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 UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL UNION, Inc.

 alas alianza color

WORLD CITIZENS FOR

UNIVERSAL PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD

 sello humanidad

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Grand Assembly of the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN or Permanent Worldwide Parliament of all the Religions, Faiths, Fraternities and Spiritual Philosophies, under the aegis of the UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL UNION Inc., the WORLD CITIZENS’ UNITED MANKIND and the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE

Market Street 978, Hdqs of the Universal

Spiritual Union, San Francisco, Cal. USA

Ref. Excerpts

Address by the Ven. Anagarika K.H. –

On June 25, 1945

 

Deeds, not promises

Dear World Citizens,

          The mainstays of this gigantic undertaking, as taken under its right light, are LOVE, SERVICE, BROTHERHOOD AND WISDOM, and the immediate aim consists in furthering the Worldwide Friendship-Brotherhood-Commonwealth of Peaceful and Free People under Divine inspiration as well as with genuine Spiritual values.

          It has been said time and again that the aims of the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE are complex and difficult to grasp, and also that the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN could never lead to anything consistent with human ideals, religious unity and spiritual values precisely because when people have different goals and interests they have nothing to rest upon or to work for, being torn by all sorts of diverging factors, which only tend to divide and tear people apart even in their innermost sentiments and most cherished ideals. - Now, let us get this clear and straight. The UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE is above all an international syndicate, or fellowship of different religious, fraternal, spiritualist and philosophical organisms UNITED morally and spiritually for mutual assistance and protection. Is there anything mysterious, or impossible in such a noble endeavor? The only answer possible here is that since 1908: IT WORKS WONDERFULLY.

          As for the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN, it gathers people of all races, faiths and nationalities in grand Open Forum, spontaneously, without the least dogmatic hint or purport of regimentation, either religious, political, mystical or mercantile. Here, people gather because they want, and above all because they seek after something, which they cannot freely, obtain elsewhere. Possibly they love to convene thus, because they have something to say or they want to hear that others say, which may be convenient for them, or simply because they want to give their vote for some noble causes. Each one of us, here, whether Official Delegate or on our own private accord, can claim to voice freely Human Conscience, or the consensus of their spiritual constituencies in different latitudes of the world.

          This is a Grand Assembly of the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN, in fact, fundamentally because we dwell on motives, yearnings, ideals and problems which affect all humanity, and all of us are equally eager to contribute toward the solution of international problems, or to eradicate human evils, as well as to promote PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD among all people, using to that effect the ennobling attributes of noblesse and moral grandeur, which make for genuine World Citizens. The more efficient and dignified World Citizens we prove to be, the better it shall be for all those concerned. Here, each one of us excels in the representation of his own preferred faith or ideals, or according to his best spiritual design and inspirations, but we are above all HUMAN BEINGS DWELLING IN THE ETERNAL AND UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL TRUTH, AND HAVING AS DRIVING AND GUIDING POWER THE ESSENCE OF LIFE, WHICH SOME CALL GOD, OR BRAHMAN, OR GRAND ARCHITECTS, IF NOT OTHERWISE. We face reality – the realities of life – as best we know, or can, and our sincerity of purpose constitutes our best guaranty. All the better, however, if we have also a pure heart, an awakened conscience, a clear mind, and a noble spirit.

          We would be betraying our better intentions if we did not dare to face the truth of life conscientiously. In fact, not to do so would be tantamount to losing our precious time and God knows if the whole world and mankind need our noble endeavors and our wise counsel.

          The record of achievements of the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE is one that speaks for itself in most exceptional ways, as it is unique in the fields of humanism, higher culture, and spiritual realization. This alone suffices to prove that its universality is matchless, and that it constitutes the world’s only UNITED MORAL AND SPIRITUAL FRONT against the advances of perverse materialism and excessive moronism.

