New Global Order and Oneness Principle - A K MERCHANT

[Guest guest]

New Global Order and Oneness Principle

A K MERCHANT

 

Thirty years ago the historian Arnold Toynbee and Daisaku Ikeda,

head of the Japanese Buddhist Soka Gokkai International, discussed

at length various pertinent issues, trying to discern the future

direction that our world must take if it is to survive these " times

of the end " .

 

Toynbee remarks, " ...The question of mankind's future religion

arises because all the current religions have proved

unsatisfactory... A future religion that is to bring into being, and

to keep in being, a new civilisation will have to be one that will

enable mankind to contend with, and to overcome, the evils that are

serious present threats to human survival.

 

Among the most formidable of these evils are the oldest: greed,

which is as old as life itself, and war and social injustice, which

are as old as civilisation.

 

A new evil that is hardly less formidable is the artificial

environment that mankind has created through application of science

and technology in the service of greed " .

 

Echoing similar views Ikeda said: " ... The religion that we need

must inspire mankind's scientific and philosophical spirits and must

be able to meet the needs of a new age. It must be a religion that

can go beyond the differences between East and West and, binding all

mankind into a unified body, save the Occident from its present

crisis and the Orient from its current hardships. Discovering this

kind of religion is the greatest task before mankind today " .

 

The enduring legacy of the 20th century is that it has compelled the

peoples of the world to begin seeing themselves as members of one

human family and of the Earth as its common homeland.

 

Indeed, humanity's urge to live in harmony and peace with each other

and especially to establish peace among religions is not new. The

passion invested in the struggle, despite its disheartening results,

testifies to the depth of the need.

 

Without a common conviction about the course and direction of human

history, it is inconceivable that foundations can be laid for a

global society to which the mass of humankind can commit themselves.

 

Recognition of the fundamental spiritual principle of our age, the

oneness of humanity, must be at the heart of any new civilisation.

Universal acceptance of this principle will both necessitate and

make possible major restructuring of the world's educational,

social, agricultural, industrial, economic, legal and political

systems.

 

This is the only way the dream of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world

as one united family) can be fulfilled. " That which God hath

ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the

healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one

universal Cause, one common Faith " , Baha'u'llah proclaimed over a

century ago.

 

World spiritual leaders should strive to not let crises to cast

doubt on the ultimate outcome of the process that is occurring.

 

The way to go is to nurture faith and resolve, so that we can

overcome all the hardships and anxieties that are bound to arise

during any period of great change.

 

While the old order gives way to the new, as individuals, we have an

important role to play: To stand steadfast in the face of adversity

and believe in the unity of humankind.

 

New Global Order and Oneness Principle

A K MERCHANT