From God Almighty to Man
There are two religions in the world: the religion of God; and the religion of man.
The religion of man is filled with confusion, divided up into innumerable warring and independent sects, infighting and chaos. The religion of God is One and has been given progressively throughout human history to unite the hearts, elevate the souls of men and bring about a state and condition of spirituality to uplift the human spirit, create man in the image of God -- love, justice, generosity, concord, fidelity, harmony, etc... -- and to free the human mind from blind imitation and slavish devotion to false creeds and man-made dogmas. In this light we can see the TRUTH of the true religion of God woven like a GOLDEN THREAD throughout all faiths whose origin is from Him in the form of the GOLDEN RULE.
The purpose of the this article is to show the PROOF of this golden thread of unity throughout God's Cause in every land and in every scripture in which it has appeared from the first of time in written history unto today. Considering the lofty goal and sublime aim of God in choosing to reveal Himself to man, it is hard for us to imagine, in this day of crooks, cheats and charlatans, what could be a more corrupt or dirty business than religion gone bad. From government to the church, the politician and the preacher, some have said that those who have the gold make the rules: and they sell Jesus Christ on the cross for the almighty dollar. This IS NOT the golden rule, where those who have the gold make the rules, for the scripture says, that "love of money is the root of all evil." Clearly, when it comes to God and religion, any intelligent person can see that the bath water, so to speak, is certainly dirty -- but we don't want to throw the baby out with the dirty bath water!
Thus there is a real truth for the Golden Rule, the one that comes from the One True Invisible God and not from fallible man. In this short article we will see this golden theme, found like a golden thread woven throughout all the true religions of God that are practiced by people of world faith throughout this great and good world of God's green earth.
If all people would practice the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" we can not imagine any better form and foundation for the end of war, a spiritual solution to the economic problem, and the establishment of a universal and everlasting Kingdom of justice and peace on earth for all mankind. Read this article and open your mind to the eye of God Himself, even as Jesus hath said: "Seek ye the truth and the truth will set you free."
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
"Jesus
said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your
heart, and with all your mind and with all your soul
and You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
(Jesus Christ, Matthew 22:36-40)
"O
son of man! If thine eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake
the things that profit thee and cleave unto that which will
profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice,
choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for
thyself."
(Baha'u'llah, The third Leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise,
Tablets, p. 64)
"Hurt
not others with that which pains yourself or in ways that
you yourself would find hurtful. One should seek for others
the happiness one desires for one's self"
(Udana-Varqa, 5:18)
"This
is the sum of duty: do naught unto others that which would
cause pain if done unto you."
(Mahabharata 5:1517)
"Do
not to others what ye do not wish done to yourself; and wish
for others too, what ye desire and long for, for yourself.
This is the whole of Dharma, heed it well."
(The Celestial Song, 2:65)
"That
nature ONLY is good when it shall NOT DO unto another whatever
is not good for its own self."
(Dadistan-i-Dinik, 94:5)
"Whatsoever
is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others."
(Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29)
That which is good for all and any one, for whomsoever - that
is good for me. What I hold good for self, I should for all.
Only Law Universal, is true Law."
(Zoroaster, Yasana-Gathas)
"A
man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself
would be treated."
(Sutrakritanga 1.11.33)
"Precious
like jewels are the minds of all. To hurt them is not at all
good. If thou desirest thy Beloved, then hurt thou not anyone's
heart."
(Guru Aranj Devji 259, Guru Granth Sahib)
"Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto
you."
(Analects, 15:23)
"If
one strives to treat others as he would be treated by them,
he will come near the perfect life."
(Book of Meng Tzu)
"What
you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them."
(Pythagorean)
"We
should conduct ourselves toward others as we would have them
act toward us."
(Aristotle, from Plato and Socrates)
"Avoid
doing what you would blame others for doing."
(Thales)
"Do
not to your neighbor what you would take ill from him."
(Pittacus)
"Cherish
reciprocal benevolence, which will make you as anxious for
another's welfare as your own"
(Aristippus of Cyrene).
"Act
toward others as you desire them to act toward you"
(Isocrates)
"Pity the misfortunes of others; rejoice in the well-being of others; help those who are in want; save men in danger; rejoice at the success of others; and sympathise with their reverses, even as though YOU WERE in their place."
"The
sage has no interests of his own, but regards the interests
of the people as his own. He is kind to the kind, he is also
kind to the unkind: for virtue is kind."
(T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien)
"Love
your friend and never desert him. If you see him surrounded
by the enemy do not run away; go to him, and if you cannot
save him, be killed together and let your bones lie side by
side."
(Sur-AR-Ale-Shar, The Lessons of the Lone Chief)
"Do
not kill or injure your neighbor, for it is not him that you
injure, you injure yourself. But do good to him, therefore
add to his days of happiness as you add to your own. Do not
wrong or hate your neighbor, for it is not him that you wrong,
you wrong yourself. But love him, for The Great Spirit (Moneto)
loves him also as he loves you."
