English Speech with Korean Translation Words of Scriptures: One Truth, Many Paths Passages from diverse scriptures affirm that religions that do not share the faith of that scripture nevertheless contain elements of Truth. They affirm that all genuine religions worship the same God. Thus, the Qur’an affirms that Jews and Christians are People of the Book who worship the same God as the God of Muhammad. The Sikh scriptures affirm that there is one God for Muslims and Hindus. A Shinto text affirms that the chief Shinto deity is essentially the same as the Buddha. Further, scriptures affirm that each religion is a path to the same Supreme Goal. Here we have the famous images of many rivers flowing into the same ocean or a mountain with many paths leading up to the same summit. The religions of the world begin by addressing the needs, customs and circumstances of diverse cultures, but as they elevate humanity they draw closer together as their paths converge to the One. In this regard, Father Moon affirms that God inspired each of the great religious founders with a message appropriate to the culture and times in which he lived. He honors them as humanity’s true guides, who sent to the earth within the providence of God to help humanity progress towards the ultimate goal. Certainly, every religion considers its way the best and highest path. The Bible says that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life,” and that “nobody comes to the Father but by me.” The Qur’an states that it is the only accurate witness to the previous revelations—the Torah and the Gospel having suffered corruptions and interpolations. Nevertheless, we are cautioned to be humble before the higher wisdom of God. As the Parable of the Blind Man and the Elephant teaches, each way may touch the truth without seeing its entirety. Father Moon likewise sees religions at different levels, due to their appearance at different ages in the course of humanity’s spiritual development. Yet the differences among religions should not obscure the core truth they hold in common. Hence, religious people can overlook their differences and find common ground. Teachings of Sun Myung Moon Although different religions have different names for God and different ways of worshipping Him, the central Being worshipped by each religion is the one and only God. (140:11, February 1, 1986) All people know Jesus, Buddha, Confucius and Muhammad as the founders of the world’s great religions. We revere them as the guides of humankind. There can be no objection to believing their teachings. Why should people follow them? They came to this world as our guides. Each takes responsibility for one religion and guides his people to advance toward the summit. When they reach the summit and find that they are only on a low peak among a great range of mountains, these founders will lead them to another trail, and then another, as they advance upward towards the highest summit. God does not choose only the path to the summit from the East. If God did, people from the West who cannot come around to the East would have no path. Therefore, God established religions in every direction—East, West, South and North—and revealed the major routes to reach to the peak from each direction. On the way, they each absorbed numerous peoples, as God furthered their progress towards one unified world. (81:181-82, December 28, 1975) The world in which we live is not the world of goodness; it is a fallen world where evil holds sway. Hence, many barriers block our relationship with the God of goodness. To remove these barriers, God needs human beings to play a mediating role. Therefore, throughout history and all over the world, God has been developing movements based on religion to transform this evil world to the world of goodness. Among every people of the world, God developed a religion suitable to its unique culture and customs. God expanded the scope of these religions according to their suitability, from local beliefs to worldwide faiths. Today these religious roots have spawned four great civilizations: Christian civilization, Islamic civilization, Indian [Hindu] civilization, and the Far Eastern civilization rooted in Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Looking at the world today, what would be God’s wish? His desire is that these four religions not remain separate; He would unite them and present one religion on the world stage. That religion should represent God’s true Will to the world. (113:313, May 10, 1981) Religions Promote Universal Community There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3.28 The believers indeed are brothers; so set things right between your two brothers, and fear God; haply so you will find mercy. Qur’an 49.10 Israel’s reconciliation with God can be achieved only when they are all one brotherhood. Talmud, Menahot 27a (Judaism) Be