Let's celebrate the beauty of all Faiths

[Rick O'Shez]

Or, heck, consider the vast spread of Indo-European culture merging with so many indigenous cultures to create wholly unique identities.

Sure, but when unique identities do emerge it's pointless trying to deny that uniqueness.

 

[Riverwolf]

A vision of the future? What do you think?

No nation with separate and restricted boundaries — such as Persia, for instance — will exist. The United States of America will be known only as a name. Germany, France, England, Turkey, Arabia — all these various nations will be welded together in unity. When the people of the future are asked, “To which nationality do you belong?” the answer will be, “To the nationality of humanity…” The people of the future will not say, “I belong to the nation of England, France or Persia”; for all of them will be citizens of a universal nationality — the one family, the one country, the one world of humanity — and then these wars, hatreds and strifes will pass away. –

"One family, one country, one world"...

Those words together like that sound familiar, and not good familiar. Many times has it been attempted in the past, to bring about such a future. Many times, each certainly involving folks who shared that dream of a united world, and each time a complete failure.

Rome.
Holy Roman Empire.
British Empire.
Napoleonic France.
Nazi Germany.
And surely many others throughout the world and history.
Now, it's the United States' turn to try bringing about such a future, and it seems set on failing just like all who tried before.

Humans are socially tribal. That's just how we are as a species. Depending on the school of thought, the human brain is hypothesized to be only capable of comprehending roughly between 150 to 300 individuals, with full knowledge of each person's intricacies and how they relate to everyone else. Past that magic number, which will certainly vary from person to person, we are biologically limited to some form of stereotyping when thinking of other people. That doesn't seem set to change any time soon. It's within THAT framework that we can prevent wars. We can't stop hatred or strife, but we can stop, or at least reduce, war. But it won't happen by trying to force an idealized future onto other people.

 

[Riverwolf]

Sure, but when unique identities do emerge it's pointless trying to deny that uniqueness.

...are we talking about the same thing? I never suggested such a denial.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

...are we talking about the same thing? I never suggested such a denial.

I'm not sure. I was originally objecting to woolly syncretism...

 

[wizanda]

Add your comments or ask questions as to how humanity can be like a family.

Thinking we'd be more of a global family, if we recognized some of our main religions are purposefully evil, rather than only look for beauty....

Though must say it is like a beautiful dark crystal, when you understand its complexities.

 

[DawudTalut]

...... how humanity can be like a family.

Peace be on you.....Inter-faith dialogues. [Ref: by Ahmadiyya-Muslims]

 

[loverofhumanity]

"One family, one country, one world"...

Those words together like that sound familiar, and not good familiar. Many times has it been attempted in the past, to bring about such a future. Many times, each certainly involving folks who shared that dream of a united world, and each time a complete failure.

Rome.
Holy Roman Empire.
British Empire.
Napoleonic France.
Nazi Germany.
And surely many others throughout the world and history.
Now, it's the United States' turn to try bringing about such a future, and it seems set on failing just like all who tried before.

Humans are socially tribal. That's just how we are as a species. Depending on the school of thought, the human brain is hypothesized to be only capable of comprehending roughly between 150 to 300 individuals, with full knowledge of each person's intricacies and how they relate to everyone else. Past that magic number, which will certainly vary from person to person, we are biologically limited to some form of stereotyping when thinking of other people. That doesn't seem set to change any time soon. It's within THAT framework that we can prevent wars. We can't stop hatred or strife, but we can stop, or at least reduce, war. But it won't happen by trying to force an idealized future onto other people.

Yes I understand people's scepticism and loss of hope but humanity is headed for world peace and world unity. Now humanity is experiencing the death pangs of a defective world system and the birth pains of a new understanding amongst people.

Humanity stands on the verge of a golden age never before witnessed in human history. A glorious future awaits humanity. Along the way there will be setbacks and it will be a bumpy ride.

But the world & its people's are headed towards world peace and universal brotherhood and very few are reading the signs aright.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Thinking we'd be more of a global family, if we recognized some of our main religions are purposefully evil, rather than only look for beauty....

Though must say it is like a beautiful dark crystal, when you understand its complexities.

We are becoming closer day by day. Naturally there are some elements of religion which are out of date and were maybe good for one age but a poison now. However the spiritual teachings of all religions are only good and it is them we need to focus on as well as befriending other religionists and praying & meditating in their temples, mosques and synagogues.

Remember. If we really want peace then it's up to every one of us act with goodwill towards each other.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Here's a meditation. Make your own up and put quotes that you like to share. This is not perfect but I think you get my point.

