Convey & Concur
This page features the concurrent views people take on redundant religions, and those who testify the truth that spiritual standards are better than religious beliefs.
This page features the concurrent views people take on redundant religions, and those who testify the truth that spiritual standards are better than religious beliefs.
Michel Bauwens
The author of the following paper Michel Bauwens is an exceptional thinker, a Belgian theologian by education, living in Thailand and currently working in Ecuador. He is the founder of the global Peer to Peer Foundation and movement. His idea of ‘Equipotentiality’ the capacity of every human being to develop their own qualities, is particularly interesting and relevant to our cause.
PEER TO PEER SPIRITUALITY
Is it possible to peer produce spiritual experience and insight, just as knowledge, software and code for computers are peer produced by communities of self-organizing individuals? If so, does this matter?
My answer is yes. Spirituality consists of socially-constructed worldviews that may no longer be appropriate to the time and space in which we live. In this context, newly emerging spiritual viewpoints and practices can be seen as necessary ‘upgrades of consciousness’ that can help us deal with new social and cultural complexities. The implications are profound.
Spirituality and religion always bear the hallmark of the social structures in which they were born and become embedded. Emerging religions often represent a partial transformation of these social structures because they represent new forms of consciousness, but they can never become hegemonic if they are not rooted in, and accepted by, the mainstream social logic.
For example, it’s not difficult to see that the Catholic Church and Buddhist Sangha have strong feudal elements in their organisational structures and ideas; or that Protestant churches are strongly linked to emerging capitalist and/or democratic forms; or that what has been called “New Age spirituality” is often geared towards a marketplace of commodified spiritual experiences that are available for sale. There is little doubt that the Catholic Church and the Buddhist Sangha would not have grown as they did had they not accepted the Roman political order and slavery respectively.
Therefore, it’s logical to expect that the emergence of peer production as a new model of value creation and distribution should also lead to new forms of spiritual organization and experience.
Peer production or ‘p2p’ is defined as any process that allows for open input, participatory processing, and where the output is universally available as a commons to all. This definition includes a number of elements that might also apply to peer to peer spirituality.
First, the spiritual community needs to be open to everyone who accepts its basic rules and injunctions. Second, there must be no pre-defined hierarchies capable of imposing centralized roadmaps or beliefs. And third, spiritual knowledge cannot be copyrighted or privatised, as, for example, occurs in Scientology.
The key positive ethical value of a peer to peer spirituality - and what distinguishes it from all older forms - is rooted in what has been called “equipotentiality:” the capacity of every human being to develop their own qualities, which are all necessary as contributions to common projects. We all have the capacity to develop different skills which are complementary to each other.
Equipotentiality is the necessary antidote to the ranking methodologies that infect authoritarian and hierarchical spiritual forms. According to the Spanish transpersonal psychologist Jorge Ferrer, the “comparing mind” is an essential underpinning of hierarchy, constantly engaged in ranking individuals as higher or lower to each other.
By contrast, “An integrative and embodied spirituality,” says Ferrer, “would effectively undermine the current model of human relations based on comparison, which easily leads to competition, rivalry, envy, jealousy, conflict, and hatred. When individuals develop in harmony with their most genuine vital potentials, human relationships characterized by mutual exchange and enrichment would naturally emerge because people would not need to project their own needs and lacks onto others. More specifically, the turning off of the comparing mind would dismantle the prevalent hierarchical mode of social interaction—paradoxically so extended in spiritual circles—in which people automatically look upon others as being either superior or inferior, as a whole or in some privileged respect."
Instead, each and every individual should be considered as a set of many different attributes, strengths and weaknesses, and in each of them they can be worse or better than others. The key is to build a social system that allows every individual to contribute their best skills and qualities to a common project, and to be recognized for it.
This is exactly what happens in peer production, and the same would be true for p2p spiritual projects. What is important here is not to see spiritual achievements like ‘enlightenment’ as transcendent qualities that trump all others and infer an unchallengeable authority on one person, but rather as particular skills that deserve respect, just as we respect great musicians or artists without giving them any special power.
