Glenn Stewart Coles, 9251 Yonge Street, Suite 8-924, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4C 9T3
Text Box: In a world where faith and religion are unique to each individual, two main religions dominate the news. Positioned as virtual opponents, believers in Christianity and Islam each claim they know the path to righteousness. Unfortunately the specifics of the path differ and conflict results. There are not only conflicts between these major religions; there are also conflicts within sectors of each religion. What are often overlooked are the similarities between these two religions. The tribes that eventually formed Christianity, Islam and Judaism are all descended from the line of Abraham and now number 3.8 billion around the world. Each religion is monotheistic, declaring that one god rules all. Each also declares that god must be worshipped. Each teaches that god rules with fear and force. Each believes in a holy book that outlines the directives of god. Each religious group has also created cultural traditions that must be followed in order to please god and avoid his punishment. Whether they refer to god as Father, Jehovah or Allah, the people of Abraham perceive god as a separate entity. As limited human beings we are inferior to the almighty force that we pray to. We ask his permission and favor and hope that he cares enough for us to alter the outcome. If he doesn’t give us the answer we wanted, we accept that we were not yet worthy. In order to prove worthiness, we must expand the love of god throughout humanity. In order to expand god, we must convince other people to think the same way as ourselves. Thus evolves conflict. Because god is a separate entity, we have confirmed the concept of superiority. If god is better than us, then doesn’t it follow that men who are closer to god are better than other men? If some men are better than other men, then doesn’t it make it acceptable to kill those lesser beings in service of a greater god? Since those who are devout receive messages from god all the time, they are quite sure that they are following his desired path. After all, if god didn’t want us doing what we are doing, he would stop us. What if we substituted the word ‘god’ with the word ‘nature’? We still see nature as something ‘out there’ which we enjoy occasionally. We still exclude ourselves from nature, distinguishing between something that is man-made or natural. We still harm our environment with our actions, as if someone else will clean it up. Would it be acceptable to treat god the way that we treat nature and our planet? What if we referred to god as ‘the universe’, implying everything that exists? We still see ourselves as small components of a big picture that is not in our control. The reality is that the small picture defines the big picture, just as a holograph contains the whole picture in each of its parts. While the scope of the universe is beyond our comprehension, we change it constantly with our personal vibration. Each component of god contributes to the wholeness that is god. It is interesting to note that China, the largest nation in the world with 1.3 billion people, is officially atheist. While about five percent of the population declares allegiance to Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity or Islam, the rest of the people follow the party line and accept that there is no god. While having official religious status involves public declaration, many Chinese keep their faith in private, away from the prying eyes of a Communist government. Strengthened by centuries of Buddhist and Taoist belief and supported by the underground movement of Falun Gong, the soul of China seeks enlightenment on a personal level. What we are coming to realize as a species is that each one of us reflects god. As a reflection of god, we honor him/her through the betterment of self and the assisting of others. The marvelous variety called humanity contains incredible creative potential. God gives us creativity so that we may create, she gives us compassion so that we may be compassionate, and he gives us joy so that we may be joyous. The rest is man-made. © Copyright Glenn Stewart Coles, 2008 First Published February 26, 2008

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The Separation of God

Whether they refer to god as Father, Jehovah or Allah, the people of Abraham perceive god as a separate entity.

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