Paper 131 Overview: The World's Religions

During their stay in Alexandria, Ganid, with Jesus' guidance, undertook an extensive project to collect the teachings about God from the world's major religions. This collection effort required more than sixty learned translators and a significant portion of Gonod's money, demonstrating Ganid's serious commitment to understanding religious thought. The document reveals that despite their apparent differences, most religious traditions contained elements of monotheism, largely traceable to the missionary efforts of Machiventa Melchizedek, whose followers had spread the concept of one God—the Most High—throughout the ancient world.

Ganid organized these religious teachings under ten categories: Cynicism, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Suduanism (Jainism), Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism, and finally "Our Religion," which represented Ganid's own synthesis of religious truth as influenced by Jesus. This manuscript was preserved in India for hundreds of years after Ganid's death, providing valuable insight into how ancient religions shared fundamental concepts about the divine despite their cultural differences. The collection shows how spiritual truth transcends cultural and temporal boundaries, pointing toward a universal understanding of God.

While in Alexandria, Ganid invested considerable time and his father's financial resources to compile teachings about God from various world religions, employing more than sixty learned translators to assist in this ambitious undertaking. This religious compilation is particularly significant because it demonstrates that nearly all teachings portraying monotheism derived directly or indirectly from the missionary work of Machiventa Melchizedek, whose representatives traveled from Salem headquarters to spread the doctrine of one God—the Most High—throughout the world. The collection thus reveals the common thread of monotheistic belief spanning diverse cultural and religious traditions.

Ganid organized his manuscript under ten distinct headings, reflecting major religious traditions and philosophical schools, culminating in his personal religious synthesis. This document was preserved in India for centuries following his death, serving as an enduring testament to the universality of certain spiritual concepts across different faith traditions. The organizational structure of the manuscript demonstrates Ganid's systematic approach to religious study and his desire to identify common elements among diverse belief systems.

The residual teachings of Melchizedek's disciples, apart from those preserved in Judaism, found their most complete expression in Cynic doctrines. Ganid's collection from this philosophical tradition emphasized a concept of God as supreme and perfect—"the Most High of heaven and earth" who rules the universe of universes as the sole maker of heaven and earth. The Cynics described God as compassionate, merciful, self-existent, immortal, infinite, and omnipotent, declaring that "when he decrees a thing, that thing is" and that his face would abide in majesty and glory even if earth should pass away.

The Cynics taught that God provides peace, protection, and salvation to those who fear and trust him, and that his divine love springs from his power's holiness. They believed that God pours rain on earth, causes the sun to shine on sprouting grain, and provides abundant harvests of life's good things while offering eternal salvation in the world to come. Their teachings emphasized that all men are equal as God's brethren, that God never forgets sincerity, and that sincerely seeking God leads to truth, as "at all times call upon his name, and as you believe in his name, so shall your prayer be heard." This ethical monotheism featured strong elements of personal relationship with the divine and moral responsibility toward fellow humans.

The Kenites of Palestine preserved many of Melchizedek's teachings, which were subsequently incorporated into Jewish religious thought. These teachings, selected by Jesus and Ganid from Jewish records, began with creation: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and all things therein. And, behold, all he created was very good." They emphasized loving God completely—"with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might"—and acknowledged God's sovereignty and incomparable understanding.

Jewish teachings portrayed God as merciful, gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, declaring "The Lord is good and upright; the meek will he guide in judgment." The passages emphasized divine omnipresence: "Whither shall I go from God's spirit? whither shall I flee from the divine presence?" They taught that God created humans just "a little less than divine" and crowned them with love and mercy, while asserting that the fear of the Lord is wisdom's beginning and knowledge of the Supreme is understanding. The selections concluded with ethical principles for human relations: "Love your neighbor as yourself; bear a grudge against no man. Whatsoever you hate do to no man."

