Have you seen the CoExist Bumper Sticker? That bumper can have at least two meanings:

1) Differences in religion have caused many world problems and we have to learn to coexist together. or
2) All religions claim to be the only way but they all lead to the same destination.

Roughly !/3 of the world identifies as Christian. 1/4 identify as Muslim. 15% are irreligious. 15% are Hindu. 6% are Buddhist. In his book, The Reason for God, Tim Keller identifies three ways religion in society is addressed:

1) OutlawReligion - Regimes like China and North Korea and Russia forbid or highly restrict religion. You can be arrested and persecuted for being Christian. Ironically those who thought this approach would lead to more peace has actually brought more oppression. It also doesn't work for there are underground Christians in these countries.

2) Condemn Religion - They discourage religion because they claim that all religions are equally valid nd basically teach the same thing. The fact is that the world largest religions have different truth claims.

Christianity, Islam, and Judiasm all believe in one God. Buddhism doesn't believe in a personal God. Hindus believe God is in everything. They can't all be true because each religion makes exclusive truth claims. Can you say a religion is equally valid that believes in child sacrifice?

3) Privatize Religion - You may have your beliefs but keep them to yourself. It is really difficult to do that because inherent in every religion or belief system are values. Do we believe in survival of the fittest or we should help the poor because God tells us to love our neighbor? It is impossible to leave your ultimate values behind when living life in the public square.

What Do We Believe?
There is a difference between cultural and convictional believers in any religion. Cultural believers believe in general but do not practice their faith. Convictional believers in any religion not only believe but practice.

It is been said the common difference between the world religions and Christianity is the difference of Do Vs. Done. For Hinduism, if you do more good than bad, you will be reincarnated in a better form. If you follow the Four Noble Truths and the 8 fold path in Buddhism, you will detach from the world and experience Nirvanah. If you follow the five pillars of Islam and do more good than bad, you will go to heaven.

Christianity is the opposite. You can't do enough things to earn salvation. Salvation is a gift of God to be received by Christ's work on the cross and his resurrection.

How Do We Relate to People of Other Faiths?
1) We should expect to find truth in other religions - There are many people in other faiths that do good, help the poor, fast, pray. In Acts 17, we see Paul on Mars Hill reference a secular poem that points to the true God. There are signposts in each religion that point people to God.
2) Be Humble and Respectful - Christians are no better than anyone else. Be curious about different beliefs and seek to understand.
3) Be Active - As Christians, we are called to o good in the world. When people outside the faith see us doing good, God gets the glory.
4) Be Courageous - Other faiths make exclusive truth claims. We should not be ashamed that we follow Jesus. It is difficult to argue with your personal testimony of Jesus work in your life.

Action Steps:
1) What do you personally believe? Are you a cultural follower or a convictional follower?
2) Who do I know who is a different religion than mine? Can I engage in conversation to better understand their faith?
3) How can I grow in my understanding of my faith so God might use me in the lives of others?