Thread: The Idea of All religions Being "one"

Ironically, the fundamental problem which inevitably causes clashes between religions is actually one of the things that they all have in common.

This is the unshakable belief that the religion is the "right" religion - that its followers know more about the nature of the world than those of other religions, and that they will be rewarded for this.

As long as even just two separate religions hold these basic beliefs, there will never be true peace of mind between them.

If you ask me, the "easiest" way (not easy, mind you) to achieve such a loving world would be to get rid of religions entirely. If everyone would just admit their ignorance instead of clinging to these dogmas like drowning rats, the world would be a much more agreeable place.

Originally Posted by thegnome54

Ironically, the fundamental problem which inevitably causes clashes between religions is actually one of the things that they all have in common.

This is the unshakable belief that the religion is the "right" religion - that its followers know more about the nature of the world than those of other religions, and that they will be rewarded for this.

As long as even just two separate religions hold these basic beliefs, there will never be true peace of mind between them.

If you ask me, the "easiest" way (not easy, mind you) to achieve such a loving world would be to get rid of religions entirely. If everyone would just admit their ignorance instead of clinging to these dogmas like drowning rats, the world would be a much more agreeable place.

You may in fact be right. I am a universalist. Believing in the good in all while not believing in any of them. If that makes sense. I am trying to instill in the "fundies" I occasionally talk with peaceful thoughts about others faiths. Even if their religion is so stupid it would take an IQ of about 3 to accept them. Like Scientology. I may be beating my head against a wall here but oh well, I have aspirin.

Originally Posted by thegnome54

Ironically, the fundamental problem which inevitably causes clashes between religions is actually one of the things that they all have in common.

This is the unshakable belief that the religion is the "right" religion - that its followers know more about the nature of the world than those of other religions, and that they will be rewarded for this.

As long as even just two separate religions hold these basic beliefs, there will never be true peace of mind between them.

If you ask me, the "easiest" way (not easy, mind you) to achieve such a loving world would be to get rid of religions entirely. If everyone would just admit their ignorance instead of clinging to these dogmas like drowning rats, the world would be a much more agreeable place.

This isn't true. Many religions hold tolerant beliefs. Buddhism, hinduism, and islam teach that all religions are capable of bringing their followers closer to god. Even Christianity teaches tolerance, although many of its followers have forgotten this. What you must realize is that religion itself is not inherently evil. Most followers of religions simply do not understand the basic beliefs that they claim to adhere to.

I disagree. Whether your religion teaches "tolerance", while nice, is largely immaterial. Once people start believing they know "The One True Way"®, they simply have to try and either kill or convert followers of other religions. After all, they know that anyone who does not follow their self-evidently True® religion is either misguided or evil and intent on destroying all good things (ie. their religion). It becomes obvious.
Of course, that will not happen if everyone can accept that they might be wrong.

I'll confess to having a weakness for pluralism. I think that if there is a God of any desription, then religions are all just different interpretations of the same thing, some more accurate than others. I think you'd find it difficult to practise multiple religions devoutly, but if you accept them all as different interpretations it makes some sense.

Life of Pi has some interesting ideas on pluralism, as well as being one kickass book.

Originally Posted by Xaqaria

This isn't true. Many religions hold tolerant beliefs. Buddhism, hinduism, and islam teach that all religions are capable of bringing their followers closer to god. Even Christianity teaches tolerance, although many of its followers have forgotten this. What you must realize is that religion itself is not inherently evil. Most followers of religions simply do not understand the basic beliefs that they claim to adhere to.

Tolerance is not the issue here. The issue is the deep-seated conviction that you are right. You can "tolerate" your neighbor being wrong, but still think that he's wrong.

Some religions are fairly good about this, but like I said, even two of this sort are incompatible on a fundamental level. And there are plenty more than two.

I wouldn't call religion 'evil', because that's a bit of a religious concept to begin with. However, I would argue that religions are entirely useless and unnecessary for rational people. The most dangerous part of them is the faith - the beliefs not based on evidence. You can prove anything with faith-based 'reasoning', and when people realize that you can just as easily prove Jesus as Mohamed or the Spaghetti Monster with these methods, their instinct is to wipe out the threats.

