Do all roads lead to God?

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Hi guys, first post here!

I’ve recently been rather interested in manifestations of the ‘divine’ in other religions. It seems that according to one’s own religious faith, the vision corresponds. Obviously, at a psychological level, this makes total sense - whatever you believe fervently manifests itself in your mind. But at the level of absolute truth, and the level of the divine ACTUALLY being revealed, surely this is total nonsense? I would never deny the truth that can be found in other religions, but many honest, pious people of other faiths claim to have had extraordinary visions of gods such as Krishna in the same manner as Christian saints.

It does not convince me to say that we Christians are so elect, and all others totally deceived. Obviously, I believe that the Catholic faith is the one true faith, but to entirely dismiss entire cultures, traditions, and religions is intellectually fatuous and dishonest - ask Thomas Merton or David Bentley Hart, two incredibly devout Christians. I’ve also been reading about near-death experiences. Many of those who have experienced these phenomena have come out of it with a feeling of objectivity - that all roads lead to God. There was one testimony I heard where the man was quoted as saying something along these lines - ‘I asked God which religion is the true religion, and God replied, whichever one brings you closest to Me.’

What are your interpretations of this kind of relativist thinking, and the phenomena of spiritual experiences and visions outside of Christianity?

Thanks!
 
This reminds me of a very famous quote.
“No.”
-Rosa Parks

But more seriously, there is some level of truth in other religions, but we have the fullness of truth.

Make sure to mark this, that we believe that demons exist, and indeed many pagan gods are likely demons.
Thus, these certain religions could easily experience præternatural phenomena and “miracles”.

Don’t put much stock in near death experiences.

While we recognize that someone could be saved though he follow a false religion, do not mistake this for a “all religions lead to God”.

The road is narrow
 
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If someone said they saw God and He told them that all roads lead to Him, then they didn’t really see God because God has already told us that that’s not true. If they saw a pagan god like Krishna or something, then that’s obviously a delusion or a demon. I personally think a lot of the visions and near death experiences people have are delusions or demons playing tricks on them since they often come out saying strange stuff like this.
 
Hi Joshringsell,

I’ve had nearly ten years of intense personal and daily psychic contact with the angelic kingdom and received most of my spiritual lessons direct from an archangel. I was pushed towards the catholic church by the archangels themselves and by God, who regularly manifests in a physical, astral body when I’m talking to the angels. He said something similar to me, when I asked which religion was the true one. He said; They are all mine. You pick the one that speaks to you. I don’t mind how you come to me, just come.

He also told me that each religion offers followers different lessons and perspectives, which is why he allowed so many to be invented. We need them, psychologically and spiritually, and he waits patiently for each of us to come to him in our own way. Religion is a structure or framework through which we can reach for God in an inherently human way particular to our individual needs.

He chose catholicism for me. He says it suits my particular personality and spiritual needs. That in itself is a miracle. I was an atheist, then a spiritual person and channel, and now I’m going to RCIA meetings without being dragged kicking and screaming. 😉

I think that you can legitimately believe catholicism is the one true faith, because FOR YOU (and maybe for me too) it is…but for other people maybe something else is right.

I came out of my spiritual experiences (which I still have BTW, intense and daily) with that objectivity too. I know that all roads lead to God.
 
I’m glad that you’re interested in the Catholic Faith.

…however…
It cannot be true that something is the one true faith but only to some. It is an objective statement, not a subjective one.

Further, to claim all religions are of God implies something. Religions all around the world teach opposing things. I don’t mean just opposing facts. I mean opposite values, and opposite things about God.

And, now, I am NOT saying this is true, but IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH it may be that this is possibly some occult experience. You claim to have contact with the “angelic kingdom” and that God appears to you in an Astral body (whatever that means). This sounds new Agey and occult.
So, would you do something for me?
With the utmost respect, reverence, and care, please ask “In the Name of Jesus Christ, could you say with reverence the dear names of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of Christ Jesus?”
If these events continue. Thanks.
 
joshringsell said:
What are your interpretations of this kind of relativist thinking, and the phenomena of spiritual experiences and visions outside of Christianity?
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I believe that truth can be found in other religions. I think that many religions are simply different cultures trying to respond to the deep quest for meaning that is common to all humans. However I also think that it’s possble, since we live in a fallen world, that some religions or some aspects of other religions represent innovations of the devil, to lead people away from the truth of the Catholic faith.

