True religion is the same for all people.
Tolstoy
Different religions – what a strange expression! There can of course be different faiths and historical traditions that are transferred from one generation to another to uphold religious beliefs. Likewise there can be various different religious sacred texts (The Zend Avesta, The Vedas, The Koran etc.). But there can only be one religion that is valid for all ages. […]
Kant, Essays and Treatises on the Guarantee of Perpetual Peace
To claim that you are lying and I am speaking the truth is the harshest thing that one person can say to another, especially when the topic of conversation concerns the most important question of all. And yet this is precisely what people say to each other when they are arguing about religion.
Tolstoy
If you are a Muslim go and live amongst Christians; if you are a Christian go and live amongst Jews; and if a Catholic, amongst Orthodox. Whatever your religion, associate with people of other religions. If you are not offended by what they say, and if you can associate with them freely, you have achieved peace.
Hafiz has told us that all religions say the same thing; all people are looking for love, and the entire world is the abode of love – so then why start talking of mosques or churches?
Sufi wisdom
Do not be afraid of uncertainty and doubt; use your reason to examine fearlessly the claims of faith that you are being offered.
Tolstoy
It would be easy to take this discussion in a theologically weedy direction, but I’d rather try to pinpoint what wise nugget we can take from the larger message behind these ideas. I think what’s important in here is the idea that we should closely examine not just our own faith, but also the other faiths of the world, especially the ancient ones, for what wisdom might be found in them. As a Christian, it seems like people in this community are often quick to discredit other religions wholesale. But, after thousands of years of writing and thinking there’s likely some that they have to offer. For example, Zen Buddhism has offers a lot of practical wisdom when it comes to learning, self-control and emotional intelligence. We can learn a lot from the Jewish tradition about the importance of remembering the blessings of the past. I believe you can learn something from everyone, even more so if they have different beliefs and disagree with you. So the wise thing to do is to take the time to intentionally encounter people who hold to these beliefs, critically examine what wisdom they have inherited from generations past, look for common ground, and therefore build empathy. What might this look like in your life going forward? How can you intentionally interact with people of religions you don’t often mingle with?
-Ryan Parmenter