Chapter 6 Diversity And Uniqueness Are The 'Law' Of Nature

It is unfortunate that there is a tendency for many people to believe that one religion is 'the' correct one, rather than to recognize that there are many 'natural' ways of relating of the world. Some people believe that 'my' religion, or science, is that 'one' true one, and that other religions and sciences must therefore be 'wrong', 'evil', etc.

Nature is diverse. Diversity is natural. Diversity must be good, as it is natural. People speak different languages, they have differences in culture, they relate to the world differently, they live in a different 'reality', and it is natural that they understand the world differently, which means that it is natural that they form differences in religion and science.

The existence of differences should be recognized, it should be accepted, it should be appreciated, and it should be respected. When a person encounters someone with a different language (or the same language), with a different culture, with a different way to understand and relate to the world, this is not a cause for fear and hate, but a wonderful opportunity to recognize and understand that nature is diverse, and to learn about other ways that other people relate to the world.

Only by looking at the world through another person's eyes is it possible to challenge one's own assumptions of the world. Only by looking at English in comparison with Chinese has it become possible to challenge our language, our culture, and our personal assumptions of the world in this new way, and to evolve into a new understanding of ourselves and nature.

It is not ideal to think in terms of whether such and such a religion, or such and such an attitude about life, is 'better' or 'worse', or more or less 'true', than 'my way'. It is more important to come to be aware that there is diversity in nature, and to be aware that different people come to discover different ways, and so to develop different attitudes. Only by trying to understand other ways is it possible to understand other peoples, only by accepting other ways as also being 'natural' is it possible to accept other peoples, and only by appreciating other ways is it possible for our religions, our sciences, our attitudes, and our understanding of the world to be free to continue to evolve.