World scripture : a comparative anthology of sacred texts

AL Tí ib GREAT RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD reveré sacred scriptures. Such texts include the i hammapada and Lotus Sutra of Buddhism, the New Testament of Christianity, the Qur'an of Islam, '¡e Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita of Hinduism, the Torah ofJudaism, the Confucian Analects, ;ind the Adi Granth ofSikhism. These sacred scriptures contain essential truths. And they have immr.isurably great historical significance, for they have influenced the minds, hearts, and practices ofbilhons ofpeople in the past. They continué to exert tremendous impact in the present, and we have e' cry reason to believe that such influence will continué into the future. The words of truth in sacred m riptures form the core beliefs of religión and thus, of civilization. For thi1- reason, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, founder of the International Religious Foundatioii, commissioned this Worid Scripture project. One purpose is to celébrate and honor the richni ,s and universality of religious truth contained in the world's great scriptures. An additional pun ose is to serve the cause of worid peace. Peace has been the central focus of all the activities t the International Religious Foundation which is dedicated to 'worid peace through religious dialogue and harmony.' The work of the International Religious Foundation has culminated in the establishment ofthe Inter-Religious Federación for Worid Peace (IRFWP), created at the 1990 Vssembly of the World's Religions. Worid Scripture is directly related to the quest for peace that s the mission of IRFWP. Although all the great religions speak of peace, a tragic complicity ha> existed between religión and conflict. In too many instances, religión either fueis división and l. nflict or it proves unable or unwilling to medíate the solution to división and conflict. We can s;i that religious power, like any other power, can be used for good or evil. What is needed so despi rately in our worid today is a mobilization of religious power on behalf of worid peace; that is, m< 'liilized to defuse the hatred, the resentments, and the bitter memories that divide even religious people.