by Jules Willis

Created on: August 27, 2008

The debate on which religion is the best has raged for centuries. Many religious individuals feel passionately about the superiority of their religion. Within Christianity alone, there are many different sects, all of which lean toward the belief that their own signature brand of Christianity is superior to those of their rival religions.

Look, if you will, at some of the religious conflicts that are presented when Catholicism and Protestantism are compared. The Catholic Church and Protestant churches differ in many beliefs. Prior to Vatican II, the Catholic Church consistently taught that the only avenue to salvation and heaven was through the Roman Catholic Church and only Catholics would be saved and gain entrance to heaven. It was believed that the followers of other religions, even Christian denominations would be routed to Hell for eternity.

Catholics and Protestants agree on some theological matters but they don't agree on all. Matters such as the immaculate conception, Jesus being sin-free, the crucifixion and resurrection, the second coming and the atonement given to sinners through the crucifixion of Christ are areas of agreement.

Some of the issues that the two groups have disagreement on are the Bible as the sole authority for the beliefs and practices which govern Christianity. Protestantism holds that the Bible is that authority, whereas Catholicism stresses a balance between Biblical authority and the tradition of the church itself. Protestants believe that they are given salvation directly through the grace of God. Catholics believe that it is necessary to have the church and its sacraments as a channel for the grace of God. Protestants believe that the way to salvation lies in the individual's belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and the Catholics once again believe that the way is through the church.

With all of the disagreement among Christians, it isn't surprising that other faiths also believe themselves to be superior. Islam and Christianity have roots that parallel each other and yet extremists on both sides chide the other as infidels and savages. Yet both, along with Judaism have roots that revere Abraham and are sometimes called Abrahamic religions. Yet, in spite of the roots that they share they have also at times shared a hatred of each other. This so true that Christians and Muslims have had religiously based conflicts so extreme as to result in genocide.

Why all the hatred and conflict? Why must one religious faction believe itself to be superior to others? Perhaps it is just human nature. Isn't it possible that there is no religion that is superior? Perhaps God just speaks to people in a language that they can understand and relate to. For some, an understanding of Christ as a Savior who atones for the sins of sinners and for others, Buddha who seeks enlightment through a journey of humanness. Right or wrong? Perhaps only a language that the individual might understand. After all, how can finite beings such as humans hope to understand the infinite if not in a simplistic language that they arde able to relate to.

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