That means no more gurus, just skillful teachers with a particular job to do. Such teachers are technical facilitators - nothing more and nothing less. They are equipotential peers who serve a specific function.
Of necessity, the methodology of spiritual inquiry in this approach is radically different. The “cooperative spiritual inquiry groups” developed by John Heron are a good example of this methodology in practice. In these groups, the spiritual search starts by collectively accepting certain experiments and injunctions in order to facilitate the emergence of spiritual experience, but there is no pre-ordained path.
For example, an experienced Zen teacher might be invited to lead a meditation exercise, but all the participating individuals would share their experiences with others in the group in order to enhance mutual understanding and learning. Unlike the spiritual practices of hierarchical groups, there is no a priori validation of certain experiences, nor condemnation of others. Every experience is honoured, and forms part of the collective meaning-making experience.
In the past, spiritual seekers faced a choice between traditional religious structures whose horizontal or communal aspects were usually embedded in hierarchies; and more individualist New Age versions which were often quite narcissistic - based on the acquisition of spiritual experience (often in exchange for money) and only weakly rooted in horizontal relationships. By contrast, a p2p spirituality would honour community and co-production above all else.
All this suggests a new approach to spirituality which I call ‘contributory.’ This approach considers each spiritual tradition as a set of injunctions within a specific social framework that’s influenced by epoch-specific values such as patriarchy and doctrines of exclusive truth. At the same time, each tradition also contains a body of psycho-spiritual practices which disclose particular truths about our relationship with the universe. Discovering these spiritual truths requires at least a partial exposure to these practices, but it also requires ‘inter-subjective’ feedback from other people, so it’s a quest that cannot be undertaken alone. It has to be shared with others on the same path.
In this approach, tradition is not rejected but critically experienced and evaluated. The contributory spiritual practitioner can hold themselves beholden to a particular tradition, but need not feel confined to it. He or she can create spiritual inquiry circles that approach different traditions with an open mind, experience them individually and collectively, and exchange experiences with others.
Through these circles, a new collective body of spiritual experience can be continuously co-created by inquiring spiritual communities and individuals. By adding p2p governance and p2p property relations to the peer production of spirituality, we can also create pre-figurative practices that can help to construct a different future. Like the Catholic monks who created a new Christian subjectivity that would become the root of the newly emerging Christian civilization, peer to peer spiritual practitioners are co-creating an emerging p2p-based, commons-oriented society.
The outcome of this process will be a co-generated reality that is unpredictable, but one thing is sure: it will be an open, participatory approach that leads to a commons of spiritual knowledge from which all humanity can draw.
John Lennon
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IMAGINE
John Lennon, legendary English musician, released this song in 1971, to tell the world, we can achieve world peace and forget about wars. Imagine is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed song. Rolling Stone described it as the “Greatest musical gift to the world” Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said, “In many countries around the world, my wife and I have visited about 125 countries, you hear John Lennon's song 'Imagine' used almost equally with national anthems." This song reminds the people of the world, to think about, alternatives to religions and creation of one world
LYRICS
Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try
No hell below us, above only sky
Imagine all the people living for today ah
Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possession, I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people all the people sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
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Meta-Religion Definition
Meta-Spirituality Definition
And Its Relationship to Religion 2.0
Religion 1.0 and Religion 1.5 Structures
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Introduction:
The following page contains a new and expanded definition of meta-religion and meta-spirituality. This new definition both includes and transcends earlier traditional definitions of meta-religion and meta-spirituality.
It is intended for advanced students of Religion 2.0 and advanced theology students from Religion 1.5 and Religion 1.0 organizations. There are many paradoxes in a meta-religion and meta-spirituality as you will soon discover.
What is Meta-Religion and Meta-Spirituality of Religion 2.0:
A meta-religion or meta-spirituality by its very definition and nature must at least be approaching near universality in its usefulness and applicability. This near universality in its usefulness and applicability is created by a combination of factors such as being:
1.) aligned with the principles of open source religion, (Open source principles when applied and adapted to Religion 2.0 are structurally critical so that a meta-religion and meta-spirituality is not continually dragged into or down to denominational differences, conflicts or claims. (Click the preceding open source religion link for the definition and essential structural principles of open source religion.)
