tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post4127258107488315527..comments2024-01-04T03:48:46.920-08:00Comments on Reinventing the Adventist Wheel: Circumstantial faith?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post-79074393615906723882008-06-21T15:02:00.000-07:002008-06-21T15:02:00.000-07:00Huston Smith, the author of 'The World's Religions...Huston Smith, the author of 'The World's Religions', the leading comparative religions textbook for over three decades, is interviewed by Rev Alan Jones of Grace Cathedral.<BR/><BR/>Smith is a highly respected and eminently gentle (as well as aged - he is 86 years old but still active) Christian who was born in china of Methodist missionery parents. He speaks of the 'geography' and happenstance of his faith, while at the same time reminding us of the universality of the eight great religion's ethical principles.<BR/><BR/>http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/interviews/int_19971125.shtml<BR/><BR/>Elsewhere (on the Washington Cathedral website) Huston Smith talks about why he considers Christianity to be unique amongst the world's religions. He is certainly a man who is worth listening to, because he has the experience of wisdom discovered through much reflection as well as a long life.<BR/><BR/>When I am faced by the power which lies within such wisdom, intelligence, and finally spirituality I am made aware of how the very narrow view of my faith is truly humbled by a God who is far greater than we sometimes give credence.Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17405335949996305740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post-11707683497044762992008-06-13T16:32:00.000-07:002008-06-13T16:32:00.000-07:00Great thoughts. Your original question is one I ha...Great thoughts. Your original question is one I have asked many times.<BR/><BR/>I've often heard fellow Adventist friends say that many people of other faiths will be saved. I fully agree. But many of us also put on people of other faiths the expectation that when introduced to the "full truth" they must recognize it and accept it. While this may be a reasonably fair expectation, I think it is just as important, probably even more important that we place this expectation on ourselves. <BR/><BR/>If we are open to the idea that there is still the possibility of discovering new "present truth", and that we don't necessarily have everything figured out yet, we certainly must be willing to continuously be challenging and testing our own beliefs. It is definately not possible to do this fairly and thoroughly without being willing to look at the avenues that led us to our current beliefs. Our upbringing must certainly be a part of what is considered.<BR/><BR/>It's so easy to want to get all the correct beliefs lined up, put into a book and sealed. But the urge to find definitave truth must not trump the process by which real truth can be found.<BR/><BR/>BTW, I was informed about this blog by a couple of friends on completely separate occasions. It's fantastic! Thanks!BrianVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12599540940890662261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post-75096915837435728142008-06-09T01:37:00.000-07:002008-06-09T01:37:00.000-07:00I have just glanced at a few chapters from Muriel ...I have just glanced at a few chapters from Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro's book 'The Jesus of Asian Women - Women from the margins'. I find such books helpful - one soon begins to realise that Jesus is not the property of my own culture - if anything our culture often warps our view of Him. And so it goes for the women of Asia - some have found in Jesus entirely different reflections of God from those we are used to in the West.<BR/><BR/>I intend once again visiting my own roots - Hinduism - which I left nearly fifty years ago - in a book which I have just ordered - 'Christ across the Ganges - Hindu responses to Jesus'. I think it is useful to explore Jesus in different contexts as it helps us to relate more sympathetically to others who may see Him differently.<BR/><BR/>I remember so clearly that day when I stood at the bedside of my guru, who was dying of kidney failure. I had attended his ashram for some three years. He looked up at me and told me that I would eventually find God through Christianity. Quite a few years would go by before I 'fell' into christianity - quite by chance I thought. <BR/><BR/>My memory stilll respects Muthray Pillay and all he stood for - he was never a part of my culture so His Jesus was in many ways different to mine - and yet in the essentials Jesus held a very high position in his reckoning.Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17405335949996305740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post-2976233491674689282008-06-08T22:50:00.000-07:002008-06-08T22:50:00.000-07:00enjoyed the read.i personally do not understand wh...enjoyed the read.<BR/><BR/>i personally do not understand why people turn away from God. when i lived a less than idea spiritual life, my reasonin for turning away was the fact that i lived within the ways of the world. i refused to accept His Word.<BR/><BR/>i have to think others emulate my past behavior.Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02904024507867487521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post-81865708429814668392008-06-08T14:24:00.000-07:002008-06-08T14:24:00.000-07:00Hi Nathan - I enjoyed reading your thought-provoki...Hi Nathan - I enjoyed reading your thought-provoking ponderings. I have often wondered similarly, and not just in regards to my spirituality, but also my politics, ethnicity and national heritage. For example, I have often wondered what I would be like spiritually if I were born and raised and currently lived in Myanmar. Stuff like that...<BR/><BR/>Regardless, it can be easy to lose one's self in such inward thinking (btw, not an accusation...) I love what C.S Lewis wrote into the stories of <I>Prince Caspian</I> and <I>The Voyage of the Dawn Treador</I>. Lucy often wondered what would have happened in certain situations. Aslan's reply was very appropriate to this post:<BR/><BR/>"Child,” said Aslan, “did I not explain to you once before that no one is ever told what would have happened?”<BR/><BR/>Perhaps one of the things Jesus tried to teach us is that we are to revel in the joy of living the present reality of Jesus our King.Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12413657503068245221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27078130.post-1330590800152249272008-06-07T19:39:00.000-07:002008-06-07T19:39:00.000-07:00Nathan posted..."And I still wonder if I would bel...Nathan posted...<BR/><BR/>"And I still wonder if I would believe in God in this way if my circumstances of birth, culture, education and life were different."<BR/><BR/>Based on what we observe in the world, more than likely you would. Fortunately we have people who, for many reasons, choose to take a different path than the one given them by birth, culture, and education.<BR/><BR/>My choice to go in a different direction of belief was because the belief I was given created a lot of suffering and I was told that this suffering was either because I wasn't believing hard enough or it was the natural result of being a sinful human being.<BR/><BR/>What I noticed was that when I stopped trying to believe what I was taught to be true, the suffering stopped. And when I only believed what I knew from experience to be true, my life improved considerably.<BR/><BR/>That's all any of us has and within those limitations there are many options, adventures, and challenges. And they all make life incredibly interesting and worth living.Richard Hartyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01308270901432923724noreply@blogger.com