The Theosophical Society in Israel

Many religions One God

The story of an Interreligious convention May 2011

at Neve Shalom(near Jerusalem)

Introduction

As the white ray of light is

decomposed by the prism into the various colours of the solar spectrum, so the beam of divine truth, in passing through the three-sided prism of man's nature, has been broken up into vari-coloured fragments called Religions .... Combined, their aggregate represents one eternal truth; separate, they are but shades of human error and the signs of imperfection.

Helena Blavatsky- Isis Unveiled

Esoteric Philosophy reconciles all religions, strips every one of its outward human garments, and shows the root of each to be identical with that of every other great religion. It proves the necessity of a Divine Absolute Principle in Nature. It denies Deity no more than it does the sun.

Helena Blavatsky The Secret Doctrine

The three objects of the The three objects of the Theosophical societyTheosophical society

To form a nucleus of the To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or coloursex, caste or colour    To encourage the study of To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Comparative Religion, Philosophy and SciencePhilosophy and Science

   To investigate unexplained To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the laws of Nature and the powers latent in manpowers latent in man

The second object of the theosophical Society is :

To encourage the To encourage the study of study of

Comparative Comparative Religion, Religion,

Philosophy and Philosophy and ScienceScience

Interreligious understanding and Interreligious understanding and brotherhood can grow out of a brotherhood can grow out of a

dialogue with members of other dialogue with members of other religionsreligions

Please note that this photo does not belong to our convention

at the core of all religions there is a

search for spirituality, for the unseen

essence, which is reflected everywhere in Nature through the order, the beauty, the

strength and the wisdom of creation .

Please note that this photo does not belong to our convention

if God be immanent in all, then the lives

animated by a single life must form one vast

solidarity.

The one life in all means the brotherhood of the many. Only when we

realize that God is seen in everything, do we feel that all that lives belongs

to that single life.

Annie Besant

Let us study all religions, and love them all, and we shall then come nearer to the Fount in which we all have our origin and

our ending. Annie Besant

A religion in the true and only

correct sense is a bond uniting men together — not a particular set of

dogmas and beliefs .

Religion, per se, in its widest meaning is that which binds not only all Men but also all Beings and

all things in the entire Universe into

one grand whole.

Helena Blavatsky

Please note that this photo does not belong to our convention

Brotherhood as a matter of fact is non existent if it applies

only to part of humanity. A truly spiritual brotherhood

includes not only of all human beings, but all living things;

animals, birds, plants, insects, so-called non-living objects. All

have that element which gives a feeling of sacredness

and spirituality. ‘Religion’ which does not share in this universal brotherhood, and

which does not help people to know that all life is blessed and

protected by the universal Spirit, is not a religion.

Radha Burnier

The spiritual Quest and the Human and interreligious

brotherhood

This is the theme of the convention,

the insights of which,

we would like to share with you in this presentation

Every one who Every one who is truly religious is truly religious knows that God knows that God doesn't "prefer" doesn't "prefer" any particular any particular

Religion or any Religion or any particular human particular human being, and that being, and that the same divine the same divine

Godly essence is Godly essence is present inside present inside every human every human

beingbeing

One who really One who really understands the understands the core of his own core of his own

religion, and who religion, and who is able to go deep is able to go deep into its origin, can into its origin, can

see right a way that see right a way that the path that the path that

brings God and brings God and Man into close Man into close

relationship relationship passes through the passes through the

love of mankind, love of mankind, the love of truth the love of truth and the love of and the love of

peacepeace..

Therefore in every religion Therefore in every religion which is worthy of the which is worthy of the

aspirations of its founders, aspirations of its founders, there must be a few there must be a few

elements that the Universal elements that the Universal Divine Wisdom will not Divine Wisdom will not

compromise about, and they compromise about, and they are the building blocks of a are the building blocks of a

spiritual lifespiritual life::

- -The idea that Divinity is The idea that Divinity is dwelling in all creaturesdwelling in all creatures

- -The love of mankind and all The love of mankind and all Gods' creaturesGods' creatures

- -The love of GodThe love of God - -The search for the truth and The search for the truth and

for justice and for peacefor justice and for peace - -Compassion and forgivenessCompassion and forgiveness

• When we delve into the sacred teachings of the religions, we find that they present almost the same ideas about the main principles of spiritual life.

