Conversations With God - Parallels in Other Belief Systems

Parallels in Other Belief Systems

In the dialogue many philosophical ideas are presented that had already been advanced earlier by major Eastern and Western thinkers, but Walsch presents the information in language for modern readers and does not specifically cite any of these philosophers. In fact, Walsch claims that he had never known most of these ideas before his revelatory experiences. Since the beginning of the series, and especially in the latter volumes, Walsch and "God" acknowledge that most of the concepts presented are previously known to humanity, but are profound enough to warrant being explored repeatedly, and put into this cohesive unified form. Since humanity is still mired in strife and conflict, there is value in their restatement. Fundamental parts of Walsch's writings are also mirrored within other well known spiritual writings and traditions:

• Souls reincarnate to eventually experience God-realization (Sikhism / /' 'Bhagavad-Gita).
• Feelings are more important as a source of guidance than intellect (Rousseau).
• We are not here to learn anything new but to remember what we already know (Hinduism/Plato).
• Physical reality is an illusion (Sikhism / Hinduism/ Buddhism's concept of maya).
• One cannot understand one thing unless he or she understands its opposite (Tao Te Ching).
• God is everything. (Sikhism / Hinduism / Spinoza / Brahman)
• God is self-experiential, in that it is the nature of the Universe to experience itself. (Hinduism/Hegel, and process theology as first outlined by Alfred North Whitehead)
• God is not fear-inducing or vengeful, only our parental projections onto God are. Fear or love are the two basic alternative perspectives on life (Drewermann)
• Good and evil do not exist (as absolutes, but can exist in a different context and for different reasons as Nietzsche).
• Reality is a representation created by will. (Schopenhauer)
• Nobody knowingly desires evil. (Socrates)
• It's just a ride. (Bill Hicks)