To every Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jew, to every Atheist, Agnostic, Naturalist, Pantheist and to all the people of the World, you have the privilege to be on a very special journey, never before attempted by humankind. Humans have tried a great deal of things, but never before anything of such a magnitude as this. You have the opportunity to be pioneers. To be remembered for eternity, by all the generations that are yet to follow in your footsteps. Nobody is selling anything here, you don't have to pay for anything, this is not a lucrative financial opportunity, nor is it the opposite of that.

Please don't assume to know the context of this writing, and please be patient enough to read it one line at a time, in order, and until its end. That shouldn't be too much to ask in return for what you may gain.

At the core of every religion on this planet you will find love. All the major spiritual approaches have that in common. Some call this love "God" ("God is love"), some call it "Truth". Any truly spiritual person believes in the power of love and tries to apply love in their life (positive attitude, forgiveness, respect, open-mindedness, etc. are all synonyms for love). It is not in our nature to be infallible, and in our search for individuality we are tempted to try different things. But sooner or later, we all realize that denying the essence is pointless. When we lose the essence, we lose meaning, and the search then seems endless. Some people spend their entire lives trying to replace the essence and fill up the empty space inside them. They look for something and try out a million things, when there is only one thing they lost and need: the essence.

Where to get this "essence" and does it come in bottles or cans?

Religion is one way for sure. Which religion? It doesn't really matter, because at their core, they are all the same. They all contain similar lessons and messages. So what is it that gives religion a bad name then?

Why does anyone have a need to argue religion or be against religious people?

Let us not get into the history of things done in the name of religion. This is important. These things have already happened, and they cannot be changed. They are in the past. To name all evil things done in the name of religion is the classic response of a stereotypical atheist. Let's not be stereotypical in our approach, but try something fresh and innovative, yet ancient at the same time.

Imagine two adults, both loved and nurtured as children, talking about their parents and arguing whose parents were better. An obviously pointless discussion. As each of them loves their respective parents, then each will be subjective and feel a special gratitude, tenderness and love. Blinded by emotions and feelings of loyalty they would probably see it as their duty to not only represent their parents to the best of their abilities, but also prove their parents to be the better parents. It is an argument that cannot be won. Not among two adults that were both loved as children and feel love for their mothers and fathers.

However, if you were to see two adults having such a conversation, wouldn't you think them to be ridiculous to even attempt such a talk? Anyone on the outside could only pity them for their naivety and for their belief that such a subjective argument, over whose parents are better, can be won.

In the case of a discussion about parents, the verdict seems clear enough. Love your parents, respect other people's love for their parents. There is no contradiction in that.

Allowing other people to love their parents doesn't make us love our own mothers and fathers any more nor any less.

Nobody walks through life talking about their parents and trying to convince other people of their importance, nor make them forget their own - nobody. If anyone attempted that, they would be met with ridicule.

Now if you replace the word "parents" with "religion", you see the world today from the outside. Imagine it from this perspective. You see millions of people arguing about whose parents are better. You see some of them attacking those who have no parents, attacking orphans and calling them names. It doesn't make any sense at all.

A temporary perspective

Now you see things from a perspective of an atheist, whether you are or aren't one. Keep this perspective for a moment only. Because a conscious atheist who sees this picture might feel the call or the need to do something about it. "To save the world" and stop the senseless arguing.

To remain with the classics (the classics always work nicely), an atheist's classical approach will consist of pointing out all the wrongdoings, evildoings, and in general just crimes of the given religious group. Now what will be a classic stereotypical response of the religious participant? To defend their religion, and if need be, defend all religions in general. In an argument between a theist and an atheist, the particular religion can turn out to be of minor significance, and the focus might shift entirely to religion in general. They might even make the mistake to transform it into a discussion about God, when they are actually not talking about God at all.

God or no God, that is the question

What does that mean - They are talking about God, but they are not?

When a passionate atheist hears someone talk about God, they hear the word, but what they see is the hate they have seen it represent. For them religion represents segregation and the very opposite of love, and people calling that something "God" or calling it "good", "mysterious" and "just", such arguments would simply bounce against empty walls, because to an atheist it seems painfully obvious that it (whatever it may be) is not good and just. If it was good and just, it wouldn't represent hate for anyone and no suffering would be done in God's name - ever.

The thing is, it is not God that makes these things happen. Just as it is not love that drives people to harm or hate others. People who do that do it for other reasons. And their hypocrisy, of these particular individuals, is what gives religions a bad name and creates skeptics.

So to all skeptics

This is a simple comprehensible truth: God is just another word for complete love. Love for humankind, for all of it, without exceptions. There is nothing mysterious about that, it is actually quite simple. Perhaps it was exactly this profound simplicity that made it so intangible and complex for us. Its simplicity so astounding that we couldn't accept nor comprehend it, so we have complicated it, and have split a simple truth into tiny pieces and given it individual names, and called them virtues or traits that are to be had.
The word love has been misused and misinterpreted almost to the point of losing all meaning. The word itself has almost lost essence, and the only reason that it still means something to us is because we feel its warmth every once in a while.

From a philosophical standpoint love can be split into pieces and analyzed individually, but only as long as we don't lose track of the essence.
From a religious standpoint it has different manifestations or names like God, Yahweh, Allah, Elohim, Brahma, etc. With so many languages worldwide, there are many words for any word, so why not for God or love as well.

To have and to hold

Whether you have it through religion or spirituality, or if you were born with it, all the paths to it are equal, as long as you do have it. If you do, then help others to it, while allowing them to choose a path for themselves.
Consider this: While there are many paths to love, there is only one way to spread it, and that is with and through love.

If your way hasn't been love

It does not matter. Simply start with today, begin now. Whether you were a bitter skeptic before today, a fanatic proponent of one religion, or an atheist - understand that no big change is required nor needed. If you were a Christian, remain a Christian. If you were a Muslim, remain a Muslim. If you were a Jew, remain a Jew. If you were a Hindu or a Sikh, be a Hindu or a Sikh. A Buddhist, or even an Atheist. It is only a title you have chosen for yourself, and as such, it is neither good nor bad. Making this choice is a small step for each one of us, yet the biggest step humankind has ever taken together.

Don't just talk or preach about love. Be love. Show love in everything you do, towards everyone in your surroundings.
Open your heart and mind to it and help others feel it as well, one deed at a time, one day at a time.
It will be the end of religious and spiritual segregation, because with this realization comes an awareness that we are all connected on a very deep level. And so, a never before seen beauty can begin to unfold.

About your ways

This is not a beginning of a new organization. If you belong to a religious organization, in whichever function, and are happy there, then stay there. If you are not a member of a religious group, or if you don't ever see yourself joining one, then by all means, don't join a group!

When we accept that in our essence we are all the same, regardless of spiritual belief, race, gender, or favorite ice-cream flavor, then a very new and different kind of evolvement begins, for all of us. Nothing large has to change. Just accept everyone starting today and allow love to unfold across the globe.

About the author: Sabina Nore