Skip to main content
Unity of all Religions


Why are we fighting among each other in the name of religion?. The purpose of religion is to unite mankind and establish peace and unity among people of the world. But it is very unfortunate to see people are divide and fight against each other in the name of religion. Just recently, in India,  it was Hindhu against Christians in the Orissa state, and Hindhus against Muslims in Kashmir. 


Just a few weeks ago, at least 16 people, mostly Christians were murdered, several churches destroyed and nearly 10,000 Christians became homeless in the State of Orissa, India because of religious war between Hindhus and Christians.


According to International Herald Tribune, the missionaries built schools and hospitals, and their work persuaded many Adivasis and ethnic Panas, who belong to a Hindu lower caste, to convert to Christianity. The region turned into a hotbed of communal strife after hardline Hindu groups, who accuse Christian missionaries of converting people under duress or through inducements, arrived half a century ago to counter an expansionist evangelist drive.


There have been so many religious wars during the past several decades and have slowed down the progress of humanity. The wars have disunited people, destroyed communities and brought miseries to millions of people. 


    Baha'i Gardens in Haifa, Israel


Terraces - Baha'i Garden, Haifa, Israel


In a statement address to the peoples of the world, entitled, The Promise of World Peace, the Supreme Body of the Baha'i Faith, the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, Israel noted," Religious strife, throughout history, has been the cause of innumerable wars and conflicts, a major blight to progress, and is increasingly abhorrent to the people of all faiths and no faith. Followers of all religions must be willing to face the basic questions which this strife raises, and to arrive at clear answers. How are the differences between them to be resolved, both in theory and in practice? The challenge facing the religious leaders of mankind is to contemplate, with hearts filled with the spirit of compassion and a desire for truth, the plight of humanity, and to ask themselves whether they cannot, in humility before their Almighty Creator, submerge their theological differences in a great spirit of mutual forbearance that will enable them to work together for the advancement of human understanding and peace."


Probing deeper into the unity of religions, according to the writings of the Baha'i Faith, "The principle of the unity of religion means that all of the great religious Founders--the Manifestations--have come from God, and that all of the religious systems established by Them are part of a single divine plan directed by God. 


In reality, there is only one religion, the religion of God. This one religion is continually evolving, and each particular religious system represents a stage in the evolution of the whole. The Bahá'í Faith represents the current stage in the evolution of religion. To emphasize the idea that all of the teachings and actions of the Manifestation are directed by God and do not originate from natural, human sources, Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder-Prophet of the Baha’i Faith, used the term "revelation" to describe the phenomenon that occurs each time a Manifestation appears. In particular, the writings of the Manifestation represent the infallible Word of God. Because these writings remain long after the earthly life of the Manifestation is finished, they constitute an especially important part of the phenomenon of revelation. So much is this so, that the term "revelation" is sometimes used in a restricted sense to refer to the writings and words of the Manifestation. 


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

VISIT TO ABDUL BAHA VILLAGE IN MYANMAR (BURMA)

In 1989, the military government in Burma, officially changed the English translations of many names dating back to Burma's colonial period, including that of the country itself: "Burma" became “Myanmar.” The name Burma has been in use in English since the 18th century. Burmese are very friendly. Highlight of our visit to Burma included a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda and Abdul Baha village. Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. It is sacred to Buddhists from all over Asia and it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa. Myanmar's military yielded to a civilian government in 2010 and has dramatically reshaped its economy, opening up various sectors, including energy and infrastructure development, to direct foreign investment. Many foreign investors, especially from ASEAN countries rushed to set up factories and raze old neighborhoods to build luxury housing estates. New hotels and large condominiums
5 comments
Read more

BUILDING A COMMUNITY IN A VILLAGE IN BIHAR, INDIA

Bihar is a State in India, where Lord Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist Religion is said to have attained enlightenment under the Banyan tree. Millions of Buddhists around the globe go on pilgrimage to this place. But, in a small village in the Bihar sharif cluster, about 80 km from Patna, the capital city of the State of Bihar, the villagers are striving hard to build a community that will contribute to the spiritual and material transformation of society. I had the distinct opportunity of visiting the Bihar sharif cluster and meeting with the villagers and the chief of the village. To create such a society, it is essential that every one in the village be empowered to participate in the constructive process that will give rise to it. It is just happening in this small village of population 2,000. The village is called Hargawan. I visited this village during my recent trip to India and my trip was coordinated by Mr. Rajnish Singh, an Auxiliary Board Member (ABM), an appointed mem
2 comments
Read more

PREPARING CHILDREN IN VALUE EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Preparing Children in Value Education in the 21st Century ( a paper developed by me when I was working at RiverDale International Residential School, in Pune, India as the Vice Principal) ABSTRACT Facing a worsening moral dilemma in today’s complex world, everyone recognizes the need for educating youngsters about the importance of moral values. The decline in ethical standards, poor parenting, dishonesty by government and business leaders and violence have come to characterize the present day society all over the world. However, social changes and scientific progress during the past decade have been enormous. A new social media culture is silently taking over the world. Therefore, the current environment of political, social and religious decay  has lead to a renewed interest in teaching moral values to our children. As we enter the 21st century, character and good moral values must become an important part of social life during the periods of childhood and youth if we want t
Post a Comment
Read more