The Family of Humans

September 2004

You know that your mother and father, your sister and brother, and your children are part of your family. They are the same race, often the same religion, and probably have similar basic beliefs.

We also tend to think of the folks next door as similar to us, or the people we work or go to school or church with. Humans seem to develop significant bonds with people in the same region or country where they live. They wave the same flag and sing the same national anthem. They find comfort and security in people who believe in the same deity. They say, "God bless us."

We're afraid, however, of people who look or talk differently, live in other countries, or believe in different deities.

But what's really the difference between us? Might it not be only our pasts and our beliefs? Our pasts being our individual histories, birthplaces, and events that happened in our lives. Our beliefs being things like the kinds of governments we prefer and which religions we chose to follow.

Consider, however: if I grew up across the street from you, how does that really differ from living across the country or on the other side of the ocean? Isn't that only placing our feet on different soil? How would that ever make us different, except perhaps in our customs or traditions?

If I believe there is no god, and you believe there is a god, how does that really make us any different; how does that separate us from our essential humanity? Aren't we still the same?

If he thinks they are evil, and they think he is evil, aren't they just the same? Doesn't that prove they are just the same; both just making the same misguided judgments?

If they worship one god, and the others believe they worship a false idol, and if the others worship one god and they believe the others worship a false idol, are they not both correct?

Why can't we see that we're all truly part of the same family?

May we all be blessed with peace.