What Does God Look Like? | A Plea for Religious Harmony

Many people feel like their path is the only path to salvation and that their God is the only God. However, if you wanted to get to the beach, aren't there many routes, each unique in their own way and yet each equally capable of taking you to the same destination? Further, if God is an infinite being, then shouldn't such a being express Itself in (and allow Itself to be reached by) an infinite myriad of ways? One thing is clear: the saints of all the major religions all the world over have demonstrated through their experiences that every religion works to create peace, blessedness and virtue. Every religion then is just so many ways of describing the one truth. Every religion is just so many paths to one goal. And while people might argue and bicker and even kill each other over what to call water, the mystics of the world understand that whether you call it "Self" or "No-Self," "Allah" or "Yahweh", "Krishna" or "Jesus", it will quench your thirst all the same. This idea is of course at the heart of the life and teaching of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. His has always been a message of the essences of things, a message of harmony and universality. Interestingly, this sentiment is also present in the teachings of Tantra especially in the exegetical works of great Shiva masters of the 10th and 11th CE in the Kashmir Valley. In this lecture, we take up the question: "what does God look like?" to illustrate the above sentiment and make a plea for religious harmony! NOTE: I wrongly titled the text Svabodhodaya Manjari authored by Viranatha as Shivabodhodaya Manjari, forgive me! Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST.  There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishSupport the show