A question and My Answer

Jay...I enjoy your emails and think you are a neat person....but I want to ask, if I may, are you a Christian?
If you are, then you made a most foolish statement by saying that God and Allah etc. are the SAME? Where is your thinking? If He were the SAME God, He would require the same from their religion: forgiveness, holiness, obedience. . . .

Be blessed. Jeanne ---

Comment:

Your question can be difficult to answer. Using the definition I'm sure you use, I say "Yes".

But first and foremost, I call myself Spiritual rather than Christian.

There is a difference which may or may not be possible to explain. It is the difference between St Augustine and the peasant believer next door. The same difference as between Joshua and Hur at the time of Moses.

There is an expansion of understanding that goes beyond mere belief. I have been strongly condemned for stating that `Knowledge is preferable to Faith (or belief)’. The Evangelist that was most vocal on this issue quoted scripture and dug himself into a rather deep hole with "Ye must grow in Faith until you come to a perfect Knowledge of the Son of GOD." Too late he realized his error

Anyway, the item you asked about has a simple (to me) answer. There is only one GOD. That is a given fact. Different people, different cultures meet GOD on a level they can accept. When there is a chance for improvement, then they had better take it. The name of GOD is incidental. Jehovah is/was the Jewish name and therefore the Christian name for GOD. Other names have been Krishna, Allah, Jesus, etc. I can list hundreds of names. Buddha was never declared to be God.

When our time of transition comes and the Light at the end of the Tunnel appears, the name of that Being is whatever you want to call It. This has been reported by many who have 'died' and 'come back'. My ex (deceased) saw that light 3 times, I myself, once. Names become meaningless then. What is within your heart and soul becomes all that is important.

Then there is the cryptic name of GOD given in the Biblical Old Testament - "I AM". Don't even think of asking me what that means. This is something that must be solved by prayer.

Anyway, if I did not answer your question, then I am sure I confused you unmercifully.