          The synthesis between the scientific West and the spiritual East is integrally accomplished, and it defies all negative criticism that would make for the twilight of intelligence, or the surrender of human dignity and the triumph of the overlords of violence, strife, insolence and aggression. The UNIVERSAL RELIGION, the MORAL UNITY, the BROTHERHOOD OF MAN, and true SPIRITUAL COMMUNION are, indeed, at long last possible conquests thanks to the joint efforts and endeavors of the Spiritual Hierarchy whose components have tirelessly and unswervingly sought to excel in the SERVICE of God, Spiritual Truth and Humanity. Among these great souls, we have been privileged to see at work William Blake, Mahatma Gandhi, H. H. Pr. OM Lind, H. H. Fr. Ramathirtha, H. H. Maharishi Devahamsa, Charles Barlet, Joekim Bakausen, Victor E. Michelet, Oswald Wirth, Jeanne Champollion, Dr. Alexis Carrel, Prof. Charles Richet, Rabindranath Tagore, Sir Williams Crooks, Dr. Foveau de Courvelles, Wendel Wilkie, Mariave, the Ven. Anagarika Dhammapala, Lady Caithness, Rt. Rev. C. Chevillon, H. H. Johanny Bricaud, Jane Adams, Oliver Wendel Holmes, Swami Paramahamsa, and so many others, and their collaboration constitute the best guaranty of genuine moral, intellectual and spiritual integrity and excellence, and the best possible inheritance of Humanity, because they were or are still either great sages, high quality scholars, Religious heads, or Spiritual Guides of Mankind.

          We are concerned only with the problems of ignorance, superstition, fetishism, vice and all the fetters of the mind, which lead to social injustices, effete morals, warmongery or warfare, and economic serfdom as well as utmost political oppression and materialistic superciliousness. Far from us the thought that the human individual is purely a mechanical production devise, or that man lives only on war, violence, bread, circus, economic plenty, and social comfort, for even then the yearnings of the soul, the clarities of awakening conscience and the noblesse of the heart hunger for standards, which are above reason and cannot be neither improvised nor imposed. These are troubled times, and it would be dangerously presumptuous to believe that the war hysteria and psychosis are over. Besides, wars, violence and hatred have never solved any problem.

          Our immediate aim here is to improve human character and living conditions. We shall not dare claim that our means of action are Divine, as in reality we only hope to open avenues and make the complete awakening of human conscience possible. All our efforts are no doubt even far from real perfection, but if we can assist people in solving their problems, or heal their ailments and contribute their better understanding of life, we should consider that our task is about fulfilled. After all, we must leave something for people to do for themselves, in the measure that they want it. We can aspire to be Spiritual Ministers where there is need, but the task of evolution belongs to people individually and nations collectively according to the laws of Life, which are perfect because they are Divinely created.

          The UNITED NATIONS organism, which is now being created a few steps away from here, having as trust and obligation to preserve world peace and promote better international relations is obviously a good omen. But we dare say that it will not be very effective if its structure and mechanism are purely political in character, because all the nations should be brought to stand, collaborate and vie on certain definite principles, or on the simple designs of the GOLDEN RULE, so as not to be exclusively self-centered competitors and selfish opportunity seekers. Insofar as the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE and the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN are concerned, our record of accomplishments since 1908 stands for itself and proves in historic terms our character of matchless moral and spiritual universality, as we aspire to meet human needs and solve world problems within the framework of the composite unity of the essentials of the Religions and Philosophies of the sages of all the ages. Let it be duly born in mind, therefore, that SPIRITUALDOM is neither a political scheme nor a mercantile or proselytic enterprise, as it does not interfere with the out ways of life of people. The Holy Realm rests and prevails in the heart, in the soul, and in the Spirit of people, so we have absolutely nothing in common with the current doctrinal complexities and ideological struggles, or with the expressions of hatred, strife, vandalism, regimentation and violence, which so profoundly divide mankind and soak the planet with monstrous bloodshed.

