THE SUPREME LAW

“Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.”
The second is this:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
There is no commandment
greater than these.

Mark 12:30-31 (read 12.28-34) - NIV

Our ethics and our practice are far more important than our beliefs. The history of Christianity is marked by conflicts in doctrine which resulted in violence, persecution and death. Christianity has traditionally judged itself to be superior to other religions, because it has appointed itself to be the sole possessor of correct doctrines about God and the plan of salvation. Churches defend by "tooth and nail" the doctrine of the trinity, although the word, “trinity”, does not even appear in the Bible. It defends many doctrines and creeds as being basic and essential even though there exists no evidence to support them.

Jesus had no concern about creeds and never submitted anyone to doctrinal tests or questioned people’s beliefs. Jesus was interested in the fruit of faith. Fruit was what was essential, independent of the species of the tree from which it came. Good fruit in itself would indicate a good tree. The tree was judged by its fruit rather than a fruit being judged by what kind of tree that produced it. The results spoke for themselves, regardless of their tree species origin. Christianity, along with all religions, will be judged by the fruit it produces, not by its beliefs and liturgical practices.

Jesus placed love as the supreme value and defined it by its manifestation in daily life: "Love others as you love yourself." In practice, it means "treat others as you want to be treated."

This ideal of Jesus is no different than that of many of the major world religions. Here are some examples:

• Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: do not do unto others that which if it were done to thee would cause thee pain. (Fifteenth century BC)

• Judaism: What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. (Tenth century BC)

• Zoroastrianism: A nature is good only when it abstains from doing to another that which is not good for itself. (Sixth century BC)

• Taoism: Consider your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss. (Sixth century BC)

• Buddhism: Do not treat others in ways that you judge offensive to yourself. (Sixth century BC)

• Confucianism: Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. (Sixth century BC)

• Jainism: In joy and in sorrow, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we consider ourselves. (Sixth century BC)

• Christianity: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do so ye also to them. (First century A.D.)

• Islam: No one of you is a believer until you desire for your brother what he wishes for himself. (Seventh century A.D.)

• Sikhism: Judge others as yourself. (Fifteenth century A.D.)

If everyone could live the ethic of love that hers/his faith professes, we would all be near the Kingdom of God. True liberation is from fear and hatred. Love, not belief, is a way to a better life. Even the demons believe and tremble...

MARK 12:28-34 – NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.