Religion, Spirituality, and Committing to Peace

Clearly, religious beliefs that hold the view, as do most, of "We/I have the right God and you don't" leads to a dualistic dogmatic position of "We're/I'm right and you're wrong" which in turn establishes the belief that "We're/I'm good and your bad" and the fanatical philosophy of "We/I are the righteous ones believing in the right God and you are the evil one believing in the wrong/false". Such confused and fanatical thinking has lead to people (men in large part) rationalizing going into villages, raping women, killing babies, and burning the village down...and then thereafter being able to go home and sleep like a baby because GOD said it was OK. Such madness.

I've often wondered how, as an example, a 30 year old Nazi soldier working in a concentration camp could rifle butt a little 4 year old child who's crying and has stumbled in route, knowingly to the gas chambers, and then 4 weeks later on leave go home and hug their own 4 year old child and never thing a thing about it.

The Course in Miracles says "There must be another way...and that the salvation of the world depends on each of us".

A Chinese spiritual master took a walk one day with his disciple. Along the way the student innocently asked "Tell me Master when will we have peace on this earth." The Master continued walking not acknowledging the question. Moments later the disciple asked the question again, this time speaking a little more loudly, thinking the Master had not heard him. The Master continued to walk on the path not acknowledging the disciples question. This process continued for some time as they walked... the disciple continuing to ask "Tell me master when will we have peace on this earth." Finally as they walked they came upon a small pond of water along the way the disciple asked the question once more. This time, to his surprise, the Master veered off of the path and began to walk into the pond stopping only when the water was chest high. The disciple stood at the edge of the pond for a while looking perplexed. He then said to the Master...Master I have asked repeatedly only one question "When will we have peace on this earth" and you have answered me by walking into a pond. If this is your answer please help me to understand. The Master slowly raised on arm out of the water and motioned to the disciple to come into the water and join him. The disciple stepped into the pond now finding himself face to face with the Master and chest high in water. The disciple gazed into the eyes of the Master looking for some sort of answer..there was a long long pause of silence... finally the disciple could take it no more and again asked once more his question..."Tell me great Master when will we have peace on earth."... Immediately, without a word, the Master leaped out of the water placing both of his hands on the disciples shoulders and plunged him forcefully under the water holding him there for seemed eternity. The disciple thrashed under the water struggling to get to the surface and get air however the Master would not release him. Finally at the last moment, as life would seem to leave the disciple, the Master released disciple. The disciple leaped out of the water gasping for air. As the disciple gathered himself he looked at the Master who said "There is your answer. When each of us want peace as deeply as you want you last breath of air, that is when we will have peace on earth."

I pray for your help and support, and for that of your brilliant colleagues, in helping to create Project-Peace on Earth, a worldwide movement of people so committed to peace.