          The WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN guarantees by itself the ushering in of the New Age by means of an authentic Spiritual Renaissance, revealing at the same time the appearance of the ECUMENIC MAN, endowed with Cosmic Consciousness, capable of living as World Citizen upon breaking loose from the frontiers of simple animism (superstition, fetishism, idolatry, impassionate lobsided reasoning, materialistic or instinctive behaviorism, gross selfishness, etc.) and pure animalism (warmongery, vice, social conformism, economic serfdom, etc.) so common to the lower forms of life. The evolution of Man is positively Ascending in Spirit, indeed, as demonstrated by the LIVING MUSEUM OF MAN and the NEW AGE TRAVELLING WORLD UNIVERSITY OF HUMANOLOGY AND LOMATICS, which so portentously assess the Grand Assemblies of this greatest institution of all times. The General Archives of Spiritualdom as well as the accumulated data of the Collections of Science, Art, Comparative Religion, Mystical Exegesis and Spiritual Cosmology exhibited and explained by genuine scholars simultaneously wherever the Grand Assemblies of the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN take place amply demonstrate, indeed, that a great, unsung Spiritual Mission is being fulfilled. We bring to all the entire universe within reach of all individuals, and all mankind is synthetized and assimilated, so to say at home, without having to travel all around the world, and, above all, in a most trustworthy manner as it is a free SERVICE, which is not prearranged so as to promote certain sectarianism or any sort of preconceived doctrine. All our SERVICES are, in fact, absolutely non-proselytical, non-political, non-mercantile, and non-biased in any way, shape or form.

          The Collections exhibited prove that the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE and the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN are in no way interested in furthering any sort of sectarianism, partidism, clans, or personal messiahship, but, rather, to awaken to the utmost human conscience to further human potentialities and excellence in all vital endeavors, and to promote real Spiritual Communion among all people regardless of racial, confessional, nationalistic or political differences. Besides, the relevancy of all these activities of the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE and WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN resides primordially in the fact that they are conducted jointly and by common agreement, among all the Religions, Faiths, Fraternities, Spiritualist organizations, Mystic Orders, Philosophical movements and the Spiritual Sanctuaries. Sectarianism and personalism are completely eradicated from our noble designs and unswerving endeavors. Therein lies the unique significance of our SERVICES, whether they be of the Holy Mandala or Worldwide Mental and Spiritual co-operation, the Courses of Study of the World University of Religions and Spiritual Science, the Film Revelations, the Magnetic band Spiritual Messages from the World’s foremost Religious Heads, Philosophers and Spiritual Guides of Mankind, and the exhibited pictorial Collections, which reproduce in engraving or photography the world’s greatest art productions and the realm of science in drawings, explained by authentic sages and scholars. Needless to say, without these noble servers of Humanity, all the exhibited Collections remain lifeless and meaningless, as well as absolutely worthless, because what really count it is not what we have, or hoard and cherish, but, rather, that which we love, serve and glorify in ever-expanding consciousness and dignity, above all material considerations.

          This great trust meets its allowed Spiritual Mission under the sign of absolute liberty of Conscience, of devotional worship, of thought and of expression that is in unhampered freedom with dignity, peace and justice imparted by all and enjoyed unconditionally by everybody on this planet and under the infinite skies. We achieve thus, in the spheres of human interest, which clearly belong to sincere religion, integral humanism, higher culture and authentic spiritual noblesse not only the age-old ideals of MORAL UNITY and SPIRITUAL COMMUNION, without indulging in the least in worldly designs or political affairs, but we actually accomplish the basic conditions of the WORLDWIDE BROTHERHOOD-COMMONWEALTH OF MAN, breaking the common molds of prejudice, superstition and selfishness, and expanding the frontiers of devotion, self-respect and wisdom to the farthest horizons of human excellence and solidarity as well as to the noblest heights of Divine inspiration and spiritual realization.

          Certainly, all these activities of the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE and the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN cannot be carried on in all the latitudes of the world, as in many countries we learn by experience that it is a felony to speak of peace, to demand social justice, or to even mention redress for wanton acts of repression or oppression. Therefore, we prefer to select well in advance the countries where our Collections of Science, Practical Psychology, Anthropology, Parapsychology, Art, Comparative Religion, etc. may be taken along for public Exhibit, lest they be either destroyed or frowned upon by vandals, religious bigots, or fanatical doctrinaires, which do not as yet qualify for respectable community life. Too many people, unfortunately, still believe that only their own faith, or ideas, are right and deserve Perenniality, even by shere use of force, resorting to overt violence, and massacring peaceful people in the name of their bloodthirsty deities of material absolutism. Needless to say, any encroachment on the vital, inalterable rights of human individuals to religion constitutes a direct attack on the conscience and dignity of man, and an expression of anti-culture, anti-democracy, ominous immorality, abject social injustice, and satanic antiSpiritual endeavor.

