[Xantar]

Here's something I've figured out after thinking about it for a while recently: all religions are saying the same thing. They're all headed to the same place if you think about them.

Consider the teachings of Buddhism. It teaches (broadly speaking) that people suffer in life and that the only way to escape that suffering is to shed your earthly attachments. This has a number of meanings. The most obvious is that physical objects, money and rich food aren't worth much. Buddha realized that the pursuit of material goods is futile because no matter how much we horde, we will still be unhappy. Getting that new car might make you feel great for a day or two, but it won't take too long before you get used to it and then start wanting that latest, even more expensive new car.

But there's more to it than that. If you simply sold all your possessions, you still would be miserable. What you have to do is believe, truly believe, that none of it matters. And that's hard. The vast majority of us will fail at that. You try looking at a gold statue and rock statue and believing that they're really all the same. What you have to realize is that you only place value in the one over the other because you've been taught to believe that it is more valuable. But if you had been raised all your life believing that gold is useless and aluminum is to be coveted, who is to say that's not an equally valid view of the world? It's all just a trick your mind plays on you.

And isn't that the same thing as what Judaism, Christianity and Islam teach? In their own way, they are all saying that these earthly possessions around us mean nothing. It's the afterlife that counts (in Buddhism, it's the reincarnation). But here's the thing: many Christians, just like many Buddhists, can't fully grasp the implications of their religion. You probably know someone who goes to church and repeats all the phrases but still experiences moments of doubt and unhappiness. It's part of the same problem. They are still too attached to the world. They don't grasp the bigger picture.

We all know in our heart of hearts whether we are spiritually fulfilled or not. If you are and you look deep within yourself, you might realize that it has very little to do with the fact that you refer to God under one name and not another. Rather, it's because you've absorbed the teachings of His religion, whichever it is, about how to live your life and how to see the world.

Why argue about believing in one God or another? His existence can't be proven or disproven by His very nature, so arguments (or wars) on the matter are pointless. It's just going to make you sad, frustrated or dead. And why should following your religion cause you anguish? It doesn't make sense.

So if you're satisfied with your beliefs after thinking about them closely, then so be it. I'm happy for you. But if you really are so confident in your beliefs, you will also have realized that you have no need to convince anybody else to see it your way.