Who is closer to God: the Dali Lama or the Pope?

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Who is closer to God: the Dali Lama or the Pope?

Why?

Who is closer to God: me or you?

Why?

Who is closer to God: bin Laden or Jesus?

Why?

Last question: Do you think there are absolute answers to the above questions, and not simply opinions that are relative to one human or another?

-- Outside Observer (just@passing.through), September 27, 2001

Answers

Outside Observer,

#1) Only God knows.

#2) Only God knows.

#3) Jesus. Because He is God in the flesh.

Yes, there are absolute answers to #1 & #2, but I don't believe that man has those answers. Only God can see into the hearts of men.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), September 27, 2001.

Who is closer to God: the Dali Lama or the Pope?

The one that has repented of sin in his life and accepted the free gift of salvation His Son Jesus has offered each of us through His Son's death on the cross.

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Who is closer to God: me or you?

Anyone that accepts His son Jesus as their personal savior is closer.

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Who is closer to God: bin Laden or Jesus?

Jesus is the Son of God and part of the trinity (father, son, Holy Spirit).

Your questions show a desire to secure your future after death. This is wisdom. There is a sure way to know you are going to heaven however. IF you are sincere (God knows your heart) then follow the following four steps.

Step #1 Acknowledge Your Sin Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Step #2 Repent of Your Sin Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Step #3 Believe in Jesus John 3:16-17 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to SAVE the world through him.

Step #4 Make Your Decision Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be SAVED.

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 27, 2001.


good post I believe,''the line is drawn in the sand[of time]. no more time,for let's go along 'to get along!!

it,s CRUNCH TIME!!!

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), September 27, 2001.


The daily llama

-- (nemesis@awol.com), September 27, 2001.

#3) Jesus. Because He is God in the flesh.

And you know this because.....a bunch of guys who weren't even alive when Jesus walked the earth wrote a collection of stories called the Bible and you bought into it. Gimmee a break!

-- Christians (AreMindless@Idiots.com), September 27, 2001.



Anyone that accepts His son Jesus as their personal savior is closer.

You're so full of shit you stink to High Heaven! (pun intended) What kind of self-righteous crap is THIS? How dare you claim to be closer/better than somebody else based on your religious beliefs! Seems like you and bin Laden have a lot in common.

-- Puke (Vomit@Barf.com), September 27, 2001.


How dare you claim to be closer/better than somebody else

I have never claimed to be better than anyone.

I make no claim that there is no other way, but my savior Jesus does. I believe in Him.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

May God Bless you...

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 27, 2001.


.

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 27, 2001.

And you know this because.....a bunch of guys who weren't even alive when Jesus walked the earth wrote a collection of stories called the Bible...

Not true. Matthew, Luke, John & Paul were very much alive at the time of Jesus life. They were disciples of Jesus and major contributors to the New Testament. Including Paul, formally Saul of Tarsus who was by the way a Christian killer prior to his conversion.

Each disciples book gives confirmation to the other disciples books and their writtings contain within.

Isn't it odd that the Bible, the New Testament in particular has so many witnesses to the life and miracles of Jesus and is thought of as a fairy tale by non-believers?

While many of these same non-believers are the same ones that put their blind faith in the writtings of ONE man, Charles Darwin and the missing link that is still missing today. Amazing.

blessings....

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 27, 2001.


The Bible is a combination of rough, altered history (often containing a great deal of fact in this regard) that has been fictionalized by combination with Jewish and pagan myths that were relevant to the historical story and to the culture of the people who put the books together. Since they were put together, they have been altered to fit the cultures and political ends of other people. Most of the historical content in the Bible can be taken as likely being true, but anything that smells of miraculousness is clearly an insertion of mythology or hyperbole including those passages pertaining to the virgin birth, resurrection and so forth of Jesus. Most biblical scholars agree that the writings found in the Bible commenced fifty (50) years after the death of Jesus.

When libraries catalog Bibles they give them a call number that starts with "BS". Here, sink your teeth into some Bible errancies just for fun.

-- Blind (
Believers@Shallow.com), September 27, 2001.



