what religion is the most open minded and accepting of others?

Question

i find that those who follow some type of nature based religions are far more understanding and open to different ideas and are less likely to judge others. they are also more helpful when people are trying to discover a religous path by not pushing their beliefs on them but guiding them to follow their hearts

Answer 1

Interesting question. You are generally right, but it is actually not the religion in itself that causes this, it is the kind of people that get involved with nature-based religions, and the minority status of those religions. Take Islam and Christianity, for example, which are generally considered to be close-minded and intolerant religions. The truth is that millions of people in BOTH of those religions are very open-minded and accepting of others, BUT because those religions are so large and represent a majority of people in certain parts of the world, the people who are NOT open-minded and accepting are very out-going and visible. Meanwhile, take Wicca for example, a nature-based religion. Its population is very small, and that puts them in a more defensive position. Fewer Wiccans are willing to be overtly intolerant, because they are in a position where it will hurt the growth of their religion. What few Wiccans that are NOT open minded or accepting, and there definitely are a few, are so few in number due to the overall small number of Wiccans that they are not that noticeable in the overall scheme of things.

The truth is that some people are open minded and accepting, and some people are not. All groups have them both, but the larger groups have larger groups of the negatively acting people, which makes them appear worse than they really are. I know, because in addition to studying religion and history for ten years, I am a Christian who deals with the intolerance and close-minded faction of my own religion on a daily basis. I understand why you feel the way you do, because no doubt those that look down on natural religions are very overt and obtuse people. But I am not like that, so there you go.

Have a good one!

Answer 2

I think you're asking a loaded question. By it's design you're going to get answers that lead you to religions that may accept all others, but will not leave you any better than having no religion at all (and sometimes could leave you worse off).

I think you need to consider why you're seeking a religion in the first place.

If what you seek is truth then open-mindedness and acceptance may not be the top things to prioritize. A teacher can be very open minded and accepting of students but at some point they should point out that while they love them they can't say it's ok to answer 3 when asked "what is 2+2". Saying there are no absolutes is an absolute in itself, and refusing all absolutes means it really doesn't matter what you believe in the first place.

I know this is not a simple response, but then truth is seldom as simple as it appears; however, when you choose it's path you will find much more fulfillment than when you choose just what feels good or what may be the mantra du jour.

Answer 3

Bahai, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Wicca, Voodoo, Santeria, Mandeanism, Gypsy religion, Geniism, Cao Dai, Deism, Elohism, Polydeism, Primitive tribal religions, North American Spirituality, New Age, Divination, a little bit of Scientology, & even Satanism/Luciferianism.

Answer 4

Check out Unitarians and Buddhism, but you really have to study and investigate many faiths before you decide to study one and accept the teachings. No matter what religion you may follow, there will always be people who will make it difficult for others of the same faith, because that is human nature.

Answer 5

You are right. Taoism is a perfect example:

"We believe that all religions essentially seek the same understanding. No religious path is "better" than another (since every creature sees the universe in a slightly different way), but because we are Taoists, we understandably believe that Taoism is more "direct" than other traditions.
It should be stressed that we hold other religions in the highest regard -- after all, we are all working toward a common vision. We do not judge other traditions as "right" or "wrong"; we recognize that given of a number of paths to the same destination, some paths will be more direct than others."

http://www.reformtaoism.org/beliefs_m-z.php#others

Answer 6

The more Spiritual religions are the most open-minded. Paganism, Buddism, Taoism, etc, etc. I don't know of any people (including myself) whom follow more spiritual paths that try to push their beliefs on other people like many (not all) Christians do. Not only are they more open-minded, but they seem to be more peaceful and loving towards all living things, be it human, animal, etc.

Answer 7

Which religion is not the problem.

It's the people. I have run into good and bad people of every faith.

I left the Catholic Church because a priest called me a witch. I took up with some pagans and wiccans. While they loved my abilities, they looked down their nose at my Christian background. They picked what they liked of what I saw and disguarded what they did not like as my "christian brainwashing."

A vision is a vision.

When Damien Echols was arrested for a murder he did not commit, the pagan community was very supportive of him as he publicly announced during the trial that he was Wiccan.

During his years in prison he picked up Buddhism. Now they bash him for "betraying them."

It's his life. How has he betrayed them?

So you see, it's all in the people. Not in the religion. Some who follow religion do so well. Others will use it for ill. No matter what that religion is.

Answer 8

I am a Hindu.Hinduism is not preaching "No WAR" Krishna unequivocally preaches to Arjuna in Bhagavad Geeta in one Verse between 600-700 specifically uses the word "Kill" (your step brothers,own grandfather=Pitaamaha,revered teachers and own blood brother(Karna -Krishna knows it).

Buddhism ALONE not only "preaches" but "practises" NON-Violence".It is why poor sri Dalai Lama has lost his "political leadership" and lives as a "refugee" in another country and wandering all over the world..So "Peace Loving " Religion means "Buddhism" only .But it is very difficult to survive against the Religions where "KILLING" is preached as a Religious Philosophy.

Answer 9

religion is made up of flawed people. Some are open minded and accepting and some are not.

I wish many of the people on this Y!A would realize that a few bad apples to not represent the whole "bushel". Thinking that way is closed minded and not accepting.

Answer 10

Unitarian Universalism is right up there because it welcomes everybody from christians to jews to buddhists to secular humanists to pagans (even having an organization for pagans within the Society itself) to atheists - as someone said above - to Sufis, etc... regardless of sexual orientation. No one will ever tell you there is "one true way" there. In fact...that might be the only type of person who isn't welcome there; an evangelist of any kind.