Why do people say Unity is good

[Servant19]

Well that all sounds reasonable to me, but there isn’t anything being accomplished for those humans outside of the ‘West’.

What about those starving in Africa and Asia and the Middle East? The UN does nothing for them. Europa and Eurasia either?

Perhaps it’s time for a new global initiative that actually respects both diversity and and unity and doesn’t just ‘claim’ to.

The first step in my eyes, is to stop African tribesman from rediverting rivers and food from other tribes by implementing restricted territories with common ‘free zones’ for trade and tourism purposes.

Thank you dear friend

This post is a sign of the true collective union we as humans feel with others and Gods creation. We really, truly are one human family. I commend you for the purity of spirit and sincerity that shines through in your post

If I may humbly offer a Bahai perspective?

We are currently afflicted by a global malady, it’s name is “disunity” and it’s symptoms are racial, cultural, and religious prejudice, gender inequality, environmental apathy, materialistic greed, oppression, tyranny and various gross injustices, amongst other symptoms.

For centuries, humanity has undergone several minor and major attempts to relieve humanity from the pains of the SYMPTOMS, without ever really addressing the source of the symptoms. What has never been attempted is a systemic global effort to educate generation after generations of children in the meaning, implications and diverse expressions of true human unity. From a very young age children are deemed as receptacles for information in order that they may “advance themselves over their brothers” and excel, not to fine tune themselves closer to their Creator, Who is the Most Excellent, but rather wanting to excel in order that they may use it as a means to belittle and oppress their fellow man.

This is the global efforts being undertaken by many communities throughout the world. Communities are advancing with a “world embracing” vision, united with like-minded communities, raising children who are not informed of this reality but LIVE this reality.

All other things are mere window dressings around this global endeavour. The UN, WWF, WHO etcetc are all very noble enterprises with good intent, but none of them will be able to reap glorious fruits unless they are the embodiments of true UNITY. Any hint of disunity within any of these organisations will render these institutions “lamentably defective”

In the “World Order of Baha’u’llah”, Shoghi Effendi quotes Baha’u’llah in the following manner:

“Soon,” Bahá’u’lláh’s own words proclaim it, “will the present day Order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth and is the Knower of things unseen.” “By Myself,” He solemnly asserts, “the day is approaching when We will have rolled up the world and all that is therein, and spread out a new Order in its stead. He, verily, is powerful over all things.” “The world’s equilibrium,” He explains, “hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this Most Great, this new World Order. Mankind’s ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System, the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed.” “The signs of impending convulsions and chaos,” He warns the peoples of the world, “can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing Order appeareth to be lamentably defective.”

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[Bahman]

What if I were to claim that excessive unbridled unity is actually bad? Because that’s exactly what I believe… I think total unity is worse than pure capitalism and pure socialism combined.

…this is why I can’t stand globalism and the UN, Europa and Eurasia, etc.

Anything has a good and bad side.

 

[TEPO]

Anything has a good and bad side.

Well, yes… But some people are excessively enthusiastic about the idea of unity -especially here on CAF for some wild reason. As if it’s of the highest importance. It’s not.

…companionship, love and respect for all? Yes… Absolute unity as one in every way politically and culturally? no.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Honestly, there is a place for conservatism / liberalism, governance / individualism, unity / division, left / right, up / down, good / evil, etc.

In unity is strength.

Christ, through the papacy, unifies all Catholics into one flock. The Catholics who do not like certain aspects of Catholicism will use the pope as their target. That was true of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Henry VIII and so on. Take away the papacy and you get the disunity of Protestantism.

Within Catholicism there is great diversity of membership from one nation to the next. Many different religious traditions exist together in this unified flock.

The same is true of the United States of America. Many different states with different laws exist together and are held together in unity by allegiance to our common good. The federal government sometimes oversteps its bounds. That is not because it is overly unified, but because it is tyrannical. Take away the tyranny and the unifying principle of a necessary national government remains in force.

 

[TEPO]

In unity is strength.

Christ, through the papacy, unifies all Catholics into one flock. The Catholics who do not like certain aspects of Catholicism will use the pope as their target. That was true of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Henry VIII and so on. Take away the papacy and you get the disunity of Protestantism.

Within Catholicism there is great diversity of membership from one nation to the next. Many different religious traditions exist together in this unified flock.

The same is true of the United States of America. Many different states with different laws exist together and are held together in unity by allegiance to our common good. The federal government sometimes oversteps its bounds. That is not because it is overly unified, but because it is tyrannical. Take away the tyranny and the unifying principle of a necessary national government remains in force.

Now, I do agree with you that there must be unity in Catholicism, and that there are 22 different traditions within this unified Church. But doesn’t that right there prove that unity and diversity both play important roles?

But even when Jesus comes again, there will not be absolute, pure unity. Some will go up and some will go down… I’ve heard that when we die and go to heaven, we will have absolutely no recollection of those who went to hell -as if they never existed. But at the same time they will exist, and they will live forever in hell.

 

[Servant19]

In unity is strength.

Christ, through the papacy, unifies all Catholics into one flock. The Catholics who do not like certain aspects of Catholicism will use the pope as their target. That was true of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Henry VIII and so on. Take away the papacy and you get the disunity of Protestantism.

Within Catholicism there is great diversity of membership from one nation to the next. Many different religious traditions exist together in this unified flock.

