I used to have a regular dinner by the end of summer for years. It was well known in my circle of friends and their friends. It was a select group that got invited every year with a friend.
We used to sit around the table 12-14 people eating, drinking and discussing to early morning next day. It was always something that we looked forward to.
The thing that really made this interesting was the combination of people that was invited. I have friends and acquaintances in all walks of life, from the transvestite to the preacher.
So, we set up the table in the most interesting manner. Put the gay man next to the outspoken Christian that sternly believed that gays were a plague and a sin against God.
The right wing hardliner next to the socialist and so on.
They all had to abide by some rules, no personal attacks or threat of violence (since the people that got invited all was a intelligent group no name calling nor physical threats of any kind ever happened).
This was down to one reason, even though you had people with extreme opinions of every kind they knew that what they believed was not for everyone.
As one of them said, I am a Christian cause it suits me and my way of living. It gives me meaning and positive experiences. It does not mean that you have to be one.
This again follows my credo regarding belief.
“I will listen to you; I will discuss it with you as long as you don’t try to force or in any way try to convert me into believing what you believe. Make your points and let me think about them. If they suit me I will adopt them. ”
I am not religious of any kind really. I think there is something that is greater than us, I believe that the many different religious movements be it Islam, Christianity, Jews, Hindus etc all worship and pray to the same God. They just use different names and different ways of worship.
How can one person say that he/she is correct and the other parties are wrong in this matter? This is blind faith. This is belief; no one of all the different groups can state that their way is the only correct one. As long as your faith helps you and you don’t hurt others because of it, great. More power to you.
I don’t subscribe to the “This is God’s work” every time something good happens. And the devil is afoot when something bad happens. Human nature has good and bad in it. We are the culprits and the heroes. We all have both in us, we can choose what we want to be.
People that call others unintelligent for having a different opinion or like I have been told many times will go to hell just because I don’t worship God is rather closed minded. I feel sorry for them in many ways.
We all know the person that shakes his/hers head with that arrogant grin total self belief in their own truths every time someone say something that contradicts their belief and opinions’. They will not even budge if you can lay ironclad proof in front of them. They will just ignore it and you.
But back to the reason for this blog, my dinner parties. We always ended up sitting up to the early mornings (drinking a lot of wine) discussing. We all learnt a lot about what the other side of our personal belief was and in that way learnt to respect other people and their opinions.
I will round this one off for now, if not this will end up as a 200 page novella instead of a blog that contains my ideas and thoughts on different subjects.
Be well.
Copy & paste to friend: (Click inside box; Ctrl + C to copy; Ctrl + V to paste)
|
|
read more blogs!
Blogs by Levitan:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Why is your belief the correct one? |
|
|
|
edthepoet
|
May 16 @ 11:32AM
|
|
|
The answer to this is quite easy, because you choose to use your freewill to do so or you allowed someone else to brain wash you.
|
|
etobin45
|
May 16 @ 11:41AM
|
|
What a great dinner party! My beliefs are those that I chose and that is the greatest gift of all...free choice! I always respect free choice.
Namaste 
|
|
blueyed_cdn_girl
|
May 16 @ 11:44AM
|
|
|
To believe in God is not enough,,, even Satan knows and believes that God is real. The key is to confess your sins, accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, to have a personal relationship with Christ.
|
|
Levitan
|
May 16 @ 11:45AM
|
|
|
What a great dinner party! My beliefs are those that I chose and that is the greatest gift of all...free choice! I always respect free choice.
That is all my words summed up in one sentence... will send you a mail next time I start writing so you can edit them for me 
The fun thing about this is that people made friends with people they never thought they would. Many of the opposits would start to meet on a regular basis just because they found a good person and someone that they had many long and interesting discussions with.
Without disagrements there would be no progress. If we all agreed and thought alike we would not move on.
You are hereby invited to the next dinner party 
|
|
Levitan
|
May 16 @ 11:51AM
|
|
|
To believe in God is not enough,,, even Satan knows and believes that God is real. The key is to confess your sins, accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, to have a personal relationship with Christ.
This is not for everyone. And in my eyes it does not make them a bad person of less value. I know many great people that are not Christian.
