The World Fair Of Religions

from Anthony de Mello's "The Song Of The Bird":

My friend and I went to the fair. The World Fair of Religions. Not a trade fair. A Religion fair. But the competition was fierce, the propaganda as loud.

At the Jewish Stall, we were given hand-outs that said that God was All-Compassionate and the Jews were his Chosen People. The Jews. No other people were as Chosen as the Jewish People.

At the Moslem Stall, we learnt that God was All-Merciful and Mohammed is his only Prophet. Salvatation comes from listening to God's only Prophet.

At the Christian Stall, we discovered that God is Love and there is no salvation outside the Church. Join the Church or risk eternal damnation.

On the way out I asked my friend, "What do you think of God?" He replied, "He is bigoted, fanatical and cruel."

Back home, I said to God, "How do you put up with this sort of thing, Lord? Don't you see they have been giving you a bad name over the centuries?"

God said, "I didn't organise the Fair. I'd be too ashamed to even visit it."