Unifying Truths of the World's Religions: Practical Principles for Living and Loving in Peace - Softcover

Lundberg, C. David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0979630827 ISBN 13: 9780979630828

Publisher: Heavenlight Press, 2010

Synopsis

An exquisite collection of truth from the world's great spiritual traditions-and an indispensable guide to living a more fulfilling life. This groundbreaking and exhaustively researched book convincingly demonstrates that it's the principles that every major faith holds in common-the unifying truths-that have the power and promise to bring us together instead of driving us apart.

With over 800 quotations from sacred texts organized in an easy-to-understand way, Unifying Truths of the World's Religions reveals the simple but powerful philosophy that takes shape from the world's universal truths. Regardless of your faith or world view, this inspiring book will empower you to enjoy-and share-a life of greater meaning, joy, and inner peace.

Winner of the National Indie Excellence Book Award, USA Book News National Best Book Award, New England Book Festival, Nautilus Silver Award, and ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award finalist.

"With so much debate raging on about religion today, it's hard to remember the key values. . . . Looks to cut through the nonsense of divisions of the world religions and tries to outline the truth by focusing on what values religions have in common. A fine dive into the world of God that much of the world could do well remembering.”

-Midwest Book Review

"Beneath and beyond doctrine and dogma, this ecumenical treasure book articulates the respect and love within each religion.”

-Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, author of Conscience: The Duty to Obey and the Duty to Disobey

"Religious polarization and intolerance threaten our peace and prosperity. David Lundberg identifies thirty-three basic values shared by seven world religions, giving us the opportunity to understand that all have the same common messages to mankind. It is up to us to try to bridge the gaps between cultures and religions, and this book will help us. It allows us to hope for and work toward a better world tomorrow than the one we live in today.”

-Mobeen Khaja, President, Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada

"Of all the volumes I have read throughout the decades concerning the 'universal truths' flowing throughout the world's major religions, this book by author C. David Lundberg, Unifying Truths of the World's Religions is the most complete, accurate and comprehensive.”

-Rev. Ernest A. Steadman; Universal Peace Ambassador, Geneva, Switzerland; Founder of the Knights of Good Works and the United Interfaith Ministers Association

"Does an excellent job of raising questions that in turn lead readers to learn about the different faiths in a way that is accepting of other belief systems.”

- TCM Reviews

About this title

From the Author

I had to write this book. I do not believe that the world can have true peace until the common universal principles have been firmly established. Today, I consider myself a Christian -- yet also to a large extent a Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim -- really a friend and fellow member of all true religions. Like a growing number of people, I see myself as a trans-religious seeker, an aspect of spirit who seeks and loves spiritual truth wherever it is found.

From the Back Cover

EXCERPT FOR AMAZON

The Golden Rule
by C. David Lundberg

The Golden Rule is beautiful, concise, and captures the spirit of loving others. This principle contains so much of what we need to know and apply. Its beauty, power, and simplicity are found within all religions.

The Golden Rule contains simple guidance that, if followed, would make earth a paradise. It makes destructive qualities such as dishonesty, envy, hatred, bigotry, and greed impossible. When purely practiced, justice is achieved for all, and good is returned for evil. Is that not how we would like to be treated?

It is easier to apply The Golden Rule when we look for and see the God/good in others. The love and practice of The Golden Rule creates a bond of fellowship with all.

Let us look, then, at what the sacred texts of the world's largest religions say about The Golden Rule.

~ Christianity Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Luke 6:31

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:36-40

~ Islam Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
Forty Hadith of An-Nawawi, 13

Whoever submits himself entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good (to others), he has his reward from his Lord, and there is no fear for such nor shall they grieve. Qur'an 2:112
On the day of judgment God Most High will say, "Son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me." He will reply, "My Lord, how could I visit Thee when Thou art the Lord of the Universe?" He will say, "Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was ill and yet you did not visit him? Did you not know that if you had visited him you soon would have found Me with him?"
Hadith of Muslim

Be good to the parents and to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the neighbour of (your) kin and the alien neighbour, and the companion in a journey and the wayfarer.
Qur'an 4:36

~ Judaism Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the Lord.
(Tanakh) Leviticus 19:18

What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go and learn.
Talmud, Shabbat 31a

~ Hinduism Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire.
Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8

"Is this one of our tribe or a stranger?" is the calculation of the narrow-minded; but to those of a noble disposition the world itself is but one family.
The Hitopadesa

From the Upanishads we have a quotation urging us to love the Self/God in all persons (meaning the Higher/Christ Self) and things. This is guidance to hold the "immaculate concept" of perfection for all. Doing so makes continuous application of the Golden Rule possible, in the knowledge of our Oneness.

Verily, a husband is not dear, that you may love the husband, but that you may love the Self through the husband, therefore a husband is dear.

Verily, a wife is not dear, that you may love the wife; but that you may love the Self through the wife, therefore a wife is dear.

Verily, sons are not dear, that you may love the sons; but that you may love the Self through the sons, therefore sons are dear.

Verily, wealth is not dear, that you may love wealth; but that you may love the Self through the wealth, therefore wealth is dear....

Verily, the worlds are not dear, that you may love the worlds; but that you may love the Self through the worlds, therefore the worlds are dear....

Verily, everything is not dear, that you may love everything; but that you may love the Self through everything, therefore everything is dear.

Verily, the Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be perceived, to be marked, O Maitreyi! When we see, hear, perceive, and know the Self, then all this is known.

As all waters find their center in the sea, all touches in the skin, all tastes in the tongue, all smells in the nose, all colors in the eye, all sounds in the ear, all precepts in the mind, all knowledge in the heart, all actions in the hands, all movements in the feet, and all the Vedas in speech;

As a lump of salt, when thrown into water, becomes dissolved into water, and could not be taken out again, but wherever we taste (the water) it is salt -- thus verily, O Maitreyi, does this great Being, endless, unlimited, consisting of nothing but knowledge, rise from out these elements, and vanish again in them. This is enough, O beloved, for wisdom.

For when there is duality, then one sees the other, one smells the others, one hears the others, one salutes the others, one perceives the other, one knows the other; but when the Self only is all this, how should he smell another, how should he see another, how should he hear another, how should he salute another, how should he perceive another, how should he know another? How should he know him by whom he knows all this? How, O beloved, should he know himself, the knower?

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, IV, 5

~ Buddhism Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

As a man traversing the whole earth, Finds not anywhere an object more loveable than himself; Therefore, since the self is so universally loved by all, The man who loves himself so much, Should do no injury to others.
The Udana, chapter 5

Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I," he should neither kill nor cause others to kill.
The Sutta Nipata, 705

~ Taoism Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

By doing to others as you would wish to be done by, and being sincere and honest in all your dealings, you may attract all men to become your friends. The Su Shu, Part III
The Sage does not take to hoarding. The more he lives for others, the fuller is his life. The more he gives, the more he abounds. The Way of Heaven is to benefit, not to harm.
Tao Teh Ching, chapter 81

~ Confucianism Affirms the Importance of The Golden Rule ~

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not RECIPROCITY such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."
Confucian Analects, book 15

Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself."
Confucian Analects, book 12

When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others.
The Doctrine of the Mean

Edition details

• Publisher: Heavenlight Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0979630827
• ISBN 13: 9780979630828
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 448