If even the Apostles were sometimes confused, or did not fully grasp the meaning of His teachings, why would we expect the modern followers of any religion to fully understand their own religion? It seems almost self-evident that the entire modern world is in a state of religious and spiritual confusion.
But it’s unclear how an acknowledgment of that state of affairs necessarily translates to an assertion that “I, personally, understand the teachings better than the followers of those religions.”
Yes, it does not.
Pope and bishops might not understand everything about teachings of Jesus, Dalai Lama might not understand everything about teachings of Buddha, leaders of Iran might not understand everything about teachings of Muhammad, leaders of Chinese Communist Party might not understand everything about teachings of Marx and Mao. But it is very likely that they understand those teachings better than you do. After all, they studied those teachings more.
But if you say that those teachings are really the same, when, for example, Popes say that teachings of Jesus are not equivalent to teachings of Marx, Muhammad and the rest, then you
are saying that you know better.
And what is the justification for that claim? Some detailed analysis of various teachings? No. Just a further claim that you are humble. And that is neither humble, nor reasonable.
For that matter, let’s look at your claims from another side. You ask if it is more likely that there is a contradiction between teachings, or if we misunderstand those teachings. But you do not actually evaluate how likely either of those events is, misdirecting us towards false humility.
A vast majority of those founders of religions (and the like) are merely men (for example, Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius are not claimed to be anything other than men; Jesus is an obvious exception). How likely it is that all of those men got everything just right? Isn’t that pretty unlikely, unless a special divine revelation happened and was understood correctly?
Let’s look at your argument again:
The world’s major religions are so widespread because they speak to something deep and profound within man. Even if you don’t agree with a particular religion, it seems quite clear that its founder had enough insight into spiritual realities to endow its teachings with a gravitas that keeps people following them in pursuit of a deep spiritual yearning, even after centuries or even millennia.
You do not consider a possibility that some of those men only got something right. Which is actually not so unlikely, and explains the facts just as well.
And if one of them got something right, where another got that right (or if they made different mistakes), then we have a contradiction. And it does not seem to be quite as unlikely.
And, of course, noticing a contradiction is not
that hard.
Now, who got what right? Did anyone get everything right? Drop that fake humility and investigate!
