All of the world’s great religions including Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism provide a specific worldview to their followers (Samovar, Poter, McDaniel, & Roy, February 7, 2012). Even though different religions provide different worldviews, they often have similar messages such as the need to do good deeds because the rewards in next life are determined by the nature of the deeds in the current life. The unfortunate fact is that the followers of the great religions are often more focused on differences than similarities. Similarly, there are few sincere efforts to engaging in communication.
There is no reason why great religions can’t learn to talk to each other if they take make serious efforts. One key to great understanding is focusing on similarities. For example, all three Abrahamic faiths such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe in the life hereafter and are monotheistic in nature. Both Judaism and Islam don’t believe in original sin. All three religions have sacred book which share some of the messages. Another strategy to make great religions talk to each other is greater exchange of ideas among them. As the followers of these religions share ideas, they will be able to identify their bias and inaccurate concepts about each other. Similarly, Buddhism and Confucianism also have many similarities between them such as no god and founder of their respective religions being a teacher (Samovar, Poter, McDaniel, & Roy, February 7, 2012).
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"Can Great Religions Learn to Talk to Each Other".
It is ironical that most of the world’s great religions have borrowed material from each other yet their followers can’t seem to get along with each other. The followers of the great religions may get along better with each other if they become better aware of their sense of righteousness which discourages flexibility in opinions regarding other religions.
- Samovar, L. E., Poter, R. E., McDaniel, E. R., & Roy, C. S. (February 7, 2012). The Deep Structure of Culture. In Communication Between Cultures (8th ed., p. 432). Cengage Learning.
- Samovar, L. E., Poter, R. E., McDaniel, E. R., & Roy, C. S. (February 7, 2012). Worldview: Cultural explanations of life and death. In Communication Between Cultures (8th ed., p. 432). Cengage Learning.