Ganid was surprised to discover Buddhism's near approach to being a great religion despite lacking a personal, universal Deity. Nevertheless, he found earlier Buddhist beliefs reflecting Melchizedek missionaries' influence, who had continued working in India until Buddha's time. The selected Buddhist teachings emphasized inner spiritual contentment, faith, and moral uprightness as pathways to spiritual awakening.

Buddhist excerpts warned against unrighteousness and sin while promoting cheerfulness and gladness as rewards for good deeds that glorify the Immortal. They taught that moral decisions and spiritual choices determine eternal survival, asserting: "No religionist may hope to attain the enlightenment of immortal wisdom who persists in being slothful, indolent, feeble, idle, shameless, and selfish." The selections emphasized personal responsibility and consequences, stating: "The creature cannot escape the destiny of his deeds" and "Injustice done to your fellows shall come back upon you." They concluded by honoring the unselfish, stating they "go to heaven, where they rejoice in the bliss of infinite liberality and continue to increase in noble generosity."

Melchizedek missionaries carried monotheistic teachings throughout their journeys, and many of these concepts, combined with previous ideas, became incorporated into Hinduism. Jesus and Ganid selected Hindu teachings that portrayed God as brilliant beyond description, the Light of Lights, the Great Soul, and the supreme source of energy who exercises universal lordship over all. These excerpts emphasized God's personal nature: "God is our protector—he stands by the side of his creatures—and those who learn to know him become immortal."

The Hindu selections portrayed God as dwelling within the human soul, stating: "I dwell within their own souls as a lamp of wisdom. I am the splendor of the splendid and the goodness of the good." They taught that God is all-prevailing, bountiful, omnipresent, and infinitely kind—a loving protector and blessed defender who counts "the ceaseless winking of every mortal's eyes." The excerpts concluded with the believer's relationship to God: "The soul of man is difficult of description and more difficult of demonstration because it is not discoverable by the methods of either material investigation or spiritual proving. Notwithstanding the failure of both material science and spiritual standards to discover the existence of the human soul, every morally conscious mortal knows of the existence of his soul as a real and actual personal experience."

Zoroaster had direct contact with descendants of earlier Melchizedek missionaries, and the doctrine of one God became central in the Persian religion he founded. Ganid's excerpts from Zoroastrian records described God as "all-wise, good, righteous, holy, resplendent, and glorious" and as the creator, protector of justice, and source of all luminosity. Their teachings recognized divine omniscience: "God is all-seeing, and he beholds both the evil deeds of the wicked and the good works of the righteous; our God observes all things with a flashing eye."

The Zoroastrian selections emphasized worship of the God of light through joyfully following revealed religion, teaching that "There is but one Supreme God, the Lord of Lights." They portrayed God as both transcendent—"farthest from us"—and immanent—"nearest to us in that he dwells within our souls." The excerpts contained prayers requesting divine guidance: "Lord, teach us how to live this life in the flesh while preparing for the next life of the spirit," and acknowledged the importance of repentance: "I bow before the God of heaven in repentance if I have offended in thought, word, or act—intentionally or unintentionally."

The third group in India preserving Melchizedek's monotheistic doctrine—later known as Jainism—taught that righteousness leads to heaven while sin prevents ascension. Their fundamental belief was: "The Lord of Heaven is supreme. Those who commit sin will not ascend on high, but those who walk in the paths of righteousness shall find a place in heaven." They affirmed spiritual certainty and immortality: "We are assured of the life hereafter if we know truth."

The Jainists identified self-mastery as humanity's greatest spiritual challenge: "Self is man's invincible foe, and self is manifested as man's four greatest passions: anger, pride, deceit, and greed." Their ethical teachings emphasized that "Man's greatest victory is the conquest of himself" and presented a golden rule: "Man should journey through life treating his fellow creatures as he would like to be treated." Their religious framework focused on personal spiritual discipline, ethical behavior, and overcoming negative emotions that prevent spiritual advancement.

