Lotus of the Heart > Path of Spirit > Peace Among Religions > Page 3

 
 

Consecrating Each Other, In Faith

World Religions and Peace

Page 3


The only problem is that it is not just her enemies that can fail to brave her, but her own believers that anxiously avoid uttering her name and her stories. Also, her own adherents often hate one another. Therefore, nonviolent solutions must be implemented into a society that is otherwise afraid to endure inter-religious communication. Innovative ideas must be had in organizations longing for lasting peace delegation.

* * *

When the wardrobe of mother religion is considered, one's mind is flooded with different colors, fabric, sizes and variance of dress. The rich diversity of culture, tongue, and belief systems becomes a picture of festivity within the mind of the admirer. Thinking of these things is bound to make anyone feel a sense of profound smallness, as it has done for me in the past.

Though I realized religious presuppositions and developments were beautiful, I was once afraid to discuss them freely. Too often religious conversation turns into a type of warfare. Too often innocent people are victimized for their faith because others consider them hostile, inferior or even just different.
There is an irony here that I have realized. Though hate crimes among religious devotees happen because of differences, the basis of all faith remains the same.

The world does not need a universal faith to find integration possible. There are already universal virtues in the sight of all.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

*Romans 12:17-18

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In his book Strength to Love, written in 1963, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. describes the chain reaction of evil.

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.

So it is with the persecutions by religious intolerance and the science of stopping it.

 

In the New Covenant, Jesus tells us that the Golden Rule is the basis of the Law and the Prophets. One does not have to speculate that He is discussing just the Jewish Torah. Upon deeper research one will conclude that love is the pinnacle of all religious doctrine, and that this is what Jesus knew when He gave this famous response:

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

*Matthew 22:36-40

This insight of universal love is so powerful in the arena of evangelical conversion, peace delegation and over-all communicative insight. This rule shines light on the human deficit of indifference. It gives us encouragement to be braver to love one another, despite varying beliefs.

Let there be a community of you who invite to what is good, advocate righteousness, and forbid evil. These are the winners.

*Qur'an 3:104

One can infer, from comparing this Islamic doctrine to Christian doctrine, that there is a way to communicate with one another peaceably. The way is emphasizing our common interests.

From shining light on these inferences, one can reveal the senselessness of religious hatred. In seeing this, one can clearly see how mother religion is traumatically ill. She is maltreating herself, while her daughters rage on and on. Her disease is a violent hypocrisy.

He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?"

*Luke 6:39

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A band called Dave Matthews Band released a single called 'Everybody Wake Up' off the album they named 'Stand Up'. In the lyrics is, "I remember the words of the misguided fool, 'do unto others as you'd have them do', not an eye for an eye is the golden rule, just leaves a room full of blind men." How does one give sight to the blind? How, when people see peace-activists as dreamers, or fools, do they continue to change hearts?

Continued...

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