If there is one thing that God put on this earth to do-it is to do his will. As one looks across the landscape of the wide variety of different religious and philosophical beliefs that exist, all of what we have has to boil down to a simple purpose for living.
It would seem that the "true faith" would be that faith that bests accomplishes these following goals. What else in life could possibly have any worth to God?
1) Covenant with Him to praise him for giving us life and for us to believe that everything God has provided is God's blessing and nothing more.
2) Covenant with our spouse to honor them in purity and love all the days of our life.
3) Covenant with our parents to take care of them in their old age as they took care of us in our youth.
4) Covenant of devotion to raise our children with love and discipline and to be responsible for guiding them into Pure, Life-long, Covenant Marriages.
5) Covenant of Friendship with a small circle of friends who we fellowship with in our homes and who share our Covenant with God.
6) Covenant with the Infirm to take care of the orphan, the widow, and the disabled in our lands in ways that go beyond mere handouts.
7) Covenant of Peace with Mankind to refuse to be the pawn of a government that wants us to kill and hate each other when they deem it necessary.
Personally, I am disgusted with America's culture. Our nation's kids, the divorce rate, our schools, the music, the perverse sense of humor, the worship of athletes, the blind faith in our nation's superiority-give me a break.
Christians, I used to count myself among you. What is this faith if, with free reign, it comes to a culture like this in America?
Muslims, I am attracted by your devotion to God. But is there a true sense of joy and commitment in your families, in Islamic life. All the blood shed in the name of your religion is shocking.
Buddhists, your religion is enlightening-how does Buddhism realistically fulfill the "will of God" as I have defined it?
Other faiths can feel free to weigh in as well. I have grown tired of complex theological systems which require a "trained priesthood" for them to continue. I wonder why Christianity would be nothing without Paul. I wonder if Christ's message is not better and more challenging without Paul. I wonder if Mohammed's teachings do a much better job of showing man what God expects.
Jesus shows us "the perfect attitude"-yes, I would agree. But does he give us ample direction on how we should act this out. No, using Paul's interpretation of Christ's life, a church can be built, and a beautiful story of God's love for man maintained. But the "Will of God" is always really defined by the local pastor/priest.
Here is the "will of God" in Christianity as defined by the Pauline Church.
a) church attendance
b) tithing to pay for the big building and the pastor
c) participation in ministry to bring in more believers to make the building bigger
Most Christians go stuff themselves on Sunday on the exact day they are supposed to be letting people rest. But no matter, that scripture isn't really the "Will of God" anymore.
Christianity flourishes in the west because Christ's teachings and Paul's interpretation of them are so marketable.
Anyway, the "will of God" seems to be a simple enough concept.
Christians, if our divorce rate is the same as the rest of America, how can we claim we have anything to offer. I'm sorry, but our faith shouldn't have to "react" to the problem. Our faith should have always been the embodiment of the solution.
Muslims, your faith attracts me and scares me. Tell me more.
Peace2God's People