The World's Major Religions: Many Paths to God?

Are the world's major religions complementary?

Are they alternative paths to the same place?

Do they each provide a part of the ultimate truth, which is only understood when they are all blended together, providing a holistic perspective on the one ultimate truth?

PLURALISM
 Pluralism is the view that gives parity to all religions. They are all equally true or, alternatively, equally untrue. I will put aside the latter as that gets into the question of whether God exists, which is a topic all by itself. What about the position that all religions are equally true—the idea that all faiths are essentially teaching the same thing and heading in the right direction? There is a Japanese saying that although there may be different paths to the mountain peak, from that point one sees the same moon.

In reality, there are sharp and fundamental differences between all of the world's religions. The result of trying to blend them all together is not a coherent, complementary and seamless whole like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together. The result is a hodgepodge of often conflicting and opposed views. Many may have some belief in a messiah or savior or in something like the Golden Rule, but beyond that the differences emerge.

For example, Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God; Jews do not. Muslims believe that Mohammed was a Prophet of God; Mormons believe Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.  Christians and Jews do not.

I do not believe that all religions are equal. In the words of an online essayist named Dan Clendenen, "I'll never grant David Koresh religious parity with Mother Teresa. I don't think that Aztec human sacrifice and Buddhist almsgiving can expect equal allegiance. Hindu widow-burning, female infanticide, phallic worship, and the mass suicide of 913 people at Jim Jones' 'People's Temple' in northern Guyana all strike me as badly wrong."

EXCLUSIVISM
 In sharp contrast, Christianity and Islam each claim to be the only right path to God. That is, only they alone have the truth; all other religions are false. This view is known as exclusivity. "Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" Many Christians cite this verse from the gospel of John to support an exclusive claim that Christianity is the only true religion and that there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ.

Jesus' words prompt us to ask two questions: Is Christianity the only true religion? Will people other than Christians be saved?

So, as you can see, we are presented with two possibilities. The first, pluralism, is that all religions lead us to the same destination, albeit using different paths. If this is true, then it does not matter, for example, if you or I choose to be Christians or Buddhists. Despite our differences, we will all arrive at the same end as others who have chosen different spiritual paths. We will all meet up in heaven and we will all come to know God.

The second possibility (if true), exclusivism, does not offer this warm and rosy blanket assurance. If there is only one true or valid religion and you or I choose the wrong one, then that spiritual path leads to disaster and ruin. That being so, if I know of people who have chosen the wrong path, I may well want to warn them of the peril they face by making the wrong choice.

The third possibility, which I dismissed at the outset, is that all world religions are wrong. For if that is indeed true, then there is no point in our spiritual quest because it is impossible to find ultimate truth given that all religions are nothing more than human fantasy.

Is it narrow-minded and bigoted for Christians to contend that Christianity has an exclusive claim to the truth and that all other religions are false?