Imagine:?....................................

If we hated all Germans because of what Hitler did,

And if we hated all Americans for Hiroshima and Nagasaki,

And if we hated all Russians and Chinese because they are communists

And if we hated all the Muslims in the world because of terrorism,

And we hated all Australians and the English for the way they treated the Aborigines,

And if we hated all the Catholics because of some corrupt clergy,

And Africa because of Boko Haram,

And so on ad infinitum,

Then who would there be left to love??

“Should God punish men for their perverse doings, He would not leave on earth a moving thing!
Baha'u'llah

 

[David1967]

It doesn't matter or it shouldn't matter to others what we choose to believe or not to believe. The important thing is we have our common humanity and if we believe in only that we can come together in peace.

Would be nice. Not killing each other because of religion would be a great start.

 

[metis]

To me, I have a litmus test for the validity of a religious faith: does it build "walls" or does it build "bridges" between people and societies. If it's the latter, then I consider it to be more a valid faith as well as being a thing of beauty. Just my opinion.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I think we have to move on from religious supremacy that my religion is the best and only right one. Until we can do that wars will never cease. But I also believe many people are sick of religious fighting. It's better to have no religion than use a religion to kill and injure people.i

 

[loverofhumanity]

Just received some interesting news. This is the 'process' underway towards world peace that is mentioned here. I really hope those suffering religious persecution can benefit from this in some way.

http://www.religionnews.com/2016/01/21/muslim-leaders-plan-summit-protecting-non-muslims-midst/

 

[Riverwolf]

I'm not sure. I was originally objecting to woolly syncretism...

What, specifically, do you mean by that?

Yes I understand people's scepticism and loss of hope

I've not lost a single ounce of hope. It's simply been redirected.

but humanity is headed for world peace and world unity. Now humanity is experiencing the death pangs of a defective world system and the birth pains of a new understanding amongst people.

Humanity stands on the verge of a golden age never before witnessed in human history. A glorious future awaits humanity. Along the way there will be setbacks and it will be a bumpy ride.

But the world & its people's are headed towards world peace and universal brotherhood and very few are reading the signs aright.

Perhaps, but what I worry about is the cost of establishing it, and even more worrying, maintaining it.

World peace is fine, but world unity, at least world political unity, is frankly something that would be nothing less than a NIGHTMARE scenario. It would have to be somehow Orwellian just to function, meaning there'd be no culture to speak of.

We want the cultures, tribes, and nations already present to get along; we don't want to erase them. And honestly that won't happen until effective systems can be established so resources can get where they're needed.

Because 90% of the time, that's the root cause of war: resources. Either not enough to go around, or uneven distribution of plenty (which is what we have now). Hate has little to do with it.

 

[loverofhumanity]

How about I share with you the Bahai vision of world unity a bit by a time as its extensive. Here's the first bit:

"The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded".....,,,

 

[loverofhumanity]

So it's a world commonwealth like the United States of America but on a world scale

 

[loverofhumanity]

Now this is the 'background' the motivation for this world commonwealth:

"He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful,” He, moreover, has written, “cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the entire human race as one soul and one body" Baha'u'llah

And "So powerful is the light of unity, that it can illuminate the whole earth.

 

[Thief]

There is good in all people and all religions and it would be wonderful if we all appreciated that and celebrated the beauty in all religions and all humanity mixed together in a spirit of friendship. I love the serenity of Buddhist temples and the love of Christians. I have just about every Holy Book in my Kindle and I love them all. The Quran, the Dhammapada , the Bhagavad-Gita , the Bible and the cultures and food of all these traditions are so wonderful. My life is so rich because I feel at one with all religions and all humanity. I don't have to accept one Faith or reject another because I accept all of them and all humanity. I don't have to exalt my Faith over another Faith because their faith is mine also. There is a golden thread that runs through all Faiths. It is that thread which can unite us all.

My favourite verse of the Buddha is " A man may conquer ten times ten thousand men in battle but he is the true conquerer who conquers his own self"

“why should not the followers of each prophet recognize and honour the other prophets also?”

Add your comments or ask questions as to how humanity can be like a family.

I have posted.....strength is not standing over a fallen adversary....
too bad religion doesn't feel the same way

 

[loverofhumanity]

Who is the fallen adversary? The only adversary that religion should stand over is the ego or insistent self. But not innocent people.

 

[psychoslice]

I feel that there is truth in all of them, I myself treat all religions as a smorgasbord, taking that which resonates with my own inner Being.