I believe that the Jewish people were established as God’s chosen people, and that the Church, founded by Christ, is the new covenant promised by God.

“All roads lead to God” seems very much like something the devil would like us to believe.
 
Do all human beings have God within them? Are all human beings loved by God? Does God not call everyone regardless of their level of understanding, capacity to respond, social status and cultural background?
Does God desire for everyone to find God?

Then what can prevent that outcome but our own stubbornness and refusal to love. That’s Is a road option on every other road.
 
Christ told us that the broad and easy road leads to hell.

The road to heaven is narrow and few find it.
 
Now, don’t get me wrong.
We Catholics believe that God has power over all and is NOT limited in acting in only one religion.
But, think about it.
Your own experiences, if they be true, says something.

For instance, you have experienced the angelic kingdom. This means that there is an angelic kingdom and religions claiming that there isn’t are wrong.

You say you speak with God.
Not “gods”. This implies monotheism, and that God is personal as you can speak with Him. This means all religions that are polytheist are wrong. This means that all religions that are pantheist are wrong. This means that all religions that claim God is impersonal are wrong.
In fact, this implies a personal, powerful God who has control over all religions and has an angelic kingdom. This very much narrows the possibilities down.
 
Yes, my experiences are true.

And yes, there is an angelic kingdom and (most of them) serve God, but angels will help anyone of any race, creed or colour. Religious persuasion is immaterial, their love knows no bounds. And saying that religions claiming they don’t exist are wrong…well, if you’d never seen an elephant you wouldn’t believe they exist so…I wouldn’t call that wrong. I’d say their understanding is incomplete.

I do speak with God yes. But She/He is the God of ALL, God within every religion, including Christianity. The same God IS all the Gods of the polytheistic faiths, he just finds lots of different ways to come to different people.

I mean, if God is Father/Son/Holy Spirit to Catholics…then how can we say he can’t fracture himself similarly in other faiths, and be in many places at once?

This would mean that every religion is in fact right. I think that greatly broadens possibilities.
 
We do not believe that God “fractures” Himself.

Misunderstandings of the Trinity aside, God is a God of Truth. Why would He ever misrepresent Himself or provide faulty morals/teaching?
He is the same today, yesterday, and forever.

God is in everything, but is not everything.
 
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joshringsell said:
There was one testimony I heard where the man was quoted as saying something along these lines - ‘I asked God which religion is the true religion, and God replied, whichever one brings you closest to Me.’
What are your interpretations of this kind of relativist thinking, and the phenomena of spiritual experiences and visions outside of Christianity?
Click to expand...
The Baha’i view of heaven is nearness to God so your quote “… whichever one brings you closest to Me” is apropos. But I also don’t think we are in a spiritual “market place” where we decide “which religion is the true religion.” We can find truth at the core of the major religions if we open ourselves to accept that there is a Divine source of the major religions. We can be open to explore them and be fair in our determinations rather than biased in favor of one “above” the others.
 
Luce7 said:
Yes, my experiences are true.
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In order for this to be true, you would need to have submitted these private revelations to your Bishop. He will then determine if these were true, if they were supernatural or if they were of some other origin.

We are not to judge this sort of thing without the guidance of our Pastors.
 
joshringsell said:
to entirely dismiss entire cultures, traditions, and religions is intellectually fatuous and dishonest
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Yet, this isn’t what the Church teaches! Check out Lumen gentium, especially at paragraph 16, which talks about “those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God.”
joshringsell said:
a feeling of objectivity - that all roads lead to God.
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I think I’d say “God is bigger than all roads combined” rather than “all roads lead to God.”
There was one testimony I heard where the man was quoted as saying something along these lines - ‘I asked God which religion is the true religion, and God replied, whichever one brings you closest to Me.’
Click to expand...
On the other hand, this is syncretism, which the Church denies. 😉
 
Hello Josh,

I think it is useful to distinguish between the reality of God and the reality of belief.

So my thoughts are that God is sane, intelligent, loving, caring, empathetic, not selfish, not tyrannical et cetera.

I think when we make ourselves more like this then we are coming closer to God. Perhaps it is better to say - we accept the spirit of God.

I think we can accept the spirit of God through Christianity but also through many other systems of culture including humanism, Buddhism et cetera

The next question though is the reality of belief. What we believe will direct our lives. Some beliefs direct us to the spirit of God and other beliefs away from God’s spirit. The question then arises as to which of these cultural systems are best equipped to bring us to God.

