Unity and renewal of humankind

Unity andUnity and
Renewal ofRenewal of
HumankindHumankindJoshva Raja, UTC, BangaloreJoshva Raja, UTC, Bangalore

Unity of HumankindUnity of Humankind
Oneness/Sameness – Living together in UnityOneness/Sameness – Living together in Unity
sharing resources with human dignitysharing resources with human dignity
Monism – Belonging to Self – distinctionsMonism – Belonging to Self – distinctions
Unity VS DiversityUnity VS Diversity
Equality VS DifferencesEquality VS Differences
Ecumenism VS Exclusivist viewsEcumenism VS Exclusivist views
Pluralism VS Religious CoexistencePluralism VS Religious Coexistence
Community VS IndividualismCommunity VS Individualism

dualismdualism (dvaita),(dvaita),
qualified monismqualified monism
(visishtadvaita) and(visishtadvaita) and
monism (advaita)monism (advaita)
are the three main schools ofare the three main schools of
metaphysical thought.metaphysical thought.
Indian Thoughts

madhvamadhva said: -said: -
man is the servant of godman is the servant of god - and- and
established hisestablished his dvaitadvaita philosophyphilosophy..
ramanujaramanuja said: -said: -
man is a ray or spark of godman is a ray or spark of god - and- and
established hisestablished his visishtadvaitavisishtadvaita
philosophyphilosophy.. sankarasankara said: -said: -
man is identical withman is identical with brahmanbrahman or theor the
eternaleternal soulsoul - and established his- and established his
kevalakevala advaitaadvaita philosophyphilosophy..

A Dvaitin wants to serve theA Dvaitin wants to serve the lordlord as aas a
servantservant. He wishes to. He wishes to playplay with thewith the lordlord..
He wishes toHe wishes to tastetaste thethe sugarsugar--candycandy. A. A
Visishtadvaitin wants to become likeVisishtadvaitin wants to become like lordlord
narayananarayana and enjoy theand enjoy the divinedivine. He does. He does
not wish tonot wish to mergemerge himself or becomehimself or become
identical with theidentical with the lordlord. He wishes to. He wishes to
remain as aremain as a sparkspark. A. A jnanijnani merges himselfmerges himself
inin brahmanbrahman. He wishes to become. He wishes to become
identical withidentical with brahmanbrahman. He wants to. He wants to
become thebecome the sugarsugar--candycandy itself.itself.

SelfSelf
 Self – Natural, Human and Divine within everyoneSelf – Natural, Human and Divine within everyone
 Martin Buber – Transcending the SelfMartin Buber – Transcending the Self
 Natural self - reflective, reactive, destructive-Natural self - reflective, reactive, destructive-
constructive, forgiving-destroying, selfish-selfless,constructive, forgiving-destroying, selfish-selfless,
control,control,
 human self - educative, Liberative, give-take, negotiate,human self - educative, Liberative, give-take, negotiate,
adjustment, calculative, mutual co-existentialadjustment, calculative, mutual co-existential
agreement, power seeking,agreement, power seeking,
 divine self - sacrificial, giving, selfless, service to all,divine self - sacrificial, giving, selfless, service to all,
no-boundaries,no-boundaries,

Unity -BahaiUnity -Bahai
 Unity is of various kinds. Limited unities, such as unity basedUnity is of various kinds. Limited unities, such as unity based
on a common language, a common nationality, or a commonon a common language, a common nationality, or a common
race are no longer adequate in the present age. `Abdu'l-Bahárace are no longer adequate in the present age. `Abdu'l-Bahá
defined two levels of unity which yield benefit to humankinddefined two levels of unity which yield benefit to humankind
today. The first is an intellectual realization that humanity istoday. The first is an intellectual realization that humanity is
one interdependent organic whole; and so any harm thatone interdependent organic whole; and so any harm that
befalls one part of it affects all.befalls one part of it affects all.55 As our thinking becomesAs our thinking becomes
more universal, there gradually evolves within the individual, amore universal, there gradually evolves within the individual, a
global consciousness, an awareness of the oneness of allglobal consciousness, an awareness of the oneness of all
humanity at the spiritual level. This results in a spiritualhumanity at the spiritual level. This results in a spiritual
regeneration of humankind and in a higher level of unity, aregeneration of humankind and in a higher level of unity, a
spiritual unity, which is even more beneficial for humanity.spiritual unity, which is even more beneficial for humanity.

