"Many paths to Jesus?"

  • Thread starter Thread starter OrdinaryMelkite
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
O

OrdinaryMelkite

Guest
Hey folks…
I was watching Oprah interview Joel Osteen, the TV minister, in OWS, her so far mostly-boring network. 🙂

Anyway------interesting interview--------Osteen was asked by Oprah (as I knew she would, being a committed New Ager, and also in the interest of her non-Christian audience, to be fair) whether there is “only one path to God or many.”
Osteen replied to the effect----
“There is only one path to God----that is through Jesus-----however, there are MANY paths to Jesus.” 🤷:eek:

What do you think of this? I’m sorry, but that does not make sense to me. How can one arrive at Jesus through (let’s say) Buddhism or Hinduism?
Maybe Osteen is trying to be too PC, maybe? :rolleyes:

Just wanted a second opinion.

Well?
 
The parable of the Lost Sheep is directed at this question.

Joel Osteen is roundly criticized by people in protestant denominations for his preaching of the “prosperity gospel”.

Perhaps you can comment more as I didn’t watch the program, but the commercial seemed to want to catch Joel as he lived the “prosperity” lifestyle as many of the televangelists are known to do.

However, I don’t want to draw your question off track. Of course there are various paths in our world in which people find Jesus.

And that’s also where the parable of the sown seed fits in. Some is sown near water and good soil, some on rock, some in sand, etc. That situation occurs in families, in churches and within each of us.

It would be wonderfully, if the Church provided the conversion stories of people in the far reaching parts of the world where Christianity is in the minority, as to how they came to Christ and Catholicism by way of Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, etc.
 
There are as many paths to Jesus as there are people.

Read the book “Salt of the Earth”-it transcribes the conversations between a journalist and Pope Benedict. You’d be amazed at his answers.
 
OrdinaryMelkite said:
Hey folks…
I was watching Oprah interview Joel Osteen, the TV minister, in OWS, her so far mostly-boring network. 🙂

Anyway------interesting interview--------Osteen was asked by Oprah (as I knew she would, being a committed New Ager, and also in the interest of her non-Christian audience, to be fair) whether there is “only one path to God or many.”
Osteen replied to the effect----
“There is only one path to God----that is through Jesus-----however, there are MANY paths to Jesus.” 🤷:eek:

What do you think of this? I’m sorry, but that does not make sense to me. How can one arrive at Jesus through (let’s say) Buddhism or Hinduism?
Maybe Osteen is trying to be too PC, maybe? :rolleyes:

Just wanted a second opinion.

Well?
Click to expand...
Buddhism is more a way of life than it is a religion. There are more and more people who consider themselves Christians who use Buddhist techniques in life. Hinduism is a very inclusive religion in which Jesus can be included in a larger context of encounters with God. I do not, however, think that any of this is what Mr. Osteen was referring to. My sense is that he was making reference to the fact that every person has a life to live, and each life has a story, the culmination of which can be union with Jesus. So, if there are x number of people on the planet, then there are x number of paths that can be taken to Jesus, but my sense is that Mr. Osteen was viewing each of these lives as a potential path to Christianity, or stories that can end at that conclusion. Not that I agree with him, this is what I would bet he means.

Your friend,
Sufjon
 
OrdinaryMelkite said:
Hey folks…
I was watching Oprah interview Joel Osteen, the TV minister, in OWS, her so far mostly-boring network. 🙂

Anyway------interesting interview--------Osteen was asked by Oprah (as I knew she would, being a committed New Ager, and also in the interest of her non-Christian audience, to be fair) whether there is “only one path to God or many.”
Osteen replied to the effect----
“There is only one path to God----that is through Jesus-----however, there are MANY paths to Jesus.” 🤷:eek:

What do you think of this? I’m sorry, but that does not make sense to me. How can one arrive at Jesus through (let’s say) Buddhism or Hinduism?
Maybe Osteen is trying to be too PC, maybe? :rolleyes:

Just wanted a second opinion.

Well?
Click to expand...
When I thought confirmation I use to get this question. My answer was yes, the Holy Spirit is present in many church’s but the fullness and completeness is in the Catholic Church.
I would put it this way, lets say there is the biggest party of the year and it is on the other side of the city. We live in a major metropolitan area. I can give the the most direct route, you can get there and enjoy the party from start to finish, but there are other routes, they will all get you there, but they are not the fastest route, some have detours and some have dead ends in which you will have to back track and start again.
The Cathoic church is that direct route.

