All religions are the same

During the past few months I have had four conversations with strangers all of which go back to the same thing: All religions are the same. Please continue reading, I think in the end you will find reading this worth your time.

Conversation #1: Nepal Airport
 
Celvetta is from Ireland and a former Catholic. She grew up during their civil war over religion. Her life and time spent at church was very dry. It was all about right vs. wrong and not about the heart. So she searched for fulfillment in other places. She now follows the 5 values of Sai Baba and believes in all religions and gods. She thinks Heaven is a state of mind and believes in reincarnation.
 
Conversation #2: Airplane ride from India to Thailand
 
I was sitting next to a man on the airplane and we started a conversation for the last hour of the flight. He grew up in India as a Hindu and now lives in Canada with his Buddhist wife from Thailand. He told me what he knows about his religion and his wife’s. He kept generalizing everything I would say and would respond with “Yeah, just like all the other religions” and “All religions are about the same thing: being a better person and getting closer to god.”
 
Conversation #3: Hospital Food Court
 
Pun grew up Buddhist and thinks giving to charity is great and valuable, he mentioned it numerous times during our 2.5 hour conversation. He would say “Every religion believes they are right, but no one can say for sure they are right.” He has gone to church many times and has given to the church and to many other religions. He believes there is a god, but he’s not sure what else. He stated “I hope to go to Heaven, but I don’t know if I will. How can we?”
 
Conversation #4: Hospital Fundraising
 
While fundraising, a man walked up to me and began a conversation. He is a humanitarian and very adamant that he has the correct way of thinking. He was very aggressive with his words and towered over me as he spoke. He kept boasting in himself. He asked question after question about the US and “why don’t you Christians…” pointing the blame at Christians for many different things. He pointed out numerous times that I should be in America, not here, because we have enough problems of our own there. No matter my answer, it wasn’t what he wanted so he would say, “See, you don’t even know what you’re talking about” or “You’re just young and don’t know anything.” If I asked a question, he got very defensive asking why I want to know and then would avoid answering. He told me “I’ve taught you a lot and now you have a lot to think about. You will never forget me.” I could go into detail, but you would be reading this for hours.
 
There is so much to be said about what God taught me through each of these conversations. But the one thing they all have common is that they say “All religions are the same.” There are 2 things I got out of each of these conversations:
 
God used these conversations to grow my heart of compassion for the lost.

God used these conversations to teach me the power of prayer. The Lord allowed me to be put in these situations in order that I might show them a glimpse of Him, that I may plant or water a seed, that I might speak truth and love…but ultimately, it is Spirit who does the saving, He is the one who changes their heart, not me (although He might use words He speaks through me). And the great part about that is that

So I have to trust that as I pray for the Lord to speak through me and use me in those situations, that he is answering those prayers.
 
My question is this: How do you get through to someone who believes all religions are the same?
 

How do you explain that to someone who doesn’t understand?

Ask the Lord to give you the words to speak and trust the Spirit to change their heart because of the love their Father has for them.