Narrow Path or Many Paths?

[metis]

This question is for all who may read this and not just for Jews.

Hinduism has it that there are "many paths to God" but, traditionally, Christianity has it that the path to God is only through the "narrow gate".  Which approach do you tend to more agree with?

[gluadys]

This question is for all who may read this and not just for Jews.

Hinduism has it that there are "many paths to God" but, traditionally, Christianity has it that the path to God is only through the "narrow gate".  Which approach do you tend to more agree with?

I think they are both right.  All the paths/gates are narrow. 

[Acumen]

How can they both be right, Gluadys?  Christianity teaches only one way, and that way is narrow.

[SquirleyWurley]

Hate to be picky (not really), but it depends on what is meant by 'god' and 'path' and 'to', etc.

If by 'god' you mean something 'eternal' and 'perfect' and 'wholly good', by 'path' you mean some metaphysical/ontological transformation of humans, and by 'to' you mean the best a human being can attain in a final eternal relationship, then why wouldn't it be rather broad, having to do with the nature of humanity and it's transformation and relationship to such abstractions, but why wouldn't it also seem rather narrow, as any abstraction (this one being allegedly 'eternal', 'perfect', as well as wholly 'good') is very very different than anything concrete/finite.

If you mean other things by these terms, everything might change.

[Acumen]

Okay, I must be getting tired because I didn't understand that last post.  Good night.

[river]

Since God is not narrow, how can we be?  In connecting to what we think of as God, I don't see how we can be narrow.   Unless one thinks that God is narrow.  And that would be too bad. 

[SquirleyWurley]

Okay, I must be getting tired because I didn't understand that last post.  Good night.

Well it might have been me.

But I suppose I was trying to emphasize a sort of duality between abstract ideal qualities which are remote or transcendent, and concrete human commonalities which are immanent.  If you are talking about a radical transformation of humans, that's a 'narrow' thing in that it's radical.  If you are talking about human beings and how they can relate better to something, there's commonality in 'all of humanity' -- a broad thing.

So radical transformation itself, isn't common or broad.  But all of humanity's status as a group is one of equality before something 'other'

[Acumen]

Since God is not narrow, how can we be?  In connecting to what we think of as God, I don't see how we can be narrow.   Unless one thinks that God is narrow.  And that would be too bad. 

I don't know if it's an issue of being narrow or wide.  I look at as an issue of whether we were created or not.

[SquirleyWurley]

Whether we were created or not, it is still up to me to decide whether the content of judgments attributed to the creator are sensible, ethical, etc., or else I am being asked to give up my own ethical responsibility.  As such, individuals will disagree on paths to the extent that those paths are so arbitrary and out of touch with the real world that all people can do is argue about their abstractions/dogmas/stories like snotty art students.

[river]

Not very many Jews on this forum are there?   

[Acumen]

No, not lately.

[Clyde5001]

This question is for all who may read this and not just for Jews.

Hinduism has it that there are "many paths to God" but, traditionally, Christianity has it that the path to God is only through the "narrow gate".  Which approach do you tend to more agree with?

I think they are both right.  All the paths/gates are narrow. 

***Both right? Impossible. There is only one truth and Jesus Christ is that one truth...hear Him: "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but BY ME" [John 14:6].

All who deny what Jesus Christ is claiming for Himself is to call Him a LIAR.

Kefa

 

How can you call a character from a fairy tale a liar...or a truth-teller?

[SquirleyWurley]

How can you call a character from a fairy tale a liar...or a truth-teller?

In the context of the story one may certainly form an opinion.

[gluadys]

How can they both be right, Gluadys?  Christianity teaches only one way, and that way is narrow.

In a sense, all the paths are the same path.  Even within Christianity, there is no one way to be Christian.  So I think the idea that there are many paths is a matter of human perception. 

The problem arises when we get judgmental about how other people describe/follow the path. 

[Acumen]

How can they both be right, Gluadys?  Christianity teaches only one way, and that way is narrow.

In a sense, all the paths are the same path.  Even within Christianity, there is no one way to be Christian.  So I think the idea that there are many paths is a matter of human perception. 

The problem arises when we get judgmental about how other people describe/follow the path. 

Being judgmental is a different issue.  The NT scriptures teach there is only one way to God, and that is through His designated mediator/high priest. 

[SquirleyWurley]

Some would be say the path is so narrow it only has space for your feet.

[metis]

Being judgmental is a different issue.  The NT scriptures teach there is only one way to God, and that is through His designated mediator/high priest. 

But are those statements accurate or were they additions put in after Jesus was martyred as we've discussed before?  That, of course, is a rhetorical question since we've discussed this many times before.   

[metis]

I have a very difficult time accepting the "narrow gate" analogy.  Why would God make different peoples throughout the world but then only tell one small group of people in one small area in the world about the issue of "salvation"?  Wouldn't that imply He had no concern about the others?     

[Acumen]

Being judgmental is a different issue.  The NT scriptures teach there is only one way to God, and that is through His designated mediator/high priest. 

But are those statements accurate or were they additions put in after Jesus was martyred as we've discussed before?  That, of course, is a rhetorical question since we've discussed this many times before.   

It may be rhetorical, but anyone could say what you're saying about any historical literature, which sort of dilutes the challenge into something not very meaningful in debate.

[Acumen]

I have a very difficult time accepting the "narrow gate" analogy.  Why would God make different peoples throughout the world but then only tell one small group of people in one small area in the world about the issue of "salvation"?  Wouldn't that imply He had no concern about the others?     

That really depends on a few different factors including who salvation applied to and what sort of salvation we're talking about.