Martin Luther King Jr. 17
Insight into religious traditions Each religion is interesting in its own right as a complex
system of values, relationships, personalities, and human creativity.
Insight into what religions share The study of religions requires sympathy and
objectivity. While it is true that being a believer of a particular religion brings a special
insight that an outsider cannot have, it is also true that an outsider can appreciate things
that are not always obvious to the insider. This is particularly true of shared patterns of
imagery, belief, and practice.
Insight into people Understanding a person’s religious background tells us more about
that person’s attitudes and values. Such understanding is valuable for successful human
relations—in both public life and private life.
Tolerance and appreciation of differences Because human beings are emotional
creatures, their religions can sometimes allow inflamed feelings to override common
decency. As we see daily, religions can be employed to justify immense cruelty.
Examining the major religions of the world helps us develop tolerance toward people of
varying religious traditions. In a multicultural world, tolerance of differences is valuable,
but enjoyment of differences is even better. Variety is a fact of nature, and the person
who can enjoy variety—in religion and elsewhere—is a person who will never be tired of
life.