If a person lives his/hers life helping others. Doing selfless deeds everyday to make others life a better and safer one.. But are not Christian.
And on the other hand there is people hiding behind religion that do nothing but spew hatred.
If there is a God that sits and decide who goes where in the end. If God is just as it says in the bible, he would not deny the person that is not Christian.
it is not what you say, it is what you do and how you live your life that counts in the end.
That is what makes sense to me at least.
|
|
EternalFlame
|
May 16 @ 11:52AM
|
|
|
I think there is something that is greater than us, I believe that the many different religious movements be it Islam, Christianity, Jews, Hindus etc all worship and pray to the same God. They just use different names and different ways of worship.
I agree with you here.....100%
|
|
SpecialKny
|
May 16 @ 11:55AM
|
|
My home is always open to people of many different beliefs and lifestyles........my son (who is 32) practices Buddhism and we may find ourselves all sharing a meal together and most times the subject of who believes in what never even comes up....and when it does its never really a big deal.....we believe in what we believe in for whatever our reasons are......your right in saying it really comes down to one God?Goddess, or whatever has created this world of ours......and we mostly all agree on that......guess we are too busy eating a great meal and enjoying our peaceful surroundings then to start up a serious discussion.....but I Do like the idea of doing that on a "planned" situation......(-:
K~
|
|
yashaenka
|
May 16 @ 12:23PM
|
|
|
I think there is something that is greater than us, I believe that the many different religious movements be it Islam, Christianity, Jews, Hindus etc all worship and pray to the same God. They just use different names and different ways of worship. Do not assume Monotheism or Polytheism have the key alone to connecting with all that there is.....Living Philosophies not burdened with Dogma have the same key that any other belief system does.
Some like Pantheism with no dogma or ceremony often encountered in Formal Religions simply say. "All things are one and connected". Zen follows within this philosophy also. It is really not necessary to pray or kneel in supplication as all that there is resides within you patiently awaiting discovery and acceptance by you, of it's existence outside mortal mind.
|
|
Levitan
|
May 16 @ 12:28PM
|
|
|
Do not assume Monotheism or Polytheism have the key alone to connecting with all that there is.....Living Philosophies not burdened with Dogma have the same key that any other belief system does.
I do not assume anything. I do not kneel or worship any particular beeing. And yes, I do believe that things are connected, in this life
|
|
Blinddatingsucks
|
May 16 @ 12:37PM
|
|
|
I believe that the many different religious movements be it Islam, Christianity, Jews, Hindus etc all worship and pray to the same God. They just use different names and different ways of worship.
A friend of mine once told me his theory on the different religions in the world. I thought it made some sense, but that's just my opinion, and his theory.
He said that at some point, Jesus told his diciples to "go forth and tell the world" and spread the gospel etc. Now his theory is that these diciples DID go out into the 4 corners of the world, but maybe they didn't have all the teachings needed and the different religions came about as their way of "winging it" . They spread the gospel, but in their own way, and it's not that far of a stretch to think one diciple went to asia, while another went to another country, etc. Maybe the various religions sprang up because the diciples were not exactly sure of what they were suppose to be teaching? They knew of a higher being, but didn't explain themselves well enough to teach the world about God, and Jesus Christ, so that all these other religions came about?
|
|
yashaenka
|
May 16 @ 12:59PM
|
|
|
He said that at some point, Jesus told his diciples to "go forth and tell the world" and spread the gospel etc. Now his theory is that these diciples DID go out into the 4 corners of the world, but maybe they didn't have all the teachings needed and the different religions came about as their way of "winging it" . They spread the gospel, but in their own way, and it's not that far of a stretch to think one diciple went to asia, while another went to another country, etc. Maybe the various religions sprang up because the diciples were not exactly sure of what they were suppose to be teaching? They knew of a higher being, but didn't explain themselves well enough to teach the world about God, and Jesus Christ, so that all these other religions came about?
Your premise is incorrect which any time line of events on the internet will reflect. Buddhism began in 600 BCE and began a migration after that, Taoism as a living philosophy was thousands of years older than that.
