My friend Barbara loves posting quotes from a wide range of people on the Extended Grace message board. Sometimes I respond to them and most times I don't. I chose to respond to this one.
Here was the quote:
All paths are ultimately paths to God, because, ultimately, there is no other place for the soul to go. Everything has come out of God and must go back to God.
- Paramahansa Yogananda
Here is what I said: That is a really pleasant thought. I can not agree with it in spite of how pleasant it is. Jesus speaks about people being thrown into the Lake of Fire and how others will be cast into the outer darkness where there will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth It isn't so much that I believe in Jesus it is that I do believe him. I believe that anyone who is not against him is for him and that he does love the world. The world wants nothing to do with Jesus in spite of how much he loves it, and many people follow the paths of the world. I can not believe that ALL paths leads to God. I do believe that the path of Truth does lead to God. The paths of Greed, Power, Possession and Control are not the paths of Truth they are the paths of the world and I do not believe these paths can lead to God.
Perhaps human wisdom traditions do not seek possessions, greed, power or control. I do not know much about human wisdom traditions. Also, I know that just because an apostle said something, that which the apostle said is not necessarily apostolic. Was Paul being apostolic when he asked for his cloak and parchments?
So, I responded to the quote as presented.
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7 comments:
I think Yogananda was talking from the perspective of reincarnation -- obviously not all paths lead to God (an evildoer, at death, isn't going to *bam* be perfect even as His Father is heaven is) -- but if he has an arbitrary number of lives to "figure things out," he should eventually realize that evil brings suffering, and that good leads to joy in God.
Reincarnation explains why people are born in such desperately disparate circumstances, and why some have much better opportunities than others to become holy. I'm not saying that because of this it is true; but it makes sense when seen in this light, that it gives people as long a time as they need to come to God.
I understand what you are saying. I have a problem with reincarnation. If I don't get it right in this life, I will have another chance, so why should I try to get it right in this life?
Well, it may be just like you say in your original post, quoting Jesus regarding the Lake of Fire. There is suffering almost everywhere you look. That could be a pretty good incentive in itself!
[Slightly editing the post I removed above, for clarity:]
Hi Marcus, I've enjoyed talking about these things -- I don't often think about the "points against" reincarnation.
I've heard that the attitude you talk about -- "I will have another chance, so why make effort now?" -- is actually found in countries where reincarnation is a popular belief. (I guess the Christian equivalent would be, "The Bible says, 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves' -- and therefore, why should I make effort?")
Reincarnation seems to me, though, an act of mercy; we get another chance even when we fail miserably. Jesus asks us to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect; what does this mean? So few people can accomplish it in one lifetime.
Wishing you joy!
Granted, cheap Grace abounds in Christianity. As I read the Gospels I see the passionate energy that Jesus had toward his ministry. We too should embrace our ministries with that same passionate energy.
If I am reincarnted I have no knowlegde of any past life, so I do not see the benefit of it.
Faith to me is what we trust coupled with what we expierence.
That makes sense -- it would explain why faith is the "proof of things unseen" if it was based on experience.
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