The following is a re-run of the musing I sent out on the anniversary of the Freedom Riders. I wanted to share it today in honor of Martin Luther King Jr and those who stand for freedom and equality everywhere. Thank you for reading it. 

 

A Priest, a Rabbi and a Baptist Minister, got on a bus...

 

I know this sounds like one of "those" jokes, but it is not at all a joke. Fifty years ago this month, over 400 people participated in "The Freedom Rides." From May through December 1961 they rode through the deep south on buses, challenging the abuses of equal rights laws, hoping to help end segregation and inequality. Their mission was non-violent resistance. For this they were terrorized, beaten and jailed.  Through their brave actions, these everyday people became heroes, bringing the United States one step closer to racial equality.  

 

If you were called, would you get on the bus? Actually, you are being called. What will you do? Read on...  

 

We are not here by chance. Each one of us is a part of a greater whole; the Creation of God. We are brothers and sisters. We are each cells in the body of creation. To achieve wholeness, we must become a part of that wholeness. Together, we must heal the wounds of ignorance, bringing the Light of Truth to all. 

 

How? By becoming a torch-bearer of Light and Truth. God is love. As a Child of God, you are love. You may believe this is not so, but you can't be anything else. There is no reality in the error belief we are separate. We are one. 

 

There is a favorite Unity saying, "Let each one, teach one." As you start to work in your own life to BE the change; the peace; the love you desire, you will find that the Law of Attraction will draw to you the exact people who need to hear what you have to share. One by one, we will illumine the darkness of ignorance, and manifest the Kingdom of All-Good...for ALL.

 

It is easy to be complacent...there is no urgent call in our day-to-day lives to "get on the bus." But until we get on the bus of Oneness, we will not find the peace, joy, love and satisfaction we desire.  

 

Your bus is waiting! Go to your destiny. RevAli 

 

  

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

 Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.18

Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

 Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7.12

Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.

 Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13

A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.

 Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.

 Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.4

One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire.

 Hinduism. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8

Tsekung asked, "Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?" Confucius replied, "It is the word shu--reciprocity: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you."

 Confucianism. Analects 15.23

 

Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I," he should neither kill nor cause others to kill.

 Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705

One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.

 African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)

One who you think should be hit is none else but you. One who you think should be governed is none else but you. One who you think should be tortured is none else but you. One who you think should be enslaved is none else but you. One who you think should be killed is none else but you. A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the parity of the killed and the killer. Therefore, neither does he cause violence to others nor does he make others do so.

 Jainism. Acarangasutra 5.101-2

A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to him, "Make me a proselyte, on condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod which was in his hand. When he went to Hillel, he said to him, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go and learn."

  Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a

 

It is my sincerest prayer that this article in some way touched your heart and inspired you to BE the change we all desire...you may not be here by chance...but you ARE living by choice.

Please consider watching the Freedom Riders Story on PBS tomorrow night (May 16th) at 9:00 p.m. EST. *** Especially if there are young people in your family who are not aware of what these brave people did.

Imagine what would happen if our young people put down their video game "hero" roles and made the decision to "get on the bus" of Spiritual Freedom to become REAL Heros! WOW!!