 Another unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from theAnother unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from the
breaths of the Holy Spirit. This is greater than the unity ofbreaths of the Holy Spirit. This is greater than the unity of
mankind. Human unity or solidarity may be likened to themankind. Human unity or solidarity may be likened to the
body whereas unity from the breaths of the Holy Spirit is thebody whereas unity from the breaths of the Holy Spirit is the
spirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity. It createsspirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity. It creates
such a condition in mankind that each one will make sacrificessuch a condition in mankind that each one will make sacrifices
for the other and the utmost desire will be to forfeit life andfor the other and the utmost desire will be to forfeit life and
all that pertains to it in behalf of another's good . . . Thisall that pertains to it in behalf of another's good . . . This
unity is the very spirit of the body of the world . . . Hisunity is the very spirit of the body of the world . . . His
Holiness Jesus Christ . . . promulgated this unity amongHoliness Jesus Christ . . . promulgated this unity among
mankind. Every soul who believed in Jesus Christ becamemankind. Every soul who believed in Jesus Christ became
revivified and resuscitated through this spirit, attained to therevivified and resuscitated through this spirit, attained to the
zenith of eternal glory, realized the life everlasting,zenith of eternal glory, realized the life everlasting,
experienced the second birth and rose to the acme of goodexperienced the second birth and rose to the acme of good
fortune.fortune.66

 Some people think that unity inevitably meansSome people think that unity inevitably means
uniformity. The Bahá'í aim, however, is touniformity. The Bahá'í aim, however, is to
preserve the rich diversity of human language,preserve the rich diversity of human language,
culture, tradition, and thought on this planet,culture, tradition, and thought on this planet,
while at the same time removing the causes ofwhile at the same time removing the causes of
conflict and contention that exist. The mere factconflict and contention that exist. The mere fact
that there are differences between peoplethat there are differences between people
should not inevitably lead to dissension andshould not inevitably lead to dissension and
strife. Looked at from another perspective, thestrife. Looked at from another perspective, the
existence of differences could be celebrated asexistence of differences could be celebrated as
a source of richness and variety.a source of richness and variety.
 Tree and flowersTree and flowers

Narratives and UnityNarratives and Unity
• Breaking the narratives of disunity
• Distancing the narratives from the experience
of the real self
• Looking at the use of the narratives rather than
the rational or emotional conviction or
attachment to it
• Deconstructing the narratives with the
intercultural, inter-denominational, inter-
religious interactions

Narratives of DisunityNarratives of Disunity
 Fear of evilFear of evil
 Stereotypical images of the otherStereotypical images of the other
 Population explosion - misguided narratives ofPopulation explosion - misguided narratives of
the other - other as evil -the other - other as evil -
 monolithic group - with fundamentalist fixedmonolithic group - with fundamentalist fixed
narrativesnarratives
 Threat from outside that is the otherThreat from outside that is the other
 Population and resource sharingPopulation and resource sharing
 Grassroots dialogueGrassroots dialogue

Narratives of clashesNarratives of clashes
 Clash of Civilizations? - HuntingtonClash of Civilizations? - Huntington
 Clash of Economic interests? ChomskyClash of Economic interests? Chomsky
 Clash of Fundamentalism? Tariq AliClash of Fundamentalism? Tariq Ali
 Clash of Ignorance? Edward SaidClash of Ignorance? Edward Said
 Clash of Ideologies?Clash of Ideologies?
 Clash of Castes; linguistic chauvinism;Clash of Castes; linguistic chauvinism;
regionalism; racism; religions?regionalism; racism; religions?
 Clash of Powers?Clash of Powers?
 Clash of Egoisms?Clash of Egoisms?