Blind,

Forgive me if I don't believe that which you assert merely because you say that it is so.

By the way, I clicked on your link. If that is the best that you have to offer, then you should think about converting...quickly.


I believe in Him,

Remember what happens when you cast your pearls before swine...

They turn and tear you apart.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), September 27, 2001.

Religious fanatics are immune to logic.

-- TheBible (IsA@FairyTale.com), September 27, 2001.

Who is closer to God: the Dali Lama or the Pope?

Depends on what you mean by closer.

Physically, we are all the same distance from God. God is within us and all around us.

Spiritually, the Dali Lami is much closer to knowing God. Why?

Because the Dali Lama knows the true nature of God, he experiences it. The Pope only knows about a God that he has read about in books.

Who is closer to God: me or you?

Physically, the same. Spiritually, it depends of your level of consciousness.

Why?

Because our level of consciousness is what allows us transcend the illusions created by our minds, to actually experience the reality of God.

Who is closer to God: bin Laden or Jesus?

Physically, the same. Spiritually, it appears that Jesus has had more experience with the closeness of God. But appearances can be deceiving.

Why?

Everything we know about Jesus is based only on physical writings which are part of our physical world of illusion. Bin Laden could have more real experience with God, maybe he just didn't tell a lot of authors about it. Only God knows for sure.

Last question: Do you think there are absolute answers to the above questions, and not simply opinions that are relative to one human or another?

Everything in this physical world is relative, that's why it is so prone to illusion. It is a world of smoke and mirrors.

In the big reality, everything is absolute. It is the one and only Truth. It is as it is, and it cannot be distorted.

-- Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi (yabba@dabba.doo!), September 27, 2001.


Jesus was Borg. Christians are the Assimilated. They live within the Hive Mentality. Woe to them that cannot see.

-- Truth (Hurts@Brainwashed.com), September 27, 2001.

>>>Spiritually, the Dali Lami is much closer to knowing God. Why? Because the Dali Lama knows the true nature of God, he experiences it. The Pope only knows about a God that he has read about in books.

>>Who is closer to God: me or you? >>Physically, the same. Spiritually, it depends of your level of consciousness.

Except in the case of the Pope, however, whose spiritual nature you are somehow uniquely in tune with. Well, say, you know the Lama's spiritual nature as well. You must be way up there on the old enlightmentment mountain.

-- OPerfectMaster (IBow@To.You), September 27, 2001.



>>Most of the historical content in the Bible can be taken as likely being true, but anything that smells of miraculousness is clearly an insertion of mythology or hyperbole including those passages pertaining to the virgin birth, resurrection and so forth of Jesus

Clearly? The whole point is that it was as foreign a concept to the authors of the Bible as it is to us, and that's why they thought to write about it. For their troubles they gave up their lives to wander, and eventually gave up their lives, period (except John). The only thing that's clear is that *something* drove them to it, not a bunch of fiction they thought to throw together, and they gained neither power nor wealth.

In your sentence, the word 'clearly' is simply stated, as facts not in evidence.

-- Tom (tarbuthnot@featherair.net), September 27, 2001.


"You must be way up there on the old enlightmentment mountain."

Aaaaah yes, very good Grasshoppa, indeed I am!

You are ready... now pick up that big red hot glowing thing which will brand the dragon into your arms!

-- Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi (yabba dabba doo @ i luv. kung fu!), September 28, 2001.


I believe Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi, also known as Osho, passed on some ten years ago. I recieved training in Transcendental Meditation as a gift for my twelfth birthday. It was a turning point in my life in that it was my first exposure to an eastern meditation technique. That experience opened the door which changed me and the course of my life and I'm forever grateful.

