[Buddha-l] Religion and political affliliation

[Richard Hayes]

On Sun, 2009-01-18 at 15:34 -0700, jkirk wrote:

> Seems I'm in the dark about what "pluralistic"means 
> in this discussion...please advise!

The question asked by Pew researchers was (paraphrasing) "Do you believe
your religion is in sole possession of the truth and is alone in
offering a path to eternal life." The term "pluralistic" is not used by
Pew; I am using it to describe the position held by those who say they
do NOT believe their religion is the sole possessor of truth and the
only way to eternal life. Close to 90% of American Hindus said their
religion is not the sole path to eternal life.

The late Willard Oxtoby of University of Toronto described religious
pluralism as not only the acknowledgement but the celebration of there
being more than one legitimate religion.

-- 
Richard Hayes
Department of Philosophy
University of New Mexico