This book was recommended to me by a co-worker who I believed to have a beautiful spirit. When she spoke, she was a breath of fresh air, yet she never took claim to any particular religion. I asked her one day with my inquisitive mind, “What’s your religion?” She seemed slightly bothered by my question and responded, “I don’t like to put my beliefs in any particular box. I am an Unitarian, meaning I believe in what works and what does not work as I go about the Universe.” Then she said, “You need to read this book called, “A Conversation with God”. So to the library I went.
I went to the library and there the book was. When I started reading the book, I got chills because everything that was written in it was things that God had revealed to me in my own conversations with him. Here I was thinking I was someone special, and there was God having the same conversation with Neale Walsch. I learned after reading this book that we are all special, and that as uncomfortable as it is to say this, there is no right or wrong religion. There is only what works and what does not work.
I had asked God, maybe a year ago, questions about Jesus Christ because I was raised to be a Christian. I asked, was Jesus Christ really your son? God revealed to me,
“Jesus is my son, just as you are my daughter, and you are all my children.”
I asked God why will any of us go to hell for not knowing or believing Jesus is the Messiah? I have friends who have great spirits, but do not believe in Jesus Christ. Will they go to hell? God revealed to me that he was glad I asked him that, and not to worry about anyone going to a place called hell.
“Hell is a word humans created to describe an experience they had on earth; same thing with the word “Heaven”. He revealed, “no one with my spirit is damned to such a place called hell, and everyone on earth has my spirit. But everyone on earth will reap what they sow. You will all experience consequences from your own actions and the actions of others, just as you will all experience rewards in the same manner. Call to me in times of trouble and I will always protect you no matter what.”
So there is no heaven to look forward to? I asked.
“Life will never end for any of you. You all have my spirit, and my spirit will never die. That is a consistent truth. What you call “death” could be described as a heavenly experience, and all of you will experience it.”
Wow! This is crazy. I then asked God, “But what about the Bible? It seems to be contradicting at times.” He revealed to me that,
“The Bible is a compilation of selected journal entries written by people who experienced miracles and learned life lessons. The Bible isn’t something you have to believe in. It’s more like something you can learn from. Each person can create their own Bible. You yourself have learned many lessons. Start The Book of Andrea, and encourage your friends to start The Book of [Insert Their Name Here]. When you go back and read what you have written, you will see all the great things you have accomplished and remember experiences you had that taught you valuable lessons. And as for me being contradicting, it is human understanding that is a contradiction. This is why I love to speak to each and every one of you directly. Ask me anything, I will always reveal the truth because the truth is who I AM. I AM love, and nothing contradicting. Always remember that each and every one of you, no matter what systematic or cultural religion you follow experiences blessings. This is my way of showing all of you that you are all loved no matter what religion you follow. Call to me, no matter what you call me (Allah, Jesus, Muhammad, God, Most High, Yahweh, Lord…) and I will always answer each and every one of you.”
I never wanted to reveal these revelations I had in my conversations with God prior to having read The New Revelations: A Conversation with God by Neale Donald Walsch. I was scared people would misjudge me. I was also afraid because what was revealed to me went against everything I had been taught my whole life. After reading this book, I felt liberated from that fear. This book is not creating a new religion of any sort by the way. It is basically saying that if being a Christian makes you a better person, and that works for you, then be a Christian. But don’t persecute, or damn anyone to a place called hell because being a Catholic, Muslim, or Jew makes them a better person than following Jesus Christ. If being a Muslim helps you have a healthy relationship with God and it works, then by all means be a Muslim. But don’t kill me because I don’t choose to love God in the same manner as you.
I highly recommend reading this book no matter your religion. It’s all about having a healthy relationship with God, and loving God and other human beings in a way that is not contradicting in any way, shape, or form from love itself. God is not an exclusivist. No one will be left out from receiving his love, and none of us is going to “hell”. And if you don’t believe me, have your own conversation with God, then read this book. See what he reveals to you. You will be shocked. There is a whole series of these books by Neale Walsch that I intend to read. This book also encouraged me to read more about Mahatma Gandhi. I still call God Jesus, and I still look to the life he lived as an example of how to live my own life. But I feel liberated knowing I won’t go to hell or be disrespecting God by learning ALL that there is to know to learn how to be a better human being. I encourage and challenge you all to expand your knowledge about life, and become a better person today than you were yesterday. One by one we can change the world.