The basis of Christian faith came directly from the Hebrews which in turn borrowed beliefs from much older faiths. Those who developed the Catholic system used selective portions from the Jewish system, then in turn adopted Dualism to set it's self apart then introduced parables and fables some of which the protestants adopted in part. The term Christian was created in 10 AD and the formation of a church in 100 AD.
Jesus as a philosopher never said any thing about churches and did not attend any because monotheistic philosophy with a church did not occur until much later....
|
|
ad33
|
May 16 @ 1:01PM
|
|
A lot of times people of different beliefs will tell you that theirs is the only way because it is so written in the Bible, the Coran, etc. By the same token, if they are telling you you're damned to hell if you don't do this or accept that; making you feel compressed in a small box, then they are dishonoring God!!
It is NOT a Christian's job to pass judgement on you if you give resistance; but to reassure you that you have a friend you can always talk to, and ask questions. Also, to pray for those who do not believe.
In my beliefs, and in what the Bible tells me, that my good works don't mean a thing(not forgetting however, that the world will be a better place with works)if there is no acceptance and belief in the One whom God sent.
We were all given a self will in that we could choose to follow Christ, or turn away from Him. It applies to all aspects of our lives, but this was the primary intent. If we choose to follow and believe in Him, it is because that's what's in our heart. A husband and a wife don't spend their lives together because they were made to; it is because they chose(and wanted)to; because they love each other. This is what God seeks from those who want to. Without wanting to have a close intimate bond with God, there is no truth, no faithfulness.
Since most beliefs speak against homosexuality(as is with mine), it shouldn't be any surprise why it's a negative with a lot of people. Again, it's not a Christians place to judge a person; it's God's and God's alone. However, there are situations where a Christian would stand their ground(if the Proverbial shoe of "pushing of beliefs" was on the other foot). Patient, but not tolerant.
Bottom line, praying for the non-believer, approaching them with love and compassion and understanding. A lot of believers who mean well should be bringing these things. If not, they aren't doing it right(it's also a basic tool the devil uses to keep non-believers from God). It's a shame that it happens that way, but it's all the more reason to pray.
That's when the problems a person can't handle, they talk to God leaving it in His capable hands, and then believing that no matter what the outcome, that it has been handled in exactly the way in that it's all part of a bigger plan. It may not always be logical or sensible to us, but that's why we put our faith in Him.
I hope I was able to shed some light for you. 
|
|
onoudn
|
May 16 @ 1:30PM
|
|
|
Islam, Christianity, Jews, Hindus etc all worship and pray to the same God
I'm not sure this is true. I don't believe in a God that allows people to cause misery in the name of religion. Buddhist don't even believe in a God per se, atleast thats how I interpret my teachings. It kind of aggravates me when people make the assumption that there is only one God. It seems that there are many all of which are created by the furtile imagination of human kind. I understand that others claim to have experienced a bonding with a living Christ but I don't believe it. I happen to understand how powerful the human mind can be. The human mind can make a thing true whether it is or not. It is my firm believe that people who claim to have had a spiritual awakening of the existance of Christ have actually only contacted that part of themselves that is one with the Universe. The distinction is that one is a awareness that originates from within, and the other is the illusion that we are separate and distinct entities from an outside and external higher being or power---which bestows us with salvation according to its whim.
|
|
missalex
|
May 16 @ 1:38PM
|
|
|
he knows when you are naughty he knows when you are nice he know when you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake
|
|
Levitan
|
May 16 @ 1:55PM
|
|
|
he knows when you are naughty he knows when you are nice he know when you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake
Santa?
|
|
Levitan
|
May 16 @ 2:08PM
|
|
|
In my beliefs, and in what the Bible tells me, that my good works don't mean a thing(not forgetting however, that the world will be a better place with works)if there is no acceptance and belief in the One whom God sent.
I am sorry but I cannot accept that. According to the bible, and what Christian people I meet tell me God is love, God is acceptance, God is forgiveness.
They also tell me that God gave mankind free will, that God wanted us to love and accept each other.
If I live a life of good deeds and kindness. But for personal reasons do not choose to pray or worship God nor Jesus. And a sinner (to keep in the “religious” tongue if you will) who believes was to be accepted and me thrown away.
