When I was in UK, I was invited by a church friend for lunch at home. Although I know that the staple diet of the English is potato and was not surprised to see a plate of potato in front of me, I did not expect was to see rice as a dish placed in the middle of the table. Back home, I would have rice in front of me and potato as a dish in the middle of the table.
Some people believe that religion is like a dish, whether it is rice or potato, it is your preference. If you are a Chinese, your preferred staple diet is rice and your religion would be either Buddhism or Taoism. If you are English, then you have potato and Christianity.
Then there are those who believe that religion is a matter of truth. Just as 1 + 1 is always 2, you cannot say I prefer 1 + 1 to be 3. 1 + 1 = 2 has to be accepted. It is true and there is no alternative.
Monotheistic religions tend to believe that religion is a matter of truth, not preference. Polytheistic religions then to believe that religion is a matter of preference. When you have many gods to choose from, it is naturally a preference. When there is only one God, He better be true. After all, within the monotheistic religion, there is already no choice.
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