Part Four:  Religious Pluralism: Why Can’t All Religions Be True?  

 Although secular humanism is essentially atheistic, postmodernism as a worldview is not. Many postmodernists are open to religious beliefs and are spiritual seekers. Unfortunately, however, most gravitate to New Age ideologies rather than Christianity. New Age thinking is more in harmony with postmodern beliefs because it is open to subjective religious experiences and a variety of religious views. New Age spirituality fits nicely with Postmodernism.

Pluralism is the word used to describe the belief that reality consists of many instead of one. Religious pluralism, then, teaches that all religions provide independent paths to God and salvation—whatever they determine that to be. This can mean two things: All of the diverse, distinct religious beliefs are independently true and legitimate, or there is only one “Ultimate Reality” to which all world religions relate but in different ways. The Hindu god, Krishna, supposedly expressed one way to God, Islam another, Christianity another, and so on.

In popular parlance, religious pluralism expresses itself in remarks such as:

• “Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed—all are prophets of God.”
• “All religions are paths to the same mountaintop.”
• “All religions are true; they’re just different.”
• “Christianity may be all right for you, but I prefer Hinduism [or whatever].”

Clearly, religious pluralism is illogical. The major world religions have entirely different views of God, salvation, Jesus Christ, and most other cardinal doctrines. They may all be incorrect, but in reality, only one can be correct. To claim otherwise violates the law of non-contradiction. Christians and like-minded people who recognize and highlight the irrationality of such claims are categorized as bigoted and intolerant:

• “What gives you the right to claim that Christianity is the only true religion.”
• “You Christians are so intolerant; you think you have a monopoly on God.”

Religious pluralism is relativism played in the spiritual arena. In postmodern America, it has become fashionable to promote this view. It’s “politically correct” to accept all faiths as equally legitimate and to denounce religions—in particular, Christianity—that refuse to accept this pluralistic philosophy. Religious pluralism is a serious obstacle to Christianity. It not only removes the unique, saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, but it opens the door to universalism—the fatal belief that everyone will eventually be saved.

The best response to Postmodernism is to demonstrate that only Christianity can justify its beliefs with historical and other objective evidence. No other religion can do this. They are based on feelings, personal opinions, felt needs, or the indefensible dogma of their religious leaders and followers. As the apostle Paul warned, “For the time will come when [unblievers] will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to the have their ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires” (2 Tim. 4:3, NASB).  Bottom line, a person can sincerely believe in religious pluralism and be sincerely wrong. ©

Next week we’ll see why no one can live consistently with moral and religious relativism.