Interfaith The Divine Essence
Across millennia, human civilizations have woven spiritual and philosophical traditions that converge on a profound truth: within each person resides a divine essence, an innate disposition toward doing no harm, having compassion for humans and animals, and seeking harmony with nature. This sacred spark, whether called fitra, Atman, or logos, unites contemporary religions (Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Wicca/Pagan), ancient beliefs (Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse, Manitou, Maya, Aztec, Inca, Shinto, Taoist), and philosophical traditions (Greek, Stoic, Confucian, Enlightenment). Indigenous peoples embody this spark through lives of simplicity and harmony, while Western colonizers, historically and today in places like Gaza, have unleashed death and destruction, severing their connection to the divine for profit. This essay explores these parallels, emphasizing stewardship and compassion as ethical anchors, how ancient beliefs shape culture and politics, and the urgent need to reclaim the divine essence in a world sacrificing nature, animals, and humanity.
Modern religions affirm the divine essence as an innate disposition toward non-violence, compassion, and harmony with nature, guiding humanity toward ethical living and transcendence.
Islam’s fitra (Qur’an 30:30), the primordial inclination to know Allah,
fosters non-violence through zakat (charity) and compassion via khalifa
(stewardship), urging Muslims to protect creation—human, animal, and natural—as
sacred trusts. In striving to live as stewards, Muslims seek harmony,
countering exploitation with ethical duty. Hinduism’s Atman, a spark of
Brahman (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7), radiates through Namaste (“I bow to
the divine in you”), embodying ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion for all
beings, fostering harmony with nature’s cycles. Judaism’s b’tzelem
Elohim (Genesis 1:26-27, “in God’s image”) endows humans with divine dignity,
promoting non-violence and compassion, as saving one life saves humanity
(Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5), and harmony through stewardship of the earth.
Christianity’s divine spark (John 1:9) calls for non-violent love (Matthew
22:39), compassion for humans and creatures, and harmony as caretakers of God’s
creation. Buddhism’s Buddha-nature (Lotus Sutra) affirms enlightenment
potential, guiding non-violence via the Five Precepts, compassion through
bodhisattva vows, and harmony with nature’s interdependence. Wicca and
Pagan traditions honor the divine spark as the Goddess’s light, upholding the
Rede (“Harm none”), compassion for all life, and harmony through earth-based
rituals.
These traditions, rooted in the divine spark, urge humanity to transcend materialism. Yet, in Western societies, this connection is often lost, as profit-driven systems sacrifice nature (deforestation, pollution), animals (factory farming), and humans (war, inequality). In contrast, Muslims strive as stewards, Indigenous peoples live simply in harmony, and China’s Taoist influence fosters policies seeking balance, reflecting the divine essence’s enduring call.
Ancient and indigenous traditions, spanning Mesopotamia, Egypt, Europe, the Americas, and Asia, echo the divine spark as a disposition toward non-violence, compassion, and harmony, deeply aligned with indigenous simplicity and contrasted with Western destruction.
Sumerian and Akkadian myths depict humans crafted with Enlil’s divine
breath, tasked with upholding me (cosmic principles), fostering non-violence
through societal order, compassion for kin, and harmony with creation’s
rhythms. Babylonian beliefs (Enuma Elish) see humanity as divinely
formed, promoting non-violent duties, compassion for the vulnerable, and
harmony with cosmic purpose. Egyptian spirituality links the ka (life
force) to the gods, guiding souls toward ma’at (truth, balance), embodying
non-violence, compassion for all life, and harmony with the Nile’s cycles.
Greek religion’s divine soul aspires to truth, promoting non-violence
through ritual purity, compassion for community, and harmony with the cosmos.
Roman numen (divine presence) connects humans to the gods, fostering
non-violent piety, compassion through pietas, and harmony with nature’s
order. Norse mythology imbues warriors with wyrd (fate), guiding
non-violent honor (outside battle), compassion for kin, and harmony with the
rugged Nordic landscape.
Indigenous traditions vividly embody this spark. Manitou (Algonquian) is
the sacred spirit in all life, fostering non-violence through communal balance,
compassion for humans and animals, and harmony with forests and rivers,
reflected in simple lives of reciprocity. Maya spirituality, rooted in the
Popol Vuh, sees the soul as Itzamna’s gift, promoting non-violence via cosmic
balance, compassion through communal rituals, and harmony with jungles and
stars. Aztec teotl (sacred energy) drives non-violent rituals (beyond
sacrifice), compassion for collective survival, and harmony with maize and
mountains. Inca kamaq (life force), linked to Inti, inspires non-violent
stewardship of Pachamama, compassion for community, and harmony with Andean
terraces. Shinto’s kami (divine spirits) call for non-violent purity,
compassion for nature’s beings, and harmony with Japan’s sacred landscapes.
Taoism’s qi aligns humans with the Tao, promoting non-violence through
wu-wei (non-action), compassion for all life, and harmony with nature’s flow, a
principle China still honors in its quest for ecological and social balance.
Indigenous peoples’ alignment with the divine spark—living simply, harming none, and honoring nature—stands in stark contrast to Western colonizers, who, from the Americas to Africa, unleashed death and destruction. Colonial empires plundered indigenous lands, slaughtered communities, and exploited nature, driven by greed antithetical to the divine essence. This legacy persists in Gaza, where Western-backed policies enable destruction, ignoring the divine spark in Palestinian lives, animals, and olive groves. Unlike indigenous simplicity, Western materialism sacrifices the sacred for profit, severing humanity’s divine connection.
Philosophical traditions, particularly ancient Greek and later secular frameworks, mirror the divine spark through rational and moral principles, aligning with spiritual calls for non-violence, compassion, and harmony.
