What's your view on other religions? Do you think they are all different but equally acceptable paths to God? I have been feeling like the Christian church is not the right place for me anymore and that maybe I should look for another path. But people keep telling me that Jesus is the only way to salvation. I do accept Christ as a master or teacher but honestly, I have never grasped the whole resurrection business. And what is "salvation" anyway? Is it wrong to believe in reincarnation of the spirit? -Lucy
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Whew! I ask for questions and I get them. You've given me a boatload, so thanks, Lucy! I've spent a few minutes staring at the screen thinking about how I want to go about answering you and I think I'll just take your questions in the order you asked them.
I am a monotheist, which means that, in my worldview, I am not worshiping one God in exclusion of others, but rather worshiping the one God who exists. This also means that I believe that all divine revelation, regardless of who receives it, comes from my God. I believe that the God I worship accepts the worship and prayer of religions around the world, regardless of the names or titles that they use.
Here is where that worldview comes from: when I was a freshman in High School, my family adopted my little sister, Katya, from an orphanage in Kazan, which is a city in the nation of Russia. A while after Katya came to live with us, she was visited by a woman she knew as Babulya (Grandmother) who had cared for her and a group of other girls in the orphanage, and who was pleased to announce that all of her girls had been adopted into God-fearing homes, as she had prayed for them every day.
This woman is a Muslim. I believe, with all my heart, that God answered her prayer.
The language of "different but equally acceptable" is slightly problematic for ME. I am not Unitarian Universalist. I have studied other faiths an chose Christianity over them. I believe that Christianity offers something specifically wonderful to the world, something I feel has lacked in other faiths I have studied.
That said, I am a universalist, so if you are talking about "acceptable to God," I believe that everyone is, regardless of the name they use for God when they pray. You can see why the language is problematic... I have chosen Christianity over other faiths, but I don't think God excludes the ones who worship in them, so maybe they are equally acceptable and I just have hang ups. For instance, I agree that Jesus is the key to salvation... but I think he's gonna get you there, and being on the path does not necessitate knowing its name.
Based on what you have been saying to me here, you may want to do a little church shopping. One Christian church can be very different from another, and your spiritual home may be out there, waiting for you. If you really feel you want to branch out from the specifically Christian (as it feels like you may) then you may also want to look into Universalist Unitarian options in your area. Their ideals are close to what you seem to be leaning towards in your question.
I'll shelve your question about resurrection and salvation for now... they're pretty big concepts that deserve their own entries. And while reincarnation of the spirit is also huge to the faiths that espouse it, I am not necessarily the best to give it the answer it deserves, except in so far as why it rang false to me.
Quite a few religions (some aspects of Christianity included) have created a dichotomy of the spirit and the body. This dichotomy often seems to be very close to the dual aspects of the Force, the spirit, or light side, embracing quiet reflection, study, and peace, while the body, or dark side, leans towards temptation, anger, quick gratification, and passion.
Meaning no offence to George Lucas, I reject that dichotomy. I believe that we are embodied creatures, that our bodies shape our identities and personalities equally with our spirit, and that one cannot be said to exist without the other. We were made in the image of God, beautiful and complicated and WONDERFUL, and that our passions and physical desires are also a part of this wonderful thing that makes us, well, US, rather than impediments to our enlightened spirits which need to be left behind.
Maybe, nutshell version, that is the point of resurrection... that death cannot destroy you. When Jesus was resurrected, he still had the scars of his life. Resurrection says that not only is death not the final word for us, but when we come back our full persons, nature and nurture, will be healed and perfected, and yes, embodied.
So I don't believe in spirit reincarnation. That certainly doesn't make it wrong to do so, however. Good luck as you search for your spiritual home!
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