Our God — Page 145
Great Benefits ofBelief in God 145 As stated above, belief in God is the greatest and most effective means for that. This doctrine—that, despite our numerous and multifarious differences, we are created by, and belong to, an Omnipotent and All-Governing Being with a decisive will who is our final refuge and shelter—creates uniquely strong and clear sentiments of mutual love, unity, and brotherhood in our hearts. Belonging to the same country, nation, governing authority, etc. , creates unity and brotherhood to a variable extent. However, the most power- ful motivator for this is the belief that we are the creation of one Creator and we originate from one fountainhead of Grace and that our Master is not like a deceased father whose undisciplined sons sometimes start quarrelling with one another after him, but He is very much alive and will remain alive forever. This belief puts the whole of mankind on equal footing, like brothers. With the inception of that belief, the sentiments of resentment, ran- cour, malice, and hostility to each other start vanishing and are replaced by sentiments of love, brotherhood, sympathy, and sacri- fice. Belief in God is akin to regarding one another as the offspring of the same father and mother. Once you believe in God, you have to agree that the relationship of man with God is deep and vast, the like of which cannot be found among any worldly relations. In short, belief in God is the strongest motive for creation of mutual love and brotherhood. Patriotic and nationalistic ideas also create these sentiments. But the impact of such ideas is not as strong or deep and tends to be limited to a certain group, rather than the whole of the human race. Moreover, on occasion it could be counterproductive, as it leads to sectarianism, nationalism, undue prejudice, and jealousy. It is only belief in God that can