Paula Johnson:
My 15 year old son Joshua wants to know. How can there be a God when there are so many religions? If there was really a God wouldn't there be just one, right religion???
Mike Ghouse:
Everything was intentionally created (came into being or evolved) to be different and unique and every piece of matter is designed to seek its own balance, that is what sustains and gives continuity.
Humans were not designed to auto-balance, we have the element of freedom to find that balance within ourselves and what surrounds us. Each group, community, nation or tribe finds (figures out) its own balance; social, spiritual, economic, physical, biological, cultural or other.
The creator is all about love and has gifted the humans with an ability to think and choose what is good for them, and has reached out each one of us and has delivered a beautiful formula called religion through the spiritual masters to live in peace with oneself and others.
However, to maintain diversity, a guaranteed element for survival, limitation was built into the ability of the masters to deliver that message. Jesus, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Mohammad or Shamans… and all of them could reach only so many, but together they have reached every one.
Whether one is a theist or an atheist, humans find their own balance. I would rather say “we have created God in our own image and every image works for the follower.”... Read More
Religion and God are supplements to bring peace (balance) to each individual and what surrounds it; life and matter.
As beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, God is in the heart of the believer. Co-existence (Pluralism) is about accepting every which way one appreciates (worship) his creator and lives a full life without fear. No matter what name you call God, the source of all that has happend is same. All faith systems are beautiful and do what they are intended to do, if followed
The Pluralism Balance, a New equilibrium
Exclusive Claims on God worked when societies were exclusive - the whole nation was Catholic, Protestant, Wiccan, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist.... each group found its own balance. (excesess were made against free will by men who donned religious lables) and some times those men shamelessly determined peace will come through violence.
As the societies evolve, exclusive conclaves of groups by faith, race, ethnicity or culture will fade. Greater acceptance.
15 ears ago, when I began the foundation for pluralism, many in the town did not even know how to pronounce the word, some thought it was a religion. The interfaith movement has brought a greater degree of acceptance of the otherness of other. The subscribers to Pluralism and interfaith are creating their own balance. They are comfortable in beleiving that God can be worshipped any way you want, my way works for me as your works for you, what is the problem? God is diversity
Mike Ghouse is a Dallas based Speaker, Writer, Thinker and a Moderator. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and television networks offering pluralistic perspectives on issues of the day including Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, Peace, India and Civic issues. His comments, news analysis and opinions are on the Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. Mike is a Dallasite for three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com
#
Showing posts with label True God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label True God. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Who Owns God?
God is not owned by any,
God belongs to every creation,
God has not signed a deal with any,
God is all about love - the love that brings gratitude,
God is equilibrium in one's life,
God is free from all religions,
God is not a man or a woman,
God is not a being or a thing,
God is just a word infinite,
God is not limitable or definable ,
God is nothing but love,
God is the balance in one's life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WybvhRu9KU
Mike Ghouse
.
God belongs to every creation,
God has not signed a deal with any,
God is all about love - the love that brings gratitude,
God is equilibrium in one's life,
God is free from all religions,
God is not a man or a woman,
God is not a being or a thing,
God is just a word infinite,
God is not limitable or definable ,
God is nothing but love,
God is the balance in one's life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WybvhRu9KU
Mike Ghouse
.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
True God and Pluralism
Campbell asks about True God and Pluralism
How does a pluralist view things? If you have specific questions, please send to info@foundationforpluralism.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
09/15/2008
Mike,
I hope you had a great weekend and I hope you and your family was safe from the Hurricane and devastation along the Texas coast. I want to say thank you for the kind wishes and comments on my face book. Not sure yet what I think of face book whether it is a useful tool to stay connected to people or a time waster. I guess time will tell.
I had a couple of questions I was pondering and thought I would ask your perspective. These questions are more from a pluralistic perspective vs. an Islamic perspective. As you know I am not a pluralist, but it certainly does help in understanding where others are coming from. So if you will further indulge me, I would appreciate it.
