How productive can it be to be dogmatic about religion?

Question

The world has many established religions, such as Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism etc.

If believers of each religion dogmatically state that their religion is the truth (implying that all others are false) how on earth can the planet ever have harmony, unless attitudes are relaxed and people accept that they have at best a 1-in-5 chance of being 'right'?

ALL religions can not ALL be correct in the way that they each believe they are. Why do these divides still exist?

Answer 1

Boneheadedness is rarely ever productive. Unfortunately, profoundly stubborn people are often the last to realize that their stubborn adherence to whatever belief causes more harm than good, especially to themselves.

Answer 2

My favourite religion is probably Buddhism, one rule I actually follow from that religion is "Choose a way of living that helps, not harms." throughout my entire life, I have tried to help people the best I can. and even though I am a Christian, I admire Buddhism as it is very spiritually open.

However, no religion can actually lay claim to it being the "Correct" religion, that is how there is no harmony in the world, so, for this, I have a solution, how about we bring back the old pagan ways, and get them to cover the world, or, we abolish religion entirely? either one way or the other, we would have, at long last, world peace on a religious scale.

Answer 3

1 in 5 ? I think I read somewhere there were 100 different babtist churches. None agree with the others.
RELIGION IN AMERICA
63 % OF Americans believe in some religion.
94% of that group are Christian & quasi-Christian [what ever that means]
The other 6% is Jews, Islam, other [whatever that means]
So the majority of USA does believe, but then when it goes into what a Christian is there is hundreds of Churches.
Islam has two pages of different beliefs. Then other religons another two pages. Buddah, hindue, and they have different groups. How could a person know? Seems everyone is right and everyone knows everyone else isn't. Then in Africa theres voo due and Japan shintoo so it is confusing.

Answer 4

What makes you think that each relgion states all other religons are wrong? We all believe in one God, just in different ways.

I think you'll find it's only extremely strict, devout followers that believe this way. They are the ones who are closed minded. Most people I know who are christians do not believe every single word of the bible is absolute fact, but understand the meaning behind it's word. This is what I call faith which all religions have in common.

Answer 5

All these religions don't believe that they are ALL correct. They only believe themselves to be correct. Divides exist because humans are imperfect and allow these things to divide them. Contrary to what others might think, it is possible to believe in your own religion, and still be kind and have friends of other beliefs and ideas. It's possible to believe they're wrong and for them to believe you're wrong and to know you can still catch a movie and love each other.

Answer 6

Religion is NOT about truth, it is about belief. A "get you through the night" system that avoids reality, promises milk and honey tomorrow, and too often , poverty today! There are no supernatural truths.

Answer 7

Every individual has intelligence most importantly they have a conscience,when individuals want to kill their conscience,I guess the rest of mankind has to step in to counter that aggression.Just like it happened in ww2.The good in people will unite(jews, hindus ,christians).People should not sit on the fence.

Answer 8

Wow...what an amazing thought. I have never thought about it that way but it is completely true! How can we all get along with religion standing in the way?

Answer 9

Because truth is the brightest light. You can't cover up truth completely. That is why all religions have many common stories.

Answer 10

They my ALL be wrong ! Just as good a chance there is no God or gods. We will never know it seems.