Originally Posted by thegnome54

Tolerance is not the issue here. The issue is the deep-seated conviction that you are right. You can "tolerate" your neighbor being wrong, but still think that he's wrong.

Some religions are fairly good about this, but like I said, even two of this sort are incompatible on a fundamental level. And there are plenty more than two.

I wouldn't call religion 'evil', because that's a bit of a religious concept to begin with. However, I would argue that religions are entirely useless and unnecessary for rational people. The most dangerous part of them is the faith - the beliefs not based on evidence. You can prove anything with faith-based 'reasoning', and when people realize that you can just as easily prove Jesus as Mohamed or the Spaghetti Monster with these methods, their instinct is to wipe out the threats.

You can't prove everything with rational-based reasoning. In fact the irony is that rational reasoning can't prove that rational reasoning can prove anything. If you see what I mean. You have to start with an assumption of some sort (like Descartes did).

Originally Posted by Burned up

You can't prove everything with rational-based reasoning. In fact the irony is that rational reasoning can't prove that rational reasoning can prove anything. If you see what I mean. You have to start with an assumption of some sort (like Descartes did).

You don't need to prove anything, though. We are imperfect biological machines with limited processing abilities and warped subjective viewpoints. Do you really expect to 'prove' anything?

All we need are the tools which allow us to make useful models of the world that can be applied to make our lives easier. The only way to do this is through rational thought. It doesn't have to be proven, it just has to work.

While it would be great for this to happen, it never will. Humans are naturally greedy and conflictive.

Originally Posted by thegnome54

You don't need to prove anything, though. We are imperfect biological machines with limited processing abilities and warped subjective viewpoints. Do you really expect to 'prove' anything?

All we need are the tools which allow us to make useful models of the world that can be applied to make our lives easier. The only way to do this is through rational thought. It doesn't have to be proven, it just has to work.

Then it's not rational! If you're saying that the best we can do is to be practical/pragmatic then I would agree with you. No proof required (or possible).

I find that there is right now no way at all to prove that a religion is the "right" one you can have your personal opinion but see i grew up christian but i think that alot of other religions are also correct , i dont belive God will damn you to hell for picking the wrong religion as i think that all religions are basically towards the same God i personally think earth is a place were sent to, to learn great lessons.

Religion is, when you simplify it, The Worshipping and Contacting of the Divine.

In this Judaïsm, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Tao-ism, Central American indian-religions, African nature religions...etc are all the same: They worship the Divine; That which is beyond the physical world and the reason of everything as it is in the physical world.

Religions and Spiritual Ideologies are all humans reaching out for the divine.
In that they are the same. The differences between these religions and ideologies are merely cultural: The way these Divine feelings are interpretted and explained by different people from different cultures all over the world.
But allthough the interpretations and explanations are different(Quran, Torah, New Testament, Bhagavad Gita...etc), the Divine feelings from which these doctrines/lifestyles came are the Same.

Then why not do away with the religion and keep the "Divine", as you call it. After all, most other parts are utterly contradictory (against eachother (religions)). Why NOT simplify it?
First thing to do: Destroy all holy books, and their doctrine.
Second thing: Take up pig farming.

i totally agree with SKA, it makes perfect sense.

I agree with SKA, too, but I don't agree with his implied conclusion. Just because something originates from the same basic feelings as something else does not mean that peace can exist between the two.

For example: if multiple groups of people are at war over a territory (let's call it 'Jerusalem'). Even if each group wants this territory for the same basic reasons, this does not necessarily mean that the conflict can be resolved.

Religions in general act like this, because different religions are fighting over 'rightness'. Even if they spring from the same basic human traits, they are not necessarily compatible.

Originally Posted by RedfishBluefish

Then why not do away with the religion and keep the "Divine", as you call it. After all, most other parts are utterly contradictory (against eachother (religions)). Why NOT simplify it?
First thing to do: Destroy all holy books, and their doctrine.Second thing: Take up pig farming.

Funny, its usually the people you seem to be opposing that call for the book burnings.