God-dess is present in other religions, but usually in a more limited stage of realization. For example, the Abrahamic religions tend to focus on a male creator God who started out as sort of a storm god, war god or tribal god who gradually evolved to become a more universal God as Karen Armstrong nicely explained in her A History of God. Buddha is considered to be an incarnation of God-dess, even though he taught an atheistic religion which is what some people need.Â
Similarly, Radha-Krishna evolved out of the Vedic concept of God in dialogue with other concepts, both indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and imported. A long process led up to the revelation of Chaitanya and his followers, which I consider to be a sublime achievement of mythology and theology. I am universalizing these teachings–freeing them from the Indian context in which they were born and making them more accessible to persons of different backgrounds.
Religions with a more limited scope of realization may make claims that their God is better or their way is the only way. I say their God is too small. God-dess has no rival, and indeed is all-in-all. Everyone realizes God-dess according to their nature. Therefore, God-dess is known as Radha-Krishna, Parvati Shiva, Brahman, Paramatman, Yahweh, Father, Allah, Great Spirit, Holy Spirit, Cosmic Christ, Ground of Being, Cause of all Causes, the Great Mystery, the Higher Power and many other names which are virtually limitless.
We are universalist in our views, meaning we see all faiths as steps or stages of God-dess realization according to the level of consciousness of persons in different times and circumstances. Universalist Radha-Krishnaism is a living, evolving process of God-dess realization that takes the best of past teachings from varied sources and updates them so they are relevant in today’s context. We do not seek to convert members of other faiths, but offer a sweet, natural and easy alternative for essence seekers who want more than they find elsewhere.
I live in a relativistic, pluralistic world that is open to truth in all forms. I feel it is our unique opportunity at this time to be able to take the best teachings and practices of all paths and integrate them into a multifaceted whole which gives a more complete picture of Truth than any one path could do alone.
