World Religion Day
We celebrate world Religion Day every year on 19 January. We observe it as a holy day, and we all should spread love and peace toward all religions.
Aim of World Religion Day
The aim of World Religion Day is to foster the establishment of interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasizing the common denominators underlying all religions. The message of World Religion Day is that humanity, which has stemmed from one origin, must now strive towards the reconciliation of that which has been split up. Human unity and true equality depend not on past origins, but on future goals, on what we are becoming, and whether we are going. The prime cause of age-old conflict between man and man has been the absence of one ethical belief, a single spiritual standard – one moral code.
The history of man’s cultures and civilizations is the history of his religions. Nothing has such an integrating effect as the bond of common Faith. The history of religion shows all religions had this unifying power–the power to instill in the hearts and minds of their adherents the fundamental verities, the vital spiritual standards, and thus establish a unity of conscience for motivating man towards founding great cultures and civilizations.
Thus, through World Religion Day observances, dedicated to encouraging the leaders and followers of every religion to acknowledge the similarities in each of our sacred Faiths, a unified approach to the changes that confront humanity can be agreed upon and then applied on an ever-expanding scale to permeate the very psyche of humankind, so it can be made to see the whole earth as a single country and humanity its citizenry.
Tips on making contributions to your place of worship
There are many ways of giving back to your church or other religious institution, including tithing, or giving a certain percentage of your personal wealth or income; cash donations, which may be collected during weekly services; and planned donations, which may involve a set donation schedule or a bequest upon your death.
As with all charitable organizations, there are several basic guidelines to follow when making donations to your church or other religious institution:
Plan your donation into your budget just as you would any with any financial obligation. This is especially important if you tithe or chose a planned donation option. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, including we will use how much of your gift for administrative costs. Other questions you might consider are whether the organization has a plan for success and whether their goals are compatible with the requirements of your specific religious beliefs. Keep records, as your gift may be tax deductible. Also, be sure you know how much is deductible. Think about alternative forms of giving such as bequests, charitable gift annuities, and endowments. Volunteer your time.
Major Faiths of the world and their Sacred Writings
Hinduism:
“Common be your prayer; Common be your end; Common be your purpose; Common be your deliberation; Common be your desires; Unified be your hearts; Unified be your intensions; Perfect be the union amongst you.”
Rg. Veda X, 191-3,4
Judaism:
“And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
Isaiah 2:4
Zoroastrian Faith:
“The good religion is of all things regards all men as God’s children.”
Zoroaster “Ushtavaiti Gatha”
Buddhism:
“Just as with her own life a mother shields from hurt her own, her only child, let all-embracing thoughts for all that live to be thine, an all-embracing love for all the universe, in all its height and depth and breadth, unstinted love, unmarred by hate within, not rousing enmity.”
Sutta-nipata, vv 149-150
Taoism:
“It describes the Sage as one who perfects himself and benefits others in the silent and selfless manner of the Tao itself. They tell him to be benevolent and to accept the needs and interests of others as his own.”
Tao Te Ching, Ch. 49
Christianity:
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:34-35
Islam:
“Lay not burdens on any but thyself, and stir up the faithful… He who shall mediate between men for a good purpose shall be the gainer by it…If ye are greeted with a greeting, then greet ye with a better greeting, or at least return it; God taketh count of all things.”
IV Sura: vv 86-88
Jainism:
“In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, one should regard all creatures as one regards oneself, and let us, therefore, refrain from inflicting upon others such injury as would appear undesirable to us, if inflicted upon ourselves.”
Uttaradhyayana Sutra, volume XLV
Sikhism:
“No one is my enemy, none a stranger, and everyone is my friend.”
Guru Arjan Dev: AG 1299
Baha’i Faith:
“The well-being of humanity, its peace and security, are unattainable unless it firmly establishes its unity.”
Writings of Baha’u’llah