Thoughts on the Unity of Religions

Today, the world has heard President Obama speak to all religious and government leaders. He has sought to encourage an end to violence that is fueled by religious extremism. On June 2, 1912 Abdu'l-Baha talked about the basis of religious unity.

He was speaking at the Church of the Ascension in New York City. There at the corner of 5th and 10th Street, he spoke these words:


"In the temple of the Lord, in the house of God, man must be submissive to God. He must enter into a covenant with his Lord in order that he shall obey the divine commands and become unified with his fellowman. He must not consider divergence of races nor difference of nationalities; he must not view variation in denomination and creed, nor should he take into account the differing degrees of thoughts; nay, rather, he should look upon all as mankind and realize that all must become united and agreed. He must recognize all as one family, one race, one native land; he must see all as the servants of one God, dwelling beneath the shelter of His mercy. The purport of this is that the church is a collective center"


The above passage can be found in the book "The Promulgation of Universal Peace."