American culture praises the fact that there are so many accepted religions. We are a country of tolerance, where people are so afraid to say someone is wrong, or a crime is bad. One must admit that certain things are wrong. Just as it is popular to consider morals relative, it is overwhelmingly popular to consider religions relative.

Our newfound infatuation with tolerance—mixed with that of “spirituality”—stems from our desire for individuality and respect for opposing views, and results in a slew of clearly incompatible religions and worldviews accepted as relatively true. Religion by its most broadly accepted definition generally is an organized attempt to attain a relationship with or become part of an Ultimate Reality. An Ultimate Reality could be enlightenment, or death, or understanding of God, or anything the religion claims to attain. Religions are usually organized by beliefs, creeds, writings, practices and symbols as ways to attain this Ultimate Reality. Spirituality varies from religion in that it does not necessarily adhere to a strict set of beliefs, creeds, writings, practices or symbols. Spirituality refers to the spirit, which, in today’s American culture (as a result of the tolerance and relativity described above), can mean nearly anything. The main difference between religion and spirituality is that religion will stand up to believe in something—albeit sometimes something ridiculous or erroneous—while spirituality remains inoffensive and flexible. It is more politically correct. Our rise in spirituality and therefore tolerance has caused many to believe we have entered another period of enlightenment.¹

Recently, yoga’s popularity has exploded. Different religions become trendy for a few years at a time. What appears to be a period of enlightenment has actually stemmed from the desire to turn our backs to any one specific truth. Today, one who commits to one truth is labeled stubborn and closed-minded. All religions seek enlightenment in one way or another. Enlightenment means shedding light on something that wasn’t known before. To every religion, enlightenment means something different. The majority of religions, apart from fundamental Christianity, are very inclusive and tolerant. However they are not very similar, aside from the fact that they are all attempts to understand something beyond the physical things of this world. The purpose of this piece is to expose some of the basic beliefs and goals in selected major religions to prove that they are clearly opposing each other.

It is rare that one would actually deny the existence of God or an Ultimate Reality. What is denied more often is that there is only one way to truly know Him or achieve eternal life. But ask yourself this question: would the one God actually make many contradicting ways to know Him? Would He leave it up to us to act according to the one religion we are most comfortable with? Many people close their minds to the apparent contradictions of religions, because it does not fit with the way they want to live and they do not want to admit it.

C. S. Lewis argues that religions are all attempts to get to God:

“If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all these religions, even the queerest one, contain at least some hint of the truth. When I was an atheist I had to try to persuade myself that most of the human race have always been wrong about the question that mattered to them most; when I became a Christian I was able to take a more liberal view. But, of course, being a Christian does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong. As in arithmetic - there is only one right answer to a sum, and all other answers are wrong: but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others.”²

Many people would like to believe that all religions are equally right—that it is a matter of culture and preference. However, the more we look into various religions, the more we see the incongruity between them all.

The Eastern religions, like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism are popular religions because they seem the most unoffending and versatile. We call them Eastern because they were started in the East. Usually, but not always, the Eastern religions are more philosophical and believe in reincarnation.

Hinduism

Like ancient Greek mythology, it is impossible to state exactly who started Hinduism. Hinduism is an old and complex Indian religion, which birthed many variations since its estimated beginning in 1400 BC. Despite the variations, generally they all believe in many gods, including the three gods of Brahman: “Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.”³ This worship of multiple gods is known as polytheism. They also believe in fate—that our fate and caste system has been chosen by Brahman and we are to respect and find peace in our fate and caste. They believe in the Law of Karma: that evil brings forth evil and good brings forth good; reincarnation: that we are reborn into higher or lower caste systems depending on our karma; Nirvana: that we can attain enlightenment or freedom from this system of rebirth, or samsara; Yogas: that we can discipline the body and emotion by specific physical and mental practices; and Dharma: that there is a moral code specific to each person that we must find and follow to attain nirvana.⁴

Hindus refer to old sacred texts known as the vedas, or wisdom, containing hymns, stories, prayers and rituals. The most sacred books and most widely read of all Indian works is the Bhagavad Gita. The cow is known as the most sacred creature, containing power and connection to the gods.⁵

Hinduism is “recognition of the fact that the means or ways to salvation (or nirvana) are diverse; and the realization of the truth that the number of gods to be worshipped is large.”⁶ They hold that there is only one truth, but that there are many names and views for that truth as well as ways to get to that truth.⁷ See Chart

