What do all faiths and religions have in common?

[Stigweard]

Question to the panel:

 

What do all faiths and religions have in common?

 

How would you have answered?

[ZenStatic]

A belief that they can make ones life better.

[NeutralWire]

I have neither so cannot help! NW

[Spiritual_Aspirant]

1. A drive to be better.

2. Love

[CarsonZi]

Question to the panel:

 

What do all faiths and religions have in common?

 

How would you have answered?

 

Man Stigweard...that must have been some conference!?! Lucky you getting to attend!

 

I would answer this question by saying that all "belief systems" have the goal of liberating human-kind from ignorance. Awakening the desire for spiritual liberation (called salvation in some systems) and delivering us into the waiting arms of the "Source". Whether in life or in death. Great question. Thanks for asking it!

 

Love,

Carson

[Wayfarer64]

Do they each have web-sites!? They all have places of worship & followers, don't they?.... They usually condemn anyone who doesn't believe in their system to some sort of hell!

 

These ideas do not lead to harmony.... What is it in each of these disparate systems that will eventually lead their practitioners to harmony? I'm not sure that without a lot of time and exposure to many different systems and philosophies that people will come to realize where the simple agreements exist...

 

I just hope that they all have open-minded and open-hearted seekers within each system and thus are able to explain themselves to each other...

[mYTHmAKER]

Do they each have web-sites!? They all have places of worship & followers, don't they?.... They usually condemn anyone who doesn't believe in their system to some sort of hell!

 

[Stigweard]

[CarsonZi]

[Stigweard]

That's so awesome...what were the results Stigweard?

 

Cheers for you interest CarsonZi

 

There were eight concurrent interfaith plenary panels on:

 

Peaceful resolution of conflicts

 

Cultural diversity, multiculturalism, and social inclusion

 

Economies for common well-being and social justice

 

Climate change and other dimensions of the ecological crisis

 

Peaceful and democratic governance

 

Promoting human rights and responsibilities

 

Cultivating inner peace and spirituality

 

Education for a culture of peace

 

The summit culminated in the drafting of a Brisbane Declaration on the role of faiths in promoting peace and harmony in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region as well as relevant social, economic, political, cultural and educational policies for accomplishing this role.

 

The declaration is still being compiled into a formal format and I will certainly post it here once I have recieved it myself.

[doc benway]

Question to the panel:

 

What do all faiths and religions have in common?

 

How would you have answered?

1. Corruption

2. Exploitation

3. A few profound, basic truths that are freely available to anyone who can sit quietly.

4. Enough power to truly make a difference if 1. and 2. could be eliminated.

[Stigweard]

1. Corruption

2. Exploitation

3. A few profound, basic truths that are freely available to anyone who can sit quietly.

4. Enough power to truly make a difference if 1. and 2. could be eliminated.

 

And those few profound, basic truths in your perception are?

[doc benway]

I'm certainly not the one to define those for anyone but myself, but, I think most people would agree on a few basics llike compassion, respect, wholeness or oneness of a sort, balance, cultivating awareness, love, peace, stuff like that.

[ThisLife]

Question to the panel:

 

What do all faiths and religions have in common?

 

How would you have answered?

 

 

(1) A method which promises to free people from suffering, (backed up with plausible logical proofs or testimony),... if they follow the path prescribed by Religion X

 

(2) A guarantee of living in eternal happiness and fulfillment, (backed up with plausible proofs or testimony)... if they follow the path prescribed by Religion X

 

 

ThisLife

 

 

.

[goldisheavy]

A belief that they can make ones life better.

 

I believe this simple and down to earth answer is also the most correct one and the best.

[Wayfarer64]

[Stigweard]

Thanks Stig-

Gee - I'm glad I thought of it !! -

 

Seriously it seems simple don't it??? But what was created? Will it take hold? -Is this the dawning of the Age of Aquarius?

I think of myself as a warrior, yet I hold peace and love in my heart as the basis of my activities, does this put me in or out?

There are usually more questions than answers I guess...

 

What was created? Well at the very least we managed to get through 4 days together without any disputes LOL. From best that I could tell there was a concensus aggreement from the delegates to actively pursue the objectives in practical ways within their own constituencies.

 

Will it take hold? Time will tell I suppose. I am eagerly awaiting the formal draft of the declaration that was drafted and then see what progress will be initiated. I am also keen to see if the proposed national interfaith council comes to a reality and to see if Ven Master Chin Kung's vision of an interfaith university bears fruit.

