As far as Celestial Koan knows, these couple of wisdoms probably apply to most religions or people who believe in some form of creator deity, spiritual afterlife, or divine morality. They certainly apply to Christianity.
The range of different creeds, religions, and beliefs on Earth is bewilderingly numerous and varied, but unless specified as being ‘Christian’ CK tries to ensure the views on this site are largely just those of wisdom and general applicability to most people with spiritual awareness and concern for ‘doing the right thing’. However, there are exceptions to every rule, and this is the exception to this one. Which suggests it is impossible to give wise advice that will be applicable to every religion and belief system. If you don’t like a particular view expressed here, just take it in the spirit meant and use discernment.
This is one problem that apparently sometimes vexes some people and get’s asked of me.
What should one do if one believes people are being led astray and doing things that God does not want?
Answer: Pray for them.
Make sure your own life serves as an example of one following the right path. People pay far more attention to what one does than what one says.
Beware of the traps of pride and arrogance. Walk humbly.
If you are required to do anything else, you will come to understand this from listening in your prayers. Be humble and open.
And here’s another.
What attitude distresses God most?
Answer: Indifference.
There are plenty of other candidates: pride, arrogance, selfishness, greed in its many forms (lust, avarice, gluttony, laziness, power seeking, etc.) cruelty, outright defiance towards god and others, and hostility to all things godly or goodly. (Those two words mean the same thing and came from the same source, good deeds are god deeds, men of good will are men of god’s will etc.)
But bad as all those things indeed are, they at least contain passion.
To a God who loves and cares indifference is the ultimate anathema.
To know God’s truth and presence, and then ignore Him / Her, It or Them is the ultimate self-centredness.
To see the beggar’s distress, and pass by with indifference is the most direct pathway to the outer darkness.
Even the Zen Buddhists who preach detachment from the illusions of worldly things don’t advocate indifference. Detachment is not indifference.
The great mystic Joshua of Nazareth is recorded as spending much time railing against hypocrisy. And hypocrisy is indeed a truly offensive behaviour. Too often though, even that hypocrisy derives from the pretence of caring, when indifference is the underlying truth.
He also gave us the parable of the good Samaritan; a man who did not pass by with indifference or hypocrisy, but actually did something to help his ‘neighbour.’
Enough said.
Just a few thoughts that I hope are helpful in one’s daily upwards walk.