How can more than one path lead to God?

Question

A friendly question for those who embrace the idea of multiple religions…How does one reasonably support the concept of there not being such thing as absolute truth in religion, that different teachings that contradict each other can all be true, or that religious beliefs are mere opinions and nothing more? Whatever one may answer, it ought to stand up to the following analogy: Most believe the world is round, while some may believe it is flat. Surely, both viewpoints cannot be right…and one can indeed be the only right answer. If the response is that this is different because the shape of the earth is something that can be proven to all by empirical evidence, consider that there was a time when it couldn’t be proven and at that time there were those who held firmly to their "unproven" belief...

Answer 1

it cant

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Answer 2

What do you believe?

Your question wants something that is unavailable: There is no belief that can be proved using the scientific method, "observable" knowledge, the knowledge that comes to us from our senses.

God and path(s) to God are not something that we can demonstrated using our senses. In most cases, it is information that has revealed to us. There are no proofs available. It is belief. Nothing more and nothing less.

Where does God come from? From Christianity, we can find things about God from reveal knowledge as spoken by the prophets. The words are documented in the [Christian] bible. For example, John 8:12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." This is clearly the Christian's path.

You either accept the Christian message or you do not. You can not have it both ways: You can not follow the Christian path and claim that there are other paths. Following Jesus is the only path for the Christian.

You can compare different religious concepts, but in the end you will either accept or reject them. In short, you will find your own beliefs and see what path you will travel.

Answer 3

Why do we always look at the differences and keep pointing fingers regarding "religions". What if we look at what they basicly have in common?

There are a lot of "Christians", Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sihks and others who believe for instance that killing in "certain" circumstances can be "justified".

However, all the above have been taught that to love (respect) God, our Creator, with their whole being and above all earthly "things", and to think and act with compassion and forgiveness toward their fellow (wo)men is the right way (PATH) for any person to live and achieve inner PEACE.

According to those wisdoms killing, or even hating and judging, is Not an option. (Someone should tell G.W. Bush! He claims to be a Christian, or others who claim to kill in the name of "religion".)

Just imagine! If all "Christians", Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sihks and Jews would willingly (not because they have been told) act out of compassion toward the "others" (as they were taught!) there truly would be peace on Earth!

Unfortunately we are not perfect and to bear "our cross" often seems too hard (or illogical, or "unscientific). - No, I'm not perfect either!

The "path" (mentioned in other religions as well) is narrow and few are that follow it, according to Jesus. He also teaches to love your enemies! How many "Christians" are really following that "path"?

That's why we have to learn to be honest to ourselves and admit that we have failed, again and again and again, and resolve to (at least try to) do better next time!

Because WE are not perfect we also have to forgive others for offences they may have committed against us.

We can then ask for forgiveness and get "peace of mind" - until the next time.

As someone put it: " Love (as in compassion AND forgiveness) is the answer - whatever the question".

Answer 4

It is that all teachings contain truth. The contradictions come from people trying to understand; that is what religion is. But there is one truth, and it is perceived in some form by all teaching. The Golden Rule runs through all teachings, but in those teachings, there will be differences in dogmatic principles. Ignore the human twisting of teaching, and pay attention to the single thread.

Answer 5

Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose it's easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it." Matt. 7: 13-14..
in Laymans words or in King James Bible :
13 ¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Answer 6

try to think of it this way. if everybody followed the same road to school, that road would soon become too crowded to drive on. this would then lead to a major traffic jam that no one would beable to move at all or even a small traffic accident may occur because two people got into a fight. the same thing would happen if everybody followed the same religion. everybody would have different views and this universal religion would never modify to meet the peoples needs. then people would fight because everybodies views are different yet everybody thinks they are correct.

Answer 7

I find it sort of arrogant that there are humans who think they're able to comprehend the whole of the Deity, and that their interpretation is the only "right" one.

If there were a riverbed, stretching for miles, and you could only see one part of it that happened to be filled with pebbles and rocks, would you assume that the whole riverbed was only filled with pebbles and rocks? Or could you comprehend that the part YOU see and that YOU interact with is filled with pebbles and rocks... but someone else in a different place may see turtles and fish, or sand, or murky silt-filled water... even though it's all the same riverbed?

Answer 8

It doesn't. There is only one truth. In Jesus' illustration of the wide and narrow roads, his point was that most people who claim to be following the truth are instead on the road to destruction. The truth has always been in the possession of the minority.

Answer 9

Very true, if you are a christian, you must go by the bibles word. The bible says that no one goes through the father except for me, which eliminates alot of ideas. Also, if you love Me you will keep My commandments, so those two eliminate a whole lot of others, and there's a lot more that could go to this.

Answer 10

The idea of believing multiple religions is unethical,controversial and even might become a direct thread to one's religion or country.We should consider that each religious practice has it's own uniqueness and mixing different believes alltogether is a bad thing to do.As a Muslim,i respect other religion as much as i want others to respect mine.I really hate it if someone messing with my religion or mixing it with others.If this is the case,a kick to the butt is a go!!

Answer 11

If life is a maze with only one exit, why can't all paths lead to me. And yes, there is no "one" true religon, but all religons have a protion of the truth inbedded in them. To find this truth is to find me, therein lies the true challange.