Buddhism

Buddhism was started by Siddhartha Gautama, born 560 BC in India to a king. He rejected his upbringing in Hinduism and denied the authority of the vedas.⁸ He went on a meditiational journey and tried different things to reach enlightenment. One day he reached nirvana by meditating under a fig tree. He became known as the Buddha or “enlightened one.”¹⁰

Buddhism has split into different sects, and some have deified Buddha, although he never claimed to be god.⁹ Buddhist philosophy teaches that there is no god, and that the purpose of life is to end suffering by enlightenment—realizing everything is empty. 10 Buddhism teaches that all Buddhists should follow these five rules: 1) kill no living thing, 2) do not steal, 3) do not commit adultery, 4) tell no lies, and 5) do not take intoxicants or drugs. In addition, monks and nuns are held to the following: 6) Eat moderately, 7) do not excite the senses, 8) do not wear adornments, 9) do not sleep luxuriously, and 10) do not accept silver or gold.¹¹ Buddhists follow the eight-fold path to enlightenment, or nirvana. Buddhism teaches that other religions are to be “tolerated” peacefully.¹² See Chart

Confucianism

Confucius’ teachings are recorded by his followers in The Analects. The biographical information we have was recorded after his death, so we are unsure about the legendry validity. He was born in Lu, China, in about 550 BC. He fell in love with learning, and became a teacher in his twenties. He held public offices to teach his community, but because of disagreements with his superiors, left office and spent the final five years of his life wandering, looking for converts to his social and political views.

He lived in an age of social anarchy characterized by great conquerors and mass executions. He wanted to reestablish the peaceful harmony of his ancestors. He is still China’s most significant teacher, and in 1906 he was entitled Co-Assessor with the deities Heaven and Earth. He is still worshiped by many today, regardless of his claim that, “I transmit but do not create.”¹³

Confucian philosophy is based on the following: Jen, or the rule of reciprocity (golden rule); Chun-tzu or form of man at his best; Cheng-ming: acting one’s proper role; Te: power to lead and exemplify; Li: right conduct; wen: arts of peace (music, art and poetry) as symbols of virtue.¹⁴ Confucius taught that the root of goodness is dedication and honor for your parents and brotherly love.¹⁵ Confucianism in its purest form is more of a collection of proverbs than a religion. He is recorded avoiding questions about death of the afterlife.¹⁶ See Chart

New Age

New Age is fast-growing non-committal religion, represented by about 20% of the American population. About 10% of Americans polled believe “God represents a state of higher consciousness” while 7% view Him as the “total realization of personal human potential.”¹⁷ These are both important attributes to New Age faith in broad terms. It is necessary to speak of New Age in broad terms because there are no absolute beliefs, creeds or doctrines. New Age religion intentionally functions in such a way that it claims compatibility with any religion. However, there are some attributes that New Age religion generally adheres to.

They believe that everything comes together to form a whole reality, and this reality is their Ultimate Reality. This Ultimate Reality is not dead or unconscious. “It is Being, Awareness, and Bliss (which is to say, a Hindu conception of God as an impersonal, infinite consciousness and power).”¹⁸ Man is supposedly separated from God only by his consciousness, or thoughts. Experiential knowledge through mystic practices delivers right consciousness, or aligned thoughts.¹⁹ This realization of God is based basically on emotions (experiential knowledge), and each person produces individual emotions (from individual experiences), so each person produces his own enlightenment (or Ultimate Reality, God, or relationship with God).

According to a New Age definition, this religion is “a network of believers and practitioners who share somewhat similar beliefs and practices, which they add on to whichever formal religion they follow.” Astrology, tarot cards, crystals and fortune telling are often associated with New Age religion.¹⁹ These practices are also characteristics of Satanism, scorcery, Neo-paganism and witchcraft. New Age is whatever the believer wants it to be, as the believer is also the leader of himself, and holds the personal power. See Chart

Abrahamic

Abrahamic religions consist of Christianity, Muslim and Judaism. Sometimes Christianity is referred to as a Western religion, however, these three religions share roots in the God of Creation of the World through the God of Abraham and they are not from the West (America). For this purpose we will refer to them as Abrahamic religions. The first split in these religions from the one God of creation is at the point of Abraham, where, according to the Jewish and Christian beliefs, God chose to bless Abraham through Isaac, while Muslims believe it was through Ishmael.²⁰ Christianity and Judaism split when Jesus was accepted as the Messiah which God had promised throughout the Old Testament.²¹ The Jews and non-Jews who accepted Jesus Christ called themselves Christians. Jewish, Muslim and Christian core beliefs are similar in that God is good and righteous, and will render righteousness to those who do what is right. To Muslims and Jews, doing right is following the sacred texts, however they often believe that doing right also means being a good moral person even if you do not read their scriptures. To Christians, doing right means accepting Jesus Christ as God’s Son and sacrifice for sins, and realizing that apart from God, no one can do right.