(Shawnee)
"Respect
for all life is the foundation."
(The Great Law of Peace)
"A
SAGE is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the
parity of the killed and the killer. THEREFORE, neither does
he cause violence to others nor does he make others do so."
(Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria)
"One
going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should
first try it on himself to feel how it hurts."
(Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria)
"Not
one of you is a believer until he desires for another that
which he desires for himself."
(Muhammad, 40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 13)
"Do
unto all men as you would they should do unto you, and reject
for them that which you would reject for yourself."
(Mishkat-el-Masabih)
"What
is hateful to you, DO NOT to your fellow man. That is the
law: all the rest is commentary."
(Talmud, Shabbat 31a)
"Thou
shalt LOVE thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD."
(Moses, Leviticus 19:18)
"All
things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye
even so to them."
(Matthew 7:12)
"Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you."
(Luke 6:31)
"Blessed
is he who preferreth his brother before himself."
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets, p. 71)
"Lay
not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid
on you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not
desire for yourselves."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings LXVI, p. 128)
"Ascribe
not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed
to thee, and say not that which thou doest not. This is my
command unto thee, do thou observe it."
(Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic # 29)
"Choose
for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 30)
From the Sacred Will and Testament of 'ABDU'L-BAHA:
"O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere kindliness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love and loving kindness, that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them. For universality is of God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that his reality may manifest virtues and perfections, the light whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the sun shineth upon all the world and the merciful showers of Divine Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze reviveth every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain their share and portion at His heavenly board. In like manner, the affections and loving kindness of the servants of the One True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all mankind. Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in no wise permitted.
"Wherefore, O my loving friends! Consort with all the peoples, kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness, uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and friendliness, that all the world of being may be filled with the holy ecstasy of the grace of Baha, that ignorance, enmity, hate and rancor may vanish from the world and the darkness of estrangement amidst the peoples and kindreds of the world may give way to the Light of Unity. Should other peoples and nations be unfaithful to you show your fidelity unto them, should they be unjust toward you show justice towards them, should they keep aloof from you attract them to yourselves, should they show their enmity be friendly towards them, should they poison your lives, sweeten their souls, should they inflict a wound upon you, be a salve to their sores. Such are the attributes of the sincere! Such are the attributes of the truthful."
(The Sacred Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, pp.13-14)
Conclusion
Therefore, the source of all true religions is one. And this single source is the One True Invisible God that has been made known. All peoples of both the Eastern and Western worlds, of both the Eastern and Western schools and philosophies, have been guided by the Merciful and Living God, through the appearance of the Divine Manifestations of Himself, the Nine Great Revelators of this last 6000 years Adamic Cycle, into this Universal Teaching of this Universal Law of Justice, Mercy and Love!
The word "religion" comes form the Latin "religio" which means to "bind together" (like a bundle of sticks). But today people are DIVIDED up according to the many religions, cults and sects. Thus this is NOT religion, but it is truly IRRELIGION, as it separates the gathering of the peoples.
The true religion unites the hearts and minds of man through the Oneness of Humanity and the independent, unfettered investigation of the truth. When we see the light of the truth with our own eyes and not through the eyes of our neighbour, then and only then, will ALL people of race, creed, nationality, color and persuasion be truly united. All mankind will be united like one soul in one body.
Thus the Golden Rule is that spark of a glimmer of the golden light of God made manifest through the glory, splendor and light of God for the healing of all the nations. Nothing can separate the gathering of the people of light. Nothing can separate the gathering of the people of Baha! Though those who love the dark, may defect, the hearts of love in God remain ever united!
Baha'u'llah, the HEIR to David's throne, the descendant of King David through Solomon and the exiled monarch of David (exilarch) Bostanai, fulfills prophecy for the Second Coming of Christ! The meaning of the word Christ is a Greek word for the Hebrew word Messiah which means the descendent of King David which is anointed (see Psalms 89).
The Purpose of the descendants of King David continued through Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha is so that we can recognize the true Universal House of Justice of Baha'u'llah from fakes, frauds, and imitations.
The world has turned aside from the basic teachings of the One True Invisible God as given in the Golden Rule and explicitly stated in the everlasting Covenant of God spoken of all throughout the Bible, and therefore the catastrophe is upon us now!
INVESTIGATE NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
The Twelve BASIC Principles of the Baha'i Faith
The Oneness of Humanity
The Independent and Unfettered Investigation of the Truth
Religion is Progressive, all having a Common Foundation
Religion Must be the Source of Unity
True Science and True Religion Must Correspond
Equality of Men and Women
The Removal of Prejudice of All Kinds
Universal Peace Upheld by a Spiritual World Government
Universal Compulsory Education
A Spiritual Solution to the Economic Problem
A Universal Auxiliary Language
A Universal House of Justice with the Davidic King as its President