In my humble opinion, the truest religions, which give one the most direct path to the Godhead, are Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, and Mahayana Buddhism.
Discussion
Hinduism is deeply insightful, but it is too specific to the culture of India, and is in general a bit too chaotic.
Islam is fitting for the warrior culture that is the Middle East, but lacks the love and compassion and feminine aspect of God which Mary represents.
Protestantism is merely watered down Christianity, and lacks mysticism.
Judaism gets some things right, but the New Testament is far more profound than the Old Testament, and the denial of Christ as God is a major hindrance to finding The Way.
Paganism/animism/shintoism is an excellent and intuitive way of understanding the natural world, but is less relevant when living in the modern world build by man.
I hold animism in high esteem - it puts a powerful concept front and center : that every thing is a symbolic representation of God.
And I think Protestantism lost its truth during the boomer "revival" - boomers, outliers notwithstanding, are too materialist and have no concept of the Truth which was kept alive secretly hidden from the tyrannical and satanic "catholic" churches - that which became called Protestant after it surfaced and survived.
Protestantism desperately needs a return to its roots. A real revival, not a version of Islam with Christ grafted on.
Agreed.
Protestantism helped Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity course correct by pointing out its wayward practices, such as buying indulgences.
But then they strayed too far themselves, and as a result, the mystical connection to God is lost.
I don't think either one ever had a mystical connection to God. I do appreciate the beauty of their rituals and singing and I think it helps in discovering that mystical connection yourself.
Protestantism lost its power when it was liberated from persecution. They no longer had anything to prove, so they decayed rapidly. The ability to read the Bible was like opening Pandora's box, and most of what came out was just too much for most people. So the stories became flattened, easy digestible, and lost the depth of symbolism. I don't think I've ever found a verse that didn't have at least two ways to understand it. Not that I've looked exhaustively... But you suggest a deeper meaning to people and they think you're crazy. The same person will then insist that every story is literally true, which is also crazy, when divorced of its symbolic meaning. So the result is, mainline Christianity is now mythology.
The political churches decayed slower, but they got a head start. Maryology is useful for teaching women and teaching tolerance and virtues, but it is not present before the churches were gathered together by threat of violence under the state of Constantine. What Maryology really represents is the cult of Isis, which went into hiding when Christianity took over. Its in line with the other saints, which are roughly analogous to the archetypal gods they replaced. Pray to them if you want ; I'm not going to judge whether a person's disposition to an ideal is idolotry - but to use them as an intercessor to the intercessor is absurd, imo.
Well... I criticize everything. Hope it doesn't hurt, haha
Good points. Orthodox churches have the most in-tact mysticism. Varies quite a bit depending on the church and preacher
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