          Of course, I sincerely believe that you will admit and affirm with me that no really good cause needs resort to violence and monstrous infamy so as to prove its point, or to impose itself. Goodness, Truth and Beauty are self-evident, and they need no other means to justify themselves. Therefore, patterns policies and methods of violence, hatred, injustice, cruelty, inhumanity, aggression and infamy cannot represent in any way either LOVE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, COMPASSION, DIVINE LAW, HUMAN BROTHERHOOD or SPIRITUAL NOBLESSE.

          We sincerely believe that this great task of the Spiritual Hierarchy of Spiritualdom is amply justified in presenting the new dimensions of Religion, the new implications of culture, and the new mechanism of philosophy, in order to meet the needs of mankind during the ushering in New Age, which must need be adopted unconditionally if the churches, society and the dignity of human personality are to be valid in the era of mass actions, moral dissolutions, mental bankruptcy, brutal coercion, delusive materialism, nuclear force and extra tellurian communications. An objective appreciation of human conditions, achievements and yearnings at this precise moment of history should help to ward off the terrible dangers created by satanic warfare and the tragic results of delusive ideologies, ineffective faith and deterrent mental attitudes.

          The fact that all Religions, Cultures and Spiritual Philosophies enhance so connectedly human solidarity and synthetize the portents of Divine inspiration and spiritual guidance, bringing those, so to say, to the very doorsteps of all those who earnestly seek after truth and yearn for consistent solutions to the harrowing problems of life is added motive to consider this great achievement as the condensation of human values and spiritual factors and the very essence of life, which deserves safekeeping for the future generations, for them to enjoy and benefit by. There could be no better justification, indeed, to a genuine WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN and an authentic UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE.

          Our travail is for the common good of all mankind, and openly conducted, as we favor no special race, sect, clan, faith or nation whatever. Neither do we indulge in politics in the least, or lay claim to messianic designs. Our Spiritual Mission is universal, and to the advantage as well as for the benefit of all people alike, our aims being essentially and exclusively humanitarian, cultural and spiritual.

          For the first time, we have brought to America our main Collections of Science, Art, Comparative Religion, sacred architecture, and the general archives of the Spiritual Sanctuaries of Spiritualdom, and we gladly offer them to the scholars and for public scrutiny. All these important exhibits are here for all to enjoy and benefit by, after having been secretly kept in Jerusalem during the course of the war. The Holy City of Jerusalem enjoyed these Exhibits in 1939, just before the world war broke out when our Assembly was held there, and we sincerely appreciate your interest. You may also bring your relatives and friends, as soon after the Grand Assembly we would like the general public to enjoy them. It is all said in pictures, engravings, lithographies, photographs and charts. It also shows how dependent is humanity on the experiences of the remote past, and to what extent modern science affects the way of life of all people.

          Unlike the WORLD UNIVERSITY OF RELIGION AND SPIRITUAL SCIENCE, which educates, the WORLD LIVING MUSEUM reveals details of life and impresses the depths of the mind by means of pictures and graphs, or symbols, leaving people to judge for themselves. A wise Chinese once said: “A Picture is worth ten thousand words”. We would paraphrase this by saying that our ten thousand pictures are worth a whole lifetime. But it is up the public to judge if this SERVICE is worth all our efforts and if the vital values of Mankind deserve to be eternalized.

