How many religions are there in the world from which to locate the "true" one?

Question

According to David Barrett and team, there are 19 major world religious groupings in the world which are subdivided into a total of about 10,000 distinct religions. Of the latter, there were 270 religions and para-religions which had over a half million adherents in the year 2000 CE. Within Christianity, they have identified 34,000 separate groups (denominations, sects, individual unaffiliated churches, para-church groups, etc) in the world. "Over half of them are independent churches that are not interested in linking with the big denominations."

Answer 1

Good question.


For thousands of years India has been a veritable laboratory of religion: everything imaginable has been tried out, and nothing ever has completely been rejected.

To the Hindu, religion is an awareness of ultimate reality, not a theory about it; religion is psychology and method rather than theology and dogma.

According to the Bhagavad Gita:

"I am alike to all being."
"None is hateful or dear to me. But those who worship me with devotion are in me and I in them." "

The Rig Veda, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita hold that all paths lead to the summit. "As men approach me so do I accept them. Men on all sides follow my path." God is leading all people of the world on to the fullness of life by diverse paths. The Hindu seer has no contempt for other religions. He does not believe that salvation is to be had only through any one particular religion. God does not refuse his truth, his love and his grace to any who, in sincerity, seek him, wherever they may be and whatever creeds they may profess.

Man is not born as a sinner in Hinduism. "Each soul is potentially divine." The Upanishads teach us that Reality is the essence of every created thing, and the same Reality is our real Self, so that each of us is one with the power that created and sustains the universe.

The goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlling nature (both) external and internal. "This can be done either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy (by one or more) and be free".

India has had an unrivalled tradition of religious freedom and tolerance. That tradition was born of the consciousness that truth can never be the monopoly of any one sect or creed.

Infinite tolerance is the hallmark of Hinduism. The first statement of tolerance in Hinduism comes from the Rig Veda and the Bhagavad Gita:

"Let good thoughts come to us from all sides" or "The truth is one but the wise call it by many names" or Lord Krishna saying that "Whoever invokes a deity by whatever name, it is Me he invokes"

source: Ayodhya and After - By Koenraad Elst

I am not asking you to convert. But trying to explain that There is no such thing as "true" ir "false" religion.

India has been secular till Islam entered India and even Islam got somewhat softenned here. Sufi heritage of India as well as Islamic sects like Ahamadiya prove it.

Why not concentrate on spiritual path , whatever suits you. Instead of wasting your time you have choose only one school of belief.

Make your own mix. Seek answers wherever you can get.

Answer 2

I always imagined that if there is one almighty supreme God, then there is one true religion. I came to this belief after thouroughly examining Christianity. For example, it is common knowledge that Jesus was not born on Christmas Day, but that December 25 was the Roman festival of Saturnalia. I have found no evidence in the Bible that Jesus or the early Christians ever celebrated (or were told to celebrate) Christ's birth.

Another point: Why do many Christian faith's not make a distinction between God and the Son of God, when the Bible itself does? Most Christian religions put Jesus front and center, when Jesus always spoke of his father.

Another point: What really happens to us when we die? Why can't we get a straight answer from the major Christian religions?
It's not surprising that there are individual churches that have no interest in linking with the bigger denominations, because there is so much confusion among all the denominations.

I don't think that there are many different religions that can collectively be called "the true religion." As inflammatory as it may sound, I think there has to be only one. And whatever religion it is, it will give a straightforward answer to ALL of the major questions. It will give proof, and it will be understandable.

I feel this way because if God really exists, then I think he would want us to know it. Otherwise, there is no singular almighty god, there is no one true religion, and we are all alive for no reason.

Answer 3

Who wants a religion? As you say, there's a lot to pick from. If you want one, take your pick. Or start your own.
All religion is an attempt to get God on your side. Everybody has an opinion about the best way to do this at the least expense possible (though for some the least expense can be quite costly).
Jesus is a one man demolition team to religion. Read what he did when he encountered the self-satisfied religious. They returned the favor.
What Jesus offers, in contrast to religion, is a relationship with God.
What did his followers do? Went out and started a religion. Sorry about that. I guess we're always more comfortable with religion than with relationship.
But Jesus has a way. If this is a sincere question, check him out.

Answer 4

Religions and denominations are man-made.
Jesus is the Only Way to God.
John 14:6
1 John 2:22

Answer 5

In the early 1500s, a German monk named Martin Luther was so conscious of his sins that he spent up to six hours in the confessional. Through study of the Scriptures he found that salvation didn’t come through anything he did, but simply through trusting in the finished work of the cross of Jesus Christ. He listed the contradictions between what the Scriptures said and what his church taught, and nailed his "95 Theses" to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Martin Luther became the first to "protest" against the Roman church, and thus he became the father of the Protestant church.

Since that split, there have been many disagreements about how much water one should baptize with, how to sing what and why, who should govern who, etc., causing thousands of splinter groups. Many of these groups are convinced that they alone are right. These have become known as Protestant "denominations."

Despite the confusion, these churches subscribe to certain foundational beliefs such as the deity, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his" (2 Timothy 2:19). Thomas Jefferson once wrote of a preacher, Richard Mote, who "exclaimed aloud to his congregation that he did not believe there was a Quaker, Presbyterian, Methodist, or Baptist in heaven, having paused to give his hearers time to stare and to wonder. He added that, in heaven, God knew no distinctions."

Answer 6

Choose one and when you die come back and tell us which one is the true religion. Religion is gambeling you have better chance to win in Las Vegas than go to heaven.

Answer 7

You use a big broad brush with your definition. But a fine brush with your initial question. The answere is the same anyway. Check out the resources.
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/messiah.htm
http://www.carm.org/doctrine/100truths.htm

Answer 8

The "true" one is the one that's in your heart. It's how you treat your fellow man. There are more ways to heaven than through Jesus. And, he is not the only way to save your "soul".

Answer 9

If you're truly interested in figuring it out, it takes a lot of work, but its well worth it once you've found it. Happy hunting.

Answer 10

There is only one true religion and it is all about love and not judging and Giggles the Fairy loves you no matter what!