I won’t listen to Olsteen. I find that his message is a single note with no real dept. Since his background was in sales before he tiook the ministery over from his father, he is very good with sales. Lake Wood church under his father was very anti-Catholic. That was some years ago, but I do understand that the message changes once the camera is turned off.
 
OrdinaryMelkite said:
Hey folks…
I was watching Oprah interview Joel Osteen, the TV minister, in OWS, her so far mostly-boring network. 🙂

Anyway------interesting interview--------Osteen was asked by Oprah (as I knew she would, being a committed New Ager, and also in the interest of her non-Christian audience, to be fair) whether there is “only one path to God or many.”
Osteen replied to the effect----
“There is only one path to God----that is through Jesus-----however, there are MANY paths to Jesus.” 🤷:eek:

What do you think of this? I’m sorry, but that does not make sense to me. How can one arrive at Jesus through (let’s say) Buddhism or Hinduism?
Maybe Osteen is trying to be too PC, maybe? :rolleyes:

Just wanted a second opinion.

Well?
Click to expand...
I saw him in The View once and he was asked a similar question. His response made me so angry. I felt like he sold out in order to avoid a confrontation. The ladies on The View aren’t exactly known for their tolerance for others’ beliefs and I suspect he knew that going in. I lost all respect for the man at that point.
 
OrdinaryMelkite said:
Hey folks…
I was watching Oprah interview Joel Osteen, the TV minister, in OWS, her so far mostly-boring network. 🙂

Anyway------interesting interview--------Osteen was asked by Oprah (as I knew she would, being a committed New Ager, and also in the interest of her non-Christian audience, to be fair) whether there is “only one path to God or many.”
Osteen replied to the effect----
“There is only one path to God----that is through Jesus-----however, there are MANY paths to Jesus.” 🤷:eek:

What do you think of this? I’m sorry, but that does not make sense to me. How can one arrive at Jesus through (let’s say) Buddhism or Hinduism?
Maybe Osteen is trying to be too PC, maybe? :rolleyes:

Just wanted a second opinion.

Well?
Click to expand...
He is correct. The only way to the Father is by the Son. And are there many ways to get to the Son? Of course there are.

The Holy Spirit can move through anyone he chooses. And lets use the best example possible, St Paul!:eek:

Yep, Remember Saul Saul why are you persecuting me. St Paul was persecuting Christ in the Catholic Church.

When Saul asked who are you, Christ say Jesus whom you are persecuting. Look at the Path St Paul was taking! So yes the Holy Spirit can move through anyone and anywhere.

Nothing is impossible for God. By the way, remember Saul (ST Paul) at that time was not a big fan of Jesus.
 
OrdinaryMelkite said:
Hey folks…
I was watching Oprah interview Joel Osteen, the TV minister, in OWS, her so far mostly-boring network. 🙂

Anyway------interesting interview--------Osteen was asked by Oprah (as I knew she would, being a committed New Ager, and also in the interest of her non-Christian audience, to be fair) whether there is “only one path to God or many.”
Osteen replied to the effect----
“There is only one path to God----that is through Jesus-----however, there are MANY paths to Jesus.” 🤷:eek:

What do you think of this? I’m sorry, but that does not make sense to me. How can one arrive at Jesus through (let’s say) Buddhism or Hinduism?
Maybe Osteen is trying to be too PC, maybe? :rolleyes:

Just wanted a second opinion.

Well?
Click to expand...
First two thoughts:

WHy in the world are you bother to watch Oprah anyway?
2. Why are you concerned about what Joel Olsteen, says in light of the fact that he’s part of the church of what’s happening now crowd?

The entire question was distorted. There is only one path that leads to salvation and that is through the Church of Christ. It’s the interpretation spins that make it sound like there is any path that leads to salvation. The truth is that we do not know with absolute certainty that a non-Catholic can even reach heaven in the end, unless they repent and make a sincere act of contrition. We say that it is possible. I’d rather have a more certain answer than “not certain”. That said, I do believe that someone who is a Christian can be saved in the end, if they are Protestant and not belligerently refusing to convert out of pride. I do not believe that non-Christians will be saved, unless they have never heard the truth in all fairness. Americanized folks that do not accept Christ, I’m not sure and really feel sorry for them because they have not accepted the truth in Christ.

