At a recent interfaith event I was reminded of the enormous challenge ahead in this mission to unite all humanity in a spiritual vain.
We had a Muslim brother of an unfavourable sect of Islam that claims Jesus had returned through their leader. A born again Christian, a Swami convert who follows a leader that regurgitates Gold object for the benefit of their flock, a reverend from a Christian sect, a spiritualist discussing the enormous task of unity.
It was evident that from the born again Christian perspective there is no other way to Heaven, as the destination of this path we are on is called; there is no other way but to believe in Jesus the Man God, that believing in Jesus will save us from eternal hell fire which for all intense and purposes has been created to control the masses.
From the Muslim perspective even though the majority of Islam denies the validity of this sect our brother was from he was promoting Islam as the path to paradise.
This divide brought great angst to my heart as it was clear that no time was spent on discussing what we need to do to unify but more on what their belief is and the clear mission to them is to prove that others are in error and theirs is the path of righteousness.
We discovered through some great research by Dr Peter Lineham from Massey University on the population mix of religions in Auckland, that the West and North are most Godless in this fair city and that up to 40% of Auckland do not make a designation on the Census as to belonging to a specific religious group. It becomes clearer that the mission of Optimal Unity needs to evolve and prioritise these disenchanted people who most definitely I would say are not Godless but rather not happy with siding with the major religions. Reasons would be evident, but Dr Lineham was curiously vacant on the reasons this Godless movement is on the rise. Could it be the literal interpretation of scripture has led as away for the personal relationship with the divine to one more designed to offer salvation for a price and your acceptance of rules and doctrines rather then seeking the Christ within you.
It is then a goal for Optimal Unity as a movement and as an organisation to evolve into a spiritual guide to renew the message of Christ, which was that he did not come to show how divine he was, but to show you how divine you can be. A movement that gives the disillusioned a venue to renew their relationship with Christ, with God with the I AM a place where you belong to and unite in the true goal of human unity and oneness of spirit.
As my Muslim brother uttered while we were in the spirit of having a interfaith dialogue “Well you go to your People” as if being with God has anything to do with the number of followers, so I have located My Message, I have located My People.
Josko Sestan
