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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Witness

What is it in the human soul that needs to worship? This need seems to be universal, in all the world's religions, in all the peoples and
cultures of the planet, in all societies. Whether sophisticated or primitive, technologically and administratively advanced or huddled in
beehive huts in the forest, we all worship. In the world's great religions, this worship is formalized into great organized orders of priests,
temples, and written doctrines, divine scriptures. In the simple worships of nature, they are more informal and intuitive, more like music.
The great religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Mohammedism, Judaism, Baha'ism; all are like well rehearsed orchestras that
are grand and impressive, and beautiful. By contrast, New Age, Native American spiritualism, Pygmy or New Guinean or Bushman or
Australo-aboriginal animism, are more like single notes that find their perfect inner harmony. They are at different ends of the same
spectrum which reflects from the same source, through the same crystal. In each one is a reflection of God as seen through the human
soul.

We believe in something. Yet, I do not believe that either end of this belief spectrum is more correct than the other. All religions have
their validity for their people. At the end of the spectrum of organized world religions, however, there is a distinction that makes them
unique to themselves, in that they have a primary teacher, or manifestation, who had brought their belief's teachings to them. Whether it
be Krishna or Moses,

Buddha or Zoroaster, Christ or Mohammed or Baha'u'llah, or through a name anonymous to us; they all came into the world to teach us.
They each were as a prism through which the other souls around them, those who accepted their teachings, saw the light of their Creator
in a special way, from that particular angle. And in each teachings there was a common thread, the love and beauty of God. That the
purity of each message held true through the centuries is testimony of the validity of the message being given. Each human teacher was
deemed a manifestation of the Light to which like moths the human souls gravitated almost involuntarily, even if at times through terrible
ordeals and trials and persecution. The message held true for its time and was worth sacrificing for, same as it still holds true today. But
this purity was often lost in the manifestation's teachings, and the man became more important than the message. What distinguishes the
world's great religions from the more simple worships of the soul is that the teacher became a de facto god.

I do not believe that was the intent of the teachers, only the effect of their teachings on the human beings who came in contact with
them. They were so powerful in their visions that they dazzled the soul. And in that there was no harm, but something was lost in the
course of time: We began to worship the personality of the great teacher rather than the source of those beautiful teachings. In
worshipping the personality, an error gradually insinuated itself into the message, that one teaching is somehow better than another. Of
course, the world knows what was the result: In time we became jealous of another's belief and intolerant. This intolerance ultimately led
to the religious wars that are still with us today. To kill another human being in the name of God is an oxymoron. Yet, how many Jews
and Palestinians, or Hindus and Moslems, Shiites and Bahai's, or Catholics and Protestants in certain parts of the world would not argue
that this killing is necessary. It would appear absurd on the surface were it not so passionate and cruel. That we kill one another over
messages of love makes absolutely no sense.

Could it be perhaps that the solution to this planet-wide problem may not lie in seeing it a little differently? What if, instead of
worshipping the man, the divine teacher, we turn to the message instead? By doing so, we will eliminate a power struggle that is only too
reminiscent of monopoly dominance. Every church thinks itself catholic. If the person, the divine man, is not the main focus but instead
one more reflection of God brought to Earth, then like the many mirrors of humanity, each soul can see itself in that reflection. Then the
teachings of any one religion is not superior in some way to that of another, but equal in its reflection of that universal Light that has been
captured by its divine teacher. This is true because it is a world religion, which over time grants it a worldly reality. So rather than each
one of us being a soldier in the army of our divine prophet, holding aloft our scriptures as swords, instead we are witnesses to their
beautiful story about God. There is room for all colors in this spectrum of divine Light for each and everyone one of us who is different.
Why not exploit this difference for a common good? As a witness of the teachings of the manifestations of God, we are then each
endowed and empowered with the greatness of their message. When we are conscious of who we are as human beings, then it is in our
power to do this without having to fall back on the worship of a man. Oddly, there seems to be a scarcity of women as prophets, though
no doubt their messages would have been equally beautiful, were they empowered by us to deliver what has come through their souls.
Maybe the next great teacher will be a woman. But it is the teaching, the message, that is important to the world, more so than the
human being who's divine revelation brings it to us.

