Which religion?

Until 2000, I was a devotee of Ismaili-Shia-Muslim. Since then I kept losing interest in my sect very quickly. A lot of questions started popping into my head, like, 'Am I on the right path?', 'Why are there so many different religions with so many different sects?' and 'What's the proof of my sect being the right one?'

Answers didnÂ’t come until I broke every link with my sect. I took a big step, left my sect in and considered myself only a Muslim from that time onwards. My family was the first one to criticise me; relatives and friends came next. All of them urged me to stay because I was born in that religion. I knew that I wasnÂ’t given a choice at my birth, so, now is the right time to make a choice.

I started researching on Islam and Ismailism, which resulted in discovering many contradictions. I knew then that there was something wrong with Ismailism. I concluded that a religion shouldnÂ’t have any sects or branches at all because it divides the religion.

I became confused like I have never been in my whole life. I didnÂ’t know what was true anymore. When I left my sect, I also left the outer world. I only get out of my house to have a haircut or to buy some books or to take an examination. I don't try hard to seek a job or find a way to earn money because I never liked this concept. Wherever I observed people, I found greed. I saw people fighting for money; people urging others to earn money; people measuring happiness and success on the basis of how much money is earned, and how much property is owned. All of this didnÂ’t seem right to me.

I then continued my search for truth by researching Islam, but something still wasnÂ’t right. My reasoning power became so fierce that now I questioned my religion too. I didnÂ’t find satisfaction in Islam too. I started doubting everything. Nothing seemed to be right. To me everyone looked like a slave carrying out orders of his master with a false smile on his face and a black heart in his body.

In the beginning of this year 2002, I totally disregarded the concept of religions to be true, but the concept of God was still not clear. I always thought: “Why would my Creator want me to worship him?” and “Why would He want me to be afraid of Him?” I couldn’t let go of the thought that someone more supreme than humans existed. Anyhow, I stopped using the name GOD, which reminded me of fearing Him and worshipping Him. So, I use the word Creator for Him.

Your book cleared my mind of nearly all the confusions. It seems that some powerful force helped me all the way, maybe because I had given all these things so much thought that all of it started dawning on me. I was so stuck with my beliefs that I couldnÂ’t see the wider picture. Only after leaving Ismailism, I could see its faults. The same happened with Islam. When I disregarded the concept, I made way for a greater knowledge.

Before reading your book, I BELIEVED that the Creator created man to worship Him. Now, at 21 I KNOW the following so well that I have put it as a default signature in my e-mail accounts:“The Creator didn’t create man to WORSHIP Him.He created man to LOVE Him.”

Now my questions: 1) Do angels and Satan exist?2) Did Creator want the scriptures to be written? 3) Did Creator send messengers and prophets for mankind? 4) Did the Creator want any religion?

A.D

I would improve your signature as follows: Man wasn't created to FEAR and WORSHIP Creator. Creator made man to LOVE and become LOVED.

Try to Understand what we have just written, especially the second sentence. It contains answers to ALL your questions. Can't you distinguish motives of PEOPLE and Creator? Do you think Creator needs a proxy?

Tom

Thank you for the improvement in my signature. So, you're saying that:1) Angels and Satan are imaginary figures. 2) The Creator didn't want the scriptures to be written. 3) The Creator didn't send messengers and prophets for mankind. 4) Creator didn't want a religion for His creation. I'm still a bit confused about this.

A.D

Creator doesn't write and doesn't need books. He can communicate DIRECTLY mind-to-mind with anyone in the Universe. Religions FUNDAMENTALLY misrepresent Creator. For more details please read this article.

Scriptures can ONLY express limited understanding of those who actually wrote them. (Imagine sending a child to listen to a lecture in the University. Do you think a child would be able to REPORT such a lecture correctly?) For this reason the Book and Gospel of Thomas [2] are so important. Thomas was the only one who truly questioned everything intelligently - just because he wanted to KNOW. Hence, he could report what he heard with significant degree of understanding. Sadly, his reports have been removed from the New Testament ~1700 years ago by the establishment who wanted to keep people confused and misinformed to the greatest extent possible.

Tom

Even if there is SOME truth in any of the so-called Holy scriptures, would it be fruitful to study them?

A.D

Please see the answer above.

You can read anything you like. The only important thing, however, is what you Understand from what you read.

Tom