Religious tolerance - The Truth of the Bible

Several are people's attitudes towards other of different religions.

“THERE IS ONE GOD AND IS MY”

Most of the people firmly believe in the absolute truth of their religion, and it does not admit that the other religion can be, in his way, vera. Indeed – they say – how can they be equally true two religions that do not resemble at all, which prescribe different behaviors to their believers, and they do not even agree on what is not lawful to eat? How can God – or the gods – It has manifested in such different ways the two nations? Evidently these people, that religion different from ours, they are wrong, and we must ensure that they avvedano their mistake.

“OTHERS ARE WRONG AND I WILL ELIMINATE”

Among those who believe that there is only one true faith (one's), while all the others are false and idolatrous, someone declares that the only solution is to eliminate the worship of these people, even at the cost of employing violence. We must suppress everything about the opponent worship: destroy the holy places, delete representations of false gods (that offend the real one), prevent devotees of the other religion to exercise their religion. And if the infidels oppose similar measures, refusing to recant their faith to convert to the one true religion, It must force them, or even kill: God himself (or the gods) who wants. • But we are sure – says the’ other – that this is precisely the divine will? Our God (or our gods) He has taught us that killing a human being is bad, and that you should not do to others what you would not like done to themselves. You may suspend this rule, and in the name of religion? • There is also another problem. Let us assume that some are just as convinced as we are of the truth of their own religion: They could respond to our violence with violence. We're strong, and perhaps for a certain period we could have the upper hand on them. But after some time these, or their children, could counter the injuries suffered. That's what we want?

“OTHERS ARE WRONG AND I WILL convince”

• Rather than exterminate all those who do not adhere to the true faith, We must explain to them why they are wrong, and convince them of the superiority of our religion. Let 'em know that only if they abandon their false religion in favor of the real one, they can obtain salvation, to access the delights of a better world. It gave (or the gods), which it is on our side, He will guide us and will make us understand how to speak to the hearts of these people different from us. Many find this to be the best possible solution, since it achieves the object without resorting to violence. But someone raises an objection: • I was given (or the gods) he wanted that these people of different religions from our observe our religion, because he did not make this happen? He must have had his reasons, and who we are we to substitute for him / her / them? Maybe there is a reason why the Truth has been communicated only to us. • Moreover, how can we be sure that these willingly accept to convert, and that we do not respond: “and who told you that your religion is more right in our? For us, the opposite is true”.

“OTHERS ARE WRONG AND I WILL IGNORE”

• Clearly Dio (or the gods) He would have it we were the only ones to receive his Truth. Maybe in all his creatures he loves us in a special way, and therefore it is not for us to worry about what they believe others. I propose to continue to observe our tradition, ignoring the religion of others. Someone notes that, living side by side with others of a different religion, it would be difficult to avoid all contact with them. Or you decide to divide the territory into two, to allow each group to cultivate their own customs and to practice their faith in autonomy, or you must find a way to regulate relations between the two groups without affecting the religious dimension.

“WE ARE ALL THE SAME GOD”

In the assembly he raises a person, which until then had been listening in silence the speech of others, and says: • There is an idea that unites all your proposals, and I want to dispute: you think, these different people in religion are wrong because they do not believe the same things that we believe we. For this reason you dwell on the differences that separate our religion from their, without taking into account everything that approaches. • I can not think that, perhaps, It gave (or the gods) He wanted to manifest itself to different people a little differently, depending on the customs and traditions of each? One mother will appeal differently to each of his children, although they love the same love, because it recognizes in them the differences in character and disposition. So, although religious manifestations are very different, they could be traced to a single transcendent principle, whereby there would be no substantial difference between our God and that of others. All religions are just as many ways to achieve the same goal: the eternal Being is one, but humans call it in many ways. Many of us are struck by these words. But it is not yet clear what consequences should be drawn from the speech. If we are all the same God, how to behave with others of different religions?Someone notes that, these circumstances, everyone should be able to attain salvation freely following the path that the own tradition he / she recommends. Which would mean that our religion is no more true than the other, assumption that few of us would be willing to accettare.Qualcun Another notes that, for the same reason (because every religion talks of the same God), if one of us felt more attracted to the customs of others of different religions than to those of its own tradition, should be free to convert to another religion, with the full approval of the original religion. Or you could choose to create a personal synthesis between different religions, selecting from each of the elements that he / she befit. At some arise: • too easy: those who belong to a religious community shrinks with it the obligations of loyalty. You can not be a religion and yet another. • Why not? – He replies the first. – I am the son of my mother and my father, and I honor them both, each in its own way. • But what if your father and your mother think differently about some aspect of your education? If not you will agree, the will of one of the two end up on that of the bully. Who can assure you that, sooner or later, You would not find yourself having to violate the precepts of our religion to respect those of another? • I understand your objection, even believe that, if I were to find myself in such a situation, I would try to listen to my conscience. • I am reminded of another chance – intervenes another Member Assembly. – They could look for common foundations of the two religions in order to reconcile and unite all believers in one faith. If we are all the same God, then there should not be a single universal religion. This unique religion should be equally accessible to all human beings. • A similar natural religion, bearer of tolerance and social balance, It could reduce to a few very simple ideas: God exists (or gods exist), He created the world and rewards good behavior in a future life. • Who decides what is good behavior? One described by our religion or that they are talking about others? The risk is that, focusing exclusively on the commonalities between the two religions, They lose sight of the differences, that goodwill is not enough to cancel altogether. For many of us the natural religion is already there, and it is their. I assume that the same applies for other other religion: when we will gather to compare our respective beliefs, it is likely that we will not agree on every point, and that each one will try to push each other to accept its truth, passing them off as natural.

So far we have talked as if there is only one Truth, even if we admitted that perhaps the various religions, each with its own partial truth, The means in different ways.

And if the truth were so many?

“EVERYONE HAS HIS GOD AND MUST BE RESPECTED”

• We have our God, and honor him in the way that seems most right. But others celebrate their God (or of their) according to their laws and, for all we know, in good faith. It is not at all certain that our God (or) match their. And if our God and that of others are the same, however, we can not know who, between the two groups, honors the best. It's not convenient, therefore, accept that everyone has their own God (or), and as such should be respected, even if not shared?