Question

Strict exclusivism is the view that there is one and only one absolutely true religion and that only the faithful of that one and only one absolutely true religion will be saved. Several people have observed that geography is by and large the single biggest indicator of what religion one practices. For instance, if one is born in Saudi Arabia, it is highly likely that she will practice Islam; if one is born in Tibet, it is highly likely he will be a Buddhist, and so on. In light of this fact, do you think it is rational to adopt strict exclusivism? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Strict exclusivism has been observed in almost all of the religions around the world, with the Abrahamic religions being the ones strictly being 'strict' about the exclusivism part.

Religions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism & even Buddhism have implied that theirs is the one and only true religion. And it is by following their path that is the truth.

Religions as such have evolved mainly based on the region that people live in. Most of the religions sprung up due to the 'need of the hour'. Religions helped people by being a 'coping mechanism'. So in a way, it is inevitable that exclusivism is not possible. Each one of us has our own perception, similarly the way one interprets religion is also on a very personal level.

But religions like Islam & Christianity, which have a clear cut agenda to 'spread the word' are more prone to arguments of strict exclusivism. They make direct threats to the consequences of not following one's religion.

So essentially, someone who is born in a region that is dominated by a religion that is strictly exclusive, will be influenced and develop a mindset of strict exclusivism.

It is important to understand what religion means to people, in different parts of the world. There are regions where atheism is the national religions (or lack thereof). Does this mean that they are not strictly exclusive? No. This also means that they are strictly exclusive about being atheists.

The rationale behind strict exclusivism is that one's religion is superior and far better, the best of all. This is something that does not empathize with fellow human beings. In a world that is rapidly becoming small, where people from all regions cohabitate, it is not rational to stick to the argument of being a fan of strict exclusivism.

What is rational, is to have free will to believe what one wants to believe, without pushing one's belief systems on others. As long as that is followed, whether or not one believes in strict exclusivism does not matter.