Different Religious Beliefs
(conversation with Ven. Man Ya)
Q :
I have decided to change my religion from the one I was brought up with. I never felt very confortable with my previous religion and though that as an adult I could choose a religion that was more meaningful to me. My friends cannot accept this and have told me that my religion is dead-end street. I find it quite arrogant that they believe that only their religion has any validity. I do not try to convert them to my religion and I support them in their beliefs. I do not understand why they cannot accept that my choice of religion is a personal decision.
A :
In this world we should have many religions to meet people's needs. Religion should be helping people to join their hands together as one. Sadly, a lot of people choose a certain religion and they want to change
other people's faith by trying to convert them to join a different religion. They do not know that religion is only a tool to open up our minds to be one with another. Religion should help us to realize the truth: there are not many truths to be realized. Just like we take different routes to get to the same destination, we could choose any religion that is being taught in a way that will open up our minds, help us to let go more, and become one with others. If everybody has this kind of healthy understanding of the purpose of religion, the world would be unity. Otherwise, we are going to have a war between religions. Religion is going to become an obstacle that prevents us from being united with other people, other culture, other nationalities, and other religions.
So, the truth cannot be realized by a religious person with a closed mind. Whatever a defiled religious person understand is not God's message or Buddha's message. It is only the
individual's narrow-minded point of view. If we as human feel that we want to separate people because they have different religions, we must have some attachment and narrow-minded thinking : we must have the wrong understanding of religion. We sholud encourage people to be in a church, a temple, a mosque, or wherever the teaching can motivate and empower them to reach out and become one with others. So, with our ignorant minds we easily reject another religion, person, or culture. If a person rejects other people's religions, they must have a habit to reject others from a narow-minded point of view. Do not feel hurt, but understand that this person is feeling separated from you; he is closing himself up and he does not let the light shine through. He is in darkness, and is scared and frightened. He only has one way to reach out to be with people. It is actually showing the weakness of this person,because he does not see that opportunity is everywhere and that it never
disappears. It is only a signal telling us that he is not rejecting this religion, but that he is closing himself off from the opportunity to be in reality and to be with what is happening.
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