Other Religions

Claire and I jumped on the bandwagon a little late this time around.  After watching the Oscars last Sunday night we decided that it was time we bite the bullet and go see Life of Pi. 

Life of Pi is a story about a boy who was born in India as the son of a zoo keeper. When the boy’s family comes upon hard times they must move to Canada. On the sea voyage, however, the ship is wrecked and Pi finds himself the only survivor adrift in a life boat with a Begal Tiger. Pi struggles to survive and the story explores in depth the idea of God.

The cinematography in the movie was brilliant. I found the story riveting and thrilling. But, as Claire can attest to based upon my exclamations of right there in the movie theater, I was most excited by the way the film described religion.

The main character, Pi, describes his development as a person of faith in the beginning of the film. He describes how he adopted the practices and beliefs of three different faith traditions simultaneously: Christianity, Isalm, and Hinduism. When told by his father that he cannot be an adherent to all three, he replies, why not?

Why not, indeed. As Elizabeth and I read the questions which were submitted before Lent we came across one question about the other faith traditions of the world and how they relate to Christianity. These questions are especially pertinent this day in age as the world feels as though it is getting smaller. As the people whom we don't understand are getting closer.

With over 7 billion people in the world, Christianity is fast becoming one among the many faith traditions which people honor. In fact, it appears as though Christians may soon occupy the position of a minority. This realization brings with it many questions. How can we know who is right and who is wrong? How should we view other religions? And one of the most difficult questions, what happens to people of other faiths when they die?

To even approach these question, we first need to know who we're talking about. What are these other religions and what do they look like?

To describe a religious tradition is means we're over-simplifying it. All religions are represented by a vast array of beliefs, opinions, and interpretations. To lump all adherents of a faith tradition into one category would be similar to saying that there is no difference between Amish people, Southern Baptists, Catholics, and Presbyterians. This is an important place to start because to describe "Hindus" or "Muslims" implies something which is impossible. Having said that, I am now going to try to do the impossible. But I’m not going to try to describe specific practices, because each person’s practices are different. It is more helpful to speak of the meaning and goal of a particular faith tradition than to try to "define" it.

The "other" faiths

What are the world's faith traditions? If Christians even hope to have a seat at the table where the issues of multiple religions are discussed we have to have some understanding of the people with whom we are sitting. Ignorance does not create bliss in this situation. There are 7 major faith traditions with which most religious people identify themselves.

Hinduism is possibly the oldest faith tradition and the most prominent religious system in India. It is a system of belief which embraces many different understandings of God. The purpose of Hinduism is to pass beyond the imperfections of life and, in doing so, become united with God on a deeper, infinite level. While we are probably most familiar with Hinduism because of reincarnation, the goal of most Hindus is to follow one of the paths (or yogas) which lead to God.

Buddhism is a religious system based upon the experience of a man named Siddhartha Guatama. It was largely a reaction to Hinduism and critique of Indian society. Buddhism is often described as a journey across a river which represents life. The Buddhist starts on the bank of ignorance and death and crosses to the bank of wisdom and enlightenment. The traveler can use one of many methods to cross this river. The ultimate goal is what we know as nirvana or moving beyond everything we know as humans into everything we don’t know.

When Confucius came on the scene in China about 500 years before Christ was born, China was being ravaged by tribal wars and dishonorable ways. Confucius saw that people killed each other senselessly because they didn’t have a moral system which taught them to identify with other people. He taught his followers to value all people and treat others with courtesy. Teaching the importance of relationships with family, community, nation, and world, Confucius helped shape a culture which places value in the other.

Taoism arose in contrast to Confucianism. While Confucianism is a concrete set of beliefs and practices, Taoism involves an abstract focus on energy. While Confucianism speaks to social interactions and how people behave in society, Taoism looks past society to things beyond this world. Especially, Taoists contemplate the balances and opposites within the universe (what we recognize as the yin and the yang). Taoists of multiple branches desire naturalness and simplicity.  

Islam arose in Saudi Arabia in the 6th and 7th centuries, promoted by the prophet Muhammad. The word Islam means the peace which comes with submission to God. Muslims placed their faith in one God while the traditions around them believed in deities. Islam created a system of belief and practice distinct from the surrounding culture. The practice of Islam is marked by a life of strict devotion to God.

Judaism was really a unique faith when it came onto the scene because it was the first deliberately monotheistic faith. Every other culture in the region worshipped many gods. It is hard for us to appreciate how strange and hard it would have been to believe in one God who created everything. For example, when things did not go well for polytheists, they were able to attribute their misfortunes to the evil gods, while relying on the good gods for aide. The Jews did not have this luxury as they believed in a single, good God who created the earth good. They really are one of the unique faith traditions.

Finally, Christianity is truly a historical religion, completely grounded in the narrative accounts of Jesus' life. Since you are probably already a little familiar with Christianity, I will not go into great detail.

Similarities

These are the major religions of the world, although there are many others. In these major religions we find a broad spectrum of beliefs, from the abstractness of Taoism to the concrete practices of Islam. From the intricate system of theology laid out by Christians to the moral instruction produced by Confucius. You may notice that though these religions differ in many ways and came about for many different reasons, there are many similarities between them.

