Comments on: Make a World of Difference: Hearing Each Other, Healing the Earth http://www.fatherbob.com.au/2009/11/26/make-a-world-of-difference-hearing-each-other-healing-the-earth/ no more us and them, just we Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:09:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Pat Curley http://www.fatherbob.com.au/2009/11/26/make-a-world-of-difference-hearing-each-other-healing-the-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-1223 Pat Curley Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:47:41 +0000 http://www.fatherbob.com.au/?p=1160#comment-1223 Well said Ann :-) Ramakrishna's most beloved disciple Swami Vivekananda spoke some eloquent words in his final address to the first parliament of world religions: If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world, it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: "Help and not fight," "Assimilation and not Destruction," "Harmony and Peace and not Dissension." Well said Ann :-) Ramakrishna’s most beloved disciple Swami Vivekananda spoke some eloquent words in his final address to the first parliament of world religions:

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world, it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: “Help and not fight,” “Assimilation and not Destruction,” “Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.”

]]> By: ann http://www.fatherbob.com.au/2009/11/26/make-a-world-of-difference-hearing-each-other-healing-the-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-1221 ann Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:38:37 +0000 http://www.fatherbob.com.au/?p=1160#comment-1221 A great editorial today ...let us hope that all who read it respond in a positive, optimistic way and give up the negativity, anger and divisiveness that has characterised so many comments on this site over the last few months. All of us, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu Sikh and Buddhist, are following the 'many paths' which lead to the one eternal goal. Let us forget the petty squabbles and resentments that follow from our flawed human nature and keep our eye on that goal. In secular society today, and in much of the media, there is a growing hostility to all forms of religious faith and a push to marginalise faith and yes, some adherents of all major faiths don't help matters by being intolerant, judgmental and exclusive...BUT if we turn on each other, then the real enemies of faith - all faiths - can just sit back and laugh! A great editorial today …let us hope that all who read it respond in a positive, optimistic way and give up the negativity, anger and divisiveness that has characterised so many comments on this site over the last few months. All of us, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu Sikh and Buddhist, are following the ‘many paths’ which lead to the one eternal goal. Let us forget the petty squabbles and resentments that follow from our flawed human nature and keep our eye on that goal. In secular society today, and in much of the media, there is a growing hostility to all forms of religious faith and a push to marginalise faith and yes, some adherents of all major faiths don’t help matters by being intolerant, judgmental and exclusive…BUT if we turn on each other, then the real enemies of faith – all faiths – can just sit back and laugh!

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