THE LAND OF WHAT IF

Every once in a while my thoughts drift into that marvelous idealistic land of ‘what if.’ This morning at breakfast Kathleen reported that while walking yesterday the question came up, whether Mohamed was a prophet or not. We had a short discussion on the subject, but the ‘what if’ portion of my mind went into gear and I knew I had to put what was going on in my brain down on paper.

The great Nephite prophet recorded some 2560 years ago that God had declared:

Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? (2 Nephi 29:7)

‘What if’ – there is a Universal Father of all mankind? ‘What if’ – He has given His word unto all His children regardless of the spot on this small planet where they might have been born? And the big ‘what if.’ ‘What if’ – His children would adhere to and live lives in accordance to his word?

As the number of times I was privileged to teach the course on World Religions multiplied the more cemented the concept of a Universal Heavenly Father of all mankind became in my soul. The more I learned, the more I came to know that the fundamental teachings of the world’s religions contained more harmonious doctrines than conflicting ideologies.

BUDDHISM: If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. “He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me” – in those who harbor such thoughts hatred will never cease, - in those who do not harbor such thought hatred will cease. For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time; hatred ceases by love – this is an old rule. (Man’s Religions page 136)

TAOISM: To those who are good to me I am good’ and to those who are not good to me, I am good; - and thus all get to be good. To those who are sincere with me, I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere with me, I am also sincere; - and thus all get to be sincere. (Man’s Religions page 256)

CONFUCIANISM: Tzu-Kung asked, “Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?” The Master said, “Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” (Man’s Religions Page 278)

ISLAM: There was a time, when I blamed my companion if his religion did not conform to mine; Now, however, my heart accepts every form; it is a pasture ground for gazelles, a cloister for monks, A Temple for idols and a Ka’bah for the pilgrim, that tables of the Torah and the sacred books of the Koran. Love alone is my religion. (Man’s Religion page 538)

CHRISTIANITY: “You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole mind.” That is the great and first command. There is a second like it: “You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.” These two commands sum up the whole of the Law and the Prophet.

Although this sampling is small I hope it will give an idea of why I have come to believe in a Universal Father who has given his word to all his children. Although the dust of ages may have dimmed the original brightness of word, the messages to all nations continue to burn in the embers left from their foundational blaze.

For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true. (Alma 29:8)

The big ‘what if’ – What if the universal brotherhood on this earth would live in accordance with the passages quoted in this Thought? Would the relationships of the earth not be improved? Would weapons of war finally be turned into plowshares? Would the lamb finally lie down by the lion?

I know that most of my ‘what if’ moments fade in the face of reality, but forevermore I will continue to have my heart set on the fulfillment of such ‘what ifs.’

I know that as long as my personal ‘what ifs’ fall short of being ‘what is’ – the universal adherence to the word of our Heavenly Father cannot be brought to pass.