How to Respect Other Religions

No matter what your beliefs, it's important to learn to respect other people and their religions. Faith and spirituality is a common tie across all of humanity, and we express that sense of wonder and awe in countless ways. Here's how to cultivate respect for other religions and deepen your own faith at the same time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Educate yourself. Besides sacred texts, there are a myriad of books and movies available that delve into other religions. Learn about the major world religions, their belief systems and values, and also learn about lesser known religions. Notice the differences, but pay closer attention to the similarities, most religions will have similar common themes.
2. Explore other religions. Ask your friends of other faiths if you can attend a worship service with them, or go to a different church, mosque, or synagogue. It's a great way to reach out to a larger part of your community.
3. Maintain an attitude of respect. Look for similarities not differences. Set aside the notion that your religion is "right" and other religions are automatically "wrong" even if it is a tenement of your faith. This means suspending judgment and being diplomatic to show respect for people of other religions. Treat the people you encounter as you would want to be treated if someone of another faith was attending a service at your church.
4. Ask questions in a respectful and polite manner to members of other religions. You will find more common ground than you might expect. No matter what, we're all human beings and are hoping and wishing and working for the same basic things in this life. Who knows, you may walk away from the conversation with a new perspective or a deeper commitment to your own faith.