Many paths. One truth.

Pluralism. It's a word that is becoming more popular in our culture. It basically means that there are many different viable religious options available for you.

Syncritism. It's a word that is a little less commonly known, but frequently practiced. It basically means that all religions are good and you can take bits and pieces from each religion and blend them with your own.

Religious pluralism (that is, religions co-existing together) isn't necessarily dangerous in an of itself, as long as the religions can live peacefully with each other. Syncritism, on the other hand, is a spiritually dangerous condition.

It's becoming more and more popular to assert that all religions are good and they all ultimately discuss the same thing and lead to the same thing in the end. On Sunday I discussed the fallacy of this argument, particularly through a discussion on Buddhism. There are many similarities between how Buddhists are prescribed to behave and how Christians are, particularly in acting and speaking with honesty and integrity, doing good to others, etc. But the motivation for doing good, and the foundational beliefs of each, couldn't be more opposite from each other.

Ultimately Buddhism does not worship a god. Christianity claims to worship the one and only true God. Ultimately the destination of an enlightened Buddhist is parinirvana, which is an escape from all desire, and essentially nothingness. The destination that Christians proclaim is a conscious fulfilling reality with God forever. The "lay" Buddhist, or non-monk, really has no hope of Nirvana. The best that an ordinary Buddhist can hope for is to follow the Four Noble Truths and the eight steps well enough to build enough good Karma to be reincarnated as a monk, who can then, if the steps are performed well enough, enter Nirvana. Protestant Christians, on the other hand, believe in the priesthood of all believers. The one who believes is saved by grace through faith, not works.

To me it seems clear that these are two different paths to two very different destinations. Buddhism and Christianity don't even try to answer the same questions. Buddhism tackles the question of suffering. Christianity talks about suffering, but only within the context of sin and death, and separation from God. Buddhists want to escape suffering. Christians embrace it, and have even been saved through it (the suffering of Christ). If Christ would have tried to escape suffering, there would be no salvation for us.

So I say this all not to bash Buddhists, but to show the logical fallibility of claiming that all religions essentially teach the same thing and lead to the same ultimate destination. If those destinations are the exact opposite of each other, I don't see how that can be true.

It was great to worship with you this weekend!

God bless you as you seek Him, and I will see you next week at the Gathering.

In Him,
-Tim