Many, perhaps most, people view their own religion as the only top-down
religion in the world.
They believe that their God is the only deity in
existence. Their God created humans and the universe, and gave humanity its only
valid moral codes.
Knowing that their
religion is true and that other religions are in various degrees of error, it
can become difficult to extend religious freedom to persons of other faiths.
With the various religions teaching different beliefs and practices, it can
be argued that only one faith teaches the truth; perhaps none do. If there are
270 major religions in the world, then -- to a first approximation -- the
chances of any one religion being completely true is miniscule. Yet people
tenaciously believe in the truth of their faith to the exclusion of all others.
clipped from: www.religioustolerance.org