Pluralism in the World\'s Religions

Pluralism in the World's Religions

The idea that there is but one path that leads to God is absurd given the wide array of different religions and billions of followers who believe that their own religion or set of beliefs is the correct way to God. The definition of God and the path that takes a human being toward it/him/her depends on the person and the religious movement. God and religion is defined differently by different people, and this subjectivity lends a sort of multi-faceted approach to finding the path that leads a person to a higher power. Since many religions believe they exclusively are the only true and correct path to God, logically they cannot all be correct. But they all define God or the path to enlightenment quite differently, so it is possible that since they have defined God and the correct path, that the only way to follow that particular path is through their own exclusive methodology and set of beliefs.

Swami Vivekananda remarks about different paths taking men to God is very romantic. For some, there is no set way to God. For others, the only way is their way, and this feeling of romanticism and idealism is not compatible with that particular world view. Vivekananda's own world view comes to modern students through the lens of a 19th century Indian Hindu revivalist (Hopfe and Woodward). He helped to create the foundation for other great Indian religious and philosophical leaders like Gandhi and Bose. The Hindu belief structure has had a profound impact on Indian culture. While Hindu prophets have spoken of the idea that there are many ways to God, and that there is no one clearly defined path to him/her, Hindus do believe that their religious path is the most direct way to a higher power. They believe in a particular set of habits and behaviors, just like other religions, that followers must strictly adhere to in order to achieve a higher understanding of their world and their role as a human being. This religion is arguably the world's oldest, but it also does not profess any form of "hell" or negative punishment for non-believers. For Hindus, their religion is the best way to God for them, but the fact that other humans may chose better paths for themselves is a certainty.

Buddhists believe that by following a specific path, a follower can achieve enlightenment and ultimately commune with a higher power. The Buddhists tradition is built around the teachings of Siddhartha Guatama, who in the 5th century BCE became enlightened himself through the understanding of suffering and its effects on the human condition (Hopfe and Woodward). The Buddhist tradition argues that the only way to enlightenment, or the highest commune with a higher power, is through their own well-defined structure of giving up all belongings and understanding that life is suffering, and that all material objects cause suffering and separation from God, or enlightenment. Buddhism is the world's fourth largest religion, and while it does not hold view that only Buddhists will eventually attain enlightenment, it does profess that Buddhism is the only route to nirvana, or the state of awareness and existence through which a human being is freed from the cycle of suffering. In this way, Buddhists do not believe that any other religious practice or belief can lead to God. But it is interesting to note that Buddhists do not believe that non-believers will go to hell. Instead of employing fear as a tactic to draw more believers, Buddhism uses positive reinforcement, or the idea that nirvana can be achieved through the religion, as a major draw.

The Muslim religion is also one of the largest and oldest religions in the world. it's like other Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Judaism teach that their way is the only way to God. They also believe and teach that non-believers, or "infidels" as Muslims call them, will suffer from their mistake (Hopfe and Woodward). In this way, Muslims, as well as Hindu's and Buddhists believe that their way is the most correct way to enlightenment or God.

Subjectivity

Some religions, like Buddhism and Hinduism leave room for the idea that their religion, while it is the most perfected path to God, is not the best way for some people to achieve enlightenment or walk on their path toward God. In this way, they are leaving room for other thoughts and beliefs. Christianity and Islam both believe in the suffering of non-believers. Both of these religions also believe to a certain extent, that non-believers need to be converted or even eliminated in holy war. Hinduism and Buddhism do not share these beliefs, and therefore can be viewed as being quite a bit more lenient toward non-believers.