Peace on Earth: Universal Faith for World Harmony

By Satya Pal Singh

Vision is the ability to see beyond the present; to be able to chart a map of the future. Is such a vision possible for a universal religion? When all technologies and knowledge in the world are converging, why should humanity have different religions?

One basic question has haunted us for long: Are the many religions of the world opposed to each other? If their common goal is universal welfare, why do we need so many religions? All religions echo the need for righteous conduct, truth and non-violence. But they differ in their rituals, which are unfortunately being projected today as their core. Dress, mode of worship and language of rituals have come to symbolise purity of faith.

Our common experience is the foundation of knowledge worldwide. The basic instincts of all people are the same. So is the striving for peace and brotherhood. The code of conduct for pro-gress and peace underlines the importance of patience, tolerance, mind and sense control, mutual respect, purity, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, truth, non-anger and non- violence for those professing any religious belief. This is the core of all religions, it is what ancient Indian philosophy calls dharma. Dharma is free from ritual. It contains the essence of human progress.

The four essential attributes for a universal religion are equality, universal brotherhood, harmonious development and a scientific basis.

Equality means treating everyone equally without any fear or favour, regardless of age, community, gender, or country in all matters, temporal and terrestrial.

In religion the 'tenet of equality' flows continuously. Universal religion is as old as the first human being. Religion cannot originate hundreds or thousands of years later, with the advent of a 'great man', an incarnation, or a messenger. If it were so, then there could be only two reasons for it. Either God has not acted with equality (or equity). He has done injustice to all those billions of people who lived and died before its inception. Or could it be that in the beginning God was not mature or knowledgeable enough? Like a worldly man, was He gaining experience before launching His religion? God can never be thought of as being partial and unjust to millions of people. Secondly, looking at this perfectly designed world, can we doubt the experience or knowledge of God? Similarly a religion that preaches equality cannot be partial to some parti-cular country or community.

A religion that stands for universal brotherhood cannot selectively provide education, instruction and divine messages to some and not to others. It cannot be partisan, calling some people its own, while insulting and denigrating others, or privileging one section of its adherents over others.

The third unique aspect of universal religion is harmonious development. It desires all-round pro-gress for entire humanity, in balance with nature. It speaks of the need for a well-developed life science, which can produce harmony between body, mind and soul, providing for a long, full and healthy life.

Finally, a universal religion would have a scientific basis. Its principles must reflect a scientific temper. It would believe in nothing that contravenes laws of nature.

These four tests of a universal religion together represent a mutual interdependence. They cannot be isolated. They are inseparably linked. Such a universal religion alone can successfully bring people together in the present technological era. Universal religion and science cannot be separated. Acceptance of such a religion will help bring to an end all conflict. Will the leaders and intellectuals of all faiths come forward, shedding their egos and narrow interests, for universal peace and progress?

(The writer is joint commissioner of police, Mumbai)

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See also: Peace of Mind, Peace on Earth, Life and Beyond, Love and Happiness, Body Mind and Soul)