There are aspects of religions in general that appear to be universal. These universal qualities are pieces of our faith traditions that can bind us together. Out of these many characteristics there are three which I feel are particularly important.

First, each of these religions has a set of practices or rituals which they hold dear. This is probably why you come to worship every week. For many faith groups practices revolve around prayer, meditation, and conversation with God. For some the rituals are strictly defined, while others are not as strict. Yet most faith traditions have some form of worship or communication with a higher being.

A second characteristic is an acceptance by most faith traditions that the people are engaged in the ultimate search for truth. We are always trying to understand life and its purpose. Think of all of the movies that have come out in the past few years. I’ve never seen so many movies about zombies or the end of the world, or the overwhelming problems people face in life. All of these movies are asking the question, why are we here. What is the point of all of this, anyway?

But just as every religion searches for truth, they all have to accept that there is some mystery involved in faith. Christians accept that God is above and beyond our understanding, as do Jews and Muslims. Buddhists believe that nirvana, is made up of everything that is not human so it cannot be understood by humans. While we are able to find some truths, we also have to accept lots of mystery.

The final tie that links all religions appears to be some kind of charity or care for others. All religions, from Confucianism to Islam to Judaism uphold the importance of other people and community  They all seem to find value in being aware of and in relationship with those around us and, in fact, those all over the world. This is one of the most foundational aspect of Christianity, and it is a tie that binds us to all people everywhere.

But Different

But just because there are ties that bind people of many faiths together does not mean that we are all one religion and it certainly doesn't mean that we all worship one God. I am not saying that we all believe the same thing or that we should all be one faith. Mahatma Ghandi, a famous Hindi scholar and non-violent leader, is quoted as saying:

"I came to the conclusion long ago … that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism. So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu … But our innermost prayer should be (that) a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian." 

This is a prayer to which we can relate. While we are called to spread the good news of the gospel to all people, the world in which we spread that gospel of love is a very different world from the one the early church faced. Part of spreading a gospel of love requires a departure from the judgment that can come when we harshly disagree with and confront other faiths. Spreading a gospel of love requires just that, love. Love for people who are different than us.

Because all people are not the same. Religions are not all the same. In fact, the opposite is true. Religions are very different. It is a disservice to each religion to say they are not.

If you were to ask me, right now if I think I've got it "right", I'd tell you “Yes, I think I do.” I wouldn't waste my time worshiping God the way I do if I didn't think I was right. And I believe that this is the approach all faiths can take to the table of interfaith relations. We cannot give up what it is that we think is right.

But, if you ask me the question, "Are you sure that you've got it "right?" the only answer that I can honestly give you is "I don't know." I would give the same answer to the question, "Are you sure they've got it wrong?" I just don't know.

And that is the answer that every person of faith on this entire planet has to give you in the end. We just don't know. This same answer stands in for every faith tradition when you ask them about what happens after death. Each tradition has its own beliefs. The Bible says many things about heaven, about the kingdom of God, and about life everlasting. But when push comes to shove, and when we've gone past what we believe will happen, we have to settle with, "I just don't know."

That is why they call it faith. Trusting in that which we cannot know. No matter who you worship, how you worship, or why you worship, you do so on the basis of faith.

In the Life of Pi, one of the other characters asks Pi about his view on the different faiths. Pi responds: “Faith is a house with many rooms.” The other character says, “But no room for doubt?” Pi says, “Oh plenty, on every floor. Doubt is useful; it keeps faith a living thing. After all, you cannot know the strength of your faith until it is tested.”

To me, this is part of the extremely life-giving role other faiths play. We challenge and push one another, presenting each other with doubts.

I wouldn't want the burden of having no doubts and knowing everything. I trust in a God who knows everything, who knows the deepest truths. And I believe that these truths are so deep and so complex that I could never imagine understanding them.

This is the wonderful dance which faith and doubt perform together. Their intricate steps move backward and forward. Sometimes one takes the lead, sometimes the other. They spin and swirl appearing to be one. Because faith and doubt both play a role in life, it is a moving, exciting thing.

Knowing all of this, what do we do?

Respect

Think of our passage today. A scholar asks Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells a story. A man lays on the side of the road after having been robbed. The Samaritan comes upon a beaten man of a different faith tradition and refuses to pass him by. A man of a different culture and a different set of beliefs stops and respects this man enough to care for him in his most troubled moments. After the story is over, Jesus turns the scholar's question around and asks, who acted like a neighbor to the injured man? The scholar answers, the one who cared for him. Jesus tells him to do and do likewise.

Knowing all of this, what do we do? We go and do likewise.

We have neighbors, figuratively and literally, of many different backgrounds and faith traditions. God calls us to treat them like neighbors. How do we do that? We treat them with respect. We listen and talk with them, and share a table with them in hopes to learn more. We welcome them as the Samaritan welcomed his neighbor.

May we allow ourselves to dance the beautiful dance of faith and doubt by truly respecting, accepting, and loving our neighbors. Amen.