Then I God is not those things. Follow me or pay the price in other words, that is the words of a fanatic. Someone that is more interested in power . Like I said before, I am not personally a believer in any book written about any God.
Simply because these books are all written of men many years later. And as is stated earlier by someone else the church and priesthood as we know it came years later.
The belief system that we have today are created by men.
I choose to believe in the message. That is one of love and acceptance.
If God is as you say, follow him or pay the price… then I rather pay the price as a free individual that took my own choices and followed my own way in life.
|
|
sparechange64
|
May 16 @ 11:25PM
|
|
quoting "Your premise is incorrect "
oh???? you were there????
the fact is, is that many "religions" as they are called - can be viewed as such:
1. does this belief make moral logical sense? is it teaching me to kill another, cut off limbs, severe punishment - if they do not believe the same way I do ... if so, I question it
2. humans will do nearly anything for POWER ... if a "religion" attempts to gain power over others through FORCE, then I question it
3. does this belief system concentrate on onesownself? because if it does, then it is about personal gain, which I question
4. does this sytem of belief contradict itself in respect to the whole story (teachings added to the "religious" doctrines of "the faith") - if so, I question
"if" there is a God (I say if because many will not agree or understand) ... then why would these other "beliefs" hold water - they would not, they are in contradiction .... but of course, since you believe that the Bible was written by man it doeasn't really matter as they are ALL in contradiction to their OWN Bibles.
having said all that ... it really doesn't mean much if you choose not to believe
AND ... not to get sidetracked, but couldn't let this pass by
quoting "it's not a Christians place to judge a person"
TRUE, but it is a Christian's job to point out wrong behavior Ezekiel 33:8-9
|
|
ad33
|
May 17 @ 3:31AM
|
|
I understand your frustrations with this, believe me.
Remember, I said "in my beleifs", because I was trying not to convey them as fact.
In my life they hold as fact, but obviously you're trying to find some truth in something, be whatever it may be.
Follow me or pay the price in other words, that is the words of a fanatic. You're absolutely right; fanatical, however this is one of those things that's being conveyed in the wrong way.
According to the Bible, God is Light and sin is darkness. When you turn on a light, it dispells the darkness. Light and darkness do not mix. So it's not that He wont save you if you don't accept Christ, but if you haven't, then it's seen as still being a sinner without salvation(you never came to Him so the devil couldn't get you)and you wouldn't be in the book of Life.
It's like if I'm barely hanging on a small branch on the side of a cliff and I yell for help; you come over and reach out your hand and I just keep yelling for help like you weren't even there.
I could sit here and point out some of the misconception, but then I would be "pushing" my beleifs on you, and that's not what's supposed to be done.
I would also be in the catergory of being fanatical which is also wrong.
According to the bible, and what Christian people I meet tell me God is love, God is acceptance, God is forgiveness.
They also tell me that God gave mankind free will, that God wanted us to love and accept each other
This is what I'm supposed to show you, speak to you, teach you etc. because it's what I would choose for you to experience from God. It's also what Jesus would do.
I will not judge you because you have a different perspective; even though my own does not match.
Please believe I've had some of the same questions(and I was raised in a Christian home)so I understand where you're coming from.
If you have questions, I will do my best to answer them. If I can't, I'll direct you to clergy.
Anyways, I've go to sleep. Have to get my daughter(and myself)to school tomorrow.
Sleep well Lev. 
|
|
Levitan
|
May 17 @ 6:08AM
|
|
|
If you have questions, I will do my best to answer them. If I can't, I'll direct you to clergy.
Anyways, I've go to sleep. Have to get my daughter(and myself)to school tomorrow.
School for you and your daughter. Education is the key.
Questions, I dont really have that many questions regarding the different religions. I have read the bible and the coran.
I am at a place in my life where I am quite happy and at peace with myself. But I do love to discuss with other people on their personal beliefs.
Just to learn, to broaden my own horizons if you will. I will never stand up and say that what I think is the only correct way to think. But I will say that where I am at this moment in my life, it is the correct thing for me at this time.
My father always said, it is not what you read, say or think that makes you a man. It is what you do.
Hope your daughter is well
|
|
|