How can there be a divine truth among the cacophony of conflicting views among the world’s religious and spiritual traditions?
Some religions teach self-realization. Another promised illumination. Still others offer deliverance or salvation. Some are theists and some are not. Even within each major religion there are numerous subdivisions that vary in their teachings; Catholic and Protestant Christianity, Sunni and Shia Islam, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. Given all the seemingly huge differences, we may wonder how different religious and non-religious spiritual beliefs can be correct. If they can’t, then is a divine truth an illusion?
Sometimes we deny what we don’t see
There is a legend about an Indian king. He was advised by 5 wise men who thought they knew everything. The king blindfolded them and then they brought an elephant to court. They had never seen this animal before. They were asked to tell the king what they thought it was. The first sage touched the body and thought it was a wall, the second touched the leg and thought it was a tree, the third touched the ear and said it was a fan, and the fourth touched the trunk and thought it was a snake. , and the fifth thought the tail was a piece of string. All the sages came up with different aspects of the one truth. But they argued about what it was. They denied what they could not understand.
Is this a bit like any of us being asked what is the truth behind reality? People sometimes deny what they don’t see. They like to be right, so they tend to argue about what they think.
As each of us follows our inner journey, we often do not see our path clearly. Perhaps we all have our blind spots. And, like the men in history, do not each of the different religious traditions perceive only a part of the truth? And sometimes they deny what they don’t see? Not surprisingly, they maintain their own religious identities.
“The reality is that all religions make absolute truth claims about God. For example, Catholics and other Christians declare that God is a trinitarian communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Islam holds that God is simply one … Hinduism acknowledges the existence of hundreds of deities, while Buddhism seems not to believe in God, at least in a personal God.” (Doug Culp, Catholic writer)
Exclusiveness
The denial of the unseen can be seen in the attitude of exclusivism that is sometimes found in faith traditions. This is shown, for example, if a Christian were to ask:
“If I am right in believing that the only way to salvation is to have faith in Jesus as my Savior, then how can those who do not believe this be saved?”
There are reasons to suggest that people attracted to the exclusive attitude tend to be somewhat concrete in their thinking, who like certainty without ambiguity. I would say that this kind of stubbornness creates a clear ingroup that attracts other believers who like to feel like they belong. In other words, the kind of community distinguishable from those outside of it, who are seen as clearly wrong.
However, it is very difficult to learn something of the full scope of human religious beliefs and practices throughout the world and then imagine that God simply spoke the complete and unique truth to one’s very particular tradition. That would strike many as suspicious and more than a little selfish.
Commonalities between religious traditions
Despite their differences, religious believers often have things in common with those of other religious traditions.
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The acceptance of two realms of reality – first a realm of physical objects and second a realm of consciousness, not limited by space or time.
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The recognition of a divine spark within us is generally said to be inseparable from the source and ground of all reality.
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The improvement of one’s own spiritual nature as the greatest love of human existence itself.
And what stands out is the integrity, honesty and humanity of many religious people with different beliefs and practices.
Swedenborg in mid-heaven
Swedenborg describes the state of existence after bodily death of those who do not fully understand divine truth. Different groups have only a partial appreciation of how things really are at heart. These less advanced spiritual groups inhabit what he calls the ‘spiritual sky’, a level of the heavens that is lower than the highest ‘celestial’ sky.
In matters of faith, the variety is so great that no community, not even one member of a community, agrees completely with any other on the things that constitute the truths of the faith. (CA 3267)
This does not sound much like a consensus on a divine truth. Swedenborg attributes this to a lesser spiritual condition with less wisdom than those in a higher state. So, in the middle heavens, they need their religious teachings because their understanding of divine truth is relatively obscure. Lacking direct insight into divine truth, they require teachings to guide and inform them of what good deeds are. Being less humbly receptive to the influx of love and wisdom, they tend to have a haughty attitude. I guess this results in everyone adhering to their own faith tradition.
Swedenborg on the celestial state
Instead, on the highest heavenly level, Swedenborg holds that one has direct intuitive feeling about divine truth. As a consequence, those in this state of heart and mind would naturally know what to think and do that is good. This requires them to humbly attune themselves to the good of love. Such people see and grasp divine truth on this basis. There is no need to talk or reason about religious beliefs.
On the contrary, the moment these heavenly people hear what is inwardly true, they immediately grasp it and recognize it as divine truth.
These are they of whom Christ said:
‘All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.’ [Matthew 5:37.]