 

The Peaceful Warrior yes? It is an interesting balance I agree. To live practically in the world that exhibits the reality of conflict and violence, whilst retaining love and peace in one's heart.

 

[ThisLife]

I believe this simple and down to earth answer is also the most correct one and the best.

 

I too believe that simple and down to earth suggestions are 'often' the best. Yet, look at the example you gave in support of this :

 

All religions are united by,...."A belief that they can make ones life better."

 

Virtually every war in the world, most of the murders, robberies , rapes and every sort of crime against other living beings,.... has been committed by someone believing that it would make their life "better". This is really a self-evident truth. It all depends on who is defining that word, "better".

 

In the end, words mean nothing. It is one's heart and one's actions that the truth of a person, or a religion lie. Faith in words puts a person squarely into that deceptive domain of lawyers and politicians. I think it's best to have a profound distrust of verbal truths and anyone that tries to sell them.

 

 

ThisLife

 

 

.

[goldisheavy]

Virtually every war in the world, most of the murders, robberies , rapes and every sort of crime against other living beings,.... has been committed by someone believing that it would make their life "better". This is really a self-evident truth. It all depends on who is defining that word, "better".

 

Of course. That's how I see it too.

 

I think it's best to have a profound distrust of verbal truths and anyone that tries to sell them.

 

So do I.

[de_paradise]

I understand the kernal of each faith is a method of explaining cultivation science, the way to the Tao.

 

The underlying operating system of the universe is well, universal, and beyond our understanding. However we dont need to understand windows software programming in order to use windows. We dont need to have the same name for each icon and programs either. Likewise we don't need to have the same god and religious system to reach the Tao. The program of the universe and the human mind is so user friendly we can make up endless stories and permutations of methods, that we can reach the Tao anyway.

 

There are more mundane commonalities of faiths, having to do with social order, but that is for social commentators, of which there are already too many.

[goldisheavy]

The underlying operating system of the universe is well, universal, and beyond our understanding. However we dont need to understand windows software programming in order to use windows. We dont need to have the same name for each icon and programs either. Likewise we don't need to have the same god and religious system to reach the Tao. The program of the universe and the human mind is so user friendly we can make up endless stories and permutations of methods, that we can reach the Tao anyway.

 

Well said. However this does depend on your goal. For example, if you discovered some kind of limitation in Windows, you may need to either hack Windows or to wipe it and replace it with an operating system that doesn't have that limitation. But if you just want to use Paint, replacing or even understanding the operating system is completely beside the point. So it depends on the level of your problem.

Edited February 24, 2009 by goldisheavy

[Wayfarer64]

Here are a few scatter-shots of interesting juxtapositions...

 

In a Shaman's education there is communication between (animal)/spiritual helpers & with other students, as well as teachers... I guess spirit helpers could be angelic, but the tension between earth-bound powers and the etherial powers is just another piece of the puzzle- Speaking with animal spirits is perhaps even demonic in the minds of some Christians ... Thats a pretty big hurdle...

 

The Mormons seem to have been out-casts more than I realized. Maybe they like it that way...

 

Rather than look at what is alike, it may be interesting to address any fearful instances of ideas seperating various faiths. I think this needs to be scrutenized, perhaps then minimized at least in importance, if not in dogma- which brings us back to it being perhaps a faulty social contract... one that nature would not likely support- But rather than negate the contrast in differing social contracts, just reduce the anomoly's importance as part of sacred behaviors VS proscribed activities...Creating a more universal cultural norm... or maybe it would be better to just wing it when it comes to druthers!?

 

In any case I will question any answers...tendered by any system... What is wise and what is arbitrary? Just because something is the norm does not make it the greatest...& there are too many norms to ever likely manifest a world-wide norm any time soon... that too may change...

 

I like the differences and the variety of systems...It seems much more logical that the Tao would take on many forms as it were...than there being a universal expression of spiritual interconnectivity...If all was all of a kind all of the time, than why even have a system of connectivity?

 

I hope the ability to change is an attribute of all systems and philosophies....

love to all- Pat

[Guest artform]

Here are a few scatter-shots of interesting juxtapositions...

 

In a Shaman's education there is communication between (animal)/spiritual helpers & with other students, as well as teachers... I guess spirit helpers could be angelic, but the tension between earth-bound powers and the etherial powers is just another piece of the puzzle- Speaking with animal spirits is perhaps even demonic in the minds of some Christians ... Thats a pretty big hurdle...

 

The Mormons seem to have been out-casts more than I realized. Maybe they like it that way...

