- By: B.S. Nim, Chairman Working Committee

 It may be recalled that the UN proclaimed 1995 as the Year of Tolerance, saying that the ability to be tolerant of the actions, beliefs an opinions of others us a major factor in promoting world peace. Amid the resurgence of ethnic conflicts, discrimination against minorities and xenophobia directed against refugees and asylum seekers, Tolerance is the only way forward, said a statement by UNESCO.

This proclamation reminded us of the warning once given by Dr. Radhakrishnan that modern State was breeding a new kind of citizenry, which believed that the worst man in my religion is better (and I must stand by him whatever his crimes and venality) than the good man in the other faith. Suddenly as it were, we are becoming ‘momiphants’, a hybrid animal species, invented by Arthur Koestler. A momiphant combines the frailty and sensitiveness of the mimosa (which crumbles at the faintest touch), with the thick-skinned robustness of an elephant. You curl up when your feelings are hurt, even slightly, but you have no compunction about trampling over the feelings of others.

It has been witnessed all around that as a result of religious intolerance, the society at large has been caught in the grip of tension. Human values are crashing, both horizontally and vertically. One is bewildered as to what is going to become of us. Disgusting communal conflicts and clashes are taking place in such quick succession and so routinely that man is getting immune to shocks. From North to South, the society seems to be like a vast seething cauldron. One wilts like salad under salt on watching the insensitiveness extending to mass killing in the name of religion. There is Society for Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals. Now we also need a Society for preventing of cruelty towards the species called human beings.

Oneness of God

All communities claim that they believe in one God even though they have different names for Him. This seems a blasphemous lie to what is actually being done at regular intervals. Communal hatred, ill-will and superstitions are the root cause of all-round misery and strife in the world.

God, after all, dwells in the human heart, unless we banish Him from that abode and force Him to take refuge in brick and mortar structures. Going by what is being done in the name of God, it may well be stated that right now all major communities are engaged in ‘rehabilitating’ Him in their own ways.

If a man is true to his own, he ought to respect others’ faiths also. He who has the fear of God would not kill any other creature. "Thou shall not kill," implies that life being a gift of God, man is only its custodian and that he must not take what he cannot give.

The man-made barriers of religious faith-have divided humanity into sects and isms, each claiming to hold an olive branch but inward tensions of intolerance inciting them to strike others over the head with that very olive stick. In this way, men are running apart like excited molecules of an atom. It is, therefore, not divided atom but divided mankind, which is becoming more difficult to deal with.

It is strange but true that man today knows more of the astral bodies than of himself. He claims to have unravelled the mysteries of the universe, but is baffled by the behaviour of man. The scientists have discovered how and when man was born, but what they apparently do not know yet is how to save him from destruction.

Intolerance

Intolerance causes tension. To identify the genesis of religious intolerance, one has to distinguish between blind faith in God and actual realisation of God. Faith in God is subjective and the perception may differ from man to man. Those who have actually realised Him, however, share the same viewpoint, based on their actual experience. Thus blind faith creates intolerance and causes tension, while actual realisation inspires tolerance and prevents tension. For this reason, there would certainly not remain any intolerance and subsequent tension once God is actually realised, face to face, irrespective of His different names. God realizations the only mortar that can bind together the many shaped bricks of mankind into a coherent structure. God, though invisible, is all concrete, a cosmic force, unifying the whole universe.

With this consideration in mind, a successful attempt can be made to achieve harmony through a living revelation of the all-pervading God, the same for all the religious faiths and ignoring the nonessentials (rites, rituals, etc.) which are different for different faiths. The realisation of Fatherhood of God will spontaneously foster the cherished Brotherhood of Mankind. This essential unity of man over-rides all man- made barriers. It is only through a realisation of this unity that an element of spirituality can be imparted to human thought and action.

As a sequel to God-realisation, one realises that all asserts, material and mental, belong to God and we, as trustees only, are ordained to use them for the common good of whole human race. This spells a living above narrow prejudices and dogmas of caste, creed, etc. Thus one becomes tolerant and respectful towards the other’s mode of worship, dress, diet and culture and leads a purposeful, harmonious life. God-realisation is, thus, a panacea for all ills.

In fine, when we lack faith in God, our Creator, we lose faith in ourselves. It spells crisis of character, resulting in chaos and violence in the society. The distance between various places anywhere on the globe can be covered by one or the other mode of transport but yawning distance between the hearts of men cannot be ‘covered’ without the realisation of Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of mankind, harmonizing all tempers and temperaments. Let us, therefore, produce a heave in unison to rejuvenate religious faith by a living revelation of God through the grace of Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj in order to foster tolerance and cure tension.