Could all Religions Come Together?

[GMCGeneral]

If this were the case, shouldn't you be advocating that no one--ever--is allowed to pray for join another person in prayer? No worshiping together, no praying together, not even for our loved ones.

That only applies to the living, not the dead. Once the soul leaves the body, it's too late.

 

[Meriweather]

That only applies to the living, not the dead. Once the soul leaves the body, it's too late.

It's not.

 

[GMCGeneral]

It's not.

Sure is. And it is scriptural.

 

[Meriweather]

Sure is. And it is scriptural.

The power of prayer is phenomenal. Scripture speaks of that as well.

 

[GMCGeneral]

The power of prayer is phenomenal. Scripture speaks of that as well.

But again. It only applies to the living, and there is ONLY one intercessor.

 

[onefour1]

Despite differences, could all faiths unite? What are the great differences, and how might they be overcome so we might worship together?

What differing faiths would need to do to unite is to come to a unity of the faith. The faith is what each faith believes in. So the differences must be resolved in truth. If all truth were easily obtained and discerned, maybe it would be possible. But differences exist because what one person believes is true another person does not. Maybe if we made a giant list of things that we all believe in and look for those things that we all agree on, we could come to some degree of unity. However, proving that some things are true is not always easy and also proving that somethings are not true is not so easy either. I think coming to a unity of the faith would require a high degree of unity in what each of us believes is true. In the world today, I don't see that happening unless we all experience some universal miracle such as the second coming of Christ in power and great glory. Even then, I wonder if there will be those who doubt.

 

[Meriweather]

But again. It only applies to the living, and there is ONLY one intercessor.

Are you saying that having someone pray along with you is asking that person to intercede or intervene for you?

You are aware that people around Jesus at the cross thought he was asking Elijah for help? Jews prayed for the dead, and did so in Jesus' time. Peter prayed for Tabitha/Dorcas before calling for her to rise from the dead.
Jesus prayed for Lazarus.

In fact, it wasn't until the sixteenth century that some Protestant denominations began teaching people not to pray for the dead.

 

[ding]

Once the soul leaves the body, it's too late.

God experiences time all at once. Which means that God KNOWS the prayers you will make even before the passing of your loved ones even if the prayers are made years after their death. So, no... it's not too late.

Matthew 19:26

 

[ding]

And it is scriptural.

Martin Luther didn't believe so.

Martin Luther wrote:

As for the dead, since Scripture gives us no information on the subject, I regard it as no sin to pray with free devotion in this or some similar fashion: “Dear God, if this soul is in a condition accessible to mercy, be thou gracious to it.” And when this has been done once or twice, let it suffice. (Confession Concerning Christ’s Supper, Vol. XXXVII, 369)

 

[ding]

C.S. Lewis had this to say:

Of course I pray for the dead. The action is so spontaneous, so all but inevitable, that only the most compulsive theological case against it would deter me. And I hardly know how the rest of my prayers would survive if those for the dead were forbidden. At our age, the majority of those we love best are dead. What sort of intercourse with God could I have if what I love best were unmentionable to him? (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, 107)

 

[BreezeWood]

Martin Luther didn't believe so.

Martin Luther wrote:

As for the dead, since Scripture gives us no information on the subject, I regard it as no sin to pray with free devotion in this or some similar fashion: “Dear God, if this soul is in a condition accessible to mercy, be thou gracious to it.” And when this has been done once or twice, let it suffice. (Confession Concerning Christ’s Supper, Vol. XXXVII, 369)

“Dear God, if this soul is in a condition accessible to mercy, be thou gracious to it.”

no ifs about it - the crucifiers may pass their time on earth, no such luck at the gates of heaven - the desert religions persecution and victimization of the innocent - their illicit scriptures ... bing.

 

[ding]

That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Luke 20:37-38

 

[ding]

God isn’t bound by time. For God all things are possible.

 

[BreezeWood]

God isn’t bound by time. For God all things are possible.

really bing - are calendars in the heavens forbidden and who would disobey be punished ... sent to hell for three weeks.

- and the believers will be the volunteers with the fork to make sure ... the good old boys in heaven.

 

[ding]

really bing - are calendars in the heavens forbidden and who would disobey be punished ... sent to hell for three weeks.

