Why is one religion any better than any other?
Before you respond with why yours is better than mine first consider a few thoughts about the nature of our human language and how it relates to personal dogma. A dogma is a set of principles laid down by some authority you respect above all others. For other people absolute authority comes from within. In either case, wherever you place your authority, either out there in some person or some book, or within from your own insights, we are still bounded by the nature and limitations of our human language.
In order to have meaningful language, you have to have a set of assumptions or axioms you consider to be true without proof. From that point. you are then able to make statements in the language you can identify as being true or insane. For example, just like the word God is used in religion, science has the word "Time". Time doesn't exist anywhere. I can't touch it. I can't see it. Yet it's everywhere and eternal according to the scientists. Here's a really cool article on the idea that Time is not real:
"There Is No Such Thing As Time"
But this thread is not about Time but why is one religion better than any other. Again, consider the nature of language and having axioms. Every system of thought has a set of axioms. This is where everything breaks down in communication between people. People generally do not share the same set of axioms or are even aware that they have a set of ideas they accept as being true without any proof. It's just the way it is between people. So if my axioms are NOT the same as yours, then things I will say will seem insane to you. And things you say will seem insane to me. And if you can ascertain what someone else's axioms are in a conversation, then if your mind is big enough to pretend they are true, then you can see what the other person considers to be "truth" from their point of view.
Every religion, regardless of the source, has a set of assumptions or axioms that are considered to be absolute truth. These axioms are not challenged and do not require evidence or proof of their validity for the faithful. Either they are given to you through a book from some authority you consider to be the source of truth.
For people who believe in the Old Testament God, they have a set of axioms most people would not accept as being true. But this does not mean their dogma is better or worse than the dogma you and I have.
So now the question becomes, in my way of thinking, what set of axioms are the "right" set to have? I'm not sure there is a correct set as far as I can tell. I like to figure out what other people consider to be axioms. I'm like a collector of thought systems. I hold sets of axioms to be true like wearing clothing. So based on this axiomatic language way of thinking ALL religions are equally true and valid to the faithful.
What I find really amusing is how people continue being a proponent of a particular believe system as if their own either spoken or unspoken axioms are God's given truth. Everyone has their own dogma. And my dogma is the only right one! The rest of you are insane! Prove me wrong and I will call you teacher.
P.S. Dear Moderators, I may have created this in the wrong area. Please move if required based on your dogma. Thanks.
