Let me say it as simply as I can in short simple sentences for Mr. Anthony Wilson’s benefit. Your religion is valid to you. Your religion is not valid to me. My religion is valid to me. My religion is not valid to you. As your religion is valid to you so is my religion valid to me. As my religion is valid to me so is your religion valid to you. It is not necessary for our religions to be valid to each other.

Let me draw a simple analogy – knowing, of course, that any analogy breaks down if it is carried too far either by the person making it or by the person trying to refute it. An American driver’s license is valid in America, not in Guyana. A Guyanese driver’s license is valid in Guyana, not in America. Similarly, many other cultural artifacts are valid in one culture, but not in another.

Religion, like the various ethnic groups, their languages, their cultures, is an evolutionary product of the social, cultural and geographical environment in which it originated. This is why the imagery and iconology used in any religion bear a striking resemblance to the general environment in which that religion originated. Thus, in Christianity there is the sheep, in Islam the camel and in Hinduism the elephant. Thus, the Catholic Mass is said in Latin, the Muslim namaaz is said in Arabic and the Hindu puja is said in Hindi.

The ultimate purpose of every religion should be to co-exist in peace with other religions under the universal principle known in Christianity as the Golden Rule, also known as the Ethics of Reciprocity: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This rule applies not only to fellow believers of your own religion, but to believers of other religions. Loving your brothers is good, but not enough. You have to love your enemies also. Then there will be no more enemies, but only brothers. For even from poisonous flowers, life-saving medicine can be extracted.
M. XIU QUAN-BALGOPBIND-HACKETT