Message #6368

[Jitendra Hydonus]

"It is very difficult to choose the right path for oneself from among the many religious paths and varied religious opinions. Most people who wander from church to church seeking intellectual inspiration fail to find God in this life, for intellectualism is necessary only until one begins to "drink" God, that is, to commune with him. It is not wrong to seek intellectual inspiration in order to encourage the desire for actual God-contact. But when intellectual inspiration begins to satisfy the seeker (so that he ceases striving to experience actual God-contact), it is detrimental to his progress in Self- realization."

For a minute there I thought you were having a conversation with me that I must of missed. I agree there is nothing wrong with doing the religious thing if that is up your alley. I would recommend to not just go to a church that your family and friends go to. I would suggest to do the same thing you would do if you were to buy a new car. To shop around, go to a few places. Visit a temple, or church. See what calls to you, and follow that.

The thing that I do not like about the religious path, and this is just my opinion, that they have lost the way to truly find God. They have fallen to the path of dogma, and only know the God of dogma. Most of them have never really had a true experience, but instead only know God of the books, or what other people tell them God is. To truly know God, is to experience God... And for so many from what I've seen have not fully seen God, or know God that resides in everything, and are afraid of those that stray away from the dogma path.

i am answering your entry Amor. Our true temple or church is within us unless we carry that temple with us in understanding; a day at church is not going to be very helpful. Paramahansa Yogananda wrote: A scripture, no matter what records of spiritual truths it contains, is not as useful as a saint, whose life has set and example that other may beneficially follow. There is a vast difference between powerful sulfuric acid and the mere statement of its formula, H2SO4" As you know i have stated that we can only know God by experience. Your statement is an echo of what i have already stated. But it really cannot be overstated. i think some of us get so lost in criticizing the dogma that we forget or miss out on the fact that true saints and Masters are among us.

For me God is what i experience not what i believe. When i experience God i feel his presence. i wouldn't be concerned about Amor. He is expressing his view. That's what we are all doing. He was quite articulate in contributing to the discussion and i thank lucidflower for inspiring the discussion. Obviously we are limited by our views but we also are expanded by sharing them when we listen to others.

Jitendra