To turn to the message rather than to the teacher does not mean that in any way we belittle the divinity of the man. That the human
teacher is divine is borne out by the greatness of his teachings. God's love is everywhere present in these, and when we choose to believe
in this Love, then we are honoring the teacher with our love for God. I do not think any one of the great manifestations would argue with
this, but rather would happily endorse it, since it puts the focus of our worship where it belongs. Was it not Buddha who asked not to
have his image worshipped? And was it not the same for Mohammed or Baha'u'llah? They are to be loved for what they brought to us,
but not to be loved for who they are. As witnesses in our faiths, we adore all the teachers, but even more, we adore what they told. In
each message was the plea, even the order, to bring to Earth God's Kingdom. And in each teaching was the common faith that to do this,
we need to surrender our will to God's. But that is not the same as surrendering our will to another human being. If we are free as human
beings, then to surrender to the will of another only takes away that freedom, which is not what the teachings of God are all about. So it
becomes a contradiction, that to worship the man is to not obey the will to God's Kingdom. If we obey the teachings, then we become
more free to do God's Will in our souls; if we obey anything else, we fail in God's Kingdom. And this is what is universal, what is
universally catholic to all the faiths, to do God's Will. So this leaves us with the necessary question: What is God's Will? And the answer
lies in the hearts of each one of us as a free human being.

Does this mean, then, that we are all gods? No, of course not. There is a divine spark in each one of us to which we can turn if we
choose to do so. But there are many stairs on this ascent to the Kingdom. Each one of us may find a different step, or climb in each
lifetime at a different speed. We do not know the mysteries of how God's Will is to be manifest on Earth, since we have scarcely given it
a chance. Every time we get close, we regress into conflict and war. If the sanctity of each human being is constantly and systematically
violated throughout history, the resulting abuse of the soul has us take as many steps backwards as we go forward. Even in secular
terms, leaving religion or spirituality aside, we do God's Will when we are true to who we are. Any impetus that helps us in that direction,
whether it is legal or cultural or even commercial, takes us step by step in that direction. The truth is what moves us forward. When we
give our word, and keep it, then we go forward. When we help another with goodwill, or we heal what has been damaged in our world,
we move in that same direction of the Light. There is no great mystery here, since we each know this in our hearts. Why would we not
do it? Is bringing divine Love into our world only the domain of worship and religious teachings? Or is it to be aided by the teachers, but
practiced in our hearts in every breath we take? I think it is the latter. The divine teachers and prophets, the great religions and beliefs,
and love of all natural wonders and of each other, are all instruments in bringing the Light of a Great Being into our own. Life is a
beautiful place. And even if like a desired lover, it causes us pain and grief at times, it is not to be turned aside in a moment of weakness.
We have to grasp it with both hands and all our soul to give it our love, because that is how this love comes back into us. And then our
world becomes more beautiful.

We cannot be afraid of this. But neither can we be forced into it. It is always and singularly our choice. We have to choose God, if it is in
our hearts to do so. And if it is not? Detach from it. It may not be the right thing, nor the right time. But if it is, embrace it completely,
because it is great. We are all witnesses to a great unfolding of a planet that like a beautiful flower turns its face to the sun. For centuries,
and even millennia, we have been seeking this Light. It is evident in every corner of the Earth, and this cannot be denied. Seeking
spirituality and God has been a preoccupation of human kind since the dawn of prehistory. When the first human looked up at the stars
or moon and wondered, the worship began. Who are we? Where am I? In the daily pursuits of living, we forget, but then there is a
beautiful sunrise or sunset, and we wonder again. This is what it means to be human. How many animals or plant life have the privilege
to experience this? We do not know. But would it not be beautiful if they too could share in this wonder? So we are blessed with a
conscious soul, and because of this we should never take it for granted. Our humanity, as every great teacher ever told us, is absolutely
beautiful, and it should be worshipped for what it is: We are divine creatures in a universe of a Divine God. That we have the ability to
look back upon this universe and wonder is a thing of worship in itself. Even if we pass through this world only to witness this, then let it
be. Look into the eyes of another human being. They are the beautiful eyes of a fellow soul, and if they smile at you, then you are richer
because of it. Your soul lights up with the same divine light that has just shown itself to you. Is it not a miracle? We should think of
ourselves as being extremely lucky to have the opportunity to be here and experience this miracle of life. If this has been the intent of the
great teachers throughout humankind on this world, why would we ever wish to squander it? Why would we not detach ourselves from
all the hurts, all the angers and fears, and let it go? Let it go and forgive. Stand erect and human as a witness. There is so much more to
be had by turning our face into the brilliant Light of our Divine Being.

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