An invitation to join in a spirit of unity

Perhaps the best-known version of the Golden Rule is paraphrased from Christianity: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It is an adage common to many spiritual traditions.

“Hurt not others in ways you yourself would find hurtful,” is a Buddhist teaching. Islam renders, “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” The Ba’hai tradition echoes this with, “Blessed is he who prefers his brother before himself,” and Judaism has, “What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow; that is the entire law, all the rest is commentary.” From Hinduism we learn that “this is the sum of duty: Do not to others what would cause you pain if done to you.”

We of Lane Interfaith Alliance believe that this message is central to most spiritual traditions: that we cannot be whole nor complete unless the other is included as a part of who we are. Whether they be our neighbor or a stranger, friend or foe, inclusion of and respect for the other plays an essential role in the development of our humanity.

For us, this principle of unity also expresses the understanding that each soul has a sacred mission for which it was created, a mission that only it can perform. Each of us is one of a kind and charged with our own special destiny. Never in the history of the cosmos has there been another like any one of us, situated in this unique confluence of time and space. Our individual fingerprint, voice print, retina — none of these have ever existed before.

Yet it took the participation of the entire cosmos, of all time and space, and all history, to produce us. All of creation had a part in making us, and we each embody the unity that underlies all things.

Consequently, no one of us can lay claim to a “greater” or “more important” part of that unity. We each possess only a piece of the puzzle, only one perspective on the truth. We need each other’s share in the truth to complete the whole.

These concepts are, for us, central to the philosophy of nonviolence as articulated by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Nonviolence means not only abstention from violence, it also requires actively resisting violence with the power of truth and in the spirit of mutual recognition and reconciliation. It is a way of living intended to deepen our respect for others and for the interconnectedness of life. It leads us toward acceptance, appreciation and celebration of who we are when we live in harmony with one another.

In that spirit, the Lane Interfaith Alliance will celebrate the Season for Nonviolence, which begins Sunday, Jan. 30, with an opening celebration at 4 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living, 390 Vernal St. We hope you can join in this spirit of the unity that joins us together and makes us whole.

This column is coordinated by Lane Interfaith Alliance to offer inspiration, share personal spiritual experiences and bring a deeper understanding of individual faith perspectives with the intention of blessing our community and world. For more information, visit www.laneinterfaithalliance.org or call 541-344-0430.