Choices to consider

Imagine that it is Sunday and you are chilling
on your couch while suddenly your doorbells ring. You wonder who it might be.
You go to the door and open it. There are two men, smiling. Both want to talk
about their religion and for some unknown reasons, you invite them for a cup of
tea. While they are talking about their religious beliefs, you examine them. Both
look nice, friendly, smiling a lot and are very enthusiastic about their
religious ideas. And they talk about great religious teachings, about peace,
about lawful order, divine wisdom and so on. You think that this is all nice
and you wonder where the difference is between both men, respectively their
beliefs. After a while, this is still not clear and so you ask both how they
became followers of their religions. The first one explains that long time ago
a wise man came into his village and started teaching about love, compassion, the
spiritual nature of humans, the higher realms, about ethics, etc. and the path
to inner peace and happiness. This wise man was able to convince the whole
village to follow him and through many generations all followers were able to
see the truth and the good in it.

You think that this is truly nice and
positive. Now, you are curious what the other one will say.

He says that in the past his family and
indeed all people of his country were followers of a different religion. But
one day, they were attacked and conquered by an emperor of the neighbor country.
This emperor forced all people to convert to his religion. The decision was
simple, – convert or lose your head. And so most people converted and since
then everyone is happy with the new religion, the only true religion.

You think for yourself that this is very
convincing. Force is always so convincing and the option to lose your head is
even more convincing. It must be a wonderful religion.

Now you want to know a little bit more and
so you ask about the conditions of membership.

The first one says that his religion is
more a positive attitude towards life and all living beings. There is no force
but only the higher sense and truth. So, when people understand these things,
they will follow the teachings and stay. But even if they want to leave it is
no problem because the teachings say that there are many ways for
self-realization.

You think that this sounds good. And what
does the other one says?

He says that there is only one lawful way
to serve God and to live a righteous life and so it is a must to join the
community of followers. Force and death penalty are necessary to maintain the God-given
order. For the good followers, there are waiting great rewards while all others
are punished and tortured in hell for all times. This must be understood. All
those who follow different beliefs have no human value. They are like cattle
and need to be treated in this way.

Again, this sounds very convincing. You
imagine how you receive the great rewards when you are dead from this
all-loving God while everyone else is burning in hell. And you understand how
useful the death penalty for infidels is and that not all humans can be equal. Some
are meant to rule while others are meant to work hard for the rulers like
slaves, being exploited like cattle. This simply must be the true religion, the
right belief.

Or is there something wrong? Does truth
need any force? Does an all-loving God need to punish or torture anyone? And if
teachings are wise, beneficial and good, would they need any force to keep
people as followers?

Many questions to consider. What is good? What
is evil? What is true? And what is deceptive? And how would you decide?