More excerpts below from a recent email conversation with a friend. I know that other people ask themselves questions, maybe not these exact ones but similar. It still feels a bit lonely with all these questions and thoughts when so many people around me seem to (or act as if they do) have all the answers. I wonder if they are as secure on the inside as they appear on the outside?
This is one of my favourite quotes:
"You don't learn by having faith. You learn by questioning, by challenging, by re-examining everything you've ever believed.And yet, all this is a matter of faith -- the faith that there is a truth to be found.It is another paradox: To truly question, you must truly have faith."
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Excerpts**************************************
Perhaps the distinction between faith and religion has been blurred. Isn't it the how (religion) of living out one's faith is that which is seen on the outside? How does this definition of faith grab you? "Faith is to trust that the promises (G-d's) will come true." Abraham's wasn't a blind faith. He had faith that G-d would keep His word. I think G-d enjoys watching us use our brains to figure things out. He doesn't want blind faith followers. It makes Him proud when we use our intellect. Like any parent proud of their children's accomplishments................................
I used to feel hit over the head by that "scripture" too (Jsus/commandments) until I learned the context of the commandments. We were never taught that in Christianity. It's just not true that we can't keep the commandments or Jsus wouldn't have said it. The problem is that we think G-d expects them to be kept perfectly. And like I said the relationship isn't about perfection. Keeping commandments isn't a way to perfect ourselves, that is what Christianity falsely teaches. So we as Christians set aside the commandments but we're left with a gaping hole and a feeling of needing to do something. This is where we fall into trouble. Keeping commandments doesn't make anything less of a heart issue...........................................
From where I sit now there are 3 options to this puzzle we call life.
#1: Judaism is the only authentic expression of our relationship with G-d and is the key to eternal life.
#2: All religions are a valid expression of faith/spirituality and are keys to eternal life.
#3: There is no G-d, no eternal life.
I do not accept that Christianity is the ONLY way. I have learned too many things about Christianity. There is no way it is the ONLY way.
Have you ever considered how arrogant it must seem to the Jewish people that Christianity absconded their holy writings, told them that G-d has forsaken them and that they never understood G-d or their own holy writings. And then Christianity made a new religion out of their writings, added to it , told the Jews that only Christianity was the way and then forced them to convert to it?
#1: Judaism is the only authentic expression of our relationship with G-d and is the key to eternal life.
#2: All religions are a valid expression of faith/spirituality and are keys to eternal life.
#3: There is no G-d, no eternal life.
I do not accept that Christianity is the ONLY way. I have learned too many things about Christianity. There is no way it is the ONLY way.
Have you ever considered how arrogant it must seem to the Jewish people that Christianity absconded their holy writings, told them that G-d has forsaken them and that they never understood G-d or their own holy writings. And then Christianity made a new religion out of their writings, added to it , told the Jews that only Christianity was the way and then forced them to convert to it?
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