We cannot please everyone. All of us see things differently and that is one of the reasons for our different views of life and its realities. Our understanding of God is one of those views on which we defer greatly. My Hindu financial sales representative said when he passed by my home to drop off a document, “Chris and I understand each other because we do not put our faith in organised religion.” He continued, “Chris and I both believe in God.”
Now we have to be careful what people say when we claim we agree with their views. For instance, what did he mean by organized religion? Later in his conversation he revealed as a Hindu, he does not light dias and does not go into the temples. But he enjoys Diwalli Holiday and the artistic lighting up of the Hindus. Also, he claims he is a Hindu. We did not pursue the discussion further as I was not the one with whom he spoke.
In fact, he was talking with a former Hindu who was now a Christian and who no longer attends any Christian church. But she looks at my sermons online and has many questions and shows great interest to further her Biblical knowledge. She agreed with his position. Now I am in the process of planting a church and as the executive director and founder of CREM, I partner with pastors in evangelism and other kinds of ministry. So by my actions, I certainly do agree and support organized religion. He is right about his statement that I do not put my faith in organized religion. I put my faith in God alone.
But from his discussion, I can see that he was speaking from some kind of dissatisfaction with the operations of churches and temples with which he is familiar. Clearly, these religious institutions are set up with the aim to continue their history and progressive doctrinal learning and faith. They are set up to more effectively reach, win and help believers in their path to Truth. Truth, however, differs from religion to religion. Nevertheless, many find that much organised religion make demands beyond their authority and purpose.
He was right that we both believe in God or the Truth called God. He is wrong with any implication that our meaning and understanding of God is the same. Polytheism is the view of God of the Hindu; whilst Monotheism is the view of God for the Christian. We Christians do not have an open view of God. Our Trinitarian doctrine is not a polytheistic view for it is three persons of God in one divine essence. From the Christian point of view, God has plurality in His unity. The Bible says, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!,” (Deuteronomy 6:4).