#35 Empty and Empathy - Musa Muhaiyaddeen

Different religions and different sects and different teachers approach things in different ways. Some teachers teach a religion of exclusivity. They say that in order for you to be among those who are with God, you must do things not only in a certain way, but you must belong to this sect. You must belong to this group. You must belong to this denomination. And you must believe exactly in the way of the denomination. Other teachers teach that we have found a way, we have been given a way and you can come join our way. And if you adhere to our way, Allah, God has promised that this way will take you to Him. Some groups are interested in the group and the expansion of the group. Some groups are interested in the individual and the relationship between the individual and God. It appears to me that different groups when they make these determinations as to how to act, set different standards for what their religion is about. Some groups only have compassion for people with their own group. Some groups will tell you that God only has compassion for people in their group. Some people will tell you that in order to be saved, you must join. And they run around the world trying to get everybody to sign up so they can be saved as if the act of joining the group were the act of salvation, as if the act of coming into the group were the act of salvation, as if that act was what made your life all of a sudden transform into a life that is saved.