Manuscripts of this Far-Eastern religion had only recently been placed in the Alexandrian library, making it completely new to Ganid. Even in this unfamiliar tradition, they discovered remnants of Melchizedek's early teachings, demonstrating how widely these fundamental concepts had spread. The Shinto excerpts portrayed God speaking: "You are all recipients of my divine power; all men enjoy my ministry of mercy. I derive great pleasure in the multiplication of righteous men throughout the land."

Shinto teachings emphasized divine self-revelation: "In both the beauties of nature and the virtues of men does the Prince of Heaven seek to reveal himself and to show forth his righteous nature." They described God's accessibility despite his greatness: "Although I am great and supreme, still I have regard for the prayer of the poorest man." The selections also contained wisdom about anxiety: "Every time man yields to anxiety, he takes one step away from the leading of the spirit of his heart," and emphasized spiritual authenticity: "If I hear your prayers, it is because you come before me with a clean heart, free from falsehood and hypocrisy."

Melchizedek's messengers penetrated deep into China, where the doctrine of one God influenced several early Chinese religions. Taoism preserved the most monotheistic truth for the longest time, and Ganid collected teachings from its founder describing the Supreme One as "pure and tranquil" yet "powerful and mighty, deep and unfathomable." Taoists venerated this "wondrous Being" who "existed before the heavens and the earth" and who "is truly spiritual; he stands alone and changes not."

Taoist teachings described the Great Supreme as imparting himself to humans, enabling them to "excel and to survive." They taught that "All good works of true service come from the Supreme" and that "The Great Supreme seeks no credit for his bestowals." Their philosophical approach emphasized humility and service, stating that "True goodness is like water in that it blesses everything and harms nothing," and "Like water, true goodness seeks the lowest places." The selections concluded with moral guidance: "If you love people, they will draw near you" and emphasized practicing forgiveness and doing good without thought of personal benefit.

Even the least God-recognizing of the world's great religions acknowledged the monotheism taught by Melchizedek's missionaries. Ganid's summary of Confucianism began with foundational beliefs: "What Heaven appoints is without error. Truth is real and divine. Everything originates in Heaven, and the Great Heaven makes no mistakes." Their teachings portrayed Heaven as appointing many subordinates to assist in the instruction and uplifting of inferior creatures.

Confucian excerpts emphasized Heaven's benevolence: "Great, very great, is the One God who rules man from on high. God is majestic in power and awful in judgment. But this Great God has conferred a moral sense even on many inferior people." They acknowledged divine relationship with creation: "Heaven's bounty never stops. Benevolence is Heaven's choicest gift to men." The selections concluded with ethical wisdom: "What you do not like when done to yourself, do not to others. Let compassion be a part of all punishment," and affirmation of spiritual continuity beyond death: "While all creatures must die and return to the earth, the spirit of the noble man goes forth to be displayed on high and to ascend to the glorious light of final brightness."

After his extensive study of world religions and the powerful influence of Jesus' teachings, Ganid formulated his personal religious beliefs. He began with a monotheistic declaration infused with ethical implications: "The Lord our God is one Lord, and you should love him with all your mind and heart while you do your very best to love all his children as you love yourself." His conception of God was both transcendent and immanent: "This one God is our heavenly Father, in whom all things consist, and who dwells, by his spirit, in every sincere human soul."

Ganid's personal faith emphasized both divine majesty and intimate care: "The divine riches of God's character must be infinitely deep and eternally wise. We cannot search out God by knowledge, but we can know him in our hearts by personal experience." He affirmed universal divine love: "The Father in heaven will not suffer a single child on earth to perish if that child has a desire to find the Father and truly longs to be like him." His religious synthesis concluded with a commitment to daily thanksgiving, praise of God's wonderful works, and anticipation of spiritual progress: "By faith in God I have attained peace with him. This new religion of ours is very full of joy, and it generates an enduring happiness."