If the dominant faith where you grew up/currently live is Christianity, it's important for you to remember that other religions aren't just "Christianity with a palette swap", or "Christianity, but with more gods". This applies to everyone, even (perhaps especially) atheists! 1/6

Why is this important to think about? Because if you go into a conversation with someone of a different faith, and you assume these sorts of things, especially during an argument, you're going to come off as absurd, and probably tone-deaf or ignorant. 2/6

In Jewish terms, this problem has been exacerbated by phrases like "Judeo-Christian values", or the rarer "Abrahamic values". This implies that Judaism and Christianity (and possibly Islam) see eye-to-eye on most things. Judaism thus becomes simply "Christianity minus Jesus". 3/6

It doesn't take any time at all to realize how little sense a term like "Judeo-Christian values" actually makes. Various streams of Christianity frequently disagree with each other on fundamental theological questions, much less questions of ethical values. 4/6

To presume that a religion with a close historical connection like Judaism is "similar enough" that it can just be merged with Christianity is inaccurate. To presume anything like that for a religion with wildly different origins, such as Hinduism, is just absurd. 5/6

None of this means that there's no space for an in-depth conversation or even an argument about religion. But it's important to remember that the religious person you're talking to may not see things the way that you presume a religious person (i.e. a Christian) sees things. 6/6