religious quotes on Unity.

[Machjo]

I've decided to create a thread including quotes on the topic of unity.

I'll start:

The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and tranquillity of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of every people, government and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and almighty name of God, may attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny. …The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have adopted one universal language and one common script. When this is achieved, to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own home. These things are obligatory and absolutely essential. It is incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action…. That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pages 249 to 250.

 

[L Gilbert]

Meh. The gawds should send Klaatu and the robot to fix it all.

 

[Spade]

You'd think the gawds would track document changes. Elementary publishing protocols.
PS
Thought this was about Unity, SK.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

"Kill them all. God will know His own."
--The Bishop of Avignon, 1265.

 

[Spade]

"Kill them all. God will know His own."
--The Bishop of Avignon, 1265.

Sound theology!

 

[petros]

There is only way to Unity...

Polka party!

Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper - The Polka Polka - YouTube

 

[Spade]

It is precisely that requirement of shared worship that has been the principal source of suffering for individual man and the human race since the beginning of history. In their efforts to impose universal worship, men have unsheathed their swords and killed one another. They have invented gods and challenged each other: "Discard your gods and worship mine or I will destroy both your gods and you!”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

 

[petros]

It is precisely that requirement of shared worship that has been the principal source of suffering for individual man and the human race since the beginning of history. In their efforts to impose universal worship, men have unsheathed their swords and killed one another. They have invented gods and challenged each other: "Discard your gods and worship mine or I will destroy both your gods and you!”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Crazy horilka soaked Uke.

 

[Spade]

Town of Unity, Saskatchewan - Location and Maps

 

[Nuggler]

""The Great Being,""...........

We have to discuss Harpo in every thread???

 

[Machjo]

What is real unity? When we observe the human world we find various collective expressions of unity therein. For instance, man is distinguished from the animal by his degree or kingdom. This comprehensive distinction includes all the posterity of Adam and constitutes one great household or human family which may be considered the fundamental or physical unity of mankind. Furthermore, a distinction exists between various groups of humankind according to lineage, each group forming a racial unity separate from the others. There is also the unity of tongue among those who use the same language as a means of communication; national unity where various peoples live under one form of government such as French, German, British, etc.; and political unity which conserves the civil rights of parties or factions of the same government. All these unities are imaginary and without real foundation, for no real result proceeds from them. The purpose of true unity is real and divine outcomes. From these limited unities mentioned only limited outcomes proceed whereas unlimited unity produces unlimited result. For instance, from the limited unity of race or nationality the results at most are limited. It is like a family living alone and solitary; there are no unlimited or universal outcomes from it.
The unity which is productive of unlimited results is first a unity of mankind which recognizes that all are sheltered beneath the overshadowing glory of the All-Glorious; that all are servants of one God; for all breathe the same atmosphere, live upon the same earth, move beneath the same heavens, receive effulgence from the same sun and are under the protection of one God. This is the most great unity, and its results are lasting if humanity adheres to it; but mankind has hitherto violated it, adhering to sectarian or other limited unities such as racial, patriotic or unity of self-interests; therefore no great results have been forthcoming. Nevertheless it is certain that the radiance and favors of God are encompassing, minds have developed, perceptions have become acute, sciences and arts are widespread and capacity exists for the proclamation and promulgation of the real and ultimate unity of mankind which will bring forth marvelous results. It will reconcile all religions, make warring nations loving, cause hostile kings to become friendly and bring peace and happiness to the human world. It will cement together the Orient and Occident, remove forever the foundations of war and upraise the ensign of the “Most Great Peace”. These limited unities are therefore signs of that great unity which will make all the human family one by being productive of the attractions of conscience in mankind.
Another unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from the breaths of the Holy Spirit. This is greater than the unity of mankind. Human unity or solidarity may be likened to the body whereas unity from the breaths of the Holy Spirit is the spirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity. It creates such a condition in mankind that each one will make sacrifices for the other and the utmost desire will be to forfeit life and all that pertains to it in behalf of another’s good. This is the unity which existed among the disciples of His Holiness Jesus Christ and bound together the prophets and holy souls of the past. It is the unity which through the influence of the divine spirit is permeating the Bahá’ís so that each offers his life for the other and strives with all sincerity to attain his good-pleasure. This is the unity which caused twenty thousand people in Persia to give their lives in love and devotion to it. It made the Bab the target of a thousand arrows and caused Bahá’u’lláh to suffer exile and imprisonment forty years. This unity is the very spirit of the body of the world. It is impossible for the body of the world to become quickened with life without its vivification. His Holiness Jesus Christ—may my life be a sacrifice to him!—promulgated this unity among mankind. Every soul who believed in Jesus Christ became revivified and resuscitated through this spirit, attained to the zenith of eternal glory, realized the life everlasting, experienced the second birth and rose to the acme of good fortune.
In the Word of God there is still another unity, the oneness of the Manifestations of God, His Holiness Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, the Bab and Bahá’u’lláh. This is a unity divine, heavenly, radiant, merciful; the one reality appearing in its successive manifestations. For instance, the sun is one and the same but its points of dawning are various. During the summer season it rises from the northern point of the ecliptic; in winter it appears from the southern point of rising. Each month between it appears from a certain zodiacal position. Although these dawning-points are different, the sun is the same sun which has appeared from them all. The significance is the reality of prophethood which is symbolized by the sun, and the holy Manifestations are the dawning-places or zodiacal points.
There is also the divine unity or entity which is sanctified above all concept of humanity. It cannot be comprehended nor conceived because it is infinite reality and cannot become finite. Human minds are incapable of surrounding that reality because all thoughts and conceptions of it are finite, intellectual creations and not the reality of divine being which alone knows itself. For example, if we form a conception of divinity as a living, almighty, self-subsisting, eternal being, this is only a concept apprehended by a human intellectual reality. It would not be the outward, visible reality which is beyond the power of human mind to conceive or encompass. We ourselves have an external, visible entity but even our concept of it is the product of our own brain and limited comprehension. The reality of divinity is sanctified above this degree of knowing and realization. It has ever been hidden and secluded in its own holiness and sanctity above our comprehending. Although it transcends our realization, its lights, bestowals, traces and virtues have become manifest in the realities of the prophets, even as the sun becomes resplendent in various mirrors. These holy realities are as reflectors, and the reality of divinity is as the sun which although it is reflected from the mirrors, and its virtues and perfections become resplendent therein, does not stoop from its own station of majesty and glory and seek abode in the mirrors; it remains in its heaven of sanctity. At most it is this, that its lights become manifest and evident in its mirrors or manifestations. Therefore its bounty proceeding from them is one bounty but the recipients of that bounty are many. This is the unity of God; this is oneness;—unity of divinity, holy above ascent or descent, embodiment, comprehension or idealization;—divine unity—the prophets are its mirrors; its lights are revealed through them; its virtues become resplendent in them, but the Sun of Reality never descends from its own highest point and station. This is unity, oneness, sanctity; this is glorification whereby we praise and adore God.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, foundations of World Unity, pages 66 tyo 68

