Above the Vanities

The end of all religions is the realizing of g-d in the soul. That is the one universal religion. If there is one universal truth in all religions, place it here--in realizing g-d. Ideals and methods may differ, but that is the central point. There may be a thousand different radii, but they all converge to the one center--that is the realization of g-d, something behind this world of senses, this world of eternal eating and drinking and talking nonsense, this world of false shadows and selfishness.

There is that beyond all books, beyond all creeds, beyond the vanities of this world, and it is the realization of g-d within yourself. One may believe in all the churches in the world, may carry in one's head all the sacred books ever written, may baptize oneself in all the rivers of the earth, still, if one has no perception of God, I would class him or her with the rankest atheist.

One whom may have never entered a church or a mosque or a synagogue nor performed any ceremony yet realizes g-d within and is thereby lifted above the vanities of the world, that one is a holy one, a saint, call it what you will.

As soon you stand up and say you are right or your church is right and all others are wrong, you are yourself all wrong. You do not know that upon the proof of all the others depends the proof of your own. Love and charity for the whole human race, that is the test of true religiousness--one must feel the oneness of human life, of all life.

~Swami Vivekananda
(slightly paraphrased)