 

Rather than look at what is alike, it may be interesting to address any fearful instances of ideas seperating various faiths. I think this needs to be scrutenized, perhaps then minimized at least in importance, if not in dogma- which brings us back to it being perhaps a faulty social contract... one that nature would not likely support- But rather than negate the contrast in differing social contracts, just reduce the anomoly's importance as part of sacred behaviors VS proscribed activities...Creating a more universal cultural norm... or maybe it would be better to just wing it when it comes to druthers!?

 

In any case I will question any answers...tendered by any system... What is wise and what is arbitrary? Just because something is the norm does not make it the greatest...& there are too many norms to ever likely manifest a world-wide norm any time soon... that too may change...

 

I like the differences and the variety of systems...It seems much more logical that the Tao would take on many forms as it were...than there being a universal expression of spiritual interconnectivity...If all was all of a kind all of the time, than why even have a system of connectivity?

 

I hope the ability to change is an attribute of all systems and philosophies....

love to all- Pat

 

Great question Stig, and a thoughtful range of answers all. Pat, your last statement is a key not necessarily recognized by those seeking eternal and everlasting truth, and a fixed authority that can be simply applied.

 

This great question has been asked before and seems to have been definitively answered, although our understanding of these things seems mutable throughout history. One of the strongest manifestations of the answer many have given is/was The Global Ethic Foundation led by renegade Catholic theologian Hans Kung.

 

The answer is what many of us heard in school as well as church or synagogue or mosque or other gathering place or place of spirit: The Golden Rule; do unto others as you would have them do unto you (in one particular Christian phrasing). Nevertheless, linguistic variations aside, that principle of reciprocity and mutual integrity is clearly present in all formal religions and indigenous spiritual practices around the planet; a key piece of spiritual, faith and religious "common ground".

 

Is there resonance in this? Any suggestions as to the Taoist statement of this principle?

 

wishing the best to all on our journeys, together on Spaceship Earth

 

artform

[Bruce]

I don't know the answer to this question. It would be easy to say love or some other sentiment, but more often than not I don't see it demonstrated. We could all find some commonality in scripture if we tried, but sometimes it's a stretch. What all religions do have in common are people; people who wrote the scriptures, commentaries and papers, claiming devine inspiration of course. Writings by people with a set agenda. Preaching or teaching by people with a set agenda, a set dogma, sometimes a set political leaning and agenda, and their idea of the devine that they intend to make you believe whether you want to accept it or not, and if you don't they'll condem you themselves.

 

In my experience people from some religions are easier to have a meaningful conversation with than others. Fundamentalists, by definition, tend to be closed minded. They're taught that their way is the way and everyone else is wrong. You can't have a productive discussion with someone like that. Others are much more open and a joy to speak with.

[Stigweard]

Great question Stig, and a thoughtful range of answers all. Pat, your last statement is a key not necessarily recognized by those seeking eternal and everlasting truth, and a fixed authority that can be simply applied.

 

This great question has been asked before and seems to have been definitively answered, although our understanding of these things seems mutable throughout history. One of the strongest manifestations of the answer many have given is/was The Global Ethic Foundation led by renegade Catholic theologian Hans Kung.

 

The answer is what many of us heard in school as well as church or synagogue or mosque or other gathering place or place of spirit: The Golden Rule; do unto others as you would have them do unto you (in one particular Christian phrasing). Nevertheless, linguistic variations aside, that principle of reciprocity and mutual integrity is clearly present in all formal religions and indigenous spiritual practices around the planet; a key piece of spiritual, faith and religious "common ground".

 

Is there resonance in this? Any suggestions as to the Taoist statement of this principle?

 

wishing the best to all on our journeys, together on Spaceship Earth

 

artform

Thanks Artform ... I had heard about The Global Ethic Foundation before but I couldn't for the life of me remember the name

 

The precept of "Do unto others" can certainly be a profound common denominator between all faiths and religions. From a Taoist point of view:

 

Chapter 49 TTC

 

One with wholeness of virtue

has an unconditioned mind.

He regards the mind of all being

as his own mind.

He is kind to the kind.

He is also kind to the unkind,

for the subtle nature of the universe is kind.

He is faithful to the faithful,

He is also faithful to the unfaithful,

for the highest integral virtue of the universe is undecieving.

 

In the midst of the world,

he dissolves all minds into harmonious Oneness.

All people strain their eyes and ears for excitement.

One of deep virtue brings all people back

to their childlike-heartedness.