The same is true of the United States of America. Many different states with different laws exist together and are held together in unity by allegiance to our common good. The federal government sometimes oversteps its bounds. That is not because it is overly unified, but because it is tyrannical. Take away the tyranny and the unifying principle of a necessary national government remains in force.

These are good examples of unity in diversity Charlemagne

God bless you

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[TEPO]

Perhaps there’s a gate that exists at the bottom of heaven. Where bleeding heart angels, who cannot stand disunity depart from the creator and enter into the abyss. There they join in a plan of sabotage, to unite through destruction and sin.

…doesn’t that sound a lot like progressivism?

 

[Servant19]

“Consider the flowers of a garden. Though differing in kind, color, form and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm and addeth unto their beauty. How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruit, the branches and the trees of that garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. Naught but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas and convictions of the children of men.” - Abdu’l-Baha



I think unity in diversity is essential for humanity’s collective progress

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[GaryTaylor]

So there is unity in the agreement the US became tyrannical. But diversity within.

 

[TEPO]

So there is unity in the agreement the US became tyrannical. But diversity within.

. It’s true though. And I think the UN represents that tyranny on a global scale through their actions.

 

[TEPO]

“Consider the flowers of a garden. Though differing in kind, color, form and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm and addeth unto their beauty. How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruit, the branches and the trees of that garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. Naught but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas and convictions of the children of men.” - Abdu’l-Baha



I think unity in diversity is essential for humanity’s collective progress

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But then there are the trees who grow high, and steal the light of the sun. And the grasses grow short and take the nutrients of the soil…

There then lies a lack of ‘pure’ unity.

 

[Servant19]

But then there are the trees who grow high, and steal the light of the sun. And the grasses grow short and take the nutrients of the soil…

There then lies a lack of ‘pure’ unity.

This is why institutions are required. These institutions are not political in nature, and by that I mean they are not formed through electioneering individuals…and are composed of groups of individuals with equal status and they consult on the needs of the global community, and as servants to all, with world embracing insights.

Without institutions working by the instructions of the Loving Gardner, then this true unity is jeopardised.

The world is incredibly complex. Just loving and caring individuals living according to their own understanding of what love truly means leads to moral relativity and a dangerous disunity. Institutions cater for, serve and empower the people to live by a Common Faith and one common Cause.



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[TEPO]

This is why institutions are required. These institutions are not political in nature, and by that I mean they are not formed through electioneering individuals…and are composed of groups of individuals with equal status and they consult on the needs of the global community, and as servants to all, with world embracing insights.

Without institutions working by the instructions of the Loving Gardner, then this true unity is jeopardised.

The world is incredibly complex. Just loving and caring individuals living according to their own understanding of what love truly means leads to moral relativity and a dangerous disunity. Institutions cater for, serve and empower the people to live by a Common Faith and one common Cause.



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One common cause you say… This is where it gets interesting because there needs to be with any common cause -a common goal.

What is the common goal?

…is there truly a common goal, or is the goal Unity itself?

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Now, I do agree with you that there must be unity in Catholicism, and that there are 22 different traditions within this unified Church. But doesn’t that right there prove that unity and diversity both play important roles?

Yes, they do both play an important role.

I was just trying to answer the question posed for this thread.

Unity is important because Christ and St. Paul both recommend it so highly.

But I do think it is the devil’s strategy to divide and conquer.

 

[Servant19]

One common cause you say… This is where it gets interesting because there needs to be with any common cause -a common goal.

What is the common goal?

…is there truly a common goal, or is the goal Unity itself?

No the goal is “an ever advancing civilization”, a collective civilization constantly striving to advance, materially, intellectually and most importantly spiritually

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[TEPO]

I do think it is the devil’s strategy to divide and conquer.

The devil has many tactics, and division is only one of many. He’s not immune to unity though and he is a copycat and a thief.

Unity through Sexular Humanism, or Secular Humanism is one of his greatest tricks.

 

[TEPO]

No the goal is “an ever advancing civilization”, a collective civilization constantly striving to advance, materially, intellectually and most importantly spiritually

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Ah, I see. IOW, progressivism. And progressivism has no known goals…

…Why would anyone work towards something in which they don’t know what they’re working towards?

 

[Servant19]

Ah, I see. IOW, progressivism. And progressivism has no known goals…

…Why would anyone work towards something in which they don’t know what they’re working towards?

Yes except in my limited understanding, progressivism seems to be limited to material, scientific and social advancement.

But there seems to be no place for the advancement of the people towards an constantly closer and more correct spiritual relationship with our Creator.
This is critical
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[Charlemagne_III]

The devil has many tactics, and division is only one of many. He’s not immune to unity though and he is a copycat and a thief.

Unity through Sexular Humanism, or Secular Humanism is one of his greatest tricks.

I agree. The devil would have us believe secular humanism is the ideal, and it would be all the more ideal if it were universal.

But that would be to divide us from God, and ultimately from each other under the illusion that secular pluralism is better than Christian humanism.

That is why Fascism and Communism and Capitalism were always at each other’s throats. These secular ideologies not only attacked the Christian mesage of universal love, but also each other’s brand of secular humanism.

 

[TEPO]

But there seems to be no place for the advancement of the people towards an constantly closer and more correct spiritual relationship with our Creator.
This is critical
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I just don’t understand how Unity brings us closer to our creator.

…does your religion pose some sort of prediction that something new will occur once a certain level of unity is expressed?