Practicing the golden rule would put end to terrorism

Ye Publisher took his annual diversion to Manresa last week and, as usual, the place was spectacular. Most of the azaleas were in bloom, lillies, petunias and roses were blossoming everywhere and moss was dangling from the 17th century oaks in patterns that would make any artist proud.

Father Bayhi gave the lessons according to St. Xavier Ignasius. He spoke from the heart, not from a script or any rehearsed preparation of words. He was not the usual preacher and came out with some unexpected things which made it very interesting. We didn’t know what he would say next.

But his message in a nutshell was to love everyone, hate no one and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Simple, isn’t it?

I went to the library to research how that would jive with the preachings of religions around the world. I was mainly interested in knowing how terrorists, usually considered members of the Islam religion, got the way they are.

I found out that there is no relationship between what terrorists do with what Islamists preach. The Islam religion, which recognizes Jesus Christ as a prophet, not a god, but Mohammed as the greatest prophet also recognizes Mary as the mother of Christ and mentions her about 32 times in the Koran, the Islam bible.

Mohammed preached that people should not be aggressive; it is wrong to kill except in matters of self defense. Terrorism is not allowed in the Islam faith.

Just about every faith since the beginning of time preached that people should do unto others what they would have others do unto them. And that is a great way to live.

So why all the problems if almost all of the religions of the world preach the golden rule? Because people do not follow their religions. There are too many questions allowed to be associated with faith.

Many people criticize the Catholic Church because it does not give its members any choice. But religion is not supposed to.

Religion gives people the basics by which they are supposed to live. They have their choice about whether to live by it or not. But if they don’t, they are not following their religion.

Those who kill people who are not harming them are not following the Islamic faith either.

It is obvious that governments are not going to make people abide by the golden rule. Only religions can do it. And if religions are on the same page in regard to that rule, it should be easy for them to make it a universal practice by emphasizing it.

By so doing, they could go a long way in creating a better and safer world. And that is what our retreat master was saying.