Population and Resource SharingPopulation and Resource Sharing
people Resources
10-15%
20-30%
55-70%
60-70%
10-20%
7-10%
Unity impossible

Contrasts-dilemma in UnityContrasts-dilemma in Unity
 Unity Vs diversityUnity Vs diversity
 Not towards oneness rather towards living together in peaceNot towards oneness rather towards living together in peace
and harmonyand harmony
 Not accepting a religious pluralism rather dialogic interactiveNot accepting a religious pluralism rather dialogic interactive
coexistencecoexistence
 Beyond ness as growing togetherBeyond ness as growing together
 Pluralism Vs religious coexistencePluralism Vs religious coexistence
 Equality Vs differencesEquality Vs differences
 Ideological threat - respect for human dignity - recognisingIdeological threat - respect for human dignity - recognising
other’s rightsother’s rights
 Not eliminating the differences - equality is not sameness - notNot eliminating the differences - equality is not sameness - not
discrimination against differencesdiscrimination against differences

Contrasts IIContrasts II
 Community Vs Individual FreedomCommunity Vs Individual Freedom
 Liberal Vs Cultural protectionismLiberal Vs Cultural protectionism
 Neo-liberal prosperity Vs PovertyNeo-liberal prosperity Vs Poverty
 Non-violence Vs OppressionNon-violence Vs Oppression
 Human dignity/right Vs relationshipHuman dignity/right Vs relationship
 Development Vs ecological balanceDevelopment Vs ecological balance
 Evangelism Vs dialogueEvangelism Vs dialogue

Lessons for Unity from ALessons for Unity from A
Communication PerspectiveCommunication Perspective
 Contact, Relationship and understanding – notContact, Relationship and understanding – not
communication is sincommunication is sin
 Recognizing ‘Commonness’ of all CommunitiesRecognizing ‘Commonness’ of all Communities
building – Discrimination at all level is wrong –building – Discrimination at all level is wrong –
No culture has evolved without giving orNo culture has evolved without giving or
borrowing from other cultures – Breaking theborrowing from other cultures – Breaking the
barriers -barriers -Denominational - Administrative -Denominational - Administrative -
doctrinal - economic - religious…doctrinal - economic - religious…

Lessons 2Lessons 2
 Meeting Points – Code – Recognition – DialogicMeeting Points – Code – Recognition – Dialogic
– Pakistan India dialogue initiatives– Pakistan India dialogue initiatives
- RSS Christian dialogue- RSS Christian dialogue
 Walking down the streets to meet people -Walking down the streets to meet people -
Anna Prasada and Anna Dhana in WhitefieldAnna Prasada and Anna Dhana in Whitefield
 Eating with Refugees and Pavement dwellersEating with Refugees and Pavement dwellers
 Breaking boundaries – Aesthete – mad man –Breaking boundaries – Aesthete – mad man –
lovers – drunkard – dreamers (Peter and Paul)lovers – drunkard – dreamers (Peter and Paul)

Christ as ExampleChrist as Example
 Church as one bodyChurch as one body
 You in Me and I in YouYou in Me and I in You
 Different sections of the bodyDifferent sections of the body
 Accepting the other as they are with differencesAccepting the other as they are with differences
 Going beyond oneself being guided by the HolyGoing beyond oneself being guided by the Holy
SpiritSpirit
 Community and CommunitiesCommunity and Communities

Unity in ChristUnity in Christ
 Accepting others as they areAccepting others as they are
 Go to the people where they areGo to the people where they are
 Establishing contact and relationship amongEstablishing contact and relationship among
those it is impossible to makethose it is impossible to make
 Bring about understanding among the warringBring about understanding among the warring
communitiescommunities
 Removal of Ignorance about the other and thusRemoval of Ignorance about the other and thus
communicate the right code to the peoplecommunicate the right code to the people

Unity and renewal of humankind

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