Stephen Prothero’s latest book “God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run The World And Why Their Differences Matter” goes up against interfaith champions Karen Armstrong, the Dalai Lama, and Mahatma Ghandi and challenges the wishy-washy sentiment that all religions are the same and can get along.
In a recent article for Boston.com by Prothero, he criticizes Armstrong, the Dalai Lama, and Mahatma Ghandi, among others, for spreading a false sense of sameness across the world’s religions.
“Of course, those who claim that the world’s religions are different paths up the same mountain do not deny the undeniable fact that they differ in some particulars,” says Prothero.
He adds, “To claim that all religions are basically the same, therefore, is not to deny the differences between a Buddhist who believes in no god, a Jew who believes in one God, and a Hindu who believes in many gods. It is to deny that those differences matter, however.”
To a certain extent, I must admit there is a lot of truth to what Prothero is saying. We do need realism when it comes to the world’s religions. On the other hand, I believe he misunderstands what the interfaith movement is all about. Ultimately, I think Prothero, Armstrong, the Dalai Lama, and Ghandi all believe in the same thing.
In his article and in his book, Prothero neglects to see that learning about the differences between the religions is just as essential and valued in the interfaith movement as finding common ground. Eboo Patel from the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) is a firm believer of this. Never once have I heard him say that all of the world’s religions are the same. Instead, he advocates that the religions do have their differences, and it is our responsibility as religious and spiritual people to learn about them. Not surprisingly, Patel is not mentioned once in Prothero’s article or book.
Although Armstrong, the Dalai Lama, and Ghandi all have focused much of their energy on the Golden Rule, and the oneness of humanity, I do not think any of them would deny that what the world really needs is a well-balanced education about the world’s religions.
Prothero definitely agrees with interreligious education. “We need to understand religious people as they are — not just at their best but also their worst. We need to look at not only their awe-inspiring architecture and gentle mystics but also their bigots and suicide bombers.”
The world’s religions do differ greatly from their traditions, to their life goals, to their perception of God, and there is no denying that these differences continue to cause grave conflict in the world. However, another point that Prothero misses is the common fundamentals that all religions are built on. Religious doctrine is found in every religion and is almost always backed by a political or personal agenda. They are put there to distract us from discovering our true spiritual potential.
It is important to understand these differences between the religions. Ignorance is never a good thing. Especially in light if globalization, being educated about different cultures and religions is essential in avoiding conflict, and helping us navigate effectively and fairly through conflict. However, it is equally important that we also recognize the common humanity in each of the world’s religions. I don’t believe that any religion was created with impure intentions. I do not believe that the elements of compassion, unconditional love, and forgiveness found among the world religions are a coincidence. And for too long, these admirable virtues of the world’s religions have been overshadowed by anger, fear, and hate.
All that being said, I will give Prothero this, “What we need is a realistic view of where religious rivals clash and where they can cooperate. The world is what it is. And both tolerance and respect are empty virtues until we actually know whatever it is we are supposed to be tolerating or respecting.”
Website: www.boston.com
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