Climbing the Mountain

"There are many paths to the top of the mountain." I hear that phrase a lot in relation to religious beliefs. The logic goes like this: "There are many paths to God, each one equally valid; you just need to figure out which one works for you." This philosophy, which can be described as pluralism, seems to be the emerging "religion" of 21st Century America. Because of a desire to get along with people of other religions, many in our nation seem to be saying that it's better to say that everybody is right in order to avoid any kind of conflict, but I believe that pluralism can be damaging to our culture and our religious lives. Let me give you three reasons to support this statement.

Reason One: Pluralism is illogical. It does not make sense to say that two viewpoints which contradict each other are both true. For example, Christianity makes the claim that in order to enter heaven, one must place his or her faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. On the other hand, Islam states that entering heaven does not take place through belief in Jesus, but rather that one must obey the Five Pillars (or basic teachings) which Muhammad recorded in the Quran. From the perspective of reason, the claims of Christianity and Islam cannot both be true. Either one of them is true or both of them are false, but they cannot both be true.

Reason Two: Pluralism stifles meaningful dialogue. The conversations in our culture have become watered down, and people are afraid to say what they think about religion. I would love for someone to approach me and tell me what he believes, give me substantive reasons for his belief and tell me why I should believe it too. How refreshing that would be, but those interactions are few and far between.

Reason Three: Pluralism keeps people from finding the truth together. If people are afraid to have meaningful conversations about faith, then the human race will struggle to find the truth. If we say, "Everybody is right" and "Whatever works for each person is true," then many people will never find absolute truth. We will miss out on ideas that are true for everyone. Pluralism keeps us from asking the question, "What if my current path does not reach the top of the mountain (God) but leads to a dead end?"

So what's my solution? I know what you're thinking. You think I'm going to say that everyone should become a Christian and then we wouldn't have to deal with these issues. Well okay, I do think that would be great if everyone became a Christian, but I realize that is not the society we live in here in the melting pot of the United States.

Here is my solution: Let's treat people with love and respect, while at the same time speaking the truth openly to others about what we believe and why. Also let's develop a thicker skin when someone says something that we disagree with and engage in meaningful dialogue. Let us be willing to listen to varying viewpoints.

Here are some final thoughts on seeking the truth in religion. If there is a loving God who desires to be in a relationship with human beings, does it not make sense that He would reveal Himself to us in some way? If so, does it make sense that He would reveal Himself in a number of different ways which contradict each other, thus throwing mankind into a state of confusion and chaos? Or, is it possible that there is only one way to God and to the Truth? I believe in absolute truth (something that is true not only for me but for all mankind.) I believe that Jesus Christ is the "way, the truth and the life" and the only path to God (John 14:6), but I also welcome dialogue from those who disagree with that claim. I welcome your thoughts and would love an open, respectful conversation on the subject. Let's search for the truth together and reach the top of the mountain.

The Rev. Dan Allen is the pastor of the Peoples Church in Ashburnham. Allen is one of a number of local worship leaders whose columns appear in a rotating basis in the new "A Simple Word" series.