OUR UNIVERSAL KINSHIP

Some years ago I enrolled in and completed a course of study on World Religions. Because of other pressures of life, family and career my efforts in the class were superficial and, therefore, the knowledge I gained was very rudimentary. In all honesty I was left relatively unchanged by the experience.

A few years later, I received the assignment to teach the basic concepts and histories of the Religions of the World to another generation. Being motivated by a strong desire to keep from being embarrassed each Tuesday and Thursday morning, I fell into a vigorous study program. Long hours were spent in reading as I tried to fill the void left by my meager efforts in my former course of study. I tried to anticipate questions which would easily stretch beyond my fundamental knowledge of Buddhism, Jainism, Shintoism and all those other exotic ‘isms’ from the ages and nations of the world.

Slowly, as the weeks of the course unfolded, a new growth started to bud within my mind and soul. As I was confronted with the teachings, mores and dogmas of the world’s numerous religions I was constantly impressed that I was reading ideas which did not contradict my own deep-seated testimony of God and His purposes for man. These concepts more often than not paralleled and in some cases gave deeper understanding to those ideals which I had held so dear during the major part of my life.

I found encased in the precepts and sayings of the Shinto concepts which I memorized and tried to inculcate in my life from the teachings Moses brought from the mount and consistent with the Holy Prophets of the Old Testament.

In the teachings of Taoism I found a genuine search for eternal truths which became an example to me in my personal quest.
From Confucianism I was frequently reminded of the simple day-to-day practices which bring majesty to my own personal religious practices and make it possible to experience the true joys of life’s relationships.

Opening and exploring the teachings of Judaism brought to reality the immense influence the teachings of Israel brought to the foundations of Christianity.

As the weeks of the course drew to a conclusion I was no longer unchanged by a study of the Religions of the World. I had come to understand to a much greater degree what is meant by the universal kinship of mankind and the singular parentage we all share.

As I repeated the teaching of this course several times during my life I came to believe that it would do us all well if we were to become more conversant with the fundamental understanding our ever approaching neighbors have of the underlying meanings and purposes of life.

Rather than having an immediate defensive reflex to one of the beliefs of our neighbor’s religion we might take a moment to reflect on such things as:

How can I come to understand what you believe, so that our kinship might be strengthened?

How can I use this moment to bring joy rather that sadness by overcoming a bit of my prejudice and bias?

How can I try to stop perpetuating those parts of our lives which divide us and instill relationships which bring us closer to oneness?

How can I spend this moment with my new neighbor exploring those areas of beliefs and yearnings we share in common?

How can I more firmly dedicate my life to bringing universal joy and peace into my many varied spheres?

I don’t know where your journey will lead you, but I testify that the reward of discovering the universal goodness which lies innately in the souls of our earth mates is worth the required effort.