Is it difficult to know?

In these days when different religions jostle for space it's difficult to know quite where to turn or which to trust.

The atheists and humanists are more and more vociferous, and sometimes seem as militant as those at the other extreme. But they may have a point about God not existing; it's difficult to know.

The Christians keep disagreeing - protestants vs catholics, evangelicals vs liberals, Church of England vs Church of England. Who knows whether any group is right? But perhaps God does exist; it's difficult to know.

Then there are the Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Confucianists, and many others - each different, each with sincere believers. One God or many gods? A human God, a monkey god, or a god within? It's difficult to know.

Then there are those who are 'vaguely spiritual but not religious' - anything from reflecting in quiet spaces to believing in crystals and tree-hugging. Have they just taken bits and pieces from other religions or cultivated their own particular idea, and so ended up with a personalised 'pick and mix' blend - a religion specifically tailored to each one? It's difficult to know!

But which is true or do they all lead to the same end? That's the trouble: it's difficult to know…

Here are some questions that may help you to decide and come to know:

1. Is it of human or divine origin? We can admire and learn from human wisdom, but a religion requires something 'other' and greater. To worship (rather than admire) a human being is perverse.
2. Is it based in history or in myth? Myths can be beautiful, bring a sense of wisdom and have many levels of meaning; we can learn about ourselves, others and the world from myths. But that is not the same as worshipping a God quite beyond the human realm.
3. Is it based on following behavioural rules that need to be obeyed, or is there a living relationship with God? Following rules is a reassuringly familiar process, though can often lead to disillusionment. But then we have come down to a simple matter of human effort, rather than knowing God.
4. Are you looking at a culture or a religion? The two often overlap but are not the same. A religion involves giving one's life in the service of a higher power; a culture means behaving in ways that are familiar within a community.
5. What happens to those who decide to stop believing? Disagreement and disapproval from other believers is one thing, but if there is coercion, threats or force to continue 'believing', then you can be sure that this is not about belief but about social pressure or power.

Here are some things that may appear useful guides, but I doubt they really are:

1. What does science say? Scientific investigation can tell us many useful things, but in the realm of spiritual beliefs it has no way of knowing or making any useful comment.
2. Are the followers sincere? This is not a good way of deciding what is true, as the followers of all religions are sincere (in the main), otherwise they would stop believing! You cannot distinguish religions on the basis of their believers' sincerity.
3. Does the religion have a lot of believers? Although most of the great world religions have millions, even billions of followers, they differ in such fundamental ways that they are incompatible; they cannot all be right.

And that last point also tells us that they are definitely not all leading to the same end!