# How do the different Religions explain each other?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-different-religions-explain-each-other/123664>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 13, 2002, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-different-religions-explain-each-other/123664 "2002-08-13T10:50:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-different-religions-explain-each-other/123664/21 "2002-08-15T17:15:49Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by UDS \*  
> \*\*Why just one of those five answers?
> 
> Indeed, if answer no 1 is true, then either answer no 3 or answer number 4 must also be true. \*\*

But no. 3 and 4 include no. 1 and 2. Perhaps I sjould have phrased it “Only {A/B} is true.”

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**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-different-religions-explain-each-other/123664/22 "2002-08-15T18:04:43Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sqweels \*  
> **Use logic and maintain an open mind. Empathize with your fellow human beings and understand how your behaviour affects them. Always protect the Earth’s environment because it is the only known place that can support life.**

Those are admirable goals, but they’re based purely on what you value, which may or may not be what God values.

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**Author:** ![ElJeffe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ElJeffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElJeffe)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-different-religions-explain-each-other/123664/23 "2002-08-15T22:43:53Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> * * *
> 
> ## Originally posted by sqweels Use logic and maintain an open mind. Empathize with your fellow human beings and understand how your behaviour affects them. Always protect the Earth’s environment because it is the only known place that can support life.
> 
> Those are admirable goals, but they’re based purely on what you value, which may or may not be what God values.

True, but it’s probably pretty close to what God values. No one knows completely what God _really_ wants, even fundamentalist Christians. That’s why there are so many denominations that have so many arguments about what the Bible “really” says. I think that “do unto others” is a good approximation of what the Bible tells you to do.

Jeff

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**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-different-religions-explain-each-other/123664/24 "2002-08-16T02:22:50Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Alessan \*  
> \*\*
> 
> Seems ot mr that in Sshroedinger’s case, uncertainty _is_ the truth. In other words, “there is more than one truth” is also a possible truth. To illustrate:
> 
> There are 2 beliefs, A and B. Now, we have the following options:
> 
> 1. A is true.
> 2. B is true.
> 3. A and B are true.
> 4. A or B is true.
> 5. None of the above.
> 
> One of those 5 answers is has to be Truth. \*\*

This is not valid logic, unless it’s assumed that A and B can only have two values.

(Even if that is assumed, there are only four possiblities, not five:  
A and B are true; A and B are false; A is true, B is false; A is false, B is true.)

One cannot treat A as a variable in some equation, where it can be substituted with equal meaning by “Religion A is true”, “Religion A is theoretically true”, “Part of Religion A is true”, “Fred’s conception of Religion A is true”. These are wholly different types of statements. Any might be a subject for a debate, but the debates would center around largely different issues.

In none of the cases is it likely that many people would claim the statements are entirely true.

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