Cherished, if what you say were to be true, wouldn’t that then that the Bible contains absolute lies and that Jesus Christ and the prophets of the Bible have lied, which would make them false prophets and liars who have lied on God? This would mean that Jesus could not possibly be a way to God… that Jesus is not a way to God, and definitely not THE only way to God as He said. This would mean that you must exclude them and say that Jesus Christ is not a way at all… that He was a liar and that the Bible is a lie, and must be discarded. But that destroys the whole idea of every way being right. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” – Jesus (John 14:6)
For sure, there are things in the Bible that you have misread or do not understand, but does your lack of understanding certify them as contradictions? Who said they were contradictions?
Here is a contradiction:
Some people say that Allah and the Father of Jesus are the same person that is just called by a different name.
Koran says Allah has no son (Surah 23:91)
Bible says Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God (John 3:16).
One has a son, the other doesn’t. It is a contradiction to say they are the same being that goes by different names. To say Allah has a son is considered blasphemy.
It was clearly understood that Jesus was The (begotten/biological) son of God, not only a son of God in the same sense that some of us are when we look at Matthew 4:3; Matthew 27:40,54; Luke 4:9;
Matthew 1:18-23 says He was born of a virgin, conceived in her by the Holy Ghost (and as we see in Revelation 14:4, virgin does not mean “young woman” as some try to claim, as men have been called virgins as well.)
Of Heaven and Hell:
Jesus says “I came down from heaven” (John 6:38)
Jesus says “whosoever shall say “thou fool” shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:22)
Jesus says “If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is more profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:29)
and again says it in the next verse, about one’s body being cast into hell.”
Jesus says certain people will be told “depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (verse 46 says they’ll go into everlasting punishment, and the righteous into life eternal.)
In Acts 1:9-11 it is said that Jesus was seen ascending up into Heaven, after being seen by many for forty days after resurrected to show Himself alive “by many infallible proofs” the scripture says.
In Revelation 1:17-18 Jesus says “I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore…” and in verse 8 “‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,’ saith the Lord ‘which is, and which was, and which is to come, the almighty'” and verse 11, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…”
In Matthew 28:9 Jesus says “All hail” and they held Him by His feet and worshipped him. He was worshipped as a young child (Matthew 2:8)
Acts 4:10-12 says “…by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole…. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Knowing that Satan lies, I must then ask, what affirmation do you have, aside from your own feeling, that the being that answered you was indeed God and not Satan?
Galatians 1:8-9 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him, that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Be not deceived.
There is no right or wrong. I don’t believe that any of the prophets are any more special than any of us. This post was to encourage people to enhance their current understandings by having a conversation with God themselves. I’m not calling anyone a liar, but I am revealing my own conversation with God. I choose not to rely solely on the conversations others have had with God. Only to learn from them. It’s a great book non-the-less!
See, you’ve made an absolute statement saying “There is no right or wrong.” Is that right?
This isn’t a post for making absolute statements. It’s a post for a book review. It’s an awesome book. But I don’t believe any religion is absolute in its approach to loving God and becoming a better person. I’m trying to create unity, something religion has failed to do. If we accept each others different approaches to loving God, and not condemn them for doing what works for them, the world would be a better place. Maybe we could experience peace on earth if people would be more receptive of all religions as just “another way”. It’s sad but religion is the main cause for most wars. It’s all about whose right and whose wrong when there is no right or wrong, only a way different than your own.
You say it isn’t a post for making absolute statements, but isn’t it true that you have made several absolute statements in this post that you believe to be right?
You’ve said “there is no wrong and right.” That is an absolute statement that you believe to be right (or else you wouldn’t have said it). You said God told you (xxy), which you are absolutely saying that God told you that, and you believe it to be right. You said none of us are going to hell. That’s an absolute statement, which you believe to be right.
Please answer this question: Have you contradicted yourself by saying that there is no right and wrong, while at the same time you believe that the things you’ve said are true and right?
