--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even when we feel like we have found…" description: "\"“Even when we feel like we have found theological common ground—like Abraham as the patriarch of Jews, Christians, and Muslims—we quickly discover that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/eboo-patel-20781_buddhism_even-when-we-feel-like-we-have-found-the_2707873.jpg" --- # Even when we feel like we have found theological common… ![“Even when we feel like we have found theological common ground—like Abraham as the patriarch of Jews, Christians, and Muslims—we quickly discover that even those paradigms have their limits. There are a million Hindus in this country, and over three million Buddhists, and neither of those…” quote by Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/eboo-patel-20781_buddhism_even-when-we-feel-like-we-have-found-the_2707873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/eboo-patel-20781_buddhism_even-when-we-feel-like-we-have-found-the_2707873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/eboo-patel-20781_buddhism_even-when-we-feel-like-we-have-found-the_2707873.jpg) > ““Even when we feel like we have found theological common ground—like Abraham as the patriarch of Jews, Christians, and Muslims—we quickly discover that even those paradigms have their limits. There are a million Hindus in this country, and over three million Buddhists, and neither of those communities would be called Abrahamic. But they live in America, too, and we have to have a paradigm that includes them.”” [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that common religious frameworks must expand to include diverse faiths beyond the Abrahamic traditions. **In simple terms:** Include all faiths in shared dialogue. Key Takeaway Broaden interfaith conversations. Themes religion inclusion diversity dialogue Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - community meetings - policy making - education programs Key Concepts theology pluralism social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - What frameworks can honor both commonality and difference? - How to avoid marginalizing smaller faiths? A Different Perspective Over‑generalizing can erase unique identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America Paradigm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-paradigm-2784952/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Called Abrahamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-abrahamic-2784951/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Common ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-ground/) [Hinduism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hinduism/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Like Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-abraham-250064/) [Paradigms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigms/) [Paradigms Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigms-limits-2784953/) ## Related quotes > [“Like Abraham, as we embark on our own journey, have a lil faith, take the imparted wisdoms from our parents/teachers, go forward and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gottlieb/like-abraham-as-we-embark-on-our-own-journey-have-a-lil-faith-take/) [Daniel Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gottlieb/) > [Johnny Cash was like Abraham Lincoln to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/johnny-cash-was-like-abraham-lincoln-to-me/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [ I wonder if the greatest challenges was to keep pressing into \[writing\] when I had never been here before. 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Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-n-robinson/) > [We do have the ability to shift our paradigms - by shifting our belief systems, by working on ourselves, by looking very closely at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariel-hemingway/we-do-have-the-ability-to-shift-our-paradigms-by-shifting-our-belief/) [Mariel Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariel-hemingway/) > [We see the world, not as it is, but as we are -- or, as we are conditioned to see it. When we open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-see-the-world-not-as-it-is-but-as-we-are-or-as-we-are-conditioned/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Because we believe that somewhere in the nest of paradigms contained in the phrase "missional church" lies nothing less that the future viability of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hirsch/because-we-believe-that-somewhere-in-the-nest-of-paradigms-contained/) [Alan Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hirsch/) ## More by Eboo Patel > [Finding Mecca in America weaves social theory and concrete ethnography into a significant contribution on Muslims in the United States, illuminating broader questions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/finding-mecca-in-america-weaves-social-theory-and-concrete/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [I think that we live in a remarkably networked world. The problem with that, of course, is that tensions can travel in nanoseconds across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/i-think-that-we-live-in-a-remarkably-networked-world-the-problem-with/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [“In one of the moments when my father was feeling especially righteous about his “Muslim-ness,” I overheard him expressing concern to my mother that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/in-one-of-the-moments-when-my-father-was-feeling-especially-righteous/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [We have to build bridges that are stronger than the bombs that other people might throw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/we-have-to-build-bridges-that-are-stronger-than-the-bombs-that-other/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [Religious pluralism is neither mere coexistence nor forced consensus. 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Show me a religion that doesn't care about stewardship of the environment. Show me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/show-me-a-religion-that-doesn-t-care-about-compassion-show-me-a/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [To see the other side, to defend another people, not despite your tradition but because of it, is the heart of pluralism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/to-see-the-other-side-to-defend-another-people-not-despite-your/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [When thousands of people discover that their story is also someone else's story, they have the chance to write a new story together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/when-thousands-of-people-discover-that-their-story-is-also-someone/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [Religious extremists want to show us that the only possibility is for us to kill each other, so September 11 is not only heinous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/religious-extremists-want-to-show-us-that-the-only-possibility-is-for/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [I as a Muslim believe deeply in the differences that are within Islam. But I also take seriously the idea that we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/i-as-a-muslim-believe-deeply-in-the-differences-that-are-within-islam/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [I thought about the meaning of pluralism in a world where the forces that seek to divide us are strong. 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There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mom and my aunties are really devout Christians. 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