People from different religions (or identities) can have a dialogue because there is something that somehow unifies them.
Imaoka describes this unifier as “universal, super-logical, and creative.” In other words, it could not be contained by one tradition or belief system alone. The unifier exists on top of the tradition, worldview, or identity.
Imaoka adds that this unifier is the essence and goal of religious and spiritual traditions. It is immanent in them, so it cannot be a new religion or the unification of religions.
A member of any religious organization becomes a free religionist (jiyū shūkyōjin) when they recognize this unifier.
While we can never completely capture this unifier, we could at least attempt to describe it.
For example, I wrote last year that I think at its very core, this unifier is simply an accessible and innate trait among humans to care deeply about something so as to sometimes treat it as sacred. I differentiated it from the attitude of apathy from where other feelings sprout: hate, separation, greed, etc. For me, Imaoka’s principles of living are expressions of this unifier.
Because it is simple, accessible, and natural, it can be discovered not only in spiritual and religious activities but in ALL human activities. All human activities are a reflection of care. Otherwise we wouldn’t get out of bed and work.
As someone who went through depression, I could say that I started caring when I decided to get out of the house and do stuff again.
Imaoka believed that all human activities is religious, because they are all concerned with how one becomes a true human being.
Unifier = Deeply caring = Being a true human being
Imaoka also described the unifier as a “universal and creative human nature.”
A question that could be raised here is, of course, who gets to say what a true human being is?
Imaoka describes his definition as “dry and commonplace.” He says, “Free religion is always common like wind and plain like water.”
Imaoka adds that a desire that comes out of free religion is to exist in “an ideal world community.”
Highlights
unity in variety
No particular religion can monopolize religious truth or contain it all. Particular religions contain something more than that which is confined within particular religions. What is that something more? It is universal, super-logical and creative.
Free Religion is neither a new religion ranking among existing religions nor a unification of them. Free Religion is immanent in them, being their essence and goal. All particular religionists become Free Religionists by recognizing the immanence of such super-particular religion within them. Unitarians, Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, Shintoists and Muslims can all become Free Religionists under the said condition.
Free Religion will be discovered not only within particular religions but also within all human activities that are nothing but the realization of human nature, universal, creative, holy and religious.
religion is man’s ultimate concern. In other words, religion aims at none other than becoming a true human being.
From the standpoint of Free Religion, what is natural and is what matters.
Jesus emphasized not religion in the sanctuary but that of daily life. He was a Jew but more than that, a Free Religionist. According to a popular view, the sphere of religion is holy while those of politics, economy, science and art are secular. Free Religionists do not, however, distinguish between holy and secular spheres. Politics, economy, science and art are not mere politics, economy, science and art but realization and development of universal and creative human nature and are therefore sacred, i.e., religious in the broad and true sense of the word.
all human existence is Seiza, i.e., religion in the broad and true sense of the word, and Seiza is free from even Quiet Sitting because he could guide people to attain the same goal by dance and music.
human activities are multifarious but the ultimate goal is to become a true human being. And this is what I mean by Free Religion.
Although Free Religion is always common like wind and plain like water, Truth is always common and plain. Free Religionists are none other than people who follow such common and plain Truth. They find Free Religion within not only established religions but within politics, economy, science and art, i.e., whole human activities; and they aspire for the realization of an ideal world community, that is nothing else than the Kingdom of God on earth.
References
Imaoka, Shin’ichirō. Selected Writings on Free Religion & Other Subjects. Edited by George M. Williams and Andrew James Brown, Translated by William Parker and Dorothy Parker, Uniquest Publishing, 2022.