I got this out of a book that was laying around, and really felt what was being said, so I thought i'd post it.
All true religions are concerned with our soul and they enable us to reunite our soul with the Lord. Therefore there is an essential unity among all religions, regardless of the place and time of their origin,
Founders of all religions have emphasized that the kingdom of God is within us. But some priests, who came after these enlightened founders, were not capable enough to help people go inside and find the kingdom of God within. Hence they tended externalize the true internal religion and began to give almost exclusive importance to outer rites and rituals, which clearly differ from one religion to another because of differences in languages, customs, and manners as well as the social, historical and geographical character of the countries where these religions originated and developed.
As a means for conveying the essential truths of spirituality, people began to attach undue importance to specific names of God in different languages, also to external places of worship constructed by men in different styles, and to various myths and parables mentioned in particular scriptures. The emphasis thus started shifting from the common core of spirituality to external formalism. People failed to see that the Supreme Lord is not limited to any location or name. The Lord is all-pervasive and name-less. What counts before Him is the love and devotion of our heart. By whichever name we call Him, He responds to our love.
To the common man, rituals are more important than the Lord, and one who believes in a bygone Saint or has faith in his religious books is considered a religious man. While showing respect to their own past Saint and religious books, people have developed hatred for others.
This narrow-mindedness is like a parasite which feeds on religion and sucks its blood, with the result that the real spirit leaves it and only the skeleton remains. Thus religion is turned into sectarianism, which becomes the usurper of religion. Religion, which was founded to purify and free the human soul, serves only to defile and imprison it.
Today we find that instead of inculcating the virtues of tolerance, forgiveness, and service to fellow beings, people are becoming intolerant, selfish and bigoted. Instead of becoming lovers or devotees of the Lord, they have become false protectors of their faith. They undermine and even ridicule scriptures and Saints belonging to other religions, while boasting at the same time about their modern scientific outlook.
The present situation of religion has indeed become lamentable. All true sages preach equal reverence for all scriptures, faiths and Saints. It is said in the Holy Quran that a true lover of God shows respect to all prophets mentioned in the Quran as well as to those not mentioned therein.
Mere faith in past Saints and their writings, or observance of particular rites and rituals, has little to do with the essence of religion. Unless we actually realize the spiritual experiences described in religious books, out faith in past Saints and their writings will be no avail to us.
(…to be continued, at a later date) any comments?
All true religions are concerned with our soul and they enable us to reunite our soul with the Lord. Therefore there is an essential unity among all religions, regardless of the place and time of their origin,
Founders of all religions have emphasized that the kingdom of God is within us. But some priests, who came after these enlightened founders, were not capable enough to help people go inside and find the kingdom of God within. Hence they tended externalize the true internal religion and began to give almost exclusive importance to outer rites and rituals, which clearly differ from one religion to another because of differences in languages, customs, and manners as well as the social, historical and geographical character of the countries where these religions originated and developed.
As a means for conveying the essential truths of spirituality, people began to attach undue importance to specific names of God in different languages, also to external places of worship constructed by men in different styles, and to various myths and parables mentioned in particular scriptures. The emphasis thus started shifting from the common core of spirituality to external formalism. People failed to see that the Supreme Lord is not limited to any location or name. The Lord is all-pervasive and name-less. What counts before Him is the love and devotion of our heart. By whichever name we call Him, He responds to our love.
To the common man, rituals are more important than the Lord, and one who believes in a bygone Saint or has faith in his religious books is considered a religious man. While showing respect to their own past Saint and religious books, people have developed hatred for others.
This narrow-mindedness is like a parasite which feeds on religion and sucks its blood, with the result that the real spirit leaves it and only the skeleton remains. Thus religion is turned into sectarianism, which becomes the usurper of religion. Religion, which was founded to purify and free the human soul, serves only to defile and imprison it.
Today we find that instead of inculcating the virtues of tolerance, forgiveness, and service to fellow beings, people are becoming intolerant, selfish and bigoted. Instead of becoming lovers or devotees of the Lord, they have become false protectors of their faith. They undermine and even ridicule scriptures and Saints belonging to other religions, while boasting at the same time about their modern scientific outlook.
The present situation of religion has indeed become lamentable. All true sages preach equal reverence for all scriptures, faiths and Saints. It is said in the Holy Quran that a true lover of God shows respect to all prophets mentioned in the Quran as well as to those not mentioned therein.
Mere faith in past Saints and their writings, or observance of particular rites and rituals, has little to do with the essence of religion. Unless we actually realize the spiritual experiences described in religious books, out faith in past Saints and their writings will be no avail to us.
(…to be continued, at a later date) any comments?