• Some of these ideas are presented in the following slides:

Judaism"As the Holy One blessed be He -

fills the whole world ,so also does the Spirit - fills the whole body; As the Holy One blessed be He – is seeing and yet unseen, So also is the Spirit– Seeing and yet unseen;As the Holy One is pure, So also is the Spirit pure; As is the Holy One sitting in the innermost chamber So also is the Spirit sitting in the inner most chamber.

A saying of the Elders"And one cried unto another and

said: Holy, Holy, Holy ,is the Lord of Hosts: The fullness of the whole earth declares His glory.“ Isaiah chapter.. 6, v 3.

God dwells in all creatures

Christianity"God that made the world and all

things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands" [.. ] "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being“ New Testament,Acts, Chapter 17

Islam"We shall give them our signs, in

the wide open spaces and inside their bodies, until it will be clear to them that "He is the truth". Koran

41:53 "The beloved is everything in everything; the lover is only hiding him; The beloved is everything that lives. The lover is a dead thing" Jalal A-Din Rum

The Druze religion"God is above and beyond the

understanding of man, and He is present everywhere and at all time, and the wonder of His creation is in every creature."

The Baháí religion"This is the Day in which God's

most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. Baha'u'llah

Hinduism "I fills all of creation, yet the

senses cannot reach me ";" I am the beginning, the middle

and the end of all creatures, the Divine spark inside them their highest and only treasure is me".

The Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 9

BuddhismOne essence, which is wholesome and which fills all that exist, dwells at the core of all creatures;One reality, contains everything, contains inside itself all the other realities". Yung Chia Ta Shih

God dwells in all creatures (continued)

Judaism"But the stranger that dwelleth

with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shall love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God". Leviticus chapter 19, v 34

Christianity"Ye have heard that it hath been

said, thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies," […] "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sent rain

on the just and on the unjust." Matthew Chapter 5 v 43, v 45

Loving kindness to othersIslamThe real wealth of a man in the world to come (after death), is all the good deeds that he have done in this world for his fiends .

When he dies, people may ask: "How much wealth has he left behind?", But the angels will ask: "what are the good deeds that you have sent in advance,

prior to your arrival"? "The Spirit of Islam" pg. 135

The Druze religion "You can not have faith (in God)

until you can love your friend as you love yourself."

Hinduism"The one who knows no hate, who is full of friendship and compassion

– in times of pain as in times of happiness – will not frighten and won't be afraid. Jealousy, fear, anger, and old age – will not control him – for this reason he is dear to me from all else" The Bhagavad-Gita, Chapter 12

Buddhism"Never can hate be neutralized by hate. Hate can only nullified by

love. This is an Eternal law". The Lord Guatama Buddha- Dhamapada

The Baháí religionDo not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them, trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing; therefore, they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant. The prophet Abdu'l-Bahá

Loving kindness to others (cobntinued)

Judaism"And thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with

all thy soul, and with all thy might". Deuteronomy chapter 6, v 5

Christianity"Even if I speak in tongues of men and angels, but I have no love in

me, then I am just like a brass of God, or just like a trumpet; Even more so, if I am given a prophesy to declare, and know all the secrets and all there is to know, and yet I have no love in me, it will not be of any use to me" Letter to the Corinthians by St Paul

Hinduism"Therefore at all times think upon Me only, and fight .

With Mind and Reason set on Me, without doubt thou shalt come to Me". The Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 8, v 7 ( translation by Annie Besant).

