Problems of comparing religions

A case study: Shared recognition of the indwelling divine spirit?

Phrases from diverse scriptures

• Hinduism: the atman, the eternal spirit Self

• (Mahayana) Buddhism: the Buddha-nature within

•  Judaism: “The spirit in man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts.” Proverbs 20.27

•  Christianity: “The kingdom of heaven is within you.”  Luke 17.21

•  Islam: “We created man.  We know the promptings of his soul, and are closer to him than his jugular vein.”  Qur’an 50.17

Objections to the thesis that these  traditions share the same insight

Apparent similarities can be misleading when you rely on

• texts--which do not necessarily portray insight or experience

• translations into a single language--which cannot express subtle, foreign vocabulary

• phrases taken out of context, which greatly affects the meaning

Replies to objections

• Texts may express experience.

•   People sometimes find kindred minds and spirits across alleged “boundaries” of language and culture.

•  Context does not completely determine meaning.

Questions to consider

•  What motivates people to affirm or deny that different religions share the same idea, insight, or experience?

•  What would be the implication of deciding that different religions did or did not share some core idea or insight?

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