Ancient Greek philosophers offer striking parallels. Socrates saw the soul as a divine gift, urging non-violence through self-examination, compassion via dialogue to uplift others, and harmony with truth’s eternal order. Plato’s theory of the soul (Phaedo) posits a divine essence seeking the Forms, promoting non-violence through justice, compassion for the less wise, and harmony with the cosmos’s rational structure. Aristotle’s eudaimonia (flourishing) stems from the soul’s rational spark, fostering non-violence via the golden mean, compassion through friendship, and harmony with nature’s teleological order. Stoicism’s logos, a divine rational order within, guides non-violence through virtue, compassion by accepting others’ fates, and harmony with universal nature.
Later philosophies extend this. Confucianism’s ren (humaneness) reflects a moral spark, promoting non-violence through propriety, compassion for all, and harmony via li (social order). Enlightenment rationalism, as in Kant’s categorical imperative, sees reason as a universal law, urging non-violence by treating others as ends, compassion through moral duty, and harmony with rational ethics. These philosophies, though secular, echo the divine essence’s disposition, aligning with spiritual traditions in ethical action and transcendence.
Ancient beliefs, rooted in the divine spark, profoundly shaped cultures and continue to influence politics, reflecting the interplay of non-violence, compassion, and harmony. Sumerian me structured Mesopotamia’s legal codes, fostering communal compassion and influencing governance models. Egyptian ma’at underpinned pharaonic rule, promoting justice and ecological harmony, evident in Nile-based agriculture. Greek beliefs in the divine soul shaped democratic ideals, with compassion influencing Athens’ civic duties. Roman numen reinforced pietas in law, fostering compassionate social bonds and imperial stability. Norse wyrd cultivated a culture of honor, politically uniting tribes through shared values of communal compassion.
Indigenous traditions left enduring legacies. Manitou shaped Algonquian governance, prioritizing consensus and ecological harmony, influencing modern tribal councils. Maya and Aztec cosmic balance informed city-state politics, with compassionate rituals sustaining social cohesion. Inca stewardship of Pachamama guided imperial policies, ensuring equitable resource distribution. Shinto’s kami fostered Japan’s cultural reverence for nature, influencing modern environmental policies. Taoism’s harmony shapes China’s political emphasis on balance, seen in ecological initiatives.
In contrast, Western societies, disconnected from the divine spark, have shaped cultures of exploitation. Colonialism’s legacy—evident in the genocide of indigenous peoples and Gaza’s ongoing destruction—reflects a political ethos prioritizing profit over compassion. Yet, ancient beliefs persist: Islamic khalifa inspires environmental activism, Hindu ahimsa influences non-violent movements, and indigenous simplicity informs global sustainability efforts, challenging materialist politics with the divine essence’s ethics.
The divine spark’s disposition—non-violence, compassion, harmony—manifests in stewardship (caretaking of creation) and compassion (empathy for all beings), uniting traditions in ethical action. Stewardship preserves nature, animals, and humanity, while compassion ensures inclusivity, mirroring natural laws in philosophy. Islam’s khalifa stewards earth, compassionately aiding the oppressed (Qur’an 4:75). Hinduism’s ahimsa stewards life, compassionately revering all. Judaism stewards dignity, compassionately valuing each soul. Christianity stewards creation, compassionately loving neighbors. Buddhism stewards enlightenment, compassionately aiding all beings. Wicca stewards earth, compassionately harming none.
Ancient and indigenous traditions align: Sumerian me stewards order, compassionately sustaining kin; Egyptian ma’at stewards balance, compassionately harmonizing life; Manitou stewards nature, compassionately uniting communities; Taoism stewards the Tao, compassionately flowing with life. Philosophies echo this: Plato stewards justice, compassionately uplifting souls; Stoicism stewards virtue, compassionately harmonizing with fate.
The Gaza crisis exemplifies this ethical call. Indigenous Palestinians, like
their ancestors, embody the divine spark, seeking harmony amid destruction.
Western colonizers, historically and today, sacrifice lives and land for
geopolitical gain, their disconnection from the divine spark—seen in severed
olive groves and suffering animals—contrasting indigenous compassion. This
underscores the divine essence’s demand for stewardship and compassion, a truth
proven through action.
Each tradition offers a unique facet of the divine spark. Fitra teaches
non-violent submission; Atman, compassionate reverence; b’tzelem Elohim,
harmonious dignity; Manitou, natural kinship; Plato, rational justice.
Trusting fitra (Qur’an 30:30) discerns these truths, uniting Muslims honoring
kami, Wiccans valuing teotl, Stoics embracing ahimsa. This trust fosters
reverence, countering Western materialism’s disconnection.
The divine spark propels enlightenment, realizing non-violence, compassion, and harmony. Jannah, moksha, Nirvana, heaven, Valhalla, Tlalocan, Summerland, or Stoic peace reflect this journey, normalizing death as transition. A Palestinian’s struggle embodies fitra’s justice, Atman’s divinity, teotl’s energy, uniting traditions in compassionate stewardship. Striving for enlightenment, we transcend materialism’s destruction.
The divine essence—fitra, Atman, b’tzelem Elohim, teotl, kami, logos—unites contemporary, ancient, and philosophical traditions in non-violence, compassion, and harmony. Indigenous simplicity, Muslim stewardship, and Taoist balance contrast Western materialism’s destruction, from colonial genocide to Gaza’s suffering. Ancient beliefs shape compassionate cultures and ethical politics, urging us to trust fitra and pursue Jannah, Nirvana, or Elysium. Reclaiming the divine spark, we honor the sacred in all, proving our truth through stewardship, compassion, and harmony with nature.