I have been in many interfaith groups over the years. Typically, such gatherings consist of learning each other’s history, sitting in each other’s worship and having times of fellowship. These are noble efforts, but I do not believe they will bring lasting unity among the religions so long as each faith carries the seeds of discord within its own self-definition. This is a problem no interfaith group would mention, much less address. Allow me to name the heresy:
So long each religion refuses to renounce the idea that it’s leader is the only true guide,
So long as each religion refuses to renounce that idea that they are God’s only chosen people.
So long as each religion believes that God has given them an actual tract of land,
So long as each religion believes their scriptures are to be taken literally, thus overriding human reason, and trumping the needs of the common good,
So long as these factors remain in place, we can have all the interfaith picnics and worships we want, but will still carry daggers in our hearts and will pass them on to our children. The roots of religious intolerance do not lie in hatred, nor even in ignorance, but in our claims of special privilege over one another.
There’s two religions,one worships Mammon the Almighty God who was invented by the first capitalist. This clever lie has the whole world in bondage because Mammon may only be borrowed at interest., and taxed upon usage. Of course that other religion …..
Thank you Gerald. It is interesting how silent the church is about the Bible’s condemnation of charging interest.
I’m usually amused by a group suggesting they are “God’s chosen ones.” Of course, God seems to be mute on the subject, and I always suspect the phrase is absolutely correct! It’s just that we don’t know what they are chosen FOR exactly.
It seems it is often the case, that they are chosen to be a negative example by Divinity! I suppose, we should always be grateful.