1) I am assuming that a Pluralist holds that there are many paths to God. Is that correct?
2) Can you be a pluralist and believe in one True God. Or better stated, that there is only one God? From my understanding a pluralist would believe that there would be many paths to that one God. Is that a correct understanding?
3) As a pluralist, is there any room for absolutes? For instance, is there any room to say that there is something always true regardless of time and other factors? Can something be universally true?
Just curious,
David Campbell
##
David,
Thanks for the email, here are the responses for your questions
1) I am assuming that a Pluralist holds that there are many paths to God. Is that correct?
Yes, each path is divine to the believer
2) Can you be a pluralist and believe in one True God. Or better stated, that there is only one God? From my understanding a pluralist would believe that there would be many paths to that one God. Is that a correct understanding?
David, Pluralism is an attitude of accepting other forms and other beliefs, as one accepts his or her own. The ultimate source of all cause and creation is one - the term "True God" bothers me, as though there is a false God. You are right, a pluralist Muslim, a pluralist Jews, a Pluralist Christian would honor other ways of worshipping the creator, and will not be arrogant to believe his is the only way.
3) As a pluralist, is there any room for absolutes? For instance, is there any room to say that there is something always true regardless of time and other factors? Can something be universally true?
Yes matter is universally true, there is a room for absolutes as much as there is a room for abstracts. However abstracts and beliefs are one's perspectives that work for the believer.
The natural tendency of anything life or matter is to seek balance. All religions consciously, divinely, mysteriously or deliberately are designed for that to bring a balance to the individual and balance with what surrounds him/her - life and matter. To believe one is superior or true is denying the other his or her right to believe and living with imbalance.
Hope this answers some of your questions
Mike Ghouse
##
Mike
Yes they do answer my questions, but perhaps raise others in their place. I, on the other hand am bothered if there is not a 'false god.' It would be of grave concern to me if I was worshipping 'a figment of my imagination.' If there was not a God who created all that exists and sustains that creation, I would kind of feel left adrift. If my goal is not offend another's beliefs then I have no problem with pluralism as a whole. But my goal is to worship and follow the God who does exist. If He does exist, then how does the creature have the right to tell the Creator what is and is not fair?
I guess I have a problem with being left to me being the one who chooses what is right for me or not. Where does one determine that it is ok to determine what works best for one's self? That sounds really good until you factor in the fact that there is a God who created the world. There is a universe that operates with a preciseness and exactness yet holds tremendous mystery. Just like in order for me to EXIST there has to be the possibility that I can NOT exist. Likewise with God if He exists then there is the possibility that He NOT exist. Therefore there can be a True God and by contrast a False God--or more plainly a non-god (a god that does not exist).
So if there is a True God and also a god's) that does not exist, would it not be possible to worship that which does not exist?
oh BTW, I think I have stated it but incase I did not. I am not really interested in telling another they are wrong or right or whatever, I believe that is left to God who makes that judgment. I am just curious how one operates in pluralism and how it affects the rest of life. As a Christian I cannot reason a person to God, it is God who makes that determination and it is God who woos a person to Himself. As a Christian I am to reflect His nature, His Character, and speak the truth in love, and proclaim his excellencies--the rest is up to Him. As I have said before, all men and women were created in the image of God and therefore by that fact alone are afforded the benefits of mutual dignity and respect. I believe that He gives purpose and He gives life and that apart from Him one cannot truly have life.
David Campbell
##
David,
Worshipping is a ritual embedded in religion. Feeling the presence of a higher power and understanding that every thing finds its own balance is spiritual. It is the freedom you feel when you feel you have a grasp of the nature and takes away your fears, even though you do not have complete answers to your fears and doubts.
The problem with most of us is giving a shape, a body, a physical presence to this “higher power”. Higher in this context is something that is beyond our understanding and has been around before we were aware of our existence and will continue to exist when we are gone.
