| Terrorism in the name of religion, riots in god’s | | | | over the soul? Why even try to destroy something |
| name, killing innocents for not worshipping a particular | | | | that’s indestructible! Isn't that acting against the |
| god, hatred or dislike for people of a particular | | | | will of any religion’s god? |
| religion, looking at worshippers of a certain god with | | | | * The purpose of life- Reaching god or becoming one |
| suspicion….unfortunately such is the reality of | | | | with him is considered the purpose of life. Every |
| today’s world. | | | | religion may prescribe a different path to attain that |
| Religion is a personal choice which is supposed to | | | | goal, but the goal is essentially the same; reaching |
| bring peace of mind and guide you to your life’s | | | | your creator, whether in heaven or by attaining |
| purpose. Loving god should encourage you to love | | | | salvation by becoming like him, free of the cycle of |
| everything he/she has created…yet why is there | | | | life and death. |
| so much destruction and violence in the name of | | | | Human interpretation has corrupted almost every |
| religion? Perhaps it’s because we focus on our | | | | religion; it has given us a reason to hate each other. |
| differences more than our similarities. We look for | | | | We are told we are different because our religion |
| ways to hate others because they are different | | | | insists that ours is the only god. Does that mean |
| from us. We use religion to create “Us” and | | | | people who don't follow our religion are not |
| “Them”. Religion is something that can | | | | god’s children? How is that possible? We are all |
| actually unite all humanity; it’s only a matter of | | | | humans, we all have two eyes, two legs, two hands, |
| how we choose to view it. | | | | and one nose…our skin colors may differ but our |
| Religions are like books with different covers, names | | | | blood is all the same color! You wouldn't hate your |
| and supposedly different philosophies, but if you read | | | | sibling if he called your father “papa” instead |
| between the lines, you'll observe that every religion | | | | “dad”? Would you? Then why hate humans |
| promotes and encourages the same basic virtues. | | | | if they address their god by a different name? You |
| Let’s examine the similarities one by one: | | | | wouldn't hate your siblings if their philosophy of life |
| *Reap as you sow- Every religion believes in this | | | | was different from yours? Then why hate people |
| concept, though the names given to it may differ. | | | | who follow different religions? |
| While some call it sin, it’s known as Karma or the | | | | There may be a lot of differences in the way we live |
| threefold principle in others. Whatever you call it, the | | | | and the philosophies we follow. We might also believe |
| basic principle remains the same; if you do or think of | | | | that we are headed towards different goals, after all |
| something that harms or hurts others, you will pay a | | | | Islam’s heaven is not the same as |
| price! Every religion in its own way encourages | | | | Christianity’s heaven which is different from a |
| goodness. What constitutes goodness may be | | | | Hindu’s heaven, which is again unlike the Buddhist |
| different, but again if you read between the lines and | | | | heaven, or Jewish heaven…yet if you ask yourself |
| remove the layers of corrupt human interpretation | | | | what heaven is, all religions believe it is a place of |
| you will realize that peace, kindness and love define | | | | infinite bliss that only those of pure souls reach and |
| goodness in its purest form. | | | | hatred is the antithesis of purity. |
| * The Concept of soul- All religions believe that the | | | | There’s no denying that there are a lot of |
| soul is indestructible, though there may be different | | | | differences in the philosophies of religions, but if we |
| beliefs about what happens to the soul after death. | | | | learn to focus on our similarities instead of our |
| Yet to all, the soul exists as a fundamental universal | | | | differences, we'll learn how to love and accept each |
| religious concept. If you believe in the soul you know | | | | other as fellow humans; children of god, even if they |
| it can't be destroyed, then why attempt to destroy | | | | address him or her by different names! |
| human lives, when you know you have no power | | | | |