I did not say this to be a pain but to express my belief… even as a Catholic that has been crammed full of heresy in my youth and walked away from Catholicism because I began to believe it was the whore of Babylon as told by many fundamentalists. The reason I believed it to be so was by the sick example that so many clergy set during my youth, priest abuse before it was discovered and the many lay Catholics that practiced having sex with everything with a pulse and drinking like a common drunk, drug abuse and simple immoral living, then say I can always go t confession. I believed the lie of Protestants because of the Catholics proving them right. It took leaving to realize the truth that the heresy exists everywhere, thus the reason I returned after learning about history, not made up history.
 
Rascalking said:
There are as many paths to Jesus as there are people.

Read the book “Salt of the Earth”-it transcribes the conversations between a journalist and Pope Benedict. You’d be amazed at his answers.
Click to expand...
That’s not the bible.
 
PbloPicasso said:
That’s not the bible.
Click to expand...
Are we supposed to only read the Bible? That sounds very fundamentalist if you ask me.

Lots of paths to Jesus. I was a born again Christian before I converted to the Catholic Church and I knew and loved Jesus. I didn’t know him as intimately as I do now, having never received him in the Eucharist, but I knew Him as my Savior. I’m sure the same can be said for non-Catholic Christians all over the world.

From what little I’ve watched Joel Osteen, he’s like cotton candy. I like cotton candy… it’s nice… but only in very small doses or I start to feel sort of sick, and it’s certainly no substitute for steak and potatoes → The Catholic Church.
 
"…Interviewer:

How many ways are there to God?

Pope Benedict XVI:

As many ways as there are people. For even within the same faith each man’s way is an entirely personal one. In that respect there is ultimately one way, and everyone who is on the way to God is therefore in some sense also on the way to Jesus Christ. But this does not mean that all ways are identical in terms of conciousness and will but on the contrary, the one way is so big that it becomes a personal way for each man…Unity of mankind, unity of religions, unity of Christians - we ought to search for these unities again, so that a more positive epoch may really begin…In all religions there are men of interior purity who through their myths somehow touch the great mystery and find the right way of being human…The Christian can also find the secret working of God behind them. Through the other religions God touches man and brings him onto the path. But it is always the same God, the God of Jesus Christ…"

- Pope Benedict XVI, Salt of the Earth, 1997 (when he was Cardinal Ratzinger Head of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)

I think that the Holy Father answered this question best. I doubt that anybody on this forum would be capable of providing a better answer or even one close to his 👍 He is so very wise!
 
Sufjon said:
Buddhism is more a way of life than it is a religion. There are more and more people who consider themselves Christians who use Buddhist techniques in life. Hinduism is a very inclusive religion in which Jesus can be included in a larger context of encounters with God. I do not, however, think that any of this is what Mr. Osteen was referring to. My sense is that he was making reference to the fact that every person has a life to live, and each life has a story, the culmination of which can be union with Jesus. So, if there are x number of people on the planet, then there are x number of paths that can be taken to Jesus, but my sense is that Mr. Osteen was viewing each of these lives as a potential path to Christianity, or stories that can end at that conclusion. Not that I agree with him, this is what I would bet he means.

Your friend,
Sufjon
Click to expand...
I’ve been late to this as always----sorry------computer problems this time----------

Good post, Sufjon-----but Christians using “Buddhist techniques” belies the fact that:

a) They are supposedly already Christian;

and

b) “Buddhist mediation” (which is what I think you are implying----is VERY different than Christian contemplation).

Also,the Buddhist religion is essentially atheistic----how can a NON-BELIEVER (let’s say) arrive at Christianity through a NON-CHRISTIAN religion?

Just asking…🙂

The thing about Hinduism, though, Sufjon, is that Jesus is basically just another one of MANY Gods-----in fact, Millins of Gods in the Hindu pantheon--------just another “Enlightened, Superior Being,” to be precise. How can one differentiate enough to determine Jesus is THE “One” when He is just one among many?