The Baháí religion"The essence of wealth is love for Me; whoso love Me is the possessor of all

things…" Baha'u'llah

LOVE OF GOD

THE PATH OF PEACE

Judaism"Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking

guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it". The Book of Psalms chapter 34, v 14, 15

"I will hear what God the Lord will speak; For He will speak peace unto His people…Mercy and Truth have met, Justice

and Peace have kissed each other." The Book of Psalms chapter 75, v 9-11

Christianity"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no

man shall see the Lord"St Paul letter to the Hebrews, chapter 12, v 14

Islam"You Cannot come to the Garden of Eden until you have

faith, and you cannot have faith until you will love one another, and you cannot love one another until you saw the seeds of Peace amongst you". The Koran chapter 2

The Baháí religion"The faith in God is leading to love and unity. Do not make

it an excuse for hostility or disagreement“ Baha'u'llah

JUSTICE AND TRUTHJudaism

"And I shall instruct your judges at this day, to listen to your brethrens and to judge them in justice, whether it is between a man and his brother or a man and a foreigner. Thou shall not be biased in your judgment, and thou shall listen to the young and to the old with the same ear, or to the humble and the proud and great. Thou shall

not be afraid to judge any man. For judgment belong to God ." The book of Deuteronomy, chapter 16

Islam "Indeed God have ordered us to be just, to do good, and to give to our family

relations all that they need. And he forbid any kind of wickedness, unjust

behavior or abuse". The Koran chapter 16 Hinduism"Therefore I tell you, be humble, and be pure in your actions, truthful and

without bias. Obey and worship your Guru from truthfulness .And be pure both with the body and the heart"…

The Bhagavad-Gita, Chapter 12

JUSTICE AND TRUTH (continued)Buddhism

"Let men overcome anger with love, and overcome evil with goodness. Let men overcome greed by charitable actions, and overcome lies with the truth ! Speak the truth! Do not succumb to anger! Give to others, if you are asked, even if it is only little. In these three steps you shall come nearer to the Gods"

From the Dhamapadha, The Lord Guatamma Buddha

The Baháí religion"O son of Spirit ! The best beloved of all things in my sight is

Justice; turn not away there from if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shall see with thee own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thee own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thee eyes". Baha'u'llah

COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS

Judaism"Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me – bless His

Holy Name; Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all his rewards; Who forgave all thy iniquities, who healed all thy diseases Who redeemed thy life from destruction; Who crown thee with mercy and compassion". Psalms, chapter 103, v 1-3

Christianity"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father

will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses". Matthew, chapter 6, v 14-1

Buddhism"May all beings be happy, and may all beings be free from

suffering." From a Buddhist prayer

COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS (continued)

The Druze religion"Guard and look after your brethrens men, with compassion

and with mercy."

The Baháí religion"O We must look upon our enemies with a sin-covering eye

and act with justice when confronted with any injustice whatsoever, forgive all, consider the whole of humanity as our own family, the whole earth as our own country, be sympathetic with all suffering, nurse the sick, offer a shelter to the exiled, help the poor and those in need, dress all wounds and share the happiness of each one". Abdu'l-Bahá, the prophet of the Baháí religion

Ten ciphers, twenty-two alphabetical letters, one triangle, a square and a circle. Such are the elements of the Kabala, from whose mysterious bosom sprang all the religions of the past and present.

Helena BlavatskyModern Panarion, Page 52

Following are some photos and some of the main ideas discussed and investigated by the speakers

and the dialogue circles in the convention:

ne-vé shal-om / waah-at i-sal-aam: Hebrew and Arabic for oasis of peace.

A village, near Jerusalem, jointly established by Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, that has engaged in

educational work for peace, equality and understanding between the two peoples.

Meditation at the main hall in Neve Shalom

can we look deep inside, into our heart- away from the arguments and fights between nations and religions – to connect with that quiet place within us, in which we can

feel close to others and to the Divine ?

A panel on “The Spiritual Quest in Judaism, Islam and Theosophy”

Starting from the left: The Sufi representative –Zeev Ben Arie, Abraham Oron and Daphna koren from the Theosophical society in Israel, Rabbi Meir Azari– The rabbi of Beit Daniel's

community in Tel-Aviv .

•At the core of all religions there is a search for spirituality, for the

unseen essence, which is reflected everywhere in Nature through the

order, the beauty, the strength and the wisdom of creation.

