Avoidable distractions

It is said that the main purpose of understanding other religions/traditions is to gain new perspectives on one’s own religion. Of course, this works much better after one has understood one’s own tradition at some level of depth. To me, this has been the main benefit of reading Rumi. For example, one of the ideas about Jesus Christ that touched me very deeply (that the greatest miracle of Jesus is himself) was triggered by reading Rumi (see Miracle).

Recently, I came across the following words from Rumi (From the story ‘Moses Learns a Lesson’ from the book ‘Rumi: Tales to live by’). "I have bestowed on everyone a way of believing and worshipping according to his understanding and temperament. Praying and worship is a kindness I have bestowed on my creatures so they may be tied to me with chords of love. The Hindu worships me in his own way, and the Jew in his. Let them pray any way they know. Do not seek rules or methods of worship, but love me however you can!"

Considering that there are so many divisions in Christianity that often fight among themselves based on differences in rules and methods of worship, and thereby creating distractions that lead away from the core of Christianity, this is indeed a highly useful perspective!

The way

One of the verses in the Bible that I used to have difficulty in relating to is John 14:6, in which Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Does it mean that being a Christian is a necessary condition for salvation?

While I have never had any serious intention of following any religion except Christianity, the ‘exclusivity that seemed to be implied by this statement made me uncomfortable as I have been brought up in an environment that respects other religions and also encourages learning from them (See Celebrating Onam in the Church). I have seen many very noble and pious people in other religions. Does this exclusivity mean that they are on the ‘wrong’ path? While I still haven’t fully resolved this (and maybe, I never will, thank God for that!), of late some ideas have started evolving in my mind.

The term ‘way’ means a path or a route. So, it becomes imperative to find out what is the way that is Jesus Christ. To me, 'the greatest miracle of Jesus is himself' (see Miracle) – the very act of being fully man and fully God. I think that God became human so that humans have a route to be one with God. So the life, love, rejection, acceptance, frustration, fellowship, loneliness, joy, sorrow, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus on earth is in a way a 'path-breaking' activity, establishing a new road, a new level of understanding and a new relationship between humans and God. 

The main goal of Christianity is to be more like Christ (being fully man and fully God at the same time) - by nurturing both our humanity and divinity. Maybe, it is that very act that enable to 'come to the Father'. 

I also think that ‘being in Christ’ is not necessarily the same as being a Christian (in the sense of being part of the Christian religion). Even the second council of Vatican said something like 'while salvation is through Christ, it is not limited only to Christians'. 

May be, it is an invitation to be more like Jesus (fully human and fully divine at the same time) and not meant to be an instruction to follow any particular belief system about Jesus Christ. As we have seen in 'From belief to experience and faith', a 'hand me down' belief system could be a big impediment to knowing Christ. For most of us (except those who have had a ‘direct experience’), the Christ we know is essentially the ‘Christ in the Bible’ (a picture that can capture only some aspects of Christ and that is also subject to the limitations of context, language and interpretation) and not the ‘real Christ’ or even the ‘historical Christ’!

Hence the highest understanding that I am capable of at this point on this matter is that by being fully man and fully God, Jesus has created the royal road to salvation for us! Now, I am not yet sure about all the different manners in which we can walk on this path though I have an inkling  that nurturing the both the humane and divine in us won't be a bad idea! Also, as Jesus himself said that 'God is love' that is probably the meeting point between the humane and the divine!

My God

To me, God becomes real to us in the context of our relationship with Him. Since all of us are unique human beings each of us would relate to (connect with) God differently based on our (God-given) uniqueness.


This creates a problem for those (interpretations of)  religions that prescribe a standard way of understanding God and relating to Him. So it becomes imperative to us to explore and go beyond these prescribed ways and arrive at our own personal understanding of God and our personal ways of connecting with him. No amount of secondhand understanding would help in forming a deep personal relationship.


Yes, worshipping in a group (which is also important and useful) requires common procedures and rituals. But how each of us experience the group worship and what each of us 'takes away' from the group worship can be (encouraged to be) shaped by our uniqueness. In a way, group worship can provide a spiritual atmosphere and mutual encouragement that can help us to further our unique understanding and relationship with God.


Thus, 'My God' is based on my personal understanding of (and personal relationship with) God. So in a way, 'My God' is mine only and the role of religion is to encourage all of us 'find' the 'My God' for each of us!

God who suffers with us

To me, the concept of the 'God who suffers with us' is as important as the concept of the 'God who suffered for us' (passion/crucifixion of the Christ). It is because of the former is in our current reality (it happens even now) and as it comforts us (we are not alone in our suffering). Also, it makes the act of lessening someone else's suffering a holy one as in that process we are also lessening God's suffering. Again, it (our act of lessening some else's suffering) enables that person to 'see the invisible hand of God' in our actions and hence strengthening his/her belief in (relationship with) God!


It can also be argued that one of the key reasons of the 'Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us' in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14) was to enable God to be more compassionate with the humans. After all, can one really be kind to someone else without being kin?