2.) secular only to the degree that meta-religion and meta-spirituality is first, primarily and always grounded, balanced and aligned with the objective facts of science to additionally enhance its universality and common qualities such as is found in the common universe genesis story based on factual science that we all share.
A meta-religion and meta-spirituality also answers all of the most important existential questions of life first, primarily and objectively from a science grounded perspective. Click here to see what those most important questions of existence and life are.
A meta-religion and meta-spirituality also provides a set of common and universal principles or codes of ethics for living --- once again based on our common, objective and factual sciences.
Click here for more information on why this is science alignment is critically important.
Click here for how a meta-religion and meta-spirituality answers the question of what is the Religion 2.0 common am universal definition of Ultimate Reality/God.
Click here to learn more about how science and the meta-principles of Evolution 2.0 is used in Religion 2.0 to create set of moral principles or code of ethics for living.
3.) both trans-denominational (beyond denominations,) and omni-denominational (all denominations.) (Trans-denominational and omni-denominational religion, spiritual process and spiritual/religious organization transcend and include ONLY the most life-affirming aspects of earlier forms of spirituality, religion, spiritual process and spiritual organization (traditional religion 1.0 and progressive religion 1.5,) without their worst practices ideas or pathologies while also integrating general scientific knowledge and the science grounded Evolution 2.o and its Universe Evolutionary Worldview. This new transcending and including quality and process creates its own new additive category/type of new non-conflicting and non-competitive secularized metaspirituality and meta-religion beyond anything which we have previously known or considered spirituality, religion, spiritual process, spiritual organization or the any of the various prior spiritual or Interfaith movements to be.) And, it is
4.) aligned with the principles of an open source discovering a subjectively explored personalizable spirituality and religion. (For those so inclined, meta-religion and metaspirituality also offers a personal and subjective pathway for exploring existing religions from Religion 1.0 and Religion 1.5 to "mine" them for their most life-affirming wisdom, knowledge, experiences and processes. Click the personalizable spirituality and religion link for the full explanation of subjective personalizable spirituality and religion and how this works.)
This amazing, natural and new emergence in the evolution of religion and spirituality is truly important!
(Special Note: If you have not already read the specialized Religion 2.0 definitions of spirit, spirituality, universe and particularly Religion 2.0's definition of God that are necessary for use in a meta-religion meta-spirituality form, please do so before continuing. Without understanding these unique definitions as we use them, the expanded definition of meta-spirituality and meta-religion just below will not be fully clear. To see the concise definition of spirit and spirituality used within the Religion 2.0 as used on this website, click here.)
More about the Definition of a Meta-Spirituality and Meta-Religion
On the Universe Spirit website (and within the Religion 2.0 found on this website,) when we add the prefix meta to the word spirituality or religion and we use meta-spirituality or meta-religion to describe what Religion 2.0 is and does.
What is also specifically meant by meta-religion and meta spirituality:
a.) it strives to expand and evolve the meta-theories of spirituality, religion, spiritual process and spiritual and religious organization, which is the theoretical consideration of spirituality’s and religion's meta-properties such as the foundations, methods, spiritual processes, meta-principles, form and utility. (Meta-Religion and meta-spirituality are more of a continuous process rather than a fixed thing that strives to expand toward a theoretical yet unattainable completion of earlier forms of spirituality, spiritual process, spiritual or religious goals, religion and spiritual and religious organization.)
b.) is also creating what could be called a global Collaborative Commons that includes and transcends all current religions and spiritual organizations in a new common meta-space of exploration and sharing.
c.) it also transcends and includes the design, purposes and intent of the current Interfaith movements.
And,
d.) it contains or implies the Religion 1.5 life-affirming progressive theological currents such as personal spirituality, evolutionary spirituality, integral spirituality, women's spirituality, process theology and creation spirituality are also all making significant contributions to the emergence of the
new meta-spirituality and meta-religion.