A panel on “ The thirst for God in Judaism, Islam ,Hinduism, and Christianity ”

Starting from the left: Rabbi Roberto Arviv–Manager of Jewish Cultural Center at Neve Tsedek, the Sufi Sheik Ihab Balcha– Islamic Religious Scholar , Mr. C.V.K. Maithreya-President of the Theosophical Federation of Madras , Mrs. Brigit Kashtan-– Senior Clinical Psychologist and Metaphysician , Mr. Abraham Oron and Mrs. Bracha Elron from the Theosophical society in Israel .

The thirst for God , for:

The One, to whom the Muslims pray when they say: "LA ILLA EEL ALLAH" (There is no God but God);

The one to whom the Jews pray when they say: "SHEMA ISRAEL, ADONAI ELOHAINU, ADONAI EHAD" (Listen Oh Israel, our Lord God is one );

The one to whom the Christians pray when they say: "Our Lord God, who is in Heaven "

A panel on “The Emissary, the Sender, and the Mission – in the Hassidic Tradition, in the Druze

religion and Buddhism”

Starting from the left: Mr. Gil Alon –a Zen Buddhist and and Theater Director , Sheik Professor Fadel Mansur – representative of the Druze religion, Rabbi Dr. Nathan Ofir – representative of the Neo-Chassidic movement and Mr Jalal Hathami – Deputy Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International Community (not in the photo)

The deeper spiritual knowledge that the founders of the world religions received from the Universal Divine Wisdom, was meant for the spiritual-searcher. For a

person who is able to realize to a certain extent the glamour of the

materialistic world, and who is experiencing already some glimpses of

the higher spiritual self, the spiritual essence inside him and all around him.

Spirituality is an inner state in which you feel closeness, warmth, and loving care towards all

living beings .

When we discover the spiritual in us this enables us to feel brotherhood with others.

Spirituality is the process in which you develop an inner sensitivity, which enables you to feel the pure humanity of

the other above all the outer differences. It is like an additional sense by which you feel the Soul of the other

Thank youMrs. Brigit Kashtan – Senior Clinical Psychologist, Metaphysician ,

Mr. C. V.K. Maithreya – President of Theosophic Federation of MadrasSheich Prof. Fadel Mansur – Religious and Science Scholar, Representative of Druze ReligionMr. Gil Alon – Zen Buddhist Master, Singer, Actor and Theater Director Mr. Ihav Balha – Sufi Sheik and Islamic Religious ScholarMr. Jalal Hathami – Deputy Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International CommunityRabbi Meir Azary – The rabbi of Beit Daniel's community in Tel-AvivRabbi Dr. Nathan Offir – Director of "Meorot", Jewish Meditation. Mr. Noy Mordokovitz –Interfaith encounter association in Jerusalem.Mr. Ohad Kedem – Tai-Chi and Chi-Kong Teacher, "Creation school“Mrs.Ora Balha- Member the Dancing DervishesRabbi Roberto Arbiv – Founder of "Abrahamic Way", Manager of Jewish Cultural Center at Neve TsedekDr Sunita Maithreya- The Theosophical Order of ServiceProf. Uriel Zohar – Theater Director and PoetMr. Zeev Ben-Arie-Member of the Baktashic Sufi Order in IsraelMr. Etzion Beker – A musician- Member of Meher Baba association.Mr. Nabil Abu Nicola- A musician and Christian priest of the‘New Life’ community, Nazareth.Mr. Offer Golani –A musician and Manager of "Musicians for Peace .“

Miss. Samia Ashkar- Musician and member of the‘New Life’ community, Nazareth.

Thank youMembers of the Theosophical society in israel

Abraham Elron – Musicologist, Painter and Science fancierAbraham Oron –Chairman of the Theosophical society in IsraelBracha Elron -Mentor of Theosophy and Project Manager at the Israeli TSDaphna Koren –Mentor of Theosophy, Healing and Holistic

Psychotherapy TeacherHanna Shapiro – Plays and teaches Flute, Musician at "Heart – Kalb" band Mali Efrati- Mentor of TheosophyNili Tamir- Office ManagerShmuel Ronen –Musician, Healer, Writer and PoetUri Nethanel – Cello player, Musician at "Heart – Kalb" band