• The Muslim faith stems from Judaism and Christianity. Muslim means “surrendered one.” Islam refers to a region of Muslim followers. Muhammad is the Prophet of the Muslim religion. He was born in AD 570 and within the first three years of his life, while in the desert with his wet nurse, was visited by two men in white carrying snow in a gold tub, according to Muslim faith. Muhammad said they split open his chest and took out his heart, removed a black clot, and washed his heart and chest with snow. This is the anointing of Muhammad. When Muhammad was 9 or 12 (date is historically debatable) his uncle took him on a journey where he encountered a Christian monk, named Bahira, who identified Muhammad as the Arab prophet God was sending to them. In AD 610, Muhammad is visited by an angel in a cave (identified to be Gabriel21) who gives Muhammad his first revelation. This is referred to as the Night of Power.²² The testimony of the Muslim faith is “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet of God.” Muslims stress the monotheism of God, arguing that God cannot beget (make others from Himself) or be begotten (be made from others).²³ Muslims believe that the canonized Bible (Old and New Testaments) is tainted and the truth was revealed to Muhammad. Muslims believe this truth was written by God through Muhammad over a period of 23 years and titled the Quran (translated “recitation”).²⁴ The Quran is authoritative to the Muslim religion.²⁵ Muslims believe that Jesus, like Muhammad, was only a prophet and not the begotten Son of God. Where the Quran and the Bible are not in accordance, the Quran is taken as authoritative. “As a word from God, the Koran is the foundation of the Muslim’s life.”²⁶ They worship God, but sometimes respect for the Prophet Muhammad can turn into misdirected worship.
  
• Judaism is the belief that God is almighty, and for thousands of years has prepared His children (Israel) for a Messiah to save them. The Biblical book of Isaiah is filled with prophecies regarding God’s promise to send His Servant. Isaiah 42 begins a sequence of prophecies extending through Isaiah 53.²⁷ These prophecies are viewed differently by Jewish and Christian scholars. Some Jews continue to wait for the Messiah. Others believe that the servant is Israel as a people and not one specific person.²⁸ Judaism holds to the Talmud²⁹ and the Torah.³⁰ There are various sects of Judaism, from Orthodox Judaism to more liberal Judaism.
  
• Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism. For centuries God had prepared His people for the Messiah who would come “as a light to the nations.”³¹ The Old Testament is full of accounts of God’s laws demanding sacrifices to pay for our sins. God provided everyone with Jesus as the final sacrifice—and all we have to do is accept Jesus as our sacrifice. Christianity is the active relationship one pursues with God though the scriptures and the Church; it is the acceptance of the Trinity; and acceptance of Christ as the eternal and final sacrifice for the atonement of sins. The exact dates of Jesus’ life were not recorded. The historian Dionysius calculated our present calendar around Jesus’ birth, and all subsequent years were recorded based on this date.³² However, referring to historical evidence provided through the Bible, we estimate Jesus’ birth to be sometime prior to the spring of 4 BC.³³ Jesus probably died in the year 30 AD.³⁴ Jesus was raised Jewish, and taught Judaism in the Synagogue, referring to it as His “Father’s house.”³⁵ Therefore, like Jesus, Christians embrace the Old Testament (literally “Old Covenant”) and the New Testament (literally “New Testament”), taking it as God’s authoritative word. (Click here for a statement of Christian beliefs.)

Incongruity of Religions with Christianity

It is clear that there are contradictions between religions. If Buddhism rejects the existence of the Abrahamic God, then this alone proves that only one can be right. In addition, the concept of attaining emptiness—or nirvana—is opposite of what the Abrahamic God teaches. Buddhism often uses the phrase, “a drop in the ocean” to describe the mutual goal of followers. This refers to the attainment the feeling that you are just a piece that falls into and blends with the rest. A Buddhist’s goal is to become empty and to realize that everything is empty.³⁶ But the Christian God cares for you as His children and desires to fulfill your needs.³⁷ He wants to know you and wants for you to know Him personally. Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.”³⁸ Each religion’s gods are at opposition to Christianity.

