Swami Yogananda
Religion mainly means God consciousness or the realisation of God, which it really does, then there is one Religion in the world for there is one God. And different customs, conventions, forms of worship, tenets may be held to form the grounds for the origin of different sects included under that one Religion. If Religion is understood in this way then and then only can its universality be maintained. For we cannot possibly universalise particular customs, conventions. But the common element in Religion can be universalised. We can ask everyone to follow it. Then it can be said that Religion is not only necessary, but it is universal too. Everyone must follow the same Religion, for it is one, its universal element is one and the same. Its customs and conventions differ only. I have tried to show in the brochure that as God is One, necessary for all of us, so religion is one, necessary and universal.In order to understand the real necessity of God and Religion we must have a conception quite relevant to our daily aims and actions. Hence Religion necessarily consits in the permanent removal of pain and the realisation of Bliss or God. If we understand Religion in this way, then its universality becomes obvious.