For Whom is the Meta-Religion and Meta-Spirituality of Religion 2.0 Best Suited:
Individuals who will most likely appreciate the new structure and values within the new meta-religion and meta-spirituality are those individual's at or approaching Fower's Forth Stage of Faith as described by M Scot Peck. The Fourth Stage of Faith:
"Mystic, communal. Out of love and commitment to the whole, using their ability to transcend their backgrounds, culture and limitations with all others, reaching toward the notion of world community and the possibility of either transcending culture or -- depending on which way you want to use the words -- belonging to a planetary culture. They are religious, not looking for clear cut, prototype answers, but desiring to enter into the mystery of uncertainty, living in the unknown. The Christian mystic, as with all other mystics, Sufi and Zen alike, through contemplation, meditation, reflection and prayer, see the Christ, Gods indwelling Spirit or the Buddha nature, in all people, including all the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Jews and so forth, recognizing the connectedness of all humanity with God, never separating oneself from others with doctrine and scripture, recognizing that all scripture acts as fallible pointers of inspiration, unable to capture the essence of truth outside of both human perception and the linguistic straight jacket of language and articulation, that is, the words of fallible men who experienced the nature of God, that of their inner true self, and attempted to record their experience in human words, words constrained by the era of time they were written in that became compromised the moment they were penned and are further removed from objectivity when interpreted by us, fallible men and women who read them."
The Meta-Religion and Meta-Spirituality of Religion 2.0 should be considered a newly emerged 5th stage of faith that can best be reached by those who have reached the fourth stage of faith (above,) and who understand and appreciate science.
It is a new grand synthesis of all past religious evolution that sits firmly on the foundation of science while simultaneously integrating only the most life affirming aspects of our previous religions. It marvelously includes and transcends the myths and metaphors of previous religions without loosing any of the intrinsic wisdom in those myths and metaphors.
Trans-Denominational Meta-Spirituality and Meta-Religion Perspectives on Traditional Religions
The Religion 2.0 trans-denominational meta-spirituality and meta-religion as found on this website holds that there are not just a few thousand religions in the world, but rather that there are as many unique religions as there are people who have decided to seek a greater personal understanding of the Ultimate Reality, awe and wonder, which unites us all. Religion 2.0 holds that increasingly, when someone is asked what religion they are, more people in the future will say that they have their own personal meta-religion and spirituality rather than saying that they are members of one of the mainstream traditional religions common today.
That being said concerning what will eventually become the fastest growing trend in religion today, we hold that there are both useful beauties to be embraced and pathologies to be avoided in all religions, spiritualities and denominations. Although Religion 2.0 can and does perform all of the core purposes, functions and goals of a traditional religion, we call what we do a meta-religion and meta-spirituality or Religion 2.0 because we wish to free ourselves from limiting associations with enforced traditional religious dogma, authoritarianism and religious abuses which more than 60% of the western world wants nothing more to do with and also --- because, what we are co-creating in alignment with progressive evolution (as described within Evolution 2.0 and its Universe Evolutionary Worldview,) is something vastly different than anything that has ever been seen before in the history of religion...
It is not our intent of our new meta-religion and meta-spirituality to create or state that there should be only one world religion, nor do we believe that such a thing is advisable. The meta-religion of religion 2.0 is different in that it is both omni-denominational and trans-denomination. It is noncompetitive and non-conflicting with membership in any other religion or spirituality. It is something much different in that it was designed to serve all spiritual individuals in all religions as an evolutionary upgrade . It is not an effort to create a one world religion! It is beyond that...
We further hold in Religion 2.0 that Ultimate Reality appears to value and delight in the variety of spiritual/religious diversity. Spiritual diversity also serves as a vital communication and teaching tool for the many different personality types, individual psycho-social developmental levels and multitude of cultures.
We affirm the critical necessity for many unique spiritual approaches and without this essential diversity, spirituality would be like the sound of an orchestra playing a symphony with only one instrument. It would lack depth, harmony and balance.