According to Confucius, brotherly love and parental devotion are the foundations of goodness. But when asked what the greatest commandment of all is, Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’”³⁹ The most important thing in Christianity is to love God; love for your neighbor will inevitably follow. Although Confucius stressed devotion to your parents, Jesus sought to uproot the traditional parental devotion. He asked a crowd, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, ‘Behold, My mother and My brothers!’”⁴⁰ This contradicts what Confucius taught—that this devotion to one’s blood relatives is essential. Confucianism is a philosophy contradictory to Christianity.

Hinduism is a polytheistic and pantheistic religion. Hinduism teaches that the world is run by the gods and the actions are not good, nor evil. For example, Shiva, the goddess of destruction, destroys to generate life. The polytheistic character of Hinduism defies the First Commandment of Christianity, “You shall have no other gods before me.”⁴¹ If Christianity is correct, Hinduism defies the most important commandment.

New Age religion is incompatible with Christianity because it refuses to adhere to any creed, while the Bible is essential to Christianity. New Age also holds to the view that “god” is a higher state of consciousness, which limits “god” to a mental state, versus the real and powerful and physical Abrahamic God. The Abrahamic God moves in ways that are outside the limitations of the New Age religion. Though New Age claims to include every religion, if Christianity is correct, then New Age religion is wrong.

In order to be completely honest to oneself, one must accept the authenticity of Christianity or deny it. In denying it, one must either choose a religion, or deny them all. By denying them all, one is an atheist. An atheist is someone who claims to know everything necessary to know that God does not exist. This position must assume knowledge that simply isn’t presently available; God cannot be disproved. The only other option available is agnosticism, which claims that one does not know whether God exists based on the evidence provided. However, many agnostics forfeit this search for truth from overwhelming pressure to tolerate any and every belief. But eventually one must face reality that something greater does exist (see Evolution-Creation link), and the decision is up to the seeker. Christianity cannot be right if the other religions are correct. One must decide to accept the true God or deny Him, and suffer the consequences.

Glossary of Terms

Atheist/ atheism—one who holds to the belief that there is no god. “An atheist is someone who claims to know everything necessary to know that God does not exist. This position must assume knowledge that simply isn’t presently available; God cannot be disproved.” (See final paragraph.)

Atonement—payment for one’s sins by sacrifice or offering. not know whether God exists based on the evidence provided. However, many agnostics forfeit this search for truth from overwhelming pressure to tolerate any and every belief.

Authoritative—referring to a property of the Bible; that it is written by God’s authority and commandments for adherence.

Canonized Bible—to canon is “to measure.” The canonized Bible is compiled of books that were measured according to authenticity voted on by the Church Council. These books withstand tests of historic and theological authenticity.

Commandment—referring to one of the Ten Commandments delivered to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. Please refer to Exodus 19.

Enlightenment—a specific 18th century period of illumination, or bringing spiritual insight to something.⁴²

Humanitarianism—serving the people for the sole purpose of serving the people—sometimes seeking social reform and a higher devotion to humanity. This is different from the Christian servitude as a result and reflection of God’s love for the believer.

Messiah—“anointed one,” referring to the expected one God promised to send to His people to save them. Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah as He fulfills all the prophecies throughout the Old Testament.

Natural law—the law that some deists believe we are born with, that we have a natural moral code by which we can tell right from wrong.

Organized—established, arranged or governed for a purpose.

Pantheism—1) worshipping all gods from all religions and beliefs; or 2) honoring nature and natural forces as the God of the Universe.⁴²

Polytheism—translates “many gods.” If one is polytheistic, one believes in many gods.

Prophecies—a prophet is one who receives information from God and tells others about it; so a prophecy is the information shared that God revealed to the prophet.

Reincarnation—the cycle of rebirths in this world—sometimes cycling lives of humans, and sometimes animals.

Tolerance—enduring or understanding beliefs or practices differing from one’s own; permitted variation from a standard.⁴²

Trinity—the doctrine that explains God is manifested in three Persons: God the Father and Creator; God the Son who is Jesus Christ; and God the Holy Spirit. See Chart

Article used courtesy of Amanda Chapman, ©2002 Zionline, Inc.

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