- and the believers will be the volunteers with the fork to make sure ... the good old boys in heaven.

What you intend for evil, God is using for good.

 

[BreezeWood]

What you intend for evil, God is using for good.

- and the believers will be the volunteers with the fork to make sure ... the good old boys in heaven.

who's you ... just anyone they decide to crucify to write a book using their name for their own madeup religion because no one would believe or listen to who was the criminal ... bing.

no, at the gates no phony prayer will be of any use for them ... they'll just poof and be forever gone - praise be the heavens above.

 

[ding]

who's you ... just anyone they decide to crucify to write a book using their name for their own madeup religion because no one would believe or listen to who was the criminal ... bing.

no, at the gates no phony prayer will be of any use for them ... they'll just poof and be forever gone - praise be the heavens above.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 

[BreezeWood]

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

- didn't you say you died to yourself ...

well, you know how you came back may not be exatly what they were looking for - hopefully there is a second rendering ... * you might give it a shot.

 

[ding]

- didn't you say you died to yourself ...

well, you know how you came back may not be exatly what they were looking for - hopefully there is a second rendering ... * you might give it a shot.

I have chosen the better portion and it will not be taken from me.

 

[emilynghiem]

I think we have bigger problems right now. Half the country in convinced the other half are voting to end democracy. We need a unifying president. The other stuff is not as important, IMHO.

Good point Lisa558
The partisan agenda and battles for dominance in govt, media and public policy and perception IS also a "political religious" battle and movement similar to the Reformation of the Catholic church to democratize into local churches independent of that corrupt hierarchy which claimed central govt power.

Now it's the Reformation of the state and govt systems to democratize into self governing cities, states or party precincts around schools, health care or prisons that people can use to take back control of managing their local communities and social programs and economy.

As for the other religious issues, if you look at the messages between Redfish and buttercup answering to surada They are debating Which version of Islam is the REAL Muslim teaching and which is causing the violent oppression, which is parallel to what you said is going on in American politics.

One side says it's Trump Maga conservatives trying to undercut the election and override democracy while the Constitutionalists argue the Liberal Democrats violated national election laws and threw the process into an arbitrary "faith based" mess, dictated by partisan bias and agenda, that already bypassed and breached Constitutional process itself. So that is where the violation against public laws and duty already threw the system off and needs to be r corrected at that point. The protests and riotous violence in DC was in addition to the original breach.

Both sides say the other is lying and projecting blame when they are responsible for oppressive abuses.

Your point about US politics is sadly similar to the argument that true Muslim teachings are against the Islamic and Jihadist corruption and abuse. The Islamic regimes abuse religion to violate due process, and enable Terrorist groups the Jihadists and Wahabist to take over. The truly faithful Muslim followers also respect both church and state authority as Christians and Constitutionalists do who follow both the standards in the Bible and the Bill of Rights.


If we follow those principles and process then we would mediate to resolve conflicts to maintain peace and justice with equal protections for everyone full time. If we fail and cause a trespass or violation, we are supposed to redress grievances and share rebukes and corrections as equal neighbors under authority of Jesus and the Holy Spirit for Restorative Justice to govern and heal our relations so we address injustice together to correct it and prevent it in the future.

Both the Constitutional laws are based on natural laws of peace and democracy, combining the Native American league of tribal nations with the European and English laws of democratic process abc natural rights.

The Muslims teach this as God's natural laws, of peaceful coexistence and no compulsion in religion because faith is only true when it is freely chosen. If it is forced, that's not true faith which by nature is voluntary.

So if Jihadists and Islamist Wahabist regimes are forcing their ways on others by coercion abuse or violence and threats, that is not real faith but religious and political abuse.

In the US situation with politics, if policy is against the beliefs of the people that is Unconstitutional to establish faith based beliefs or creeds through govt and public institutions that violates or disparages rights by discriminating against people on the basis of Creed. So it's violating govt laws to have political parties push their beliefs through govt that other people and parties don't believe in and can't be forced by govt to change their beliefs. That is not real govt standards, but Unconstitutional violations.

But both parties argue the other party is violating the Constitution.

Again this parallels the same conflict over Muslims, and which version is what Islam really teaches and which is the false narrative that has corrupted and abused power by mixing religion with biased political agenda from one group trying to force their way onto all the other people who are protesting that.