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A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
OF THE MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS
FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
by Ernest Valea

The goal of this site is to investigate whether or not

there is sufficient evidence to prove that world
religions are complementary, according to the model
inspired by an old Indian tale - that of the blind men
who tried to describe an elephant. It is said that once
upon a time a king gathered a few men who were born
blind. They were asked to describe an elephant, but
each one was presented with only a certain part of it.
To one was presented the head of the elephant, to
another the trunk, to another its ears, to another the
leg, the body, the tail, tuft of the tail, etc. The one who was presented with the head said: "The
elephant is like a pot!" The one who was presented the trunk answered, "The elephant is like a
hose." The one who touched only the ears thought that the elephant was a fan, the others said that it
was a pillar, a wall, a rope, a brush, etc. Then they quarreled among themselves, each thinking that
he was the only one right and the others were wrong. The obvious truth is that the elephant is a
unity of many parts, a unity that they could not grasp in their ignorance.
According to the pattern suggested by
this tale, it is often said that world
religions form a unity, and only this
unity provides the right perspective on
ultimate truth. A similar pluralistic trend
is encouraged by the suggestion to
consider the various world religions as
alternative paths to the same
transcendental finality or, using a known
illustration, many paths to the same
mountain peak. Although this vision is arousing a lot of enthusiasm in many people today, it is
important to know that it is not the only one, as Christianity and Islam each claim to be the only
right path to God. Therefore the other option is that world religions are not pieces of the same
puzzle (parts of the same spiritual "elephant") or alternative paths to the same goal.
Theoretically, both possibilities exist. Therefore, a proper evaluation of such opposite views must be
done before we decide on a course of action. If the first is true (all religions lead us to the same
finality), and we choose the second (only one of them is right), we have not lost anything. Despite
our ignorance, we will arrive at the same happy end as the other travelers who have chosen other
spiritual paths. A less happy situation would be given by the second possibility, that a single spiritual
path is valid and we have chosen the wrong one. In this case religious pluralism misleads travelers to
spiritual disaster, so they at least should be warned. A third possibility, that all spiritual paths are
wrong, is denied by the nature of our spiritual quest itself, which demands a real fulfillment.
Otherwise, our hunger for ultimate truth could not be justified and all religions would be nothing but

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human fantasy.
The following articles are not meant merely to generate a conflict of rational proofs for justifying
one or another alternative. No matter how complex and logical the rational proofs on behalf of one
or the other cause might be, it is possible to find counterpoints of the same nature, so that at a
rational level, the dispute could fill many books with no benefit to anyone. Nobody can be persuaded
or converted to one or another religious perspective only through rational proofs. This may be
possible in science, but not in religion. However, rational proofs have to be considered because we
are rational beings. Reason should not be rejected and experience proclaimed the only way of
knowing truth. No divorce between reason and experience should be accepted, because they are
complementary and work together, so that neither can exclude the other. As a result, we do not
have to reject a priori the proofs of reason in our spiritual quest in order to abandon ourselves to the
arms of mystical experiences, whatever their nature might be.
Rather than generating sterile debates, the information presented here should help you clarify your
own stand toward comparative religion and develop a critical ability to analyze today's spiritual
market. Suggestions, comments and critiques are strongly encouraged, with the hope that they will
improve the content of this site. Please make them as specific and clear as possible.
The comparative analysis presented here is focused on Christianity and the major Eastern religions,
especially Hinduism and Buddhism, because they play a major role in defining today's world
spirituality. This is an obvious phenomenon on the Internet too, where a lot of spiritual movements
indebted to classic Eastern doctrines and practices can be found. Some may believe that a
comparative analysis of the major world religions like this may fuel religious hatred and intolerance,
but this is wrong. Religious tolerance and freedom cannot be built on ignorance but rather on the
understanding of commonalities and differences. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of teaching love
for one's neighbor despite religious differences (see The Parable of the Good Samaritan).
Unfortunately, some of his followers have done the opposite. Loving the person is possible even if
one rejects his or her religious convictions.
The Christian approach will be grounded on The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed as statement of
faith, which is common to all three branches of Christianity - Roman Catholicism, Eastern
Orthodoxy and Protestantism. The Holy Bible (NIV ecumenical translation) is acknowledged as the
first doctrinal authority, and second the doctrinal commentaries of the Church Fathers of the first
centuries AD, as far as they are accepted by each of the three branches of Christianity.
The analysis will survey and compare the following defining aspects of all world religions:
1. God or the Ultimate Reality, and creation
2. The human condition
3. Salvation and eternal destiny
4. The nature of evil
5. Conclusion
Special articles refer to more specific issues that have emerged in this debate and need particular
attention:
1. Reincarnation. Its meaning and consequences. Reincarnation and Christianity
2. Possible difficulties in pantheism
3. Possible difficulties in the dualistic Samkhya-Yoga metaphysics
4. Possible difficulties in Yoga as a spiritual path towards transcendence
5. Possible difficulties in the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita
6. Possible difficulties in Buddhism
7. The divine incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity; Jesus Christ and other Saviors and religious

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founders
8. Alleged Eastern equivalent sayings of Jesus Christ
9. The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Buddhism and Christianity
10. Revelation and knowledge in Christianity
11. How can those who have never heard about Christ be saved?
The quotes used for describing each religious perspective belong to scriptures considered to be
firsthand authority by its followers. Some useful links will be suggested for in-depth study and
clarification. A thoroughly comparative study of Christianity and Islam has not been pursued, as
there is enough literature available online on this topic.
Since the domain of comparative religion is so vast, the present analysis is far from being
exhaustive. It had to be limited to a brief account, sacrificing many details and secondary aspects,
but with the hope that global relevance will not be affected. The question is: Can such a comparative
analysis of world religions be unbiased? Unfortunately, it cannot. Nobody can judge religious issues
independently of his or her own religious convictions. This is why the title says "... from a Christian
perspective". Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, etc, may see these things differently, they can even reach
opposite conclusions. But this doesn't mean that such an analysis is useless. All one needs to do is to
look for more information, to try to understand the other perspectives and reach his or her own
conclusions. This is neither the first nor the last attempt to discuss the complementary and divergent
thought among world religions. The discussions, arguments and debates in comparative religion did
not start recently and will certainly not stop until the end of the world, the time when Truth will
reveal itself in fullness.
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Copyright Ernest Valea. No part of this work will be used or reproduced by any means without prior permission from the author.

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