Millions of Hindus believe Lord Krishna was the single chosen spokesman for the supernatural head honcho, otherwise known as Brahman (a.k.a., "God"). As is written in a "holy" book, the Bhagavad-gita.
What do you know--a different culture, a different sacred text, a different god!
Aside from being born into a Christian family, and/or living in a Christian community and culture, why do so many Americans strongly believe Jesus is "the one"? There are untold thousands of college-educated Hindus who have learned about Christianity, about the words of Christ and the necessity of pledging fidelity to him or else, but have kept their own religion, thank you very much. Why are these perfectly sane individuals unmoved?
Of Christians I ask, Had you been been born into an Inuit tribe in the Arctic circle, could you honestly believe you would have "poof," magically come to accept some Jesus guy you had never heard of as your Lord and Savior? Rather than being saved, your soul would remain as raw as walrus sushi. Or something.
Or had you been born into a Tibetan Buddhist family do you really think that rather than chanting sutras, as would the rest of your family and community, you would magically find "the true path?" Do you think an angel would whisper instructions into your ear about needing to make the sign of a cross and say the Lord's Prayer every night on bended knee before bed?
From the percentage of Tibetans who are Christian, one would have to conclude that Jesus' angels have yet to learn their language. Or maybe their spiritual flyway doesn't extend into the high Himalayas. To better deliver his message there, Jesus might want to try shipping it UPS.
In many cultures around the world, the god of Jesus isn't dead, he has yet to be born. And no, not by a virgin, but via the persuasive words of preachers of that religion.
The reason missionaries are necessary to "spread the word" is that human minds have to be introduced to the monotheistic Judeo-Christian supernatural entity called "God." (Not to be confused with one of the Greek or Egyptian gods, or the most high Hindu deity, etc.)
If any god was truly able to communicate with human beings, missionaries could punch out. Furthermore, those who ask to hear the voice of their god in prayer would never be subjected to a silence in which the blood whooshing through their ears echoes, "I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service."
It seems your god speaks English fluently, but has apparently yet to master the !Kung language . . . and dozens beyond the long reach of the Christians' culturally-transmitted belief.
Culturally transmitted. Is religion purely a cultural phenomenon, a social tool, if you will, accepted and cherished by many, rejected by others as unnecessary or even backwards?
You can guess my answer.
Tags: culture, religion, Sunday Un-Sermon
July 3rd, 2011 at 9:15 am
God’s ways are not your ways. It is due to Free Will, as a result of the Fall, that the truth is not obvious to man. And a truly seeking Tibetan will find Jesus — culture is no limitation to Jehovah. But few will pass through the eye of a needle — few ever really accept God. Even those who call themselves Christians (the cultural Christians) will be surprised on Judgement Day.
Or thus some may reply to your criticism.
I find the compartmentalizing of my American Hindu friends amazing. They believe because it is the right thing for a good Hindu boy to do. They compartmentalize like the rest of us. See my short post on the phenomena with the cute picture if you are interested.
July 4th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Sabio – Can I quote you on that? What if I stop after the first paragraph and don’t include that following clarification? (Oh my!) “Sabio isn’t believer and even he acknowledges that ‘God’s ways are not your ways.’” Yikes.
You did that quite well. If well is the word. You’ve obviously been exposed. Seem you’ve stumbled upon an antidote, however.