u/x2837

I find it crazy people who are “all religions are true” like meher baba followers and also claim they believe that Jesus is God.

It’s incoherent special pleading. They treat Jesus as “God” while systematically discarding the very claims that define who he is in the sources. That is not broad-minded spirituality; it is selective rewriting.

The exclusive claims are not optional side notes
Jesus is recorded saying things that leave no room for “also Buddha, also Zoroaster, also Meher Baba”:
• “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
• “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
• Claims to forgive sins, to be the final judge, to pre-exist Abraham, to be the only one who can give eternal life.

If those statements are true, then every other figure who offered a different path, different ultimate reality, or different soteriology is wrong on the decisive points. If those statements are false, then the man who made them is either a deliberate deceiver or profoundly deluded. There is no stable middle category in which he is “a divine master among many” while his central self-understanding is discarded. That is the classic trilemma: liar, lunatic, or Lord. Syncretism tries to invent a fourth option by editing the source material. That is not respect for Jesus; it is using his brand while rejecting his product.

“He survived the crucifixion and went to India” is a conspiracy theory, not history
Roman crucifixion was a public, professional execution method designed to kill. The historical data we have (multiple independent sources within decades, including hostile or non-Christian ones) treat the death as fact. The “swoon / survived and migrated to Kashmir / India” idea requires:
• Romans failing at their job in a high-profile case,
• A barely-alive man somehow traveling hundreds or thousands of miles in the ancient world,
• His closest followers somehow never noticing or never mentioning it,
• And later inventing a resurrection story that got them killed.

It is special pleading dressed up as open-mindedness. The same standard of evidence is never applied to the other “avatars.”

The disciples’ behavior is hard to explain under the alternative-
People do not usually endure torture and execution for a story they know is false. The earliest Christian proclamation centered on the resurrection of a dead man, not on a wounded teacher who quietly emigrated. Multiple early sources report that key followers died affirming that claim. You can dispute the details of any single martyrdom, but the overall pattern—rapid, costly, public commitment to a crucified-and-raised messiah in the face of hostility—is not the behavior of people who watched their teacher limp off to India. If they were simply mistaken or propagandizing, the cost was unusually high and unusually consistent.

Syncretism collapses under contradictory first principles
• Buddhism’s core analysis is that there is no permanent self and no personal creator God in the theistic sense; liberation is extinction of craving and the cycle of rebirth.
• Classical Zoroastrianism is dualistic, with a cosmic battle between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, and a different eschatology.
• Meher Baba’s claims are a 20th-century synthesis that reinterprets earlier figures through his own framework.
• Jesus’ claims are particularist, theistic, and centered on his unique death and resurrection as the decisive act of God.

These are not complementary “perspectives on the same mountain.” They make mutually exclusive assertions about the nature of reality, the self, God (or its absence), and the path of liberation. Treating them as equally true requires either radical reinterpretation that empties the original teachings of their content, or a refusal to notice the contradictions. That is not humility; it is intellectual soft-focus.

Harsh reality check-
What is being practiced is not “all religions are true.” It is “I will keep the inspirational figure of Jesus (and others) while discarding the parts that demand exclusive allegiance or that clash with my preferred metaphysics.”

Meher Baba’s religion, centered on his audacious claim to be the Avatar reincarnated as Zoroaster, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad, is a fundamentally flawed and deceptive construct that crumbles under scrutiny due to its irreconcilable contradictions with the teachings of these figures and their respective faiths. His doctrine, rooted in reincarnation, a mystical seven-plane involution, and a universalist view that all religions lead to one truth, grossly misrepresents and distorts the core tenets of the traditions he claims to embody. Below, I’ll expose the glaring inconsistencies between Meher Baba’s teachings and those of the figures he arrogantly claims to be, revealing his religion as a misleading amalgamation that disrespects the integrity of established faiths.

Meher Baba’s Deceptive Framework Meher Baba’s teachings, as laid out in God Speaks and Discourses, are built on a shaky foundation: • Reincarnation and Involution: He asserts that souls reincarnate through multiple lives, progressing through seven kingdoms (stone to human) and seven spiritual planes to achieve God-realization. This esoteric cosmology is alien to most religions he claims to represent. • Avatar Claim: He declares himself the divine Avatar, God incarnate, reappearing as historical figures to guide humanity. This grandiose claim lacks historical or textual support and contradicts the unique roles of these figures. • Universalism: His insistence that all religions are mere paths to the same truth dismisses their distinct doctrines, reducing sacred traditions to a homogenized, feel-good spirituality. • Silence and Mysticism: His 44-year silence (1925–1969) and focus on love over rituals are presented as profound but often come off as a convenient dodge of substantive theological engagement.