If you see this power labeled as God in some comprehensible form, then you would be worshipping the figment of your imagination. Every religion emanates from the same fountain of wisdom, but I do know that Hindu, Jewish and Islamic scriptures do not give a form, shape, color, time or any sense of a being to that power. However, some people are pre-disposed to imagining “that power” in our own image, as the Bible points that God created us in his own image.
God does not have to be anything; God can be viewed as the energy that causes everything to be in place, sustain it and bring about a balance.
Prayers are an expression of gratitude to such a thing; they are legitimate sentiments and produce a balance in you, as much as repentance and forgiveness lifts you up.
The act of ‘balancing it out’ is your own, as there are 7 billion other acts performed simultaneously. Feel confident that you are in balance, free from hate, jealousy, anger, and ill-will and loaded with goodwill, charity and kindness towards other. This is what every religion does to us, each way is legitimate and none is wrong.
Let me take a step further, the animist, Wiccan, the pagans and others are as right as the Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Bahai’s, Sikhs or any one is. It is arrogant of us to believe that they worship false God; it is not to them, even if you consider that they worship an idol. The act of worship is a self balancing act. Each one of the system does the same to allay human confusion and give hope and sense of security that everything is going to be alright.
Please ponder over this. No one has to be wrong for you or me to be right. We are wrong only when we deflect that balance; rob from others what is legitimately theirs, forcibly taking others space, grabbing others food and hurting the loved ones. Again, God is about balance in life and it can hit your imagination the way you are conditioned.
I reiterate that my path, Islam is a familiar path to me to keep my balance and it works for me, as your path works for you. Neither is superior or inferior, it is just a different faith bud.
Mike Ghouse
Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.
Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916
.
How does a pluralist view things? If you have specific questions, please send to info@foundationforpluralism.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
09/15/2008
Mike,
I hope you had a great weekend and I hope you and your family was safe from the Hurricane and devastation along the Texas coast. I want to say thank you for the kind wishes and comments on my face book. Not sure yet what I think of face book whether it is a useful tool to stay connected to people or a time waster. I guess time will tell.
I had a couple of questions I was pondering and thought I would ask your perspective. These questions are more from a pluralistic perspective vs. an Islamic perspective. As you know I am not a pluralist, but it certainly does help in understanding where others are coming from. So if you will further indulge me, I would appreciate it.
1) I am assuming that a Pluralist holds that there are many paths to God. Is that correct?
2) Can you be a pluralist and believe in one True God. Or better stated, that there is only one God? From my understanding a pluralist would believe that there would be many paths to that one God. Is that a correct understanding?
3) As a pluralist, is there any room for absolutes? For instance, is there any room to say that there is something always true regardless of time and other factors? Can something be universally true?
Just curious,
David Campbell
##
David,
Thanks for the email, here are the responses for your questions
1) I am assuming that a Pluralist holds that there are many paths to God. Is that correct?
Yes, each path is divine to the believer
2) Can you be a pluralist and believe in one True God. Or better stated, that there is only one God? From my understanding a pluralist would believe that there would be many paths to that one God. Is that a correct understanding?
David, Pluralism is an attitude of accepting other forms and other beliefs, as one accepts his or her own. The ultimate source of all cause and creation is one - the term "True God" bothers me, as though there is a false God. You are right, a pluralist Muslim, a pluralist Jews, a Pluralist Christian would honor other ways of worshipping the creator, and will not be arrogant to believe his is the only way.
3) As a pluralist, is there any room for absolutes? For instance, is there any room to say that there is something always true regardless of time and other factors? Can something be universally true?
Yes matter is universally true, there is a room for absolutes as much as there is a room for abstracts. However abstracts and beliefs are one's perspectives that work for the believer.
The natural tendency of anything life or matter is to seek balance. All religions consciously, divinely, mysteriously or deliberately are designed for that to bring a balance to the individual and balance with what surrounds him/her - life and matter. To believe one is superior or true is denying the other his or her right to believe and living with imbalance.
