Five religions, windows on existence

In the Passover service, there is reference to “four children” who ask four different kinds of questions that every parent must deal with. These are played out as separate children in the service, but are more likely referencing states of questioning through which every child (and adult) alternates. These four children are 1) the wise child; 2) the rebellious child; 3) the simple child; 4) the child who does not know how to ask. Somehow these ideas of parent and four children made me think of the world’s great religions: Hinduism; Judaism; Buddhism; Christianity; Islam. The Hindu faith is the oldest, therefore the parent. In its acceptance of all beliefs, and in its enormous pantheon of deities representing many aspects of the world, it seems to embody humanity’s love of the world. After the Hindu faith, the first of the remaining Big Four seems to have been Judaism, the wise child. Wise, perhaps, because of its emphasis on oneness of the divine, and humanity’s responsibility to love that ineffable, incomprehensible oneness with all our hearts, souls and might. The Buddhist faith, perhaps the rebellious child despite its quiescence, rejects the world and instead embraces the world deep within the self: love of self. Christianity, the simple child, simply emphasizes God’s love for the world and God’s role as parent to humanity “for God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son”. And Islam, the child who does not know how to ask, does not concern itself with God versus the world or self, but rather humanity’s responsibility to humanity: brotherly love. Each of these faiths of course has all the aspects of each of the others in it. Love is indeed all there is, yet its direction of flow can vary. The emphasis seems important in that each of us must find the windows on love and God through which we see the most clearly.  www.surfyoursoul.com

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