We honor the many spiritualities and religions in the world like individual stories and chapters in a book by one great author. To the reader each separate story in the book still retains its own indispensable value and uniqueness and can be appreciated individually, or it can be valued as a compilation of stories that reflect an author's history and their ongoing relationship to their body of work.
We hold that it is vital that our spiritual organization continue to evolve from and with the ongoing evolution of humankind's collective spiritual wisdom as well as the transformative, direct spiritualexperiences of our members grounded by the facts of science.
We hope that when appropriate, other spiritual organizations and individuals will do the same. Religion 2.0 as a trans-denominational meta-religion recognize that there is a mysterious, universal and transcendent core found within all of the world's authentic spiritual traditions. It is the Ultimate Reality that is the source of all reality and its universal qualities. Our meta-spirituality and metareligion fully recognizes that all healthy and life-affirming iterations of the world's spiritual traditions contain within them diverse, effective and often complementary processes for achieving spiritual growth through the direct spiritual experience of Ultimate Reality. The differences in the plurality of processes is an essential and necessary result of our cultural, developmental, learning style and individual personality differences.
We hold that Ultimate Reality can be encountered, conceptualized, and responded to in numerous and diverse ways. These different perceptions of Ultimate Reality represent both different aspects of Ultimate Reality itself and/or perceptions conditioned by cultural, learning style and individual personality differences.
The most common forms of direct spiritual experience have been described as a numinous experience of the holy or a mystical experience of unity. These forms of direct spiritual experience have been found to be substantially the same in different cultures and religions. This lends credence to the perspective that many universal direct spiritual experiences underlie and interconnect all the major world religions and are also the expanding foundation of this meta-spirituality found within Evolution Spirituality.
Religion 2.0 and Evolution Spirituality as an open source meta-religion also holds that by assembling and sharing both the universal and diverse aspects of these processes of direct spiritual experience from both individual experience and the world's spiritual traditions that are grounded by today's sciences, the tools for supporting these experiences can be made more easily available and understood. Therefore, the process of an individual's own direct spiritual experience can be significantly enhanced. We promote direct spiritual experience of Ultimate Reality in part to develop the spiritual awareness that it also creates the realization of the immanence of Ultimate Reality in all beings and things of the universe. From this awareness and realization all beings, life and nature becomes a sacred reflection
and expression of Ultimate Reality. From this awareness and realization, one's relation to everything in the universe is transformed.
Finally, we hold that because of the infinite nature of Ultimate Reality, the theological systems of the world's spiritual traditions will always provide a unique, but partial view of this infinite reality. Therefore it is important to experience as many of these unique but partial views of Ultimate Reality to obtain the most complete, universal and complimentary experiences of Ultimate Reality from the world's great spiritualities and religions and the sciences. Our universe meta-religion and metaspirituality is a support tool to help you and the religions of the world obtain, share and expand the most complete, universal and complimentary experiences of Ultimate Reality possible.
"When everyone on the planet has their own form of personal meta-religion we will finally have a new kind of peace on earth --- a peace finally freed from endless religious strife and conflict." Anonymous
The Paradoxes of the Trans-denominational and Omni-Denominational Meta- Spirituality and Meta-Religion of Religion 2.0
1.) The more people that practice meta-spirituality and meta-religion as described on this page the more that a new global Collaborative Commons emerges which both transcends and includes the best of our vast heritage of spiritual wisdom and religious traditions. This is in significant part because of how the principles of open source spirituality help optimize collaboration and the cross-fertilization of ideas between spiritual individuals and organizations --- in new paradoxical ways never envisioned or available to the Interfaith movement.
2.) Religion 2.0 as a new model of meta-spirituality and meta-religion does create a lot of paradoxes! Click here to review all these intriguing additional paradoxes.
Some of the Other Possible Goals of a Religion 2.0 Meta-Religion and Meta-Spirituality
To see some of the possible practical goals of a working meta-religion and meta-spirituality click here.
