This morning, I was listening to Air America on the radio, and Jerry Springer was fielding calls related to the topic of this post. Jerry’s point, which I wholeheartedly defend and agree with, was that, just because a person believes that his or her religion is the correct religion (thereby making all other religions false), it doesn’t make it any more true and factual than anyone else’s beliefs and religions. Saying that there is only one God, and only one way to worship that God (such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Muslim, etc.) and saying that the one belief is the only belief, is in and of itself, also incorrect. I am writing about this, because it kind of relates to my post about evolution, in that many people chose to ignore, or worse, invalidate, another person’s beliefs because of their staunch stance that they, and only they, have the correct explanation; and I don’t understand why that is so.
After taking several courses in religion, my own faith in Christianity changed; I finally realized for the first time in my life, that there is no absolute right and wrong with respect to personal religion or faith in “higher power” or spirituality (whatever you call it). By believing and stating that my religion is correct and no other religion can be, I am invalidating my claim in my religion, mainly because anyone else can make the same claim about his or her religion and be equally as correct as I am. By believing that my belief in Christianity was the only way, I invalidated that belief. I see how that has the potential to really shake up someones belief system, but it wasn’t such a shocking revelation that it defeated my beliefs all together. I found it is just as easy to believe what I believe, and at the same time, believe that other people’s religions are correct FOR THEM. I don’t believe in them, but that doesn’t make them any less true.
This is honestly the main reason why I don’t understand how it can be so difficult for other religious people to understand. Just because something you believe to be true has a counter belief or even several counter beliefs, it doesn’t weaken or threaten your views; mainly because they are your views that you chose to believe. There is no need to defend your religion to anyone that believes a completely different religion, because both of you are correct; that is the beauty of something like religion that is based solely on acceptance, faith, and belief; and not on absolute fact.
While it may be a fact to you, it is equally valid for it to be an incorrect statement to someone else. Now that I have said my piece, let the bloodbath begin; I can practically hear you salivating to attack this one. I just had to say my piece about it.
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