• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Relations between religions?

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
My question is - what do the Holy Scriptures of each religion specifically say on the topic of religious tolerance ?

My religion teaches to ‘Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship (Baha’u’llah)

This is clear and direct. So we are encouraged to visit other religions churches, pray and meditate with them and see them as family.

As we go a bit further back to Islam perhaps the best quote I think would be Quran 2:62

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
Quran 2:62

In the Covenants Muhammad made with the Christians He insisted that they be treated with love and kindness .. Ashtiname of Muhammad - Wikipedia

Still, when we consult history and the wars between Muslims and Christians over the centuries, it seems religious tolerance was not well understood back then or plainly ignored.

It seems to me that how religions should treat each other becomes more and more unspecified the further back we go leaving it to interpretation and vested interests to decide.

Are there verses in the Bible that speak of religious tolerance? Also Hinduism and Buddhism seem to be very tolerant why? And I would like to know also what would be the most influential passage in their Books.

The way forward? How best to promote religious tolerance? This seems to be a major issue that we have very few tools to equip ourselves with because to my knowledge it is not an issue that was ever directly dealt with by most Holy Scriptures so we are left with the dilemma of how to create tolerance and peace between religions. I think the times agree that we cannot any longer ignore this issue

But how?
 

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
You can’t create peace between religions without modifying extreme differences, and if you are going to modify the extreme practices of other religions you may as well modify the extreme practices of your own religion.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
There is a lot of discrimination and prejudice between religions and I don’t see any intentions or plans to change this attitude. It’s seems to be fine to demonise those who belong to a different religion.
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
You can’t create peace between religions without modifying extreme differences, and if you are going to modify the extreme practices of other religions you may as well modify the extreme practices of your own religion.
Sure you can. Just quit cultivating greed, hatred, or delusion in your mind, and recognize that individuals will have different perspectives and interpretations. As long as we treat each other with kindness and respect, we can all get along. See verses 16 and 17 of the above linked Kalama Sutta.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Buddhism: reject doctrines that preach greed, hatred, and delusion as harmful, no matter how much pretzel logic they may use to justify it. Accept doctrines that teach an absence of greed, hatred, or delusion as beneficial.
Kalama Sutta: The Instruction to the Kalamas

Thanks very much for that. I read it and love what the Buddha sad on the topic. It does explain a lot why Buddhists tend to love all. Much valued and appreciated.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Humanity has long been deceived by religious leaders that other religions are not true or not from God or from satan yet historically these religions appeared progressively, one following the other which we Bahá’ís believe represented the spiritual evolution of humanity just like our material evolution.

Baha’u’llah says ‘This is the changeless Faith of God Etna life in the past, eternal in the future’ signalling that the different religions were but different stages in our spiritual a development meant to complement each other. Instead selfish leaders have used religion for their own purposes and created divisions.. But now is the time to set the record straight. All religions come from the SAME Source, all religions teach the same truth and all are in harmony.

The only difference is the social laws revealed that were suitable for that time. But for today unity and tolerance is the message not division.

461542F3-1B8E-45D3-BF20-ACA5E8D2737B.jpeg
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Still, when we consult history and the wars between Muslims and Christians over the centuries, it seems religious tolerance was not well understood back then or plainly ignored.

Why would that be? And amongst many other religions. Perhaps because many didn't realise the impact such religions might have?

It seems to me that how religions should treat each other becomes more and more unspecified the further back we go leaving it to interpretation and vested interests to decide.

Are there verses in the Bible that speak of religious tolerance? Also Hinduism and Buddhism seem to be very tolerant why? And I would like to know also what would be the most influential passage in their Books.

Did Christianity anticipate Islam? Did any religion anticipate others in the future?

The way forward? How best to promote religious tolerance? This seems to be a major issue that we have very few tools to equip ourselves with because to my knowledge it is not an issue that was ever directly dealt with by most Holy Scriptures so we are left with the dilemma of how to create tolerance and peace between religions. I think the times agree that we cannot any longer ignore this issue

But how?

Dropping the insistence on literal truths in any text and perhaps realising when such texts were written - and by whom?
 

syo

Well-Known Member
each religion specifically say on the topic of religious tolerance ?
Paganism is an umbrella term for all religions people believe in. In paganism there is no fake religion. So paganism is an extremely tolerant religion mindset. If a religion sees others as fakes, then this religion is not pagan. In my opinion. :)
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Not all religions are about putting down other religions. Besides, that's a huge generalisation for any, as every faith has its liberals and its conservatives. There is a large difference between demeaning an entire religion versus standing up to a few adherents from another faith who are trying to destroy your religion.

Some overall steps would be for governments to outright ban proselytising. It's a negative interaction we can all do without. By definition it demonstrate a superiority attitude. It's also helpful, in my view to look inward, look at your own faith closely, see what it actually says, and if it does admonish others, then discard it. It's similar on an individual level ... be introspective. You can't change others, but you can change yourself, that is if you can see where you might have an unhelpful view.

I do think the more dual (good versus evil) faiths have a harder time of this because of that. If evil exists, there has to be somebody who is evil, and it surely can't be your own faith. Faiths that see a spark of divinity in everyone (Paganism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism) can accomplish interfaith harmony far easier, as it's not at all going against their own doctrine on the nature of humanity.

So there are lots of factors. Personally, I don't see it as getting worse at all, but improving overall.
 