          The Jerusalem experience now haunts us terribly, as after having been so successful deserving the admiration and commendation of tens of thousands of people, the general archives had to be hurriedly hidden in dozens of different places, and much of it was actually buried in the desert sands, for safekeeping, and so as to avoid the monstrous destruction of warfare, or world insanity. At that time, the Official Delegates had already sought to obtain a genuine safeguard for this LIVING MUSEUM OF MAN and the WORLD UNIVERSITY, deciding to request from all the governments certain facilities for permanent deposits and international transit. The world, though claimant to the state of highly developed civilization, or religion and humanism is fraught with dangers, and we cannot realize that as yet there is neither World Court nor World Law to defend Human Rights, unless the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE and the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN create one. This explains, in short, why we cannot present these Exhibits in certain countries, where Human Rights are not respected, or where only the right of might prevails. The best solution at hand, then, was offered by a German shipwright, and it consisted in accommodating a sea faring ship for a permanent Exhibition, which would be always on hand in the countries where Grand Assemblies of the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN are held. The final approval was, of course, that which deals on the status of INTERNATIONALITY of the UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE and the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN that would mean also extraterritoriality rights. Then, under all circumstances, these unique and matchless treasures of mankind would be duly protected in the event of war, but, also, actually defended by all the nations of the world, since these great institutions belong equally to all humanity.

          We feel certain that you will believe with us, once you take seriously to these Exhibits and peruse the General Archives of Spiritualdom, that you will feel compelled to JOIN the greater realm of the Spiritual Sanctuary and the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN, because such accomplishments reflect the real nature of true, transcendental Spiritual Initiation and the great hierarchy, which travails for the well-being of all humanity. Need we emphasize the fact real Religion is ONE and there can be no multiple and antagonistic or compiling MORAL UNITY AND UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. Either we toil jointly and harmoniously or we become victims of self-delusion and end up in the pitfalls of worldly materialism, which spells selfishness and superstition, or sectarianism and overt divisionism or opposed bigotry. But the authentic Spiritual Truth is not a matter of interpretation of doctrines and dogmas; it is, rather, the spontaneous elation of the heart, the dignity of awakened conscience, and the noblesse of the free Spirit. The moral caliber and spiritual grandeur of people can be measured only in terms of UNSELFISH OR IMPERSONAL CO-OPERATION, and true SPIRITUAL COMMUNION in the face of all world conditions and arising trials.

Let us consume ourselves in the Love and Service of one another, in furthering the WORLD-WIDE BROTHERHOOD-COMMONWEALTH OF PEACEFUL AND FREE PEOPLE by being permanently excellent devotees and practicants of our better ideals. Goodness is, indeed, the first step toward GODLINESS.

Let us be the World’s United FRONT FOR PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD through Impersonal Co-operation, unconditional Love, Righteousness, unselfish Friendship, Solidarity and Wisdom.

By being FOR AND WITH Divine Law, Spiritual Truth, United Humanity and the Eternal-Universal Golden Rule of Love, Righteousness and Wisdom we prove beyond the slightest shadow of doubt that we are not simple worshippers of idols, fancy shylocks of sectarian fanaticism or bigots of dogmas, devotees of mystical or metaphysical superstition, heroes of fetishism, or lovers of strife and violence. Facts speak louder than doctrines and theories.

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Kindly consider yourselves invited to collaborate with more material, which you may be privileged to possess, as this task of developing and improving the Collections on Human character, Spiritual Values and Universal (Divine) designs belongs to each and all of us people of Goodwill, World Citizens. So you may also, if you can, obtain reproductions of documents and other items, if they are not intended for mercantile purposes.

No one, no clan or sect, no nation or race, and indeed no doctrine or dogma possesses all the truth, or has a monopoly of virtue, righteousness, power or noblesse. Unless all people have complete freedom of choice in consciousness and dignity, and unlimited access to the truth by way of worship, of belief, or thought, of travel, and of expression they may as well proclaim that they are still living in bondage like serfs of ignorance, fear, distress, want, and unhappiness. May we all within the Holy Realm of SPIRITUALDOM proclaim the supreme and vital inalienable Rights of Man, beginning by rejecting all forms of limitation, slavery, superstition and indignity, and unswervingly strive to shatter the shackles, which limit human conscience, creativeness, noblesse and happiness, without let or hindrance from any source for our own benefit and self-respect. Any person who cannot unmincedly enjoy life in complete dignity, or that is deprived of the rights to think, to worship, to believe, to travel and to express himself without fear or coercion is neither moral nor free, and certainly has no right to proclaim himself religious, democratic, or an intelligent individual.