Father John Martin

Father John Martin, the spiritual director of Shantivanam, a Christian ashram (learning community) in southeastern India that focuses on the relationship between Christianity and the religions of India (particularly Hinduism and Buddhism) asserts that all the major religions of the world can be compared to a group of hikers climbing up different sides of a high mountain. Each hiker (and religion) takes a unique route to the top. While they are climbing the mountain, they cannot necessarily see one another. They may not even be aware that those in the other climbing parties are also ascending the mountain. They think they are alone as they make the ascent. Yet when they reach the peak, the climbers are surprised to find one another. Think back over the religions studied this semester.

I think John Martin wanted everyone to see religions as being very similar and focus on the similarities rather than focus on the differences. This is so religious groups can focus on the comparisons and share rather than focus on negative. All religious groups reach the top of the mountain because all get what they are looking for within their religious group. Everyone's god may be different but they all have faith in something and if having that faith gets them through whatever obstacles they undure then basically all religions are similar just that they worship the same individual just call him different names and obide by different rules.