Since all religions are a bus ride to God, comparison is necessary only if you think that your ride is somehow bumpier than the other buses.

And have you seen some of those new buses? They have air-conditioning, colour TV, internet access a washroom (toilet) at the back and you can buy your ticket on the web.

How can you compare it to the donkey cart that shows up to take you to the Promised Land?

But then, the donkey cart has been around for thousands of years, so obviously the driver knows what he is doing.

On the other hand, maybe the secret is that the donkey always knew the route and the driver just took credit for it.

Now if you see any hidden meaning in all the nonsense that I just wrote, then comparison between religions will seem like a meaningful thing to do.

Because it really does not matter which is better?

What matters is that everybody who got into the bus, cart, or going on a pilgrimage was told this is the path to your salvation.

And they believe it.

What is the point of comparing who might get there when none of the ones doing the comparison is actually there yet?

We can only compare the authenticity of the maps that we are using to get there.

Some people have maps that say, "This map is directly from God"

Some maps say, "The map is within YOU"

But we are all standing in the desert arguing over it.

no flaws in spirituality, it is an aspect of all of us whether we recognize it or not. religion on the other hand seems to get dogmatic where one shoe size is supposed to fit all, seemingly forgetting (negating) individuality

do you need to mesure every thing or compare your self to other? is that not the ego talking? you will be mesure with the same ruler you use. will also say it is easy to find flaws but can you see the positive. in truth i tell you many are seing negative and fee are seing positive. if you see negative you will reject and divide. but if you would see the positive you would unite. you have free will to make that choice. use your free will wisely. we are all passer-by in this world no one is perfect so if you are looking for perfection you will not find it. if you are looking for positive things that is good and that you can use for your self and other this you can find in this world.

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

http://bible.cc/matthew/7-2.htm

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

http://bible.cc/matthew/7-5.htm

stay in the truth the truth will set you free.

First off-There are no flaws in either. The flaws are misuse and misinterpretation of what is and what it means. The actual system is prefect for those believe in it. Choose either path and live it well. Live you your path from a prayer to God. Or in the manner the institution advises. Live you path from your Living God Within which passes it information to a Higher God In Both the word will become flesh. Hallelujah

Hello DiusPius, My religion, your religion or our or their religion seperates and divides for it sugests the presence of my God is better than your God. Some will say but my God and my belief is Better than your God and it is only through my God that you will get to heaven and yours will lead you to hell. This is enough and is the major reason people run from religions and are following spirituality in droves. Religion divides and controlls the masses.

True Spirituality is tolorant of all religions (or at least it's supposed to be) and knows that eventualy all roads lead to God. True spirituality is love for your fellow human beings no matter what religion they belong to or even if they belong to one at all. True spirituality is not trying to force your beliefs down the throat of others but being tollorant and patient and knowing that it's to each his own and we all have to find our own way weather it is a dogmatic religion or a differant path. True spirituality does not divide.

For me the question is not about the flaws. Flaws are our human misunderstandings. What is the good you see in each "religion." If it works for you, ie, makes you happy, follow it! Simple, but we may have to review and reverse some of our belief patterns.

Seeing is believing - becomes Believing is seeing.

Check out Jesus's Sermon on the Mount. He reversed almost every current belief.

Our belief systems are our road-maps. If we have the wrong map, we will not get there no matter how hard we try. And, in my world, suffering and struggle are the wrong road maps. My wife used to call me to meals and I would say, "Just a minute, let me finish this (project)." Now I stop and go have a good meal. I do not push. I flow. It works for me. Inspired action will get you there easily where no amount of activity will.

We look for the Good, flow like water into the Good. Understand that your good comes from God. Swim up next to Him. If you see Beauty in New Age, follow it, or at least those parts that make you feel good. If you see Beauty in "Religion" even in religious dogma, follow it. Follow both!

If you receive a letter from a Loved One - God - does it matter what postman brought it??

They're all just modes of transport.

Some choose to crawl, others choose to fly and others choose all the varying modes of transport in between to reach their destination. But it really doesn't matter which one we choose because this physical experience is only about the journey, and how we live it, because we're all going to reach our destination eventually.

Each and every teaching out there, whether we label them religious or spiritual, are merely pointers or indicators showing us a direction.We can choose to use the wisdom contained within them or choose to use none.

And it's not about believing anything contained within them but rather discerning the underlying message within those that are authentic and ultimately point us in the only direction that matters within where our own Knowing resides, and is the only place we can ever truly realize the answers we're looking for because they come direct from the Source.

New Age or traditional make no difference. They are created by the means of man. When man has no answer he turns to...

When looked at in the "right" light, everything points to truth.

Even to be so crude as to say that a pile of dog poop also points to all truths. Truth in flower Truth in pain Truth in murder and truth in rain

One does not exist without the other.

A blind, deaf and dumb man understands truth and this man has not "known" religion.

We all look for pointers and your pointers are not the same of mine, yet the pointers of "religion' have a common reality of pointers for so many.

Find your truth in a stapler as easy as in a man of God.

look....