Contradictions with Claimed Identities Meher Baba’s claim to be the reincarnation of Zoroaster, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad is not just improbable—it’s an affront to the theological foundations of their religions. Each figure’s teachings clash sharply with his, exposing his claims as baseless and disrespectful.

1. Zoroaster (Zoroastrianism) • Zoroastrian Doctrine: • Zoroastrianism, founded by Zoroaster (c. 1500–1000 BCE), teaches a single life followed by judgment at the Chinvat Bridge, with the righteous entering paradise and the wicked facing torment. Reincarnation is absent from the Avesta and mainstream doctrine. • It’s a dualistic faith, pitting Ahura Mazda (good) against Angra Mainyu (evil), with salvation through ethical living, not mystical rebirths. • Zoroaster is a prophet, not God incarnate, and the faith anticipates a final savior (Saoshyant), not recurring Avatars. • Contradictions: • Meher Baba’s reincarnation obsession directly contradicts Zoroastrianism’s clear single-life judgment. His claim to be Zoroaster reincarnated insults the faith’s view of Zoroaster as a mortal prophet, not a divine figure cycling through lives. • His universalist claim that all religions are one erases Zoroastrianism’s unique dualism and its rejection of other deities or paths. • By imposing his Avatar narrative, he distorts Zoroaster’s role, fabricating a connection unsupported by any Zoroastrian text.
2. Rama (Hinduism) • Hindu Doctrine (via Ramayana): • Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, upholds dharma through duty and devotion. Reincarnation is central to Hinduism, with souls reborn until achieving moksha via devotion (bhakti), action (karma), or knowledge (jnana). • The Ramayana emphasizes Vedic rituals and caste duties, which are integral to spiritual progress. • Contradictions: • While reincarnation aligns, Meher Baba’s seven-plane involution is a bizarre invention absent from the Ramayana or mainstream Hinduism, replacing clear paths to moksha with a convoluted mystical journey. • His rejection of rituals and caste undermines Rama’s emphasis on dharma, which is deeply tied to Vedic practices. • His universalism dilutes Hinduism’s specific cultural and scriptural framework, disrespecting Rama’s role as a Vedic exemplar by lumping him with unrelated figures like Jesus or Muhammad.
3. Krishna (Hinduism) • Hindu Doctrine (via Bhagavad Gita): • Krishna, another Vishnu avatar, teaches reincarnation (Gita 2:22) and paths to liberation through devotion, knowledge, or action, all within a Vedic framework. • His role is tied to upholding dharma in a specific cultural context, with surrender to God as paramount. • Contradictions: • Meher Baba’s involution and rejection of rituals clash with Krishna’s structured yogas, which include disciplined practices he dismisses as secondary. • His claim to be Krishna reincarnated ignores the Gita’s focus on Krishna as a one-time divine intervention, not a recurring figure across religions. • His universalist lens strips away the Gita’s Hindu specificity, cheapening Krishna’s teachings by equating them with incompatible monotheistic doctrines.
4. Buddha (Buddhism) • Buddhist Doctrine: • The Buddha taught rebirth (not reincarnation of a soul, due to anatta—no permanent self), with liberation (nirvana) achieved through the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path. • Early Buddhism is non-theistic, focusing on individual effort, not divine intervention. The Buddha is a human teacher, not God. • Contradictions: • Meher Baba’s theistic Avatar claim and soul-based reincarnation contradict Buddhism’s anatta and non-theistic core. Claiming to be the Buddha as God incarnate is a gross misrepresentation of the Buddha’s human, enlightened status. • His seven-plane involution has no parallel in Buddhism’s practical path to nirvana, replacing it with a mystical fantasy. • His emphasis on love for God clashes with Buddhism’s focus on detachment and mindfulness, especially in Theravada traditions, making his claim to be the Buddha a theological mockery.
5. Jesus (Christianity) • Christian Doctrine (New Testament): • The Bible teaches a single life, followed by judgment and resurrection (Hebrews 9:27). Reincarnation is explicitly absent. • Jesus is the unique Son of God, whose sacrifice offers salvation through faith (John 3:16, John 14:6). He is not a recurring figure but the final divine act. • Christianity is exclusivist, with salvation through Christ alone and practices like baptism and communion as central. • Contradictions: • Meher Baba’s reincarnation doctrine blatantly contradicts the Bible’s single-life teaching. His claim to be Jesus reincarnated defies Christian belief in Jesus’ unique resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:9–11). • His wild assertion that Jesus survived crucifixion, entered Nirvikalp Samadhi, and lived in India is a baseless fabrication, unsupported by any biblical or historical evidence and dismissed by scholars as fringe nonsense. • His universalism undermines Christianity’s exclusive claim (John 14:6), and his rejection of rituals like communion dismisses core Christian practices, making his claim to be Jesus a heretical insult.
6. Muhammad (Islam) • Islamic Doctrine (Qur’an and Hadith): • Islam teaches a single life, resurrection, and judgment (Qur’an 23:15–16), with no reincarnation. • Muhammad is the final prophet (Qur’an 33:40), a human messenger, not divine. Islam’s strict monotheism (tawhid) rejects any human as God incarnate. • The Five Pillars (e.g., prayer, fasting) are essential to faith. • Contradictions: • Meher Baba’s reincarnation doctrine directly violates Islam’s single-life and judgment framework, rendering his claim to be Muhammad a theological absurdity. • His Avatar claim as God incarnate contradicts Islam’s view of Muhammad as a human prophet and the final messenger, breaching tawhid’s core principle. • His dismissal of rituals like prayer or circumcision ignores Islam’s Five Pillars, and his universalism clashes with Islam’s claim to be the final revelation (Qur’an 5:3), making his identification with Muhammad a disrespectful distortion.

