Unity In Diversity

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mrym

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"Regard ye not one another as strangers.Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch."

Baha'u'llah; Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 218

Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you. This, verily, is the most exalted Word which the Mother Book hath sent down and revealed unto you.

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 217

Unity and real understanding is the most essential missing aspect of today's world; well... I think it has always been missing since the appearance of fist human beings on earth and when I read the messages of all the religions, at the core of them there is this "try to unite" teaching and for hundreds of years, messengers of God have been trying to teach us just to be "humans" and yet we are such slow students!

Now, my view of unity is not restricted to the outward form of it, since outwardly speaking unity may not even be perfectly achievable (or may!).

In my thread here, I'll later on post about my idea of unity. But, I'd be glad to see you post your ideas here on the subject and if you are a follower of a religion or an idealogy etc. tell us about the teachings in your belief system on the same topic.
 
Inward diversity matters then? Or should mankind be united under one religion? Subject to the written unalterable code of mores of one single teacher/messenger?
 
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Do you have historical precedents in mind where the kind of unity you envision was perhaps achieved on a smaller scale?
 
"I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman." (John 15:1)
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4)
"I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

The Christian message is so shot through with exhortations to love that one might as well post the New Testament as start filtering out verses!

Of course, it's very Christic in its orientation, and the Church is Herself the bride of the groom, and this is enshrined in the ancient (but much overlooked) teaching of the Mystici Corporis Christi – the Church as a Body of Christ – a teaching founded on the words of Christ and the teachings of John and Paul.

mrym said:
Now, my view of unity is not restricted to the outward form of it, since outwardly speaking unity may not even be perfectly achievable (or may!).
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I think you're right, and 'unity in diversity' is the key. The outward will by its very nature be diverse. That which unifies must transcend the world of forms.
 
RJM said:
Inward diversity matters then? Or should mankind be united under one religion? Subject to the written unalterable code of mores of one single teacher/messenger?
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inward "Unity" matters. I am going to explain in a seperate comment now. :)
 
Thomas said:
"I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman." (John 15:1)
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4)
"I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

The Christian message is so shot through with exhortations to love that one might as well post the New Testament as start filtering out verses!

Of course, it's very Christic in its orientation, and the Church is Herself the bride of the groom, and this is enshrined in the ancient (but much overlooked) teaching of the Mystici Corporis Christi – the Church as a Body of Christ – a teaching founded on the words of Christ and the teachings of John and Paul.


I think you're right, and 'unity in diversity' is the key. The outward will by its very nature be diverse. That which unifies must transcend the world of forms.
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that was really good to read those Bible quotes. I LOVE Christ and I enjoy all His words. now I am going to give my opinion in a separate comment.
 
I think the kind of unity that is mentioned in all religions-directly and indirectly- is more an inward, philosophical, spiritual matter. if we get that one right, the outward one follows.

The idea is probably not something new. I am sure many of you have thought about it and it is known. I just like to speak more of it.

All created things, in essence, are one and the same. That is the world of creation goes through different stages, from mineral to vegetable to animal and then to human being and higher souls.

Through these stages, each created being reflects the rays of one sun. Let's say there is an infinite energy without a begining or an end out of which all things are created; that very first Sun; We, as Baha'is, call it the world of the manifestations (Lahut), Christians -if I am not mistaken- call it "the Son" and so on. We must really go beyond physical forms here, seeing that the Son, the Manifestation, the First Emmenation, is in its essence that sun out of which all other things are created.

Now, a stone -based on its physical qualities, has specific potential to reflect that Sun. in the world of vegetable, that potential to reflect grows bigger and then bigger in the world of animals until in the human realm, we get the highet potential to refelect that Sun, and because of that we have the power of thought and free will and many spiritual powers which are absent in lower realms.

So, just imagine, if the whole creation is stripped of its physical form, all that remains are those mirrors that relect the same sun in different degrees.
So, in essence we are all just creatures of light. Rumi, the Persian mystic, says:

"you have kept a purple glass in front of your eyes; that is why you see the world in purple"
and in another place he says:
"the sun shines on the whole village the same; it is the matter of diferent walls that we get shadows on the ground"

I would like to look at the world of creation without the glasses of forms. I am not saying that the form is of no importance; of course the physical form is very important because it is essentially the vehicle that carries the soul. But, keeping out eyes just on the diferences creates all kinds of wars and unrests.
I try to instead of hating a bad person, just see him/her as someone whose mirror has got dirty (symbolically speaking) and thus is not reflecting back the sun to its full potentiality.

I also believe that we are put on this earth ONLY AND SOLELY to learn this very matter; to see with our inner eyes this TRUTH that we are all just mirrors reflecting one sun; why should I judge you based on your color or language or nationality, religion and idealogy? If we see that oneness, then no matter what our religion and nationality is, we will always try to help each other reflect the sun better because more reflected sun means a better world for everyone. We do not have much freedom regarding the main events of our lives (that is my personal view). our free will mostly goes to the matter of "how we react to those happenings". My reactions are what creates a worthy or an unworthy person out of me.

