One Message Runs Through All Faiths: Only Connect - Times Of India

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One Message Runs Through All Faiths: Only Connect

Times Of India

 

A desktop or a laptop can connect us instantly to vast knowledge

sources. A computer can link us to the news, stock reports, airline

bookings, shopping, medical breakthroughs, and information in almost

every other sphere of knowledge.

 

The information connectedness that we experience with computers is a

small sample of the potent connections we can make with our empowered

soul. The empowered soul experiences universal connection with all

beings. Becoming aware of this unifying force can help us realise our

essential unity. Walls of division separate people.

 

If we are born in one part of the world we say, " I am a citizen of

this country, or that country " . If we are born into a certain

religion, we say, " I am a follower of such and such religion " .

Religions are man-made. There was no Buddhism before Buddha. There

was no Christianity before Jesus.

 

It was the followers of the great saints, mystics, and prophets who

organised their teachings into a religion. Most often, we become a

member of a religion based on our parents' beliefs. A Hindu infant

who is orphaned and who is later adopted by a Christian may become

Christian.

 

Similarly, the way we live is dictated by the peculiarities of the

region we live in. Many people worship God through prayer. But the

way they pray is different. In some warm climates, it is customary to

remove shoes before entering a holy place; in colder clima-tes, going

barefoot may be impractical.

 

Over time, customs that originate for climatic reasons become

sanctified and become part of religious law. People tend to use those

differences as a basis for prejudice and hatred. Another dividing

factor is language.

 

When people in different religions use different words for the same

concept, it becomes an excuse for thinking the other religion is not

as good as one's own. Each religion has its own name for God, based

on the language or culture in which the religion originated.

 

God is Allah to Muslims, Wahe Guru to Sikhs, Paramatma to Hindus, God

to Christians. Whichever the language, the words refer to the same

God. Yet we make these language differences a source of contention

and separation.

 

We forget that God existed before langu-age was created. By drawing

boundaries we limit ourselves. The soul, however, is limitless. There

is a unifying force beyond the physical plane, connecting all life.

We are full of the love of God. It is only at the human level that we

make divisions.

 

The soul is a part of the Creator. For us to be able to truly

understand ourselves, we need to recognise all the divisions as walls

that surround our true self. These walls keep us from truth.

 

Sant Darshan Singh spoke of Oneness: " What does it matter if I am

called a man, In truth, I am the very soul of love. The entire earth

is my home, And the universe my country " .

 

Through lack of self-know-ledge, we create separation. Through our

soul, we can experience connectedness and create more peace and har-

mony among the inhabitants of this planet.

 

One Message Runs Through All Faiths: Only Connect

Times Of India

 

 

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1244269,curpg-

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