Meher Baba’s Failed Reconciliation Meher Baba’s attempt to unify these contradictions is a flimsy veneer: • Universalist Cop-Out: His claim that all Avatars teach the same truth tailored to their era ignores the irreconcilable differences, such as Christianity and Islam’s rejection of reincarnation and Hinduism’s ritualistic dharma. • Reincarnation Imposition: He forces reincarnation onto faiths like Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam, which explicitly reject it, claiming they veiled this “truth” without any textual or historical basis. • Jesus in India Myth: His narrative of Jesus surviving crucifixion to live in India is a ridiculous, unsupported fantasy, leaning on discredited sources like Notovitch’s The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ, which scholars reject as fiction. • Ritual Dismissal: His deemphasis of rituals insults traditions like Islam’s Five Pillars and Christianity’s sacraments, reducing them to optional accessories in his vague, love-centric spirituality.

Why Meher Baba’s Religion Fails • Theological Dishonesty: By claiming to be figures from vastly different traditions, Meher Baba cherry-picks mystical elements (e.g., Sufi love, Hindu bhakti) while ignoring core doctrines, creating a patchwork religion that misrepresents each faith. • Lack of Evidence: His claims, especially about reincarnation and Jesus in India, rely on unverifiable assertions or discredited sources, lacking any grounding in primary texts like the Bible, Qur’an, or Avesta. • Arrogant Syncretism: His universalism arrogantly assumes he can override centuries of distinct theological development, dismissing exclusivist claims (e.g., Christianity’s John 14:6, Islam’s Qur’an 33:40) as mere misunderstandings. • Cultural Insensitivity: By imposing his reincarnationist, theistic framework on non-theistic (Buddhism) or monotheistic (Islam, Christianity) faiths, he disrespects their unique identities and histories.

Conclusion Meher Baba’s religion is a deeply problematic fabrication that collapses under the weight of its contradictions with the teachings of Zoroaster, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. His reincarnation doctrine, Avatar claims, and universalist assertions blatantly contradict the core tenets of Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam, while his esoteric involution and ritual rejection misalign even with Hinduism and Buddhism. His audacious claim to embody these figures is unsupported by their sacred texts and insults the integrity of their traditions. Far from unifying religions, Meher Baba’s teachings distort and dilute them, offering a misleading, self-aggrandizing spirituality that fails to respect the profound differences among the world’s faiths.