As weather I have seen people/groups who have followed the same idealogy, yes I have. The main mystic teachers (Rumi, Attar, Hafez) and then Many Buddhist teachers and gurus, Imams and Prophets all of them talk about the same thing and follow the same rule. only that after a while their message gets mudy and we people start to look at the finger that points to the moon rather than seeing the moon itself.

Imagine one day a spaceship comes to earth and two aliens step out of it and decide to watch some "earthling movies". What they will see is series of bloodshed and gore and hatered, enmity and killing and such stuff with a little bit of extreme, unthoughtful romanticism. They'll get shocked and they'll probably ask themselves "why do humans put their time and energy on watching such stuf? have they not learned that this is not the way to live?" And I'd ay they'll leave us forever coz who wants to live with creatures who do not get even the basics of unity?

So, I personally try to carry this vision with me wherever I go and whatever I do. I do not say that sometimes anger, pride, selfishness, etc take the best of me and I turn into a creature with a dirty mirror, but most often I do my best to be an example of what I believe in.

Now, I'd be glad to hear your ideas regarding this theory. and thanks for having read my long post :)
 
mrym said:
So, I personally try to carry this vision with me wherever I go and whatever I do. I do not say that sometimes anger, pride, selfishness, etc take the best of me and I turn into a creature with a dirty mirror, but most often I do my best to be an example of what I believe in.

Now, I'd be glad to hear your ideas regarding this theory. and thanks for having read my long post :)
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The ideas and intention are all good, imo. Peace is good. Unity is good. The problem is with Baha'u'llah's messianic claims?
 
RJM said:
The ideas and intention are all good, imo. Peace is good. Unity is good. The problem is with Baha'u'llah's messianic claims?
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No, with any religion or ideology that one has. I believe the inner message of all religions (the spiritual part) is the same; they're all messengers of love and peace and kindness. The matter of choosing a religion (baha'i or any other) is something between the servant and God, but if we really follow the basics of whatever religion we have, all those roads lead to a better world.
Bahaullah says we don't want or mean to make everyone a baha'i. We just want people to recognize what's good for the whole humanity and follow them, under any names or labels.
In my view, this present world needs brotherhood and unity more than anything else and fighting over religions does no good to anyone.
 
The wheel of Spirit turns the wheel of nature.

Spirit is still and silent and holy. But mixed polarities cause eternal change and movement in nature.
 
The true inner teaching of all religions is that nature is only the partial reality. Eternal peace is found in letting go of natural attachments. Spirit is the true reality. Nature will always be what it is, imo.
 
I don’t think true religions/faiths are mostly focussed upon peace in nature — although good people mostly do try to make the world a better place where they can: a smile, giving alms to a beggar, building a hospital or school, etc. I think true religions are about the soul, less about changing the world of nature, red in tooth and claw.

Just my own thoughts
 
You are right RJM. Peace in the world is the by product of having fulfilled our true spiritual goals and coming to peace inwardly. I think, as I said in my first comment, if we realize the spiritual truth and walk that path, peace in the outward realm will naturally follow.
 
RJM said:
The true inner teaching of all religions is that nature is only the partial reality. Eternal peace is found in letting go of natural attachments. Spirit is the true reality. Nature will always be what it is, imo.
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The Spirit is the pure while light that contains all the wavelengths of colour.

Each of us sees that light refracted through the prism of our own frame of references.

Jesus as Christ is a source of that White Light, the Sun of our world and all the Worlds of God. We, one and all, have the opportunity to embrace that light in all its splendid colours.

Regards Tony
 
RJM said:
I don’t think true religions/faiths are mostly focussed upon peace in nature — although good people mostly do try to make the world a better place where they can: a smile, giving alms to a beggar, building a hospital or school, etc. I think true religions are about the soul, less about changing the world of nature, red in tooth and claw.

Just my own thoughts
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I see that there is a few things to consider about this world we live in, this is one aspect.

Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect"

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven"

Now Jesus asks us to spread that Light.

Mark 16:15 "And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."

Why are we preaching to the entire creation?

The gospel is for the whole creation.

2 Peter 3:13 "But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells"

So that brings us to the Lords Prayer.

"Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, full of grace."

So are we not indeed asking God that this earth will indeed shine with the light of the Glory of our Lord, that the Glory of God may guide our lives? That the promise will be fulfilled?

Regards Tony
 
mrym said:
You are right RJM. Peace in the world is the by product of having fulfilled our true spiritual goals and coming to peace inwardly.
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How do you understand the Bhagavad Gita?
 
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