What you just mentioned may be one of the number one reasons why Hindus have not converted en masse to Christianity------to you guys, jesus is just another God among Millions of Gods. Not surprising, given that Hinduism is probably the supreme accomodationist religion par excellence in the world-----you guys have absorbed elements of EVERYTHING that has come your way----from Islam to Buddhism to Jainism. Christianity is just another “religion to absorb.” :rolleyes:🙂

Don’t understand that.

Anyway, thatnks for the post. Await your answer if you have any. 👍
 
FAB said:
When I thought confirmation I use to get this question. My answer was yes, the Holy Spirit is present in many church’s but the fullness and completeness is in the Catholic Church.
I would put it this way, lets say there is the biggest party of the year and it is on the other side of the city. We live in a major metropolitan area. I can give the the most direct route, you can get there and enjoy the party from start to finish, but there are other routes, they will all get you there, but they are not the fastest route, some have detours and some have dead ends in which you will have to back track and start again.
The Cathoic church is that direct route.

I won’t listen to Olsteen. I find that his message is a single note with no real dept. Since his background was in sales before he tiook the ministery over from his father, he is very good with sales. Lake Wood church under his father was very anti-Catholic. That was some years ago, but I do understand that the message changes once the camera is turned off.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you about Osteen, BTW. Too much quasi-relativistic, “feel-good” spirituality, not enough Bible and Jesus and Truth. I don’t watch the man. I was just watching the interview with Oprah because I had nothing better to do.

And yes------------Holy Mother Church is the one true direct way. :signofcross:
What I got at what Osteen was getting at from the quote is this------

Jesus can be arrived at indirectly or indirectly through inclusion of Him in other religions. Maybe Hindus include Him in their pantheon of millions of Gods and MAYBE one gets to try to know him that way. Same way with Buddhism or other religions. Indirect knowedge leads to curiosity, then maybe extensive study, then acceptance of His truth.

Osteen could have been more specific and clear about what he meant by that. 🤷

Seems like too much of a “roundabout, non-guaranteed” way like you described----ya know?:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Journey322 said:
I saw him in The View once and he was asked a similar question. His response made me so angry. I felt like he sold out in order to avoid a confrontation. The ladies on The View aren’t exactly known for their tolerance for others’ beliefs and I suspect he knew that going in. I lost all respect for the man at that point.
Click to expand...
Yeah-----I get what you mean.

Osteen too often chooses to “get along” instead of proclaiming the Truth of Christ. I think it ties in with his response to Oprah and other public statements and stances.

Yep. Sad. ⭕(
 
rinnie said:
He is correct. The only way to the Father is by the Son. And are there many ways to get to the Son? Of course there are.

The Holy Spirit can move through anyone he chooses. And lets use the best example possible, St Paul!:eek:

Yep, Remember Saul Saul why are you persecuting me. St Paul was persecuting Christ in the Catholic Church.

When Saul asked who are you, Christ say Jesus whom you are persecuting. Look at the Path St Paul was taking! So yes the Holy Spirit can move through anyone and anywhere.

Nothing is impossible for God. By the way, remember Saul (ST Paul) at that time was not a big fan of Jesus.
Click to expand...
In THAT context, I can see what you mean. See my posts above this one, also. 👍

I was simply questioning and inquiring as to how can Jesus Jesus be “arrived at” through such totally non-Christian mediums like Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism.

That was all I was trying to ask. 😛
 
yellowbird said:
Are we supposed to only read the Bible? That sounds very fundamentalist if you ask me.

Lots of paths to Jesus. I was a born again Christian before I converted to the Catholic Church and I knew and loved Jesus. I didn’t know him as intimately as I do now, having never received him in the Eucharist, but I knew Him as my Savior. I’m sure the same can be said for non-Catholic Christians all over the world.

From what little I’ve watched Joel Osteen, he’s like cotton candy. I like cotton candy… it’s nice… but only in very small doses or I start to feel sort of sick, and it’s certainly no substitute for steak and potatoes → The Catholic Church.
Click to expand...
Osteen strikes me more as syrup------VERY sweet, but too much in big doses.

Plus, too much sugar and sweets is bad for you. Rots your teeth, among other things.😃

There ya go. 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top