In Conclusion
The Religion 2.0 contains an open, personal and evolutionary form of trans-denominational metaspirituality and meta-religion that may eventually prove to be more ideally suited and adaptable to the current life conditions for expanding both our personal and collective secular and spiritual growth. It also holds great promise for bringing humanity’s vast resources and the power of its religions together to help co-resolve life's most serious and threatening social, political and environmental challenges.
In this 21st century Internet empowered world the emergence of a new form of encompassing, but not overthrowing trans-denominational meta-spirituality and meta-religion like the Religion 2.0 may also proactively be the "just in time" needed super-tool to unite our efforts to co-create a just, equitable and sustainable prosperity for all --- a veritable "heaven on earth right now." (Creating heaven on earth now does not negate still also being open to creating for the potential "heaven" of the afterlife.) As you learn more about the Religion 2.0 form of trans-denominational meta-spirituality and meta-religion, it will be for you to judge if it does in fact have both the potential and the ability to deliver upon its exciting promise and possibilities --- possibilities like being able to support the creation of a spiritual global Collaborative Commons...
(Please note that individuals of a spiritual nature who call themselves, Evolutioneers, planetary citizens, universe citizens or members of the open source Religion 2.0 often hold, value and use the above ideas and principles of meta-religion and meta-spirituality. )
More About the Open Source Religion 2.0:
The open source Religion 2.0 meta-religion that is found on this website as a trans-denominational and omni-denominational meta-religion and meta personal spirituality that includes the most life affirming aspects of all religions while it also transcends traditional religion as we currently know and define it. In fact, the Religion 2.0 found on this website may be the first true trans-denominational (beyond denominations,) and omni-denominational (all denominations,) meta-religion and metaspirituality.
This is not a complete surprise because from early on in our history this was one of the original intended purposes --- to become a trans-denominational meta-spirituality and meta-religion to balance and integrate universe science and its principles of progressive evolution with ONLY the life affirming wisdom from all of humanity's spiritual denominations without their pathologies.
Click here for a full FAQ on the new Religion 2.0--- "the first meta-religion born from the evolution of religion itself."
Last Updated May 14, 2014
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DONALD CHALMERS
The world is our village: All people are created equal members of one human family.
I come to you from a place far away, but through the wonders of the modern world and the internet, present here with you, sharing, as it should be. Our lives may take different courses, and present different challenges and opportunities, but under the skin we are all the same.
I am interested in things philosophical like all of the above, and have collected wisdom from many sources since my completion of my "Peace and Harmony" artwork in 2002. This was fueled by the rage (passion) I experienced when confronted by unexpected issues which happened soon thereafter.
What I have collected should be, I believe, accessable to all - to the religious - or not - of all colours and persuasions, for it contains what I consider the best of inspired quotations from around the globe, including those from the 3000 year old Wisdom of Solomon, and from the revered books of many religions and cultures. Wisdom (truth) presented in small, easily digested, self evident, and truthful bites, such as "All people are created equal members of one human family", "There is no hate in Love", etc. are pretty simple, and I'm sure, easy for all to understand, unless we are above ourselves.
Having pondered these maxims for a long time (I'm now over 60 years of age, and a family person - as indeed we all are), and having looked at these issues from many many, if not all, angles, one new thought came to me (which apparently has sprung from my artwork): that all of us are both male and female inside.
From this thinking, the "outside" is merely the wrapping which hides the complexity "inside"; for we are all uniquely created. If this is the case, male = female, just as black is white, and the end is a new beginning.... And we must honour the inside, as well as the outside. No judgment by an outsider is required. Parents are for nurture, pure and simple, not for whipping and stoning.
Just how religious and other leaders (who were created to serve the people, not just to puff themselves up, through dogma) have responded to the challenge of my artwork is revealing. Unfortunately, their response has not always been to their credit, and reveals the truth that loving adults are raised in loving homes. Anything less fails a parent's duty of care, and damage is done. Anything less than love is not holy.
I have just heard about Nigeria's ongoing debate about same-sex relationships, and your looking for a just and equitable solution, to find a "win/win" way forward for our future, to what is but a normal living variation, like skin colour, hair texture, height, weight, etc.