Even to a twelve year old it was pretty obvious the organization which taught that simple meditation technique and gave me "my special mantra" was a bit off course. Though I had learned little of eastern philosophies up to that time, my intuition was strong and that combined with the teacher's request for a large chunk of change to be paid him prior to my going further in Transcendental Meditation spoke volumes. I went no further - with them. Reading just a sampling of Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi's writings leaves me shaking my head. A confusing mish mash. A somewhat polluted, meandering stream of consciousness. Kinda like my own, now that I think of it. :) But hey, it ain't my position in life to judge levels of spirituality in people publicly. So enough of that. The TM technique which I learned is quite simple and very effective in helping one to achieve deep relaxation. Though I have learned other meditation techniques over the past couple decades which are more effective for me, I do recommend TM as an option (one of hundreds) for newcomers who might wish to dip a toe into the calm waters of meditation practice.

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), September 28, 2001.


JBT (to Peanut): Gurus aren't the answer my friend.

No JBT, they are not. And no Guru worth their salt would suggest he/she is the answer. Entering into a Guru/Disciple relationship is pretty rare in the Western World. I would say one could do so with Jesus, but Guru is not the role most Christians allow Jesus to play, in my estimation. Savior is more attractive, I guess.

My favorite translation of the word Guru is one who dispels darkness. Sorry, gotta go. More later, if there's interest.

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), September 28, 2001.


What I want to know is, what happens if you're "closer to God"? I mean in the after-life, or for that matter, in this life?

Is it like an infinite, metaphysical version of brown-nosing, where you'll win lotteries here and be given the fluffiest clowd to lounge on in the herafter? If you are a holy and compassionate person in life, but just happen to have chosen the "wrong" religion, do you still go to heaven but have to work in the mailroom or something?

It just seems like it's a bum rap to send the Dali Lama to hell, or to rank him below the likes of "J" or Dennis Olson in heaven.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), September 28, 2001.


Bemused, if you really want to know that and more...read the bible. It's in there.

-- ($@.02.), September 28, 2001.

Confused,

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

Unless Jesus is your savior, you aren't going to heaven; not even to work in the mail room.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), September 28, 2001.

Let's see, I can spend eternity with J and Dennis Olson, or I can hang with the Dali Lama, Albert Einstein, and Carl Sagan. I'll get back to you on that.

By the way J, word on the street is that al-d is going to be sitting pretty when he gets up there. Better start sucking up now. It won't mean as much after St. Peter checks your ID.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), September 28, 2001.


"Osho" was Bhagwan Rajneesh.

-- Firemouse (redclothes@dyed.inthelaundromat), September 28, 2001.

Let's see, I can spend eternity with J and Dennis Olson, or I can hang with the Dali Lama, Albert Einstein, and Carl Sagan.

Hmmm...Albert may not be waiting for you in the place you think my friend.

Albert Einstein said,

"Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe; a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must feel humble."

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 28, 2001.


Yes, but he was Jewish. That means he didn't find Jesus as his personal saviour, which, by J's definition, damns him.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), September 28, 2001.

Yes, but he was Jewish.

So was Jesus and His 12 disciples.

Why does being Jewish somehow keep you from being or becoming Christian?

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 28, 2001.


But by J's (and yours, it seems) definition, they would still have to convert to Christianity before they could get to heaven.

I don't recall Einstein ever doing that, do you?

And I think we can agree Jesus was the definitive case ;^) and can't be compared to an unconverted Jew in the present time.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), September 28, 2001.


Thanks for the correction, firemouse.

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), September 28, 2001.

I don't recall Einstein ever doing that, do you?

It doesn't mean he didn't either. For that matter, none of those on your list are precluded from conversion before their death. No one will know for sure until we are dead and with our master. Everyone has a choice to make who their master will be before they die. After that...well...it's too late to change your mind.

But by J's (and yours, it seems) definition, they would still have to convert to Christianity before they could get to heaven.

No, not our definition, but by Jesus Christ's definition.

Once again I will quote Jesus own words...

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT through me.

If there was another way, Jesus' life and death would have had little or no meaning. We would still be looking for a savior today.

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 28, 2001.


..God bless you for your patience with me. And thank you for allowing me to share my faith with you!

-- I believe in Him (Jesus is King@Kingdom.come), September 28, 2001.

Il Papa and Dolly Lama both sit at my right hand. I am a right-handist.

-- (God, not @ WTC.com), September 28, 2001.

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