Religious Exclusivism - The Root of War - The Great Divide - A Call for Tolerance

The most essential defining aspect of the human being, that which separates us from all other animals on this planet, is our vast sense of wonder; for reasons unknown, we are equipped with a mind capable of envisioning another reality beyond the one we perceive each and every day. The conception of this higher, perfect reality has resulted in the formation of countless spiritual beliefs and religious institutions that mankind has developed over the course of history. But from where does this sense of spirituality arise? Surely it cannot be our brain, our senses, or any other part of our physiological nature, because these faculties are almost identically mirrored in other mammals, particularly those of the Primate family. So what is the explanation of the ineffable “divine” infusions people have continually experienced over time? Alvin Plantinga has reflected on this question, and has proposed that these spiritual affections, or moments of wonder and revelation, is a “natural,” “cognitive faculty” that has the capacity to evoke in someone the “sense of divinity;” to better explain this he uses Thomas Aquinas’ idea of the “sensus divinitatis” (173). The sensus divinitatis is the catalyst for any evocation of spirituality one may encounter during life…

But as mankind evolved through the years people began organizing together according to their particular idea of what the divine may be – hence, religions are formed. These religions have, for throughout history, been as diverse as humans themselves: Egyptian spirituality, Greek and Roman Paganism, Ancient Eastern practices of Pantheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Judaism, Islam, Native American spirituality, and innumerable forms of Agnosticism. When setting the undeniable fact of mankind’s desire to practice faith (made evident by religions) alongside the idea of the sensus divinitatus, we can come to one conclusion: People have something within them that has the capability of encountering the divine, which has led to the formation of countless religions throughout history.

In no way am I objecting to the formation of religion as a result of sensing “something out there;” but what is far too often overlooked is the simple fact that everyone cannot be right. The formation of organized worship is a beautiful part of life; the greatly diverse ways in which people cultivate their affections of something so greater than themselves is a beautiful part of life. But what is a sad, inevitable effect trailing right behind the formation of religions is a sharp little word called EXCLUSIVISM (“only we are right”). As people have organized religions to cultivate their affections of the sensus divinitatus, they have also cultivated their arrogance with the notion that only there religion can be right (the exclusivist mentality).

Can we not see that something is obviously within all of us that perceives the divine; and can we not also see that mankind cultivates these manifestations of the divine based on the customs, traditions, and values of his/her particular culture… Can we not see that, regardless of the way in which the story is told, we are all telling the same story of God(s), the afterlife, the ways we can earn salvation, etc.

In our world today wars are tearing families apart, destroying opportunities for children, causing thousands and thousands of people to die. Racism, prejudice, and discrimination thrive, and they thrive so well because of Religious Exclusivism. If we use our reason, we can quickly recognize that everyone senses the divine. If we take that reason just a little farther, we can quickly recognize that different cultures cultivate the manifestations of the divine in different ways. Either there are many gods in this great cosmos and each god is assigned to a particular place, or there is one god manifesting itself in all people. All knowledge of the Divine is pure speculation. Sure, we may be able to sense a “presence,” but anything more than that is …well, how wars begin.

In leaving, I ask all to practice Tolerance across the globe in a sympathetic understanding towards different expressions of faith, culture, and art. We are losing the brotherhood of humanity as a result of our blind reason – because we think different is wrong – and if we do not come together shortly, all hope for a brighter tomorrow will be swallowed by radiation as mankind presses on in the great divide.