Sorry for the lack of quotation marks above. I tried to edit it but won't work.

 

[L Gilbert]

Unity? Use glue or MIG, TIG, etc.

 

[Spade]

When we were kids, we used flour and water for glue; stunk after a bit.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
-Something, 6:24 (KJV)

Unity is tough.

 

[Machjo]

When we were kids, we used flour and water for glue; stunk after a bit.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
-Something, 6:24 (KJV)

Unity is tough.

But if we serve the right Master, then we have unity since all other 'unities' (of nationality, race, political affiliation, etc.) disappear.

 

[L Gilbert]

Life is a good master, IMO.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

But if we serve the right Master, then we have unity since all other 'unities' (of nationality, race, political affiliation, etc.) disappear.

Not a chance. Jews, Christian, Muslims, and Baha'is, which you appear to be one of based on your citations, all claim to serve the same master, and look how well that works. We have orthodox Jews, reform Jews, Roman Catholics, eastern rite Catholics, Protestants in 10,000 varieties, Shias, Sunnis, Wahhabis, the somewhat updated version of Islam you appear to be promoting, etc. They can't even agree within their own groups on what it's all about, not even groups as close as Anglicans and Roman Catholics can get it together.

"...if we serve the right Master" really means "...if we serve what I believe is the right Master in the right way." Religion is by its nature exclusive and divisive, what Christopher Hitchens aptly described as the ultimate in-group/out-group marker. In all its versions it claims a particular set of beliefs, values, and behaviours is correct, all others are wrong, or at best misguided, on the basis of no good evidence whatsoever. People might agree to serve the same master, but even if they can agree on who or what that is, they'll never agree on what the correct form and manner of service is.

Human unity will never emerge from religion unless one of them overpowers all the others and forcefully imposes a theocratic tyranny on us all. That would not be a good thing.

 

[Machjo]

Even if we only recognized that there is only one mankind and let nationalist and racial strife behind, even that would be a wonderful start.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Agreed, but that message is not going to come out of religion, those are simple biological facts that many religions actively deny.

 

[Machjo]

Agreed, but that message is not going to come out of religion, those are simple biological facts that many religions actively deny.

I'm sure we could find quotes from every religion about unity none-the-less. For instance:

The sixth Ishráq is union and concord amongst the children of men. From the beginning of time the light of unity hath shed its divine radiance upon the world, and the greatest means for the promotion of that unity is for the peoples of the world to understand one another’s writing and speech. In former Epistles We have enjoined upon the Trustees of the House of Justice either to choose one language from among those now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to select a common script, both of which should be taught in all the schools of the world. Thus will the earth be regarded as one country and one home. The most glorious fruit of the tree of knowledge is this exalted word: Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and of one bough the leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loveth his country, let him rather glory in this that he loveth his kind. Concerning this We have previously revealed that which is the means of the reconstruction of the world and the unity of nations. Blessed are they that attain thereunto. Blessed are they that act accordingly.
Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, pages 127 to 128.

 

[Cliffy]

But if we serve the right Master, then we have unity since all other 'unities' (of nationality, race, political affiliation, etc.) disappear.

Why do we have to serve a master? Why do we need a master? Master entails servants or subjects. If we are all equal, there is no need for masters or rulers of any kind. All rule from fear to subjugate the hordes. We are evolving to the day when we will no longer need rule by tyranny, no longer need masters of any kind.