As a child I grew up in a blend of diversity, and at a tender age I was exposed to many things, for the fact that my dad was emotionally involved in the legal fraternity. A man of discipline and dignity, our lifes were entailed with the set of laws. Even though such he was not a pious man but he performed his timely duty to God and managed to nurture us with some knowledge in hand.
As the rule of Hinduism is to firstly respect your mother - "matha", then your father -"pitha", after which your teacher - "guru" and finally God -"deivam". My brother and I were taught the same, to respect and love one another, which included our enemies at times. Thus, came about the teachings of faith and religion, the necessity of coping with life’s trials and tribulations. Inter-faith was my religious views since young.
So what is this Inter-faith all about? Some may look at it in a small spectrum and others may see it in a macro capacity level. Well, I witnessed it at a macro capacity level comprehending that unity, service and awakening were the ideals of Inter-faith. The believe that a universal experience of LOVE allows people to learn to live together in a harmonious way, which was what I had put in practice all my life. This is the LOVE that is at the heart of all the great spiritual teachings even.
Inter-faith is unique and very different in its very own way. Most importantly we celebrate the good qualities of each faith and lead a positive life with the trust to create more harmony and understanding in the world through our understanding of each other.
I would love to share with others in my understanding of the Inter-faith journey in brief. I will start of with Hinduism. One of Hinduism’s most valuable teachings is that of nonviolence. Its unique concept of nonviolence is called “ahimsa,” and means compassion and non-harm to every living thing. That includes other human beings, animals, even insects, and it also includes the people who try to harm us. Another great lesson found in Hinduism is pluralism. Hinduism teaches that there are no “bad” religions; each is, rather, just a “different path up the same mountain.” The peak of the mountain is God, heaven and enlightenment, and we are all on some sort of path up that mountain. Work that an individual does to advance him or herself on that path is called his “dharma,” and one person’s dharma is different from another’s.
Next on my list is Buddhism. Buddhism teaches awareness for our surroundings, and teaches us to look beyond things as they seem. Buddhism also teaches detachment; that we live happier, healthier, and more productive lives when we separate ourselves from outcomes and expectations. When we do a good deed, we should not expect something good in return, because we could be disappointed. Instead, when we expect nothing, we are more likely to be pleased when good things do come. Buddhism is known for its teachings about karma, the idea that all of our thoughts and actions, for good or ill, will come back to effect us. Similar to Hindu teachings, one has to be willing to wait a long time – even lifetimes – to see the rewards of doing good which does take place and I can strongly affirm this.
Angels are God’s special helpers and that is what Christians believe. At the heart of Christianity is love; a powerful love that for all humanity, that is willing to face persecution, suffer, or even die for the sake of another. Worthiness is not an issue in that love; love should be unconditional, not based on human judgments of who “deserves” it. That means a willingness to sacrifice everything we have for love, and an eagerness to love even those who require the most effort. Christianity’s central figure, Jesus, asks us to go beyond that, to forgive our transgressors and pray for those who persecute us. He said that love for the divine and for each other is God’s greatest commandment.
Lastly, is Islam from what I have experienced from people of this faith is Islam teaches that there is a brotherhood of humanity. Its central belief is the concept of oneness, including the oneness of God, the oneness of creation, and the oneness of humanity. That means there is no race, nationality, ability, or difference among human beings; we are all called to treat each other as brothers and sisters. Even in the Qur’an, Islam’s Holy Scripture, God even says that humans were created with different races and religions so that they may get to know each other for mutual benefit.
Each one of us is blended in all religions in some part of our lives in one way or another through their teachings and beliefs. I have experienced a whole lot and I hope I have touched upon what unites us as a community acknowledging that spirituality is broad and accessible to everyone, and to defiantly stand against hatred and prejudice in a positive way by loving and appreciating each other's differences. And knowing that God is ONE and that he only comes in different forms in variation of time and place.