By accepting that "all people are created equal members of the same human family", and allowing same-sex attracted and same-sex loving couples the same rights as everyone else, we "give love a chance". This, I believe is the crux, the very heart of the matter. Hate melts in the arms of Love.
I have also recently summarized many of the sayings of "The Muslim Jesus", according to a recent book of that name by Tarif Khalidi. This Jesus is referred to time and again as "Spirit of God", or sometimes "Word of God", and is reported to have commended the Golden Rule: Love your neighbour as yourself (page 146). I have identified 136 variants of this saying collected from the writings of all religions, and none (from my 5555 wisdom quotes), the final entry being: "Your wounds are my wounds".
I have also been encouraged recently to read from Islamic sources that "the highest aspect of jihad is to speak the truth in the face of tyranny". But I am also aware that forgiveness and generosity must be nurtured, from each home outward, for the love of truth to thrive and grow in community (which literally means common unity). That is why I have joined your online community, and to support our world today.
Balance, peace and harmony can be ours too, when we see ourselves in all others...., and allow ourselves, from many, to become ONE.
I come to you from a place far away, but through the wonders of the modern world and the internet, present here with you, sharing, as it should be. Our lives may take different courses, and present different challenges and opportunities, but under the skin we are all the same.
I am interested in things philosophical like all of the above, and have collected wisdom from many sources since my completion of my "Peace and Harmony" artwork in 2002. This was fueled by the rage (passion) I experienced when confronted by unexpected issues which happened soon thereafter.
What I have collected should be, I believe, accessable to all - to the religious - or not - of all colours and persuasions, for it contains what I consider the best of inspired quotations from around the globe, including those from the 3000 year old Wisdom of Solomon, and from the revered books of many religions and cultures. Wisdom (truth) presented in small, easily digested, self evident, and truthful bites, such as "All people are created equal members of one human family", "There is no hate in Love", etc. are pretty simple, and I'm sure, easy for all to understand, unless we are above ourselves.
Having pondered these maxims for a long time (I'm now over 60 years of age, and a family person - as indeed we all are), and having looked at these issues from many many, if not all, angles, one new thought came to me (which apparently has sprung from my artwork): that all of us are both male and female inside.
From this thinking, the "outside" is merely the wrapping which hides the complexity "inside"; for we are all uniquely created. If this is the case, male = female, just as black is white, and the end is a new beginning.... And we must honour the inside, as well as the outside. No judgment by an outsider is required. Parents are for nurture, pure and simple, not for whipping and stoning.
Just how religious and other leaders (who were created to serve the people, not just to puff themselves up, through dogma) have responded to the challenge of my artwork is revealing. Unfortunately, their response has not always been to their credit, and reveals the truth that loving adults are raised in loving homes. Anything less fails a parent's duty of care, and damage is done. Anything less than love is not holy.
I have just heard about Nigeria's ongoing debate about same-sex relationships, and your looking for a just and equitable solution, to find a "win/win" way forward for our future, to what is but a normal living variation, like skin colour, hair texture, height, weight, etc.
By accepting that "all people are created equal members of the same human family", and allowing same-sex attracted and same-sex loving couples the same rights as everyone else, we "give love a chance". This, I believe is the crux, the very heart of the matter. Hate melts in the arms of Love.
I have also recently summarized many of the sayings of "The Muslim Jesus", according to a recent book of that name by Tarif Khalidi. This Jesus is referred to time and again as "Spirit of God", or sometimes "Word of God", and is reported to have commended the Golden Rule: Love your neighbour as yourself (page 146). I have identified 136 variants of this saying collected from the writings of all religions, and none (from my 5555 wisdom quotes), the final entry being: "Your wounds are my wounds".
I have also been encouraged recently to read from Islamic sources that "the highest aspect of jihad is to speak the truth in the face of tyranny". But I am also aware that forgiveness and generosity must be nurtured, from each home outward, for the love of truth to thrive and grow in community (which literally means common unity). That is why I have joined your online community, and to support our world today.
Balance, peace and harmony can be ours too, when we see ourselves in all others...., and allow ourselves, from many, to become ONE.
