Christian By Choice

On a roll might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I think we are gradually heading in the right direction. However, while the majority is becoming more tolerant and respectful, I cannot imagine a foreseeable future where there aren't extremist factions that are adamant about destroying their opponents.

No, I actually do not see peace in any generation. Won't happen in my opinion and the little corner of the world I view is growing less tolerant and less respectful. Just being chatty, but not factual.

In Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the title character practices Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, seeing merits in all three religions. He says I just want to love God. I found Pi to be endearing because of this. I am much the same way. While not "practicing" any one religion, I admire, respect, find value in, and am blessed by many. Of course everyone says to Pi you can't have more than one religion. Is there really only one path to God? Is it possible that we limit our spiritual growth by embracing only one school of thought?

Blessings to everyone!

I'm an orthodox Christian and my faith holds to the unpopular position of saying, "Syncretism is not the way to God."

Cafeteria spirituality sounds tolerant, wise and good, but I believe it is not. I think it is dishonest, doing violence to the tenets of every religion it borrows from.

Christian doctrine is clear on this subject in every orthodox interpretation. I can't adulterate my beliefs to fit the zeitgeist--not and remain honest with myself and with God.

In scripture, over and over God condemned those who mixed their religions. When I've discussed this with other people, they understandably ask me, "Then what about the eternal disposition of those souls who never embrace Christianity?"

Romans 2:13-16: For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

As I read it, for those outside Christianity, who've never experienced it, God has made provision. Their own consciences will either condemn or pardon them. "Did these souls live righteously?" will be the determining question. That means, Did they excercise grace and charity to those around them? Did they stand for justice? Were they honest people?

For those who have rejected Christianity, then those options are no longer open to them. Rejecting the truth for something less is, at the most important bottom line, self-condemning.

This is not an easy issue to answer and I'm all too aware (o, how aware!) of how smug and self-righteous Christians can appear. Indeed, how smug and self-righteous so many us have been!

There have been devout Buddhists who have been better models of Christ-like behavior than many Christians. This is beyond shameful. Yet to be fair, there have been many Buddhists who've been as venal, evil, grasping, vain or cruel as the worst Christian. In terms of being human, I am no better or worse than any Buddhist, Jew, animist, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, etc. We're all human. Everyone's shit stinks.

If I could give everyone a "Get out of jail--FREE!" card, I would. (Well, everyone except the real bastards.) But I don't have that choice and I'd make a lousy God.

At some point, every soul *must* choose for itself Heaven or Hell. God holds us accountable for that choice. Every choice we make, every day, is in some way informed by that choice.

I recommend C. S. Lewis' book "The Great Divorce" to you. It's quite a short book, so it's a fast read. In it, the main character is brought from Purgatory to the "front porch" of Heaven, there to choose if he will become real and walk on the fresh grass and mountains of Heaven, or continue as an insubstantial ghost in the dreary, horrible town of what will soon become Hell. The choice is not as easy as you'd think, as he observes the struggles and choices of several of his neighbors and then must make his own.

The book is superbly written and is thought-provoking. One passage has formed an underlying conviction about my view of judgment, Heaven Hell, and the afterlife.

It's something like this: "In the end, there are only two kinds of people. Those who say to God, 'Thy will be done' and those to whom God says, 'Thy will be done.' No one who seriously desires Heaven will miss it. All who seek, find."

Phil, I'm not sure how others will answer your question, but this is my answer, as honest as I can give.

There is only ONE path to God, and how can one possibly serve more than one master? Hinduism and Islam do not have the same god, don't teach the same precepts, and do not have a personal relationship with their god.

Only Christianity entails a personal relationship, and the Christian God, The God, is a jealous God. A person cannot follow what the God of the Bible commands or requires and still follow any other belief system.

If a person pulls a bunch of religions together, picks and chooses what they like out of each, then they have just created a new religion.

Why would someone do that? Either one belief system is the truth or it is not, but it can't be partly true and partly false. It is either entirely false OR entirely true, but NOT both. IMHO. : - )

I have to say both Ken and Judi expressed how I feel because I had a life changing personal encounter with God. Those that need a variety of pathways to Him are still searching.

Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Also adding a passage from the Book of Romans which Ken referenced, Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

I know, I know there I go using Scripture and Christian lingo that I am so often asked by others not to do, but all I know is how to speak King's English in expressing who I am and who God is to me.

Ken, Judi, and Editor, thank you for your thoughtful responses to what was largely a theoretical question. I have been a Christian my entire life, but I no longer belong to any church. To quote myself from my first post on this thread, for the past ten years or so I have distanced myself from corporate religion because of politics and conflict between denominations. No one denomination possesses the entire truth, but many believe they do, even to the point of condemning others to damnation. So, I am an unaffiliated Christian, and that might even be condemned by some (although not by Jesus which is all that really matters).

The sort of conflicts (political and doctrinal) I mentioned were much more than something I observed as a bystander. The main conflict in which I was involved eventually resulted in the schism of a congregation of 750 members, 70 of them taking the associate pastor and forming a new non-denominational church, many other members leaving for some other church, and the senior pastor of twenty years, heartbroken, immediately taking a call elsewhere. I, as an elder and being in a collegiate Lay Ministry program, along with a retired church worker, were left to try to hold things together. Once we finally managed to install an interim pastor, I left. Otherwise, during my Theology courses I was exposed to such condemnation of other demoninations that it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I have not lost my faith, only the desire for formal worship and corporate association. I do, however, admire other religions and find some blessing in studying their tenants. I believe that matters that are not contradictory to the Bible can be beneficial to our overall growth. My faith is strong enough that I cannot be led astray.

Editor, I think you are right that those that need a variety of pathways to Him are still searching. Hopefully my use of the character Pi was not too misleading as to my own position.

Judi, I certainly agree with most of your reply, but I have to respectfully argue one of your points. It is generally considered that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all acknowledge the same Creator God who convenanted with Abraham. Granted, there are extreme differences between the three, most importantly the salvific work of Christ.

Ken, I have not yet read The Great Divorce but it is on my list. I have read Lewis's The Screwtape Letters and he is indeed a very good writer.

Again, thanks to all of you.

Blessings,

Phil