On the Universality of Faith and Religion

Dear Friends,

I believe that life can put us in the strangest situations, and that some of these little things that happen at the most unexpected of moments, can touch our lives forever.

I am riding on a train at the beginning of Winter, heading my own way. The sky and clouds- the view- is picturesque so calm and still, and icy blue as the evening turns to night. The silence of outside refelects the silence within the train, and no one speaks because of its beauty. But if you listened well, you would hear muffled discussion and hushed tones like the whispers of love.

And I in silence, gaze out the window in amazement of the beauty of creation. And I can’t help notice the boy, quiet, sitting across from me. I don’t know what it is...that is, his face that caught me. And somehow I know he’s different, in that way one’s soul- the inner-most sacred being within- jumps for joy inexplicably. Immediately, I know I like him. So we talk and talk, at first uncertain and polite. But somehow time passes from minutes to hours, and the two strangers on the train so quiet; their voices breaking the cool silence of the train.

The Muslim boy from Palestine.

The Christian girl from Nigeria.

And though they are worlds apart, there has been no one closer. Kindred spirits in a foreign country with no faith. And after months of not hearing about religion,and feeling isolated in faith, he says to her:

‘ I don’t understand it. I never have. How people can go on day by day, believing in nothing”

Her eyes soften and she replies:

‘I know right? I mean, hypothetically speaking even if there were no God, what harm does it to believe ?’

‘...to have someone to come too in trust and love unconditional’

‘But as for me, I know He lives’, each said .

And before I knew it, the train ride was over- a train ride before that seemed time endless. And we were off on our own paths, our different worlds. And though, he may one day forget this, I remember it always. For at that point, he was my soul mate, and the spirit of God was there in that train...

I was just fortunate to be aware of it.

What I am trying to say is this:

People of faith, all faith- be it Christianity, Islam, Hindu, Judaism, or Sikh – we are all connected in that we believe. It is one GOD we serve, we are all His children.

Then why, dear friends, do we continue to emphasize the little things that make us different?

Some call him God, some call him Allah- but a different name doesn’t have to mean a different being. And what is human language when concerned with the affairs of the spirit?

Therefore, friends, we must learn to cease all forms of inter-religious persecution and segregation, and instead unite in a spirit of love and understanding. We are all brothers and sisters in this family of faith with God as our our head. Respect the little differences that do exist, and accept that no two children in a family are the same. Continue to show love to everyone- even those who do not believe. In fact, more so for a brother who has lost his way- bring him back to the family fold. Do this not by force or threat, but through prayer and love, as our God has taught us.

I end this letter, with the reassurance that God who is the source of all being, and who has given us the freedom to choose what we believe and follow, knows that one day all will be brought back to Him- one body, one faith. Until then, dear friends remember:

‘I believe in the fundamental Truth of all great religions of the world. I believe they are all God given and I believe they were necessary for the people to whom these religions were revealed. And I believe that if only we could all of us read the scriptures of the different faiths from the standpoint of the followers of these faiths, we should find that they were at the bottom all one and were all helpful to one another’ - M K Gandhi

-Cathy