Being at one is god-like andgood, buthuman, too human, the mania Which insists there is only the One, onecountry, onetruth, and one way. ~Friedrich HölderlinThephilosophic outlook rises above all sectarian controversy. It finds its own position not only by appreciating and synthesizing what is solidly based in the rival sects but also by capping them all with the keystone ofnon-duality. -Paul Brunton.
Sectarianism is a form of bigotry, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching relations of inferiority and superiority to differences between subdivisions within a group.
The cause of human sectarianism is not lack ofsympathy inthought, but inspeech; and this it is our not unambitiousdesign toremedy. ~Aleister Crowley They may hold their meetings, if they wish, and offerprayers according to their established use … and for thefuture, letallpeoplelive inharmony … Men should be taught and won over byreason, not by blows, insults, and corporal punishments. ~Julian.
Political tension by itself cannot lead tocivil war. Sectarianism is the one possible cause. But the position of theleadership has pulled the rug out from under thisproposition.
He who does reverence to his own sect, while disparaging all other sects from a feeling of attachment to his own, on the supposition that he thus glorifies his own sect, in reality by such conduct inflicts severe injury on his own sect.
Ashoka, Edict 12: Toleration, inAsoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India, vol. 28, p. 128
Thephilosophic outlook rises above all sectarian controversy. It finds its own position not only by appreciating and synthesizing what is solidly based in the rival sects but also by capping them all with the keystone ofnon-duality.
InAmerica thetaint of sectarianism lies broad upon theland. Not content with acknowledging the supremacy as theDeity, and with erecting temples in his honor, where all can bow down withreverence, thepride andvanity of human reason enter into andpollute ourworship, and the houses that should be ofGod and for God, alone, where he is to be honored with submissivefaith, are too often merely schools ofmetaphysical and useless distinctions. Thenation is sectarian, rather thanChristian.
From a distance you look like myfriend Even though we are atwar From a distance I just cannot comprehend What all this war is for.
Julie Gold, in "From a Distance" (1985);Bette Middler's version alters the last line of this stanza to "What all thisfighting is for."
From a distance there is harmony And it echoes through the land And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves It's theheart of every man (Every man).
It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves This is the song of every man.
She continued, "Theirs was a religion of freedom and joy and not pervaded by fanatical and morbidasceticism as some people would have us believe." Here again I feel she is absolutely right. The critics of Catharism fail to distinguish between the Parfait and the ordinary croyant. The latter were not required to fast and mortify the flesh any more than the averageHindu orRoman Catholic, even though both Hindu and Catholic priests may regularly practise asceticism as well as meditation and other such disciplines.
Arthur Guirdham, inThe Cathars and Reincarnation (1970), p. 100
Being at one is god-like and good, but human, too human, the mania Which insists there is only the One, one country, one truth, and one way.
Friedrich Hölderlin, in "The Root of All Evil" as translated by Michael Hamburger
I had imagined that the prelates of the Galilaeans were under greater obligations to me than to my predecessor. For in his reign many of them were banished, persecuted, and imprisoned, and many of the so-called heretics were executed … all of this has been reversed in my reign; the banished are allowed to return, and confiscated goods have been returned to the owners. But such is their folly and madness that, just because they can no longer be despots, … or carry out their designs first against their brethren, and then against us, the worshippers of the gods, they are inflamed with fury and stop at nothing in their unprincipled attempts to alarm and enrage the people.
Julian, in his Edict to the people of Bostra, as quoted inDocuments of the Christian Church (1957) by Henry Bettenson
They are irreverent to the gods and disobedient to our edicts, lenient as they are. For we allow none of them to be dragged to the altars unwillingly... It is therefore my pleasure to announce and publish to all the people by this edict, that they must not abet the seditions of the clergy …They may hold their meetings, if they wish, and offerprayers according to their established use … and for the future, letallpeoplelive inharmony … Men should be taught and won over byreason, not by blows, insults, and corporal punishments. I therefore most earnestly admonish the adherents of the true religion not to injure or insult the Galilaeans in any way … Those who are in the wrong in matters of supreme importance are objects of pity rather than of hate.
Julian, in his Edict to the people of Bostra, as quoted inDocuments of the Christian Church (1957) by Henry Bettenson
Thequestion has often been asked; IsBuddhism areligion or aphilosophy? It does not matter what you call it. Buddhism remains what it is whatever label you may put on it. The label is immaterial. Even the label 'Buddhism' which we give to the teachings of theBuddha is of little importance. The name one gives is inessential....In the same wayTruth needs no label: it is neitherBuddhist,Christian,Hindu norMuslim. It is not themonopoly of anybody. Sectarian labels are a hindrance to the independent understanding of Truth, and they produce harmful prejudices in men's minds. -Walpola Rahula.
I’m inspired to be in this room because every single one of you is here for the same reason. You’re here because you’ve adopted as a core motivation the simple fact thatthis world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another. If we took just 5 minutes to recognize each other’s beauty, instead of attacking each other for our differences. That’s not hard. It’s really an easier and better way to live.And ultimately, it saves lives.
Ellen Page, in her Valentine's Day "coming out" speech at theHuman Rights Campaign's Time to Thrive conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (14 February 2014)
Some foreign writers, some our own despise; The Ancients only, or the Moderns prize. Thus Wit, like Faith, by each man is apply’d To one small sect, and all are damn’d beside. Meanly they seek the blessing to confine, And force that sun but on a part to shine.
Thequestion has often been asked; IsBuddhism areligion or aphilosophy? It does not matter what you call it. Buddhism remains what it is whatever label you may put on it. The label is immaterial. Even the label 'Buddhism' which we give to the teachings of theBuddha is of little importance. The name one gives is inessential....In the same wayTruth needs no label: it is neitherBuddhist,Christian,Hindu norMuslim. It is not themonopoly of anybody. Sectarian labels are a hindrance to the independent understanding of Truth, and they produce harmful prejudices in men's minds.
One who isholy ofsect is proud because he is confident of his right of possession inGod. The man ofdevotion is meek because he isconscious of Gods right oflove over hislife andsoul. The object of our possession becomes smaller than ourselves, and without acknowledging it in so many words the bigoted sectarian has an implicitbelief that God can be kept secured for certain individuals in a cage which is of their own make. In a similar manner the primitive races of men believe that their ceremonials have a magic influence upon their deities. Sectarianism is a perverse form of worldliness in the disguise of religion it breeds a narrowness of heart in a greater measure than the cult of theworld based upon material interest can ever do. For undisguised pursuit of self has its safety in openness, like filth exposed to thesun andair. But the self-magnification with its consequent lessening of God that goes on unchecked under the cover of sectarianism loses its chance ofsalvation because it defiles the very source ofpurity.
The darkshadow we seem to see in the distance is not really amountain ahead, but the shadow of the mountain behind - a shadow from the past thrown forward into ourfuture. It is a dark sludge ofhistorical sectarianism. We can leave it behind us if we wish.
