Disclaimer: This post is reflective of our company while under the name Pledgeling and the listed information may be outdated. Please refer to our main company website on Pledge for current information and resources.
Every year, the third Sunday in January marks World Religion Day. The event was conceived in the United States back in 1950 and has since developed into an international day that seeks to bring the world's religions together.
The original idea was put into motion by the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and has now spread worldwide.
The Baha'i Religion
You might be surprised to learn that the Baha'i faith is the "only religion to have grown faster in every United Nations region over the past 100 years than the general population." (Source: The World's Religions in Figures: An Introduction to Religious Demography)
The Baha'i website claims that there were 7 million members across the globe in 2010, and it's generally accepted that the faith is the second most geographically widespread religion behind Christianity.
Bahai's are by no means the point of this article, but it's important to note that their primary tenets are the oneness of God, "the unity of humanity, and the essential harmony of religion."
These are the primary tenets that World Religion Day seeks to promote. Many countries and their respective religions have hopped on board, too, recognizing the value of such a day.
The Role of World Religion Day
It's important to note that while World Religion Day was originally inspired by the Baha'i faith, it has become its own event altogether.
The general idea is to shine a light on the belief that religions share a unifying force. Most human cultures have conceived religions of some kind, implying that religion somehow unifies us as a species.
While conflict often comes from religious incongruities, World Religion Day seeks to push the idea that the fundamentals of all religions are congruous. In other words, the similarities among religions outweigh the differences, and it's possible for our different expressions of spirituality to exist in harmony.
You won't find too much coverage of World Religion Day. Although it's an international event supported by a number of countries and groups, it still doesn't have a lot of large-scale backing.
That doesn't mean you can't celebrate, though, in your communities and special ways.
How You Can Celebrate
With a message that supports religious unity, the best thing I can think of doing to honor World Religion Day in the month of January is to have a conversation with a friend or loved one who practices a different faith.
Specifics about particular religions are rarely discussed casually. Ask someone you know about their beliefs with the intention of finding the principles that connect their beliefs to yours.
You could also visit a new place of worship. It can be intimidating to step foot in a place of worship that you know nothing about, but most congregations are very welcoming and excited to give you a peek into their worlds.
Whether it's a Buddhist temple, mosque, or Catholic church, send an email or two and see if it'd be ok for you to make a visit.
Support Religious Organizations
Another thing to do is use your business to benefit a religious group or organization in your community. Even if you don't have a particular faith, there are groups that share your non-biased support of freedom of religion.
Through Pledgeling you can support vetted and verified nonprofits associated to a variety religions. Whether they're groups that seek to unify religions, bring peace to conflict, or support the right for everyone to practice how they please, the work they do helps to make the world a safer for people to worship.
If you're curious to know more about how you can incorporate giving into your business, contact us to find out more about the ways that Pledgeling's platform can get you where you want to be.