Last edited:

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
The time has come for one and all to challenge the myth that only some are saved or some are cho
Why would that be? And amongst many other religions. Perhaps because many didn't realise the impact such religions might have?



Did Christianity anticipate Islam? Did any religion anticipate others in the future?



Dropping the insistence on literal truths in any text and perhaps realising when such texts were written - and by whom?

Every religion’s Holy Books foretell One to come after. But the leaders refused to acknowledge the subsequent Prophet Who appeared so now we have religion divided.

Had each religion accepted the Prophet that was foretold to next appear in their scriptures, then today there would only be one religion.

We Bahá’ís believe their Divine origin is one. Many lamps but the same Light.

Because of want of leadership and power, leaders of religion refused to acknowledge the subsequent Prophet foretold in their scriptures so their followers followed suite.

In reality they are all one, different rays of the same Sun. But leaders wanted to have their own fiefdoms at the expense of unity and lied to their followers that the subsequent Prophet was a satan and imposter and invariably turned their followers against Them and persecuted some, exiled otters and crucified others, the motive being to hold onto power at all costs not accept the truth.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
The time has come for one and all to challenge the myth that only some are saved or some are cho


Every religion’s Holy Books foretell One to come after. But the leaders refused to acknowledge the subsequent Prophet Who appeared so now we have religion divided.

Had each religion accepted the Prophet that was foretold to next appear in their scriptures, then today there would only be one religion.

We Bahá’ís believe their Divine origin is one. Many lamps but the same Light.

Because of want of leadership and power, leaders of religion refused to acknowledge the subsequent Prophet foretold in their scriptures so their followers followed suite.

In reality they are all one, different rays of the same Sun. But leaders wanted to have their own fiefdoms at the expense of unity and lied to their followers that the subsequent Prophet was a satan and imposter and invariably turned their followers against Them and persecuted some, exiled otters and crucified others, the motive being to hold onto power at all costs not accept the truth.

Seems to me a major flaw in religions - that it is humans who will have to process any such and we all know what a mess we seem to make of virtually everything. No other method of achieving whatever the intent is? We should just accept all the benefits and deficits as it is the only way?
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Paganism is an umbrella term for all religions people believe in. In paganism there is no fake religion. So paganism is an extremely tolerant religion mindset. If a religion sees others as fakes, then this religion is not pagan. In my opinion. :)

I think it’s better to be tolerant and friendly towards all people than be a religionist who shuns people of other Faiths. I was on a forum the other day. I spoke about love for all. I never mentioned my religion at all. Today I found no ‘reply’ buttons all greyed out and I can’t post anymore. The other day I tried to make friends with a Seventh Day Adventist. He came in my home and we had cordial and warm discussion. But after he returned to his people all my attempts to contact him have been ignored and it’s disappointing.

We are all equal human beings but not to some. What’s the purpose of having religion if leaders are telling their followers people from other faiths are satanic and must be shunned?

I was told once that they were forbidden to make friends with people of other faiths lest they get ‘spiritually infected’!!

I’ll just keep trying because love will always trump indifference and prejudice.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Seems to me a major flaw in religions - that it is humans who will have to process any such and we all know what a mess we seem to make of virtually everything. No other method of achieving whatever the intent is? We should just accept all the benefits and deficits as it is the only way?

The sacred scriptures all teach love and brotherhood. The major flaw is that people blindly follow self appointed clergy who sweet talk them into shunning other religionists instead of using their own minds and hearts. Anyone who thinks for himself can clearly see that these prejudices are destructive and nothing to do with religion.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
The sacred scriptures all teach love and brotherhood. The major flaw is that people blindly follow self appointed clergy who sweet talk them into shunning other religionists instead of using their own minds and hearts. Anyone who thinks for himself can clearly see that these prejudices are destructive and nothing to do with religion.

I think it's the additional bits that religions teach which seems to cause all the problems and which seems to be inherent with all religions. And of course we have the interpreters of any religious text who tend to cause divisions within any religion - just another factor to put into the mix. How many religions have survived intact with no dissenting offshoots?
 

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Sure you can. Just quit cultivating greed, hatred, or delusion in your mind, and recognize that individuals will have different perspectives and interpretations. As long as we treat each other with kindness and respect, we can all get along. See verses 16 and 17 of the above linked Kalama Sutta.
The trouble as I see it, is that certain religious rules prevent us from treating each other with kindness and respect, for example laws requiring practicing gays to be fined, or apostasy laws etc.

Therefore I propose that modification of religions may in certain cases be necessary to achieve peace.
 

TransmutingSoul

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The trouble as I see it, is that certain religious rules prevent us from treating each other with kindness and respect, for example laws requiring practicing gays to be fined, or apostasy laws etc.

Therefore I propose that modification of religions may in certain cases be necessary to achieve peace.

In the end we have to ask who has the greater wisdom and if we choose a faith and laws are given, then we choose that wisdom as the elixer.

We do not see the big picture and I see the Messengers know the big picture.

Regards Tony
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
The trouble as I see it, is that certain religious rules prevent us from treating each other with kindness and respect, for example laws requiring practicing gays to be fined, or apostasy laws etc.

Therefore I propose that modification of religions may in certain cases be necessary to achieve peace.
That's politics, not religion.
Reject doctrines that preach greed, hatred, and delusion as leading to long term harm.
 
Top