A Question of the Path to Heaven

[alexoliversen]

I have head many quotes from different sources about the path to liberation or salvation BUT they totally contradict.

I often hear the phrase: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it" from Western Religions. Thus according to Western Religions there is only one way to salvation.

While Eastern Religions say the opposite: "There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same."
They say the Middle Path is wide open meaning we are all students in life, thus searching for a greater truth to liberation and salvation thus all beings can be saved if they find a way which works for them as each individual has their own likes and dislikes as well as situation (rich, poor, smart, strong, etc.)

Both have a notion of truth to them, but at the same time there are problems with both of these statements.

One if it is narrow then doesn't it mean you have to have it your way or the high way, but isn't lonely at the top? When you cut out everyone else's way to happiness you eventually you have no friends. Forcing everybody to your way is not heaven for other people, as those who disagree with you suffer.

Two if it is wide then don't you lack any control over your own life? You get people who don't listen to you and contradict your every move. What good is it if you seek spiritual peace yourself but live in as world full of annoyances and animosity?

Thus there must be a third way where one can find peace between being too narrow minded that you cut everything out of your life and live out in mountains somewhere like a monk, or being to broad and wide minded that you have no control over your life.

Anyone care to discuss?

[cliffy1]

The way I see it, the narrow path is the personal journey to enlightenment and a group path (religion) is the one that leads nowhere - the blind leading the blind down blind alleys. There is nothing holding anybody back from being social and being on a personal journey. If a person isolates themselves from others, they will stagnate because it is through the mirror of others that we become self aware.

BTW, I live on the side of a mountain, I am very social and private. I try to keep a balance. But I don't broadcast the details of my path and I don't ask others to join in my journey. I allow them the freedom of their own journey and together we grow through the sharing of our experiences along the way.

[tryscotty]

One God one road.

[janalta]

One God one road.

Unless, of course, you look outside of the Christian box and factor in all of the other religions and spirituality based beliefs in the world.
Suggesting that there is only one path, one road that everyone must follow is a rather narrow view.

[cliffy1]

Unless, of course, you look outside of the Christian box and factor in all of the other religions and spirituality based beliefs in the world.
Suggesting that there is only one path, one road that everyone must follow is a rather narrow view.

Imagine if all 7 billion people alive today were on that "narrow path" of Christianity? It would take a millennium to process all those alive today through the pearly gates. I really think that those who believe that the narrow path means Christianity have it all wrong. To me, the narrow path is our personal path, our personal journey through this life. I don't think it has anything to do with religion or god. Even atheists are on their own personal journey and therefore on the narrow path.

[Glacier]

There are three worldviews when it comes to religion and spirituality. One is the Christian worldview, which is actually only held by about 20% of Canadians and 30% of Americans. This worldview holds that there is only one way to heaven, and that is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. All who call on the name of Jesus are saved, and go to heaven.

The second worldview held by the majority of Canadians is the Eastern worldview, and in it, we find that there are many ways to heaven, if heaven exists at all for the person. There are many paths to truth, so if you are a decent person, you will find the path that's right for you, and go to heaven or whatever the good afterlife is called.

The 3rd worldview is an Islamic worldview, which takes the worst of the other two worldviews in that it is both exclusive and works based. It holds that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. In addition to accepting this statement of faith, one must do enough good stuff in their life to get into heaven (unless one dies in Jihad, for which they are guaranteed into heaven).

[Sneaksuit]

There are three worldviews when it comes to religion and spirituality.

How can there be only three worldviews with many different religions?

One is the Christian worldview, which is actually only held by about 20% of Canadians and 30% of Americans. This worldview holds that there is only one way to heaven, and that is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. All who call on the name of Jesus are saved, and go to heaven.

The tens of thousands of different denominations of Christianity do not all believe this Protestant exhortation. Many, including Catholic denominations, believe one must do good works as well as believe in his divinity.

The 3rd worldview is an Islamic worldview, which takes the worst of the other two worldviews in that it is both exclusive and works based.

And sects of Christianity aren't?

It holds that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. In addition to accepting this statement of faith, one must do enough good stuff in their life to get into heaven.

Many religions, including eastern are works based. How about Karma? How about new age beliefs of doing the good works by helping others, caring for the environment, non-participation in wars, and resisting command and control (conservative) governments? Is this not belief put into action?

But isn't that one major problem of some Christian church dogma? That it does not matter what you think, say, or do, only that you believe Jesus was God and you will be saved in an afterlife. It seems to me perfectly plain in the Gospels Jesus putting his beliefs into action and urging others to do so. Humanity does not transform by belief in abstract ideas.

[fluffy]

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it"

I think this may refer not so much to an exclusive path to heaven, but more to the idea that the path is narrow by comparison to the multitude of "bad choices" available to each of us. "Heaven" itself, along with all its variants among earthly religions and beliefs, is not so much a place to go when you die, but refers metaphorically to a state of inner peace and serenity that comes from a life without negatives like fear, anger, greed, etc., a state which can be reached by living life on the narrow path of love, compassion and selflessness, while avoiding choices that take us "off the path". The path can be as narrow as we make it, it doesn't always mean shaving your head and living on a mountain-top, it's just that the choices that draw us off the path always seem to be in greater number that the "right" way.

[tryscotty]

Or the Bible is correct and the path is directly related to faith in Christ. I have every reason to believe this is true.

[Sneaksuit]

Or the Bible is correct and the path is directly related to faith in Christ.

What do think is the relation?

[fluffy]

I have every reason to believe this is true.

That's the best any of us can hope for. In a situation where there is no definitive proof one way or the other there can be no wrong answers, we each have to go with what feels right to us.

[1nick]

That would be hell,stuck in heaven with all those Christians.

[WhenWhatWho]

That would be hell,stuck in heaven with all those Christians.

Amen, bro.

[fluffy]

Preferable to being stuck in hell, with all the Christians who thought they were going to make the grade but didn't. 0.0

In the final analysis it's just us and our track record in life, and even if it is ourselves that we are being less than completely truthful with, there really is no hiding from the truth.

[averagejoe]

That would be hell,stuck in heaven with all those Christians.

Or stuck in hell with all those atheists like Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Madam Blavatsky, Alister Crowley for starters.