The religion in which the founder proclaims +quot;I am the truth; surrender unto Me+quot;

From: Shiv Jhawar on 1:129/34

The religion in which the founder proclaims "I am the truth; surrender
unto Me" is, I think, the closest to the truth. Krishna has proclaimed
"I am the truth".  Jesus also has proclamed, "I am the truth". Buddha
has also proclaimed, "I am the truth". You will also find others like
mohammed, Mahavira also making the same ultimate statement. We human
beings ordinarily get confused with these statements. To our mind, when
one is right, another must be wrong. You see, spiritual science or
religion is too subtle and complex understand. Compared to any knowledge
available on this earth, the spiritual knowledge reqires the most
intelligence and purification of heart to understand. Truly speaking,
without the guidance and help of a great spiritual master (such as
Lao-tse, Yogananda Paramhansa, Ramkrishna Paramhansa), a spiritual
seeker cannot even make an inch of real spiritual progress. It might
appear very astounding to the reader what I am stating. Just to make my
point accross, I would like to mention about a small book titled "Zen
Flesh, Zen Bones". The book is compiled by Paul Reps who is an American
and who has spent a great deal of his lif in India, Norway, and Japan.
He is a student of comparative religions. In the chapter "centering" of
this book, he writes as follows after meeting the great Siddha Guru
Lakshmanjoo, in Srinagar (Kashmir, India):

"Here Lakshmanjoo-tall, full bodied, shining-welcomes me. He shares with
me this ancient teaching from the VIGYAN BHAIRAVA and Sochanda Tantra,
both written about four thousand years ago, and from Malini Vijaya
Tantra, probably another thousand years older yet. It is an ancient
teaching, copied and recopied countless times, and from it Lakshmanjoo
has made the beginnings of an English version. I transcribe eleven more
times to get it into the form given here.  Shiva first chanted it to his
consort Devi in a language of love we have yet to learn. It is about the
immanent experience. It presents 112 ways to open the invisible door of
consciousness. I see Lakshmanjoo gives his life to its practicing. Some
of the ways may appear redundant, yet each differs from any other. Some
may seem simple, yet any one requires constant dedication even to test
it. Surely men as inspirators, known and unknown to the world, have
shared a common uncommon discovery. The Tao of Lao-tse, Nirvana of
Buddha, Jehovah of Moses, the Father of Jesus, the Allah of Mohammed -
all point to the experience. No-thing-ness, spirit- once touched, the
whole life clears."

So, I trust you find the above helpful in getting your answer. I never
say or believe that one religion is closer to truth compared to another.
There is no point in considering one inferior or superior. What is
important is that every great religion teaches LOVE. I recall "God is
Love.", said Lord Jesus (He did not say God is loving). Actually, there
is no difference in "God" and "Love". Lord Jesus also said, "Kingdo of
God is within you." But, just contemplate...how many people understand
Jesus, and also the ten commandments of Lord Moses (How many christians
you find who really understand and practice the ten commandments). It is
really unfortunate that Lord Jesus was misunderstood by those so called
intelligent and high ranked human beings who decided to crucify Jesus.
Sometimes I wonder if people even today will learn a lesson from
history. You see, there has never been a time on this planet earth when
God did not have His (call Her, It or whatever) messenger to teach human
beings LOVE ...sometime the God's son appears from the East, sometimes,
from the West, Sometimes fro North, sometimes the God's son comes with
a beared on, sometimes without a beared, sometimes from a rich family,
sometimes from a poor family. But we human beings always commit the same
mistake. Whenever we meet a new one, immediately we want to compare
Him/Her with the old one...and you know, there has never been a second
Krishna, or second Jesus or second Buddha nor will there be. The
greatest has always been unique. We must have missed Krishna, or Buddha,
or Jesus otherwise we would not be here on this planet today to evolve
spiritually.

From: Shiv Jhawar
  To: Ray Osborne
  Re: CAN, SCP REFERENCES...

> Our greatest presidents were men of the Christian faith. Our
> founding fathers were Christians. We just celebrated Thanksgiving
> because Christians came to this conuntry seeking religious
> freedom. And that freedom is cherished to all no matter what
> faith. Modern Christian countries have been very tolerant of other
> faiths including yours.
>
You know the point I made in reply to somebody saying that poverty in
India was due to Hinduism. Just as materalistic wealth of America was
not due to christianty, the poverty of India was not due to Hinduism.
James Watt, George Stephenson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison made
great scientific research and discoveries which made America rich...go
read to find if any of these great men were holding a Doctor of
divinity, or ministership/priestship in a christian church. None of
these great beings was a Bible preacher. Europe and America did not
achieve the height of worldly wealth due to christian religion. This
fact is really eye-opening. "Thou shalts," and "Though Shaltnots" did
not help the above noted scientists, but in fact were an obstacle. Read
history to find that after the spread of christianity in Europe, for one
thousand years the Europe remained under indescribable darkness and
superstition. Never before on this planet such a superstion and darkness
for this much long time prevailed. The christian beliefs tortured/
burned the scientific thinkers. Burno was a great scientific thinker; he
was burnt to death. Do you what kind of torturing great Carlyle, Johnson
and others had to go through under christianity?

Dark and middle ages were removed by Renaissance. Theosophy, christian
science, and spiritualism...the prophet of new and modern thinking was
Emerson who spread true spirituality. Henry D. Thoreau was the spiritual
master of great Emerson. Another inspirer of Emerson was Carlyle.  Kant
and Schopenhauer inspired Carlyle and Walt Whitman. Read Kant,
Schopenhauer, and Fitche before making childish comments on the religion
of India. Schopenhauer in his book "The world is Will and Idea",
writes," In the whole world there is no religion or philosophy so
sublime and elevating as the Vedanta (Upanishads). This Vedanta
(Upanishads) has been the solace of my life, and it will be the solace
of my death."  You want to read more...the famous historian and
philosopher Victor Corsin of France writes, "When we read with attention
the poetical and philosophical monuments of the East, above all, those
of India which are beginning to spread in Europe, we discover there many
a truth and truths, so profound, and which make such a contrast with the
meanness of the result, at which the European genious has sometimes
stopped and we are constrained to bend the knee before the philosophy of
the East, and to see in this cradle of the human race the native land of
the highest philosophy".   The great Max Muller writes, "I am neither
ashamed, nor afraid to say that I share his (Schopenhauer's) enthsiasm
for the Vedants and feel indbted to it for much that has been helpful to
me in my passage through life". In the books by Sir Edwin Arnold, namely
"India Civilized his Song Celestial", " His light of Asia", and "His
Song of Songs", you will found how much indebted the world is toward
India. Did you know Columbus who discovered America was looking for
India? India was not always poor. India was known at one time all over
this world for materialistic wealth and civilization. During the time of
Lord Buddha, India achived a great height of prosperity.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.