Religious Pluralism

I agree with John Hick: there is no one religion whose adherents stand out as morally and spiritually superior to the rest of the human race. All traditions have their saints, their politicians, and their sinners.

The best of each religion or philosophy is, ultimately, the mystic—one who directly experiences Ultimate Reality. Only they access something humanity as a whole needs. They know the goal, the path, and many of the pitfalls.

Once you realize that all religions have their strengths and limitations, you begin to loosen your attachment. You can learn from all while clinging to none. There is not one path to the mountaintop, but many. You become open to truth wherever it appears.

There is great freedom in being unattached to any single religion or philosophy. You retain the capacity to remain a beginner, continually learning at the feet of truth. You begin to approach others’ beliefs with an eye toward understanding rather than a disposition to disprove. This openness expands the mind and heart, allowing you to see through illusion—not only theirs, but your own.