Which explains the religious tolerance of Genghis Khan’s Mongols?

[Argun]

Which explains the religious tolerance of Genghis Khan’s Mongols?
As we all know from history, Genghis Khan’s Mongols conquered a large part of the Eurasian continent. Where there were different people with different religious beliefs, like Christians, Muslims, etc.,
Despite this, Genghis Khan’s Mongols never imposed their will on faith in God Tengri on other people.
So, what do you think?
And the answer can be found in medieval sources from the years 1253–1255. It’s a note from the European ambassador of William of Rubruck, who went to Karakorum, and he was received by Mongke Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan).
Rubruck spent about one year in Karakorum and often visited Mongke Khan, where he tried to convert the Khan to Christianity.
I quote the notes of Rubruck where he talked with Mongke Khan about religions:
"On Pentecost day (31st May) Mangu Chan called me before him, and also the Tuin with whom I had discussed;
And he held out toward me the staff on which he leaned, saying: "Fear not." And I, smiling, said in an undertone: "If I had been afraid, I should not have come here." He asked the interpreter what I had said, and he repeated it to him. After that he began confiding to me his creed: "We Mo'al," he said, "believe that there is only one God, by whom we live and by whom we die, and for whom we have an upright heart." Then I said: "May it be so, for without His grace this cannot be." He asked what I had said; the interpreter told him. Then he added: "But as God gives us the different fingers of the hand, so he gives to men divers ways [J: several paths]. God gives you the Scriptures, and you Christians keep them not. You do not find (in them, for example) that one should find fault with another [J: abuse another], do you?" "No, my lord," I said; "but I told you from the first that I did not want to wrangle with anyone." "I do not intend to say it," he said, "for you [J: I am not referring to you]. Likewise you do not find that a man should depart from justice for money." "No, my lord," I said. "And truly I came not to these parts to obtain money; on the contrary I have refused what has been offered me." And there was a secretary present, who bore witness that I refused an iascot and silken cloths. "I dare not say it," he said, "for you. God gave you therefore the Scriptures, and you do not keep them; He gave us diviners, we do what they tell us, and we live in peace."
In the words of Mongke Khan, lies an answer about the "religious tolerance of Genghis Khan’s Mongols".
Quote "We Mo'al," he said, "believe that there is only one God".
The first thing we understand is that Genghis Khan’s Mongols believed that there was only one God for all people in the world. The Mongols believed the Christian God, the Muslim God, and the God Tengri were all one God.
Quote "But as God gives us the different fingers of the hand, so he gives to men divers ways [J: several paths]. God gives you the Scriptures, and you Christians keep them not.".

The second thing we understand is that the Mongols believed Christianity and Islam were God’s paths, which were given to them.
Quote "You do not find (in them, for example) that one should find fault with another [J: abuse another], do you?".

And thirdly, we understand that Mongke Khan says you can’t blame other people for their faith or force other people to believe your faith. as it would contradict God’s will.

 

[Intosh]

Mongols were satisfied when people accept simply their rule and became faithful vassals.

Those who resist were slaughtered, those who surrender were simply treated as vassals with many form of tributes.

Being intolerant to others religions was a sure action to provoke revolts and people were ready to die for their religion.

And of course Mongols considered their way of living as superior to the inferior and degenerate farmers and urban population.

 

[The Red Lotus]

Also the shamanism of the Mongol faith is heavily tied to land they lived in. So there was no reason to force their religion onto people who weren’t from the Mongol homeland.

 

[Intosh]

Mongol religion is a very complicated thing with an evolution from a matriarchal religion to a patriarchal religion. With female and male aspect of the same thing (Heaven or Sky) being in opposition / partnership in various time.

 

[alexmilman]

The “Mongols” of Genghis Khan were from the very beginning a set of the various nomadic tribes who had various religions, including Islam and Christianity, and of whom the “true Mongols” in initial meaning of the word were a relatively small minority. Unification simply could not happen if he was pushing a mandatory religion upon the rest of his followers.

When he started conquests beyond the steppe it was pretty much the same consideration. How would he be able to recruit the whole armies of the Han and Khitan Chinese (who, BTW, were not monotheistic) if he started enforcing some alien religion upon them? Ditto on the West: he needed cooperation of the Muslim merchants to obtain intelligence about Khwaresm and then he had to include the big numbers of the Turik tribes (Muslims) into his armies. The last thing he needed during the conquest of the CA was a Muslim fanaticism (oppression of the Muslims did not work well for Kuchlug and helped the Mongolian conquest of Qara Khitai).

Mongke simply duped Rubruck: the Mongolian pantheon had numerous gods out of which Tengri was just the highest one. But at that time he was looked for the greater relations with the Christian world because expedition against the Caliphate was already in planning and the Catholics in and outside the Outremer could be potential allies. So why not say something that an ambassador of the Pope would like to hear?

 

[da Racontor]

I think the way to answer this question is to ask it in reverse. Not why didn't the Mongols try to convert people to their religion, but why to other religions try to convert people to theirs.

For most Christian and Islamic sects in theory (the discussion about what happens in practice is a completely different discussion) it comes down to two very important things.

1. They were told to by God or the prophet.
2. They don't want other people to go to Hell.

If your religion doesn't have a place for eternal punishment for the unworthy (and I'm not talking about something like the Asphodel Meadows or the Mourning Fields from Greek mythology) , then why do you care what other people worship as long as they are not causing problems for you?​