Because I am a Christian and accept Jesus is the incarnation of God then Christianity becomes the pre-eminent cultural system to direct us to God because God himself intervened in human history to create this culture.

To give my answer to your question I would say that many roads lead us to God but Christianity is the road that God himself built by intervening in human cultural history.

Regards.
 
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In truth, there is only one God, Jesus Christ. All other religions are the design of the devil. This is not a novelty, this is catholic teaching. Scripture is very clear on this point.

Palms 95:5 For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils: but the Lord made the heavens.

Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, “Cantate Domino,” 1441, ex cathedra:
“The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that all those who are outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans but also Jews or heretics and schismatics, cannot share in eternal life and will go into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless they are joined to the Church before the end of their lives; that the unity of this ecclesiastical body is of such importance that only for those who abide in it do the Church’s sacraments contribute to salvation and do fasts, almsgiving and other works of piety and practices of the Christian militia produce eternal rewards; and that nobody can be saved, no matter how much he has given away in alms and even if he has shed blood in the name of Christ, unless he has persevered in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.” Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, Vol. 1, p. 578; Denzinger 714.

Anyone that would disagree with these truths, rejects Jesus, in favor of his own ways and ideas. This is what Adam did and he got cast out of the garden of Eden.

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth to a man right: and the ends thereof lead to death.

Jeremias 10:23 I know, O Lord, that the way of a man is not his: neither is it in a man to walk, and to direct his steps.

Isaias 65:2 I have spread forth my hands all the day to an unbelieving people, who walk in a way that is not good after their own thoughts.
 
I didn’t even know you could submit private revelations to your Bishop. To be fair though, I’ve only been inquiring about Catholicism and going to RCIA groups/services for a few weeks. I spoke to the priest about my psychic ability. He doubted it was from God (what Catholic wouldn’t LOL, because he has to say that because it’s not been proved to be true by the church,) but said otherwise it seems that, in his words, “you’re fine.”

I think I’d be wary of letting someone else judge for me what is truthful/non truthful in the sense that we are all equipped with some discernment, a natural sense of morality and a gut instinct which tells me (and always has told me) that I’m safe with my angels and in good hands. If it told me anything else I’d stop contact with them and find myself an exorcist! 😉

But what I really meant by “it’s true” is that…yes it really happened to me. Not that’s…this is the One Truth. I don’t ever claim to have the One Truth. It’s just personal experience 😉
 
How else is he going to present us with free will 😉 It’s not really free will, is it? Unless there’s an alternative that doesn’t end in fire and brimstone. Otherwise he’d be being pretty dishonest about free will.

I know you don’t believe he literally fractures himself, it’s just a way of saying he is comprised of many parts.
 
I’m not so sure I’d say He is “composed of many parts”.
God is ultimately simple, and not complex.

The Trinity is that there is only One God but 3 Persons. The Father, the only begotten Son of the Father (the Word, said to be of the Father contemplating Himself, but eternally begotten, not made, and the Holy Ghost, the love of the Father and the Son.
Each Person can rightly be called God, but there is only One God.
Think of it like 1x1x1, and how that’s 1.

You’re going somewhere else with the free will thing, first of all the Church does not teach that all that matters is that you accept Jesus or Catholicism as the Truth. It does not preclude definitely that those outside of the visible Church may be saved.

But, it is also not logical to say that simply because one choice is bad and the other is great that there is no choice.

But, I find your idea theologically untenable. In truth, there is only one God. You claim that He may ‘become’ all these other gods means that God, rather than being unchangeable, is changing, many times.
It also means He presents falsehoods as truth.
It also doesn’t make sense. For instance, take Islam. It claims that Jesus never was crucified. This is in obvious contradiction with Christianity which soooorta makes a huge deal about Christ’s passion. They both cannot be true.
It also would mean that there are multiple different moralities given by God, some much more awful than others.

God most certainly can use whatever religion He pleases to do whatever He wants. But to say He is the same God as the pantheist hindus as well as the idols and clearly faulty gods of the pagans, as well as the god of the deist seems most certainly false, on an obvious level. Obviously, He at least allowed them to be created (which does NOT imply approval, just like sin being possible does not imply apporval of sin) but to say He is the same God of all of them is silly.

If He is the ever changing gods or the pagans, it does not make sense that He can also at the same time be the never changing, eternal God of Abrahamic religions.
 
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