Most of us conduct our lives in a manner consistent with our religious beliefs, do we not? Yet, there is little difference in the behaviours of almost all human beings, whatever our origins, ethnicities, cultures, or locations. With rare exceptions, immigrant behaviour bears this out.
As well, in the inner core of humans, whether staunchly religious or just well-behaved citizens, I believe – having observed closely humans of a wide variety for a long time (yes, I am indeed ancient) – there is an innate spirituality (some outstanding non-conformists excepted). Hinduism suggests that there is a component of our Creator (the one and only) within each of us. This might also explain why many immigrants normally tend to reach out to one another, as do babies and little children with one another. It seems innate.
Those who proclaim the superiority of their religious faith makes me wonder whether an unwarranted arrogance, or an inferiority complex, or a sad lack of understanding about reality is involved. Irrespective of the sources or originators of each religion, are there not only 2 core foundational beliefs in each faith? The Buddha was apparently silent on whether he proclaimed a belief in God; but was he not a Hindu by birth and upbringing?
Who can deny these 2 core beliefs? One – there is a Creator (God) of all mankind (avoiding fruitless debates as to how this occurred. Two – Our Creator God is represented within His creations. The consequence is that we are bonded by co-creation. Thereby, we have a mutual responsibility towards fellow humans. True or false? If false, please explain.
All the explanatory additions or embellishments over time, especially to the principal institutional religions, do not diminish the validity of these core underpinnings, do they? Any superstructures in the form of theological dogma do not undermine this core.
In a universe in which everything is obviously inter-connected, what else is needed beyond this core to provide a guide for living, and for reaching towards the Divine? This reaching out is also to go within ourselves!
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 