IS INTERFAITH VIABLE?
 

In today's realm in which one's religion is superior to another person's religion has bred friction and very little if any commonality. We have read the expression "love your neighbor as yourself" but in many cases we acknowledge it does not apply to us personally.

Lets discuss ways we can bring about peace without conversions and ways we can get along with each other.

That won't do, it's too simple. Or rather, it's not complicated enough.

Isn't that the Golden Rule of all the religions?

Loving your neighbour as yourself would definitely not work. Love comes in many shapes and sizes and depends on the individuals perception of what love is...

Sure it will work.

In the New Testament, the Greek work for love is agape. That scripture was copied from the LAW which implies that both the New and Old Testament are in agreement that Agape love is the love a person is to show toward their neighbor.

BigJohn,

This is a huge mistake that 'Christians' make....believing that the New and Old Testaments are in agreement. The key to understanding this is Luke 10:29 when the question was asked of Jesus...."And who is my neighbor ?". Jesus redefined 'neighbor' with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Leviticus 19:18 also says love your neighbor as yourself but the immediately preceding verses indicate that 'neighbor' referred to 'your people' meaning exclusively the Jews or tribe if you will. Later Deuteronomy 23:1-8 goes into detail of those who should be excluded from fellowship with the Jews....'even down to the tenth generation'. All of these things indicate that the Old Testament upheld the concept of duality.....us vs. them, us separate from them, etc.

The questions rightly come up on these forums from non-believers concerning the violence of the Old Testament believing that Christians are in lock step with the Old Testament and they question Christians how to reconcile these paradoxes. This is one of the answers, of course, and it is that Jesus redefined 'neighbor'. If anything the Old Testament law was for the survival and self-preservation of the Jews so that they could provide the lineage for the birth of Jesus. But when Jesus came he actually strengthened the law so that it would include all peoples and tribes.....not just the Jews. Essentially He introduced the concept of non-duality. Sadly to this day many religions(including Christianity) revert to the concept of duality.....i.e. attempting to distinguish themselves from others and in doing this they are guilty of judging others. In short, they become hypocrites to the teachings of Christ whom they profess to honor.

Different kinds of love? Must be different kinds of kindness then too? Humans seem to complicate everything.

Look no further than John 3:16....."For God so loved the WORLD...". If the Old Testament and the New Testament were in agreement this verse might be rendered as "For God so loved his chosen people". Jesus brought a new understanding. God still loves the Jews but this shows that His love extends to all mankind.

' Although the Law demanded hebrews to be neighborly to one another and to foreigners dwelling among them, enemies were a different matter. The imprecatory psalms gave scriptural warrant to hate one's enemies: "Lord, don't I hate those who hate You, and detest those who rebel against You? I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies" (Ps. 139:21-22; see Matt. 5:43, "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy '

What happened here..... Hate your enemy :icon_eek:

Let's try to keep on track of what this thread is about.

The theme of the thread is:

"Lets discuss ways we can bring about peace without conversions and ways we can get along with each other."

Do you propose to discuss only how to make co-exist people of different faith, or how to make co-exist all people?

I believe that both are impossible on Earth. They are utopian visions. There are impossible things on Earth, as perpetuum mobile is impossible, for example, and no reasonable person tries to invent one.

Look at all levels of life ... Nobody co-exist excepting on a very small scale.

If we are here to learn / experience something, and if those who learned / experienced enough don't return, while new inexperienced souls replenish the pool, then life on Earth will follow similar scenarios, mistakes will be made, lessons will have to be learned / experienced.

Obviously, faith isn't a tool to solve problems on any scale.