| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| VEDIC DHARMA AND THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION | |
| Perhaps
the greatest mistake of Christianity and Islam is their missionary
aggression that seeks to convert the world to their beliefs. There
is no real pluralism in either religion, such as a universal
approach, honoring different individuals and cultures, must require.
Neither religion states like the Vedas, "That which is
the One Truth the sages teach in various ways." Their typical
statements are, "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is the
final prophet," or "Jesus is the only Son of God."
Both regard that theirs is the only true religion, as if someone could own the true religion. They dismiss pluralism as polytheism and fail to see the usefulness of a free and open approach to the Divine. They are inclined to regard all other religions as false or out of date and consider that the people who follow them must be converted in order to be saved. This intolerance has given rise to inquisitions, holy wars, jihads, and a missionary aggression that uses propaganda, economic pressure, or the force of arms to insure new converts.It denies the Divine Self in creatures and turns religion into an external affair of name and belief. Not surprisingly both religions lack a complete understanding of yogic sadhana and, with few exceptions, are content with certain prayers or rituals as sufficient. To look at them as representing the Divine truth is to sanctify what is at best only a partial truth. |
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