Hope this answers some of your questions
Mike Ghouse
##
Mike
Yes they do answer my questions, but perhaps raise others in their place. I, on the other hand am bothered if there is not a 'false god.' It would be of grave concern to me if I was worshipping 'a figment of my imagination.' If there was not a God who created all that exists and sustains that creation, I would kind of feel left adrift. If my goal is not offend another's beliefs then I have no problem with pluralism as a whole. But my goal is to worship and follow the God who does exist. If He does exist, then how does the creature have the right to tell the Creator what is and is not fair?
I guess I have a problem with being left to me being the one who chooses what is right for me or not. Where does one determine that it is ok to determine what works best for one's self? That sounds really good until you factor in the fact that there is a God who created the world. There is a universe that operates with a preciseness and exactness yet holds tremendous mystery. Just like in order for me to EXIST there has to be the possibility that I can NOT exist. Likewise with God if He exists then there is the possibility that He NOT exist. Therefore there can be a True God and by contrast a False God--or more plainly a non-god (a god that does not exist).
So if there is a True God and also a god's) that does not exist, would it not be possible to worship that which does not exist?
oh BTW, I think I have stated it but incase I did not. I am not really interested in telling another they are wrong or right or whatever, I believe that is left to God who makes that judgment. I am just curious how one operates in pluralism and how it affects the rest of life. As a Christian I cannot reason a person to God, it is God who makes that determination and it is God who woos a person to Himself. As a Christian I am to reflect His nature, His Character, and speak the truth in love, and proclaim his excellencies--the rest is up to Him. As I have said before, all men and women were created in the image of God and therefore by that fact alone are afforded the benefits of mutual dignity and respect. I believe that He gives purpose and He gives life and that apart from Him one cannot truly have life.
David Campbell
##
David,
Worshipping is a ritual embedded in religion. Feeling the presence of a higher power and understanding that every thing finds its own balance is spiritual. It is the freedom you feel when you feel you have a grasp of the nature and takes away your fears, even though you do not have complete answers to your fears and doubts.
The problem with most of us is giving a shape, a body, a physical presence to this “higher power”. Higher in this context is something that is beyond our understanding and has been around before we were aware of our existence and will continue to exist when we are gone.
If you see this power labeled as God in some comprehensible form, then you would be worshipping the figment of your imagination. Every religion emanates from the same fountain of wisdom, but I do know that Hindu, Jewish and Islamic scriptures do not give a form, shape, color, time or any sense of a being to that power. However, some people are pre-disposed to imagining “that power” in our own image, as the Bible points that God created us in his own image.
God does not have to be anything; God can be viewed as the energy that causes everything to be in place, sustain it and bring about a balance.
Prayers are an expression of gratitude to such a thing; they are legitimate sentiments and produce a balance in you, as much as repentance and forgiveness lifts you up.
The act of ‘balancing it out’ is your own, as there are 7 billion other acts performed simultaneously. Feel confident that you are in balance, free from hate, jealousy, anger, and ill-will and loaded with goodwill, charity and kindness towards other. This is what every religion does to us, each way is legitimate and none is wrong.
Let me take a step further, the animist, Wiccan, the pagans and others are as right as the Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Bahai’s, Sikhs or any one is. It is arrogant of us to believe that they worship false God; it is not to them, even if you consider that they worship an idol. The act of worship is a self balancing act. Each one of the system does the same to allay human confusion and give hope and sense of security that everything is going to be alright.
Please ponder over this. No one has to be wrong for you or me to be right. We are wrong only when we deflect that balance; rob from others what is legitimately theirs, forcibly taking others space, grabbing others food and hurting the loved ones. Again, God is about balance in life and it can hit your imagination the way you are conditioned.
I reiterate that my path, Islam is a familiar path to me to keep my balance and it works for me, as your path works for you. Neither is superior or inferior, it is just a different faith bud.
Mike Ghouse
Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.
Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)