Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lvron@earth.lerc.nasa.gov (Ronald E. Graham) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Checking your mind at the door Message-ID: Date: 27 Sep 90 07:23:51 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center Lines: 36 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , jag@cello.mc.duke.edu (John Graves) writes... >In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word >was God. >Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. >No one comes to the father except by the Word. >The Word was the light that shines in the darkness. This information is more or less paraphrased from the Gospel of John. Most of it in Chapter 1. Not too tough to find. The following I could not find at all: >What was the Word. >That ye should honor God and love your neighbor as yourself. >Any religion that teaches the Word but had another prophet would >be coming to the Father through Jesus, the Word, manifested in human >form to the Hebrews but all proclaimed by Moses, Buddha, Confuscius, >Sequoia, and any other who proclaimed that love is all. >A humble love that does justice and shows mercy. This is a little difficult to interpret, but if I am reading it correctly, then Buddha, Confucius, and Sequoia all proclaimed the same gospel as that of Christ. While I cannot dispute that these individuals espoused justice, love, and mercy, I will dispute the other claim. Somehow, Mr. Graves, you have managed to mix in somebody's sermon notes with Scripture and are trying to get it all to jive together. This is not a good practice for someone who claims his denomination does not force one to check one's mind at the door. Christ also espoused justice, love, and mercy, just as the other individuals you mentioned. He further said he was God. And that through him alone could man achieve a relationship with God. His version of final truth and those of Buddha and Confucius are either mutually exclusive, or Jesus is showing (arrogance or insanity, pick one) beyond measure. RG