........often Christians are condemned of "banishing others to Hell"......But no one wants anyone to go to Hell..........(hhmmmmm well maybe...no no bad thoughts.. ) I guess I'd say we don't make the rules 'round here. That's what The Bible says. If your a Christian that's what you believe. If your not a Christian why would you care?.......If someone thinks the Bible is a pile of crap then why would they get upset over what it says....The thing about the Bible not being literal yea in places there is poetry, (the Psalms for example) and allegory too. But it seems to me (there's that phrase again) that the tenets are pretty plain. Of course we are creatures with free will...it's up to us to examine the evidence and believe or dismiss. Derek

[devin]

I'm amazed at how drawn I am to this thread!Maybe we can take a step back from tallying which belief system we support (because I don't think we're going to move anyone a great distance from the tenants they already bought into prior to reading a forum discussion), and try and list a few reasons why different belief systems were created in the first place. What needs do the various belief systems fulfill?For example:1. Someone from the "other side" has been providing hints, so we can get ready. There is infinite love available, we just need to learn how to share it. This is the path...there's room for you too, btw. 2. Really amazing people lived so successfully at times in each group's history that people took lots of notes, and have been spreading the word ever since.3. Religion creates/enforces a code of ethics that makes society more cohesive (as long as you buy in to your team's guidelines).4. As sentient creatures that realize we have life, we're afraid of death. An afterlife is therefore preferable to annihilation. "Please convince me this isn't all there is". Best story wins.5. Our species is made up of leaders and followers. Leaders use point #4 above to recruit followers and gain personal power. (note: might work on small scale cult activity to the benefit of the leader...but my personal experience with the more mainstream groups doesn't include a lot of perks for those in the "front line" or "middle management" layers of the religions I know...I'd say they're as woefully underpaid and overworked as any other company).6. When your mediclorian count gets high enough, you can use The Force to weild a light sabre and pilot spaceships without the nav computers on. This train of thought has a dark side, however.7. This life is really crappy...I'm basically a pain collector on a trip that ends in death (Dilbert cartoon). I know the next place has got to be waaaay better than this one. Just look at that idiot causing so much suffering, and I can't do anything about it...I'm glad he's gonna pay big time when his exit interview comes.8. All of the above, young Jedi....