On second thought, you don’t have to even answer the question in that last paragraph, because I seriously doubt that you or hardly anyone would admit to contradicting themselves. I’ve learned that most people don’t want to ever be found to be in error (or wrong) about anything, and will almost always wiggle and avoid admitting error at all costs. Even on a chessboard a checkmated opponent can refuse to admit being checkmated by simply saying “there are no rules,” and continue to move his king piece wherever he pleases. So nevermind about the question.
What I believe is that when you love people, you should tell them the truth, not pretend like they’re right when they’re wrong, especially when them being wrong has consequences. So although it may sound like I’m being unloving, it’s quite the opposite. If I didn’t care, I’d just keep my mouth shut, and spend my time and energy on myself and my own gain.
Oh, you thought I was making absolute statements about heaven/hell and the Bible being a learning tool? No, and sorry for the confusion. The post is about a book called A Conversation With God that I read. It can be found at your local library incase you don’t want to buy it. I revealed my own conversation I had with God during a time when I was writing a book that I never published. This post, and the book is to encourage people to have their own conversation with God. Not take my word for it; nor yours or anyone else’s for that matter. It’s not about me being right or wrong or you being right or wrong. It’s about having a relationship with God and being the best person one can be based upon their understandings of God.
Your understandings work for you and that’s awesome. But they do not work for me as I understand the Bible to be a great learning tool full of wisdom and knowledge for people to expand upon throughout humanity. But I respect your opinions and comments very much so. Again, its not about whose right or wrong. Its not about anything being absolute. Its actually the complete opposite. Its about unity. Is the idea of the “Church of God” so taboo? Why cant we all praise God the way we want together. Because in order for your religion to be right someone else’s has to be wrong. The fact is that we all, no matter our race, religion, or understandings, have a right to love God any way we like. If I am wrong for telling people to have a direct relationship with God, and to allow Him to reveal truths through direct conversation then to hell with me. God will judge me and say, “Cherish, you tried to create unity, and told people to love me the best way they knew. And not to worry about man made religions, but to have a conversation with me without first accepting Christ who by the way is me. To hell with you!” But since I asked God to reveal his truths, I doubt he led me or will lead others astray. The Bible never led me astray by the way. It led me closer to God. It was the basis for my first conversation with God.
I recommend re-reading my post and reading A Conversation With God. It can’t hurt. My comments will always refer back to the purpose of this post which is the book review.
There was an important question I asked in my first reply. You never answered it. How do you know that it was God answering your questions and not Satan (or one of Satan’s ministers)?
To expound, I’m asking, since we are warned that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), how do you know (by what means do you affirm) that this was God speaking to you?
Because I didn’t have a coversation with Satan. I had a Conversation with God. It’s really not about dissecting my understandings to prove one right and the other wrong. But about enhancing one’s own understabding if they chose to enhance their understandings. It’s about accepting others understandings as a way different than your own. Until you read the book, my comments may not make sense to you. It is not my desire to fully explain the book, but rather to encourage people to read it for themselves. I am not teaching a new faith, but I am sharing my new beliefs. My truth and my fate will not be taught to me. My truth and my fate has been revealed to me by God. The same can be done for everyone else.
Respectfully, I did not ask for you to explain the book. All I asked for was an answer to my question. And you appear to be either unwilling or unable to answer it. I would think it more fitting to simply say “I don’t know” or confess that you can’t affirm it, instead of just replying “because I didn’t”
In other words, I asked “how?” and you answered “no.” You gave me a “yes or no” answer to a “how” question.
Are you unable to answer my question? (how do you know that it was God speaking to you, instead of Satan?)
I could ask you the same. How do you know you are not talking to Satan when you pray to God? I don’t worship or pray to a Satan. I don’t believe in a Satan neither. I see that you do though but that does not bother me. What bothers me is that you impose your views so defensively. In defense of you being right to make me wrong.
This is exactly what the book is about. The human need to be right and not wrong and the conflict that comes from it. If believing in a Satan and the possibility of going to a place called hell keeps you on the straight and narrow, then you are on the right path. But it doesn’t not help me. So I’ll continue on my own path.
Peace
It appears that in response to my question, you are blaming me. But I’m simply trying to ask a question here and trying to get an answer. Surely, it is not wrong for me to ask for an answer to my question, is it?