Illusions of Pluralism

Karen Olson writes in an opening essay in the current issue of Utne:

"When I was 20 I was engagd to marry a soon-to-be-ordained Lutheran minister. While he was preparing to devote his life to being a spiritual leader in one church, I was in college and just beginning to sutdy world religions, large and small. Learning about different traditions leads some people deeper into their own faith. Others find reason to convert, or to reject God or religion altogher. For me, delving into the ways people express their connection ot the sacred, or map their understanding of the universe, made the world bigger and richer and more exciting than I could have imagined. It also changed my love life.

Testing the waters I asked my fiance' how he would feel if I decided to become, say, a Buddhist.

'If it's right for you, I would respect that,' he replied. I was happily surprised and relieved by his response. But I was even more surprised at my reaction after he asked, 'The question is, will you still respect me if I remain a Christian?'

That was a humbling moment, one that proved to be a crossroads in my life. I found I couldn't immediately say yes, and I was mortified."

Olson goes on to speak about her spiritual quest that is shaped by a quote by Ghandi: "All religions are true."

All of this raises for me some questions. If all religions are true, does that mean that Olson can respect Christians as well as, say, Buddhists? If a person believes that Islam is "truer" than Judaism, does that mean that the Muslim is less tolerant than a person who believes that all religions are true? Or if a person holds that all religions are true and another person holds that one religion is true, who is really the more tolerant or right?

I guess I'm thinking that human beings would be much better off if we resist the foolishness of fundamentalism (resorting to violence to prove our religious ardour). But I think that the pious sounding notions that every one has truth needs to be rejected as well. It is neither helpful or tolerant or kind. To make the claim that all religions are true is just as narrow a statement as saying that Christianity is only true religion. Both are absolute statements that leave anyone who disagrees out in the dark.

We need to wrestle with the realities of living in a diverse, pluralistic world. But claiming a pluralistic approach for the answer is nothing more than adding another religion to the list.

Maybe Olson's one-time fiance' had a good starting place. What would happen if we began by offering respect to persons for their religious or spiritual vision? What would happen if we engaged in really trying to practice the heart of whatever faith we claim?