Alike or Different

     Conversing with a colleague at work, the question arose, "Are all religions alike?"  The argument was, "Are you saying that you believe that your religion is the only one that leads to heaven?"  I could see the wheels spinning as I began to explain.  First of all, the answer is no, all religions are not alike.  They are not the same.  Buddhist, Hindus, Islam, etc., to name a few, believe differently about heaven or eternal life, as well as other doctrines.  
Here is a quick overview of just three of the big religious beliefs about eternal life (note: all of them were defined by this web site - Religious Tolerance (http://www.religioustolerance.org/var_rel.htm) 

Buddhism teaches that humans are trapped in a repetitive cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Each successive rebirth may be into a better, a worse life, or a similar life, depending upon the person's Karma -- the sins and merits that have accumulated during their present and previous lives. One's goal is to escape from this cycle and reach Nirvana. Once this is attained, the mind experiences complete freedom, liberation and non-attachment. Suffering ends because desire and craving -- the causes of suffering -- are no more. Hindus believe in the repetitious Transmigration of the Soul. This is the transfer of one's soul after death into another body. This produces a continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth through their many lifetimes. It is called samsara. Karma is the accumulated sum of ones good and bad deeds. Karma determines how you will live your next life. Through pure acts, thoughts and devotion, one can be reborn at a higher level. Eventually, one can escape samsara and achieve enlightenment. Bad deeds can cause a person to be reborn as a lower level, or even as an animal. The unequal distribution of wealth, prestige, suffering are thus seen as natural consequences for one's previous acts, both in this life and in previous lives. Islam believes once they reach puberty, his/her account of deeds is opened in Paradise. To attain paradise, at death, their good deeds (helping others, testifying to the truth of God, leading a virtuous life)... must outweigh their evil deeds.      I just have one question about all this:  How are all religions the same and how can we believe the same things?  Can we all live eternally believing in no absolute truth?  There is much fallacy in thinking truth is what you make of it.  How can a person believe in the truth of the Bible and also believe in the truth of Islam or Buddhism or Hinduism if they contradict each other?        A Religious Tolerance website states "they believe that the systems of truth that we have studied on the topics of morals, ethics, and religious belief are often considered absolute within various religions and secular belief systems. However, they are obviously relative because they vary greatly from one culture, religion, and time to another."  Even from their perspective, not all religions believe the same truth. Christians (though that word is used liberally in our society, so I will say people who believe the Bible is truth), cannot make it to heaven by just being good.  It says in Titus 3:5 - "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us..." and in Eph. 2:8 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - 'not by works, so that no one can boast.'"  God gave us the gift of His son, Jesus Christ, to bring salvation to the sinner.  We all have sinned, according to the Bible, so to me, it means everyone can receive God's gift of mercy simply by believing that Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life to receive eternal life.        Now back to our question - Can all religions lead to heaven?  If I believe the truth about the Bible, which I do, then the answer is no.  Does this mean I am intolerant of other people's beliefs?  No, it just means that we do not believe the same things.  Everyone has a choice of beliefs and I believe the only way to heaven is through believing that Jesus is God's son.  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  As you can see, this is not the same belief as Islam, Buddhist, or Hindus. Please don't call "Christians" closed minded.  No, we do not believe the same, but one thing we do believe and that is to love each other as Christ loved us and this I will strive to do.