Read Time: Approx. 4 min.

As we pull out of the gate on this topic, it is important to note that the following is not at all an attempt to prove or denounce any particular religion or belief system, but rather to call into question the present notion that all religions/belief systems are equally true. 

There are generally two primary ways that people interpret the “coexist” concept.  On the one hand, it means, “let’s agree to disagree so we can live in peace.”  In that case, COEXIST not only makes sense, but is a call that if responded to, would result in world peace.  On the other hand, the “coexist” concept has become the most succinct way of saying:
▪  All roads lead to God
▪  God is too big to fit into one religion
▪  It doesn’t matter what a person believes as long as they’re sincere and it works for them
▪  That’s ‘your’ truth but ‘my’ truth is… (fill in the blank).  
It is this latter understanding of the “coexist” concept that I would like to address. 

This second “coexist” concept is known as relativism which states that there is no such thing as truth.  Therefore, all truth is relative or only true as each individual views it to be.  Admittedly, this idea is appealing because it is both philosophically and politically correct…especially for those who prefer not to offend others by suggesting that what they believe may not be true, especially when what they believe is so important to them and may have been passed on to them from generation to generation.  

However unpopular it may be to disagree with this increasingly popular belief, I would like to encourage you to think about how illogical relativism is.  Let’s start by applying this reasoning to the following real life examples… 

What if your children came home from school to tell you that their teacher said the answer to 4+4 was whatever they believed it to be…that mathematics is relative and there were no wrong answers?  What if they told you their science teacher told them that they could mix any chemicals together they believed would not cause an explosion?  Or, what if a loved one was raped and at their trial you heard the judge say, “Ma’am, your truth is that he raped you and sir, your truth is that it wasn’t rape because she wanted it.  Case dismissed.”  Would you argue that there is no such thing as truth in these cases because all truth is relative? 

In the real every day world in which we live, no one lives their lives as if all truth is relative because a) it doesn’t work and b) it would be not only illogical, but ridiculous.  Why?  Because relativism contradicts reality.  While something can be true and not true at different times, nothing can be true and not true at the same time.  I can be in Maine at 12pm today and in California at 12pm tomorrow, but I can’t be in both Maine and California at 12pm on the same day.   

We know for a fact that some people believe things that are not true.  We get angry and or hurt when people lie to us because they withhold the truth from us.  Regarding the math, science and courtroom examples above, there are answers that are obviously either true or false.  And just because a person believes their answer to be correct doesn’t make it so.  When it comes to our everyday lives, no one lives as if nothing is true and everything is relative.  That being the case, why is it so hard to apply that same logic to religion?     

Like it or not, everyone cannot hold to contradictory religious beliefs and be equally correct.  When we apply the logic we use every day in the real world to religion, we will have to come to the conclusion that there can only be one truth.  (This point is elaborated further in What About Other Religions?)

Since we live by this line of thinking when it comes to every day life, why then do we throw logic away when it comes to theology and philosophy?   A very plausible answer is that not many people want to embrace a belief system that would make their present likes and/or lifestyle off limits. 

As we conclude, here are a few questions for you…
§  What do you believe and why?
§  What foundation is your belief based on?
§  Do you believe what you believe because it’s popular or been “handed down” to you?  
   If so, don’t forget that there was a time when the entire world believed that the world was flat!
§  If you question other beliefs, do you ask as many hard hitting questions about your beliefs? 
   If not, why?   

One final thought.  We’re all on a spiritual journey so it is sad to see people judging and condemning those who don’t believe as they do.  This practice is wounding, divisive and condemned in the Bible.