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considered to be holy. In the Islamic tradtion, Abe Zumzum's water is considered holy. And in Christianity, the River Jordan, where John the Baptist conducted much of his ministry and where Jesus Christ was baptized still retains the mystique of a holy river.
In each of the religions we have been considering, including the Vedic, Islamic and Christian paths, a basic requirement is a life of moral rectitude. Each system emphasizes that the adherents must abstain from vices such as lying, stealing, intoxicants, killing and adultery.
Thus, it can be seen that a careful study of the essential elements of these various religious traditions reveals an underlying unity. The outward differences in the practices reflect cultural differences related to origins, languages, and time. As each religion comes to expression through different groups of people using different languages in different countries, diversity is bound to emerge in the outer structure of the religious systems. It is natural that different languages give rise to different terminology. Nevertheless, it remains evident that the underlying essence (Truth) of each religion is the same, which is experienced within. Even though the particular saints and sages of each religion experience and teach wisdom within their
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