The Universal Principle of life
UCCA Blog Post June 11, 2020
The UCCA declares and proclaims: “There is only one God, creator, and sustainer of all existence, the giver of life to all that lives. As God’s creation, we are to love and honor our God with every ounce of our being. When we purport to behave in a manner consistent with that belief, it is then manifested by the unconditional love we have for, and the compassion we demonstrate to, all humankind and all creation.”
When we live our lives in a manner consistent with this proclamation, we will have fulfilled all the teachings of righteousness and will be living in the “Kingdom of God”’ Moreover, we believe that the result will be greater peace and serenity in our individual lives and, when done by many, then there can truly be peace on earth. (Ref. Mark 12:28-34, NIV)
In the social, political, religious, and cultural atmospheres of today’s world, do we find this “Principle” being lived out among our people? Do we believe this “Principle” should be a central element within the rules that our societies live within? These are reasonable questions for all humankind to ask themselves.
I have studied how these tenets have been central to the development of civilization and how they are found throughout various societies, and in the religious teachings of almost all cultures. They are not specific to just Jewish and Christian teachings. This tells me when we look at society as a whole; these “Principles” should apply without question. But the truth is, these “Principles” are not found as being actively practiced in any culture. These “Principles” are not even being lived out within the Jewish and Christian communities, or actively taught in their religious settings. If these teachings are paramount to how a person is to live their life, why aren’t more religious leaders teaching them, and why aren’t more people living them?
My thoughts on this matter are too vast to discuss here. But to put them into a short statement, I believe we don’t hear these “Principles” being taught because our religious leaders, and the institutions they represent, have lost their way. They no longer teach “how to live a Godly life,” they are too busy expanding their membership and promoting the institution of their “church.” And if the people are not taught to live the love of God, the people will live as they choose. This is why we have the problems that exist in our divided societies today.
When you are living the love of God, as we should, there is no place for bigotries, racism, discriminations, divisions, judgments, or hatred. There is no place for one person to be above any other because of social, cultural, professional, or financial status. In our nation and the world today, we are at a crossroads and a place of reckoning. Our decisions and answers to the issues of today will determine the fate of our people for many generations to come. We must apply these “Principles” to the choices we will make for the hope of humanity. To go forward without the foundation of these “Principles” would be to go forward without hope, into a blind leading the blind world, as we have now, and without the very thing that binds us all together, and assures our future existence. That being, the love of God for the Children, and the love of the Children for each other and to their God. Amen
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv, UCCA