Are all religions really equal?

Question

I hear a lot of people claim that all religions teach the same concepts of equality, charity, peace and basic morality. If you compared the life and teachings of Jesus with the life and teachings of Mohammed you would get a very different message though. For example Jesus' forgiveness of the adulterer and commanding the crowd not to throw stones or Mohammed ordering an adulterer to be buried up to her chest and stoned.
(Hadith Muslim vol.3, book 17, no. 4206) He also personally beheaded 600 Jewish captives personally (according to Muslims own Holy texts) “Allah’s apostle killed all the able adult men, and he took all women and children as captives. Rayhana a beautiful young Jewish girl was taken by Allah’s apostle as booty” (Hadith Bukhari 143 page 700) He also had a sexual relationship with a 9 year old. To compare these two religions is dishonest or ignorant. Its true that Christians have done just as bad things but if they followed Jesus' teachings and example they wouldn't have.

Are you serious? I did cite all of my sources. If you don't believe those are real verses look them up yourself. Islamic reality . com has every islamic holy text.

Answer 1

I have heard that religions have these things in common. Yes, I believe I heard that in my Contemporary Religions class in college to be exact.

I will not speak to comparing Christianity to the Muslim beliefs.

The Skeptical Christian
Grace and Peace
Peg

Answer 2

No. All Religions are not equal. Most religions will take us to the same place. Some more direct path than others. A few will take us on the wrong path. I think that all religions that have the same ideas that Jesus taught are on the right path. Those that don't teach what He taught are not on the same path at all. Jesus said something about 'he who is not against me is for me'. So that religion that is contrary to the law of Love and teaches not what Jesus taught is not a true path to God.

Answer 3

All religions are exactly the same in the end. Do not believe me? They will one day all unite and say that they are all worshipping the same God, just by different names.

But do not believe them. Look at what Jesus said. He was a divider. He did not call for unity. He said that He was the exclusive Way to Heaven.

The way to Hell is paved with the stones of religion.

Answer 4

It is easier to declare that all religions are equally good and that it does not matter what a person believes so long as he lives a good life.

Do not worry if two and two equals four or five; it is all the same!

Let the children drink brandy or milk; it does not make a difference.

"Wait a minute, that is nonsense!" you may be saying. Two and two is four. It does make a difference if you bring up a child on milk or brandy!
Yes, everyone will admit the sense in that, but stop there. Religion is the one exception they say. Is it logical to admit the truth of a principle in all fields but religion?
If we are to be consistent, we must admit that in religion, as in everything else, it does make a difference which course we follow.
If the principle is admitted that one religion is as good as another, that we all have the same objective in view but we are simply going about it in a different roads to the same place, we must eventually say that vice and virtue are equally good, that error is as good as truth. How is this so? The principle that one religion is as good as another places pagan religions which condone polygamy and concubinage on an equal footing with the Christian religion. Some religions practiced the slaying of children as part of their rites. To adherents of the "one-as-good-as-another" principle such things cannot be condemned; to them such things as worship of the sun instead of the true God may not be criticized. Us not such an opinion the same as saying that vice is as good as virtue; idolatry as good as true worship?
Some say hell exists, some don't. Now both of these cannot be true can they? One is false and the other is true. Indifferentism says that two contradictory things are true, the same. A thing cannot be a circle and a square at the same time. So, if one group is right, another cannot be.

It is true that we all must lead clean and upright live and keep our conduct above reproach. But to say all religions aim at the same thing does not change the fact that of two religions that hold contrary doctrines, one is in error. Two men may leave exemplary lives. One denies hell, the other says it exists. Clearly one is in error. The fact that both are virtuous men does not change the situation. To say the views of both men are equally correct is to say that truth and error are equally pleasing to God.

Some statements:
George Bush is just as good as Hilary Clinton.
Ferrari's are just as good as Fords
Christianity is just as good as Buddhism.
The Bears are just as good as the Cowboys.

Which one excites the most objection? Ironic it is that religion which is far more important than any car, politician, or football team could ever be, provokes little or no reaction.

If all religions are equally right then you find yourself in one of these categories:
--Either you believe all religions are true and this must say that contradictions are true. Christ is mere man and Christ is God. Christ was the Messiah and Christ was not the Messiah. This leaves you in a peculiar position.
--Or you believe that only one religion is true, and then he is simply a hypocrite when he approves the others as being equally good.
--Or he believes none is true and his only alternative here is to follow none, but religion is necessary for us (there is much evidence behind this as well, much more than needed for this answer).

Answer 5

It is true that all bona-fide religions are coming from the same source, and they all try to elevate human beings to a higher spiritual platform. But the form in which the spiritual knowledge is given can differ according to the time, place and circumstances. Just like if you're a great mathematician and have to teach two groups of people - one is made up of high school students, and the other one of people studying mathematics at the university. You have the deepest knowledge of them all, but you would taylor the level of complexity of your lessons according to their qualification. The same thing happens when Sons of God, Prophets, Incarnations or call them whatever you like, come to enlighten us - they taylor the level of knowledge they give according to the spiritual qualifications of the receipient. I hope this answers your question.

Answer 6

There are many things that are similiar in various religions but I think lately in this day of multi-culturalism we are ignoring the glaring differences as well, especially when it comes to doctrines of salvation.

Jews and Muslims do NOT accept Jesus as Lord, Jews and Christians dont accept Muhammad as a prophet and dont practice the 5 pillars of Islam. The worlds monotheistic religions all point to the same God thats for sure, the God of Abraham. But none of them agree about who Jesus was and I think its up to every responsible person to read the Gospel and see him for who he was. God has sent salvation to the world and yet not everyone will take it!

Answer 7

Well, they all have some things in common but they don't all have "good" moral codes. You can find horrible morality in some Islamic groups (genital mutilation, etc) and horrible morality in some Christian groups (White Supremecy etc).

A lot of it is cultural. Christianity and Islam have embraced slavery and used their holy books to defend it. So they share the same morality, both good and bad.

And those aren't the only two faiths, obviously. I would say the buddist and wiccan principles and approach to the sanctity of life are superior to Christian and Muslim morality.

Answer 8

Jesus want mankind to know that as mankind he should love his fellow mankind and should not inflict any injuries to another either adulterer or sinner or not and its up to him as God who will punishthe sinners. tht is what it mean also by his word. Do not translate it literraly. Adulterers and sinners will be punish by Akkah the God of the Muslim.

The killings and raping done by the unbelievers of Allah are the actual incident where those non believers have done and we should not follow them.
jtm

Answer 9

all beliefs have thier truth sent to them in thier own time
according as to how they could best remember it
but god sent so many pmessengers
yet all have a bit of the truth from the living god
alive then
just as the living god even lives now
live time every time
for all time
yet alive now [in this now living moment]

Answer 10

You're right of course. All religions are not equal. Truth cannot conflict with Truth. As far as each religion contains the same elements of Truth, they are equal. Beyond that, definitely not.

Cheers :-)