The world is changing dramatically today and this change is significantly affecting how religion is viewed. There seems to be a deep questioning of what is the meaning of life and how does one become happier right now, rather than after we die.

What religions once taught as the absolute truth is now being analyzed with an ever-questioning mindset. Many individuals seem to be disenchanted with the status quo and are seeking more substance and meaning in their lives. Out of this seeming chaos has arisen new and gentler ways of looking at religion and spirituality.

This movement signals an awakening to an evolution I call omni spirituality. Omni spirituality is characterized by a greater acceptance of the different spiritual and religious paths between our brothers and sisters.

One major leader in this view is Oprah Winfrey, who has created a 10-week multi-media online book discussion on the book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. There are more than 2 million subscribers to her group and her approach to spirituality seems to resonate with a huge audience worldwide. She said she believes there are many paths to God and the path a person chooses is neither "right" or "wrong" but simply their path of choice.

In her first online discussion, Oprah quotes Elizabeth Lesser in her book "The Seekers Guide":

"And she talks about old spirituality versus the new spirituality, and she says the old (way) was ... the hierarchy has the authority. Church authorities tell you how to worship in church and how to behave outside of church. The new spirituality is that you are your own best authority as you work to know and love yourself, you discover how to live a more spiritual life."

The world is in a huge turmoil lately. Different religious beliefs are used to justify war and the idea of being right. It is wise to see that we are all together in this experience of life on our planet. Everyone is part of the universal human family. These recent conflicts have hurt too many people for too long and must stop if we are to save our planet Earth.

Right now is a time for bringing together people of every country and all religions and spiritual paths to work together to create a peaceful planet. Respecting everyone for who they are and what path they choose is a starting point.

As a popular song says, "Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me."

The movement toward a peaceful planet can be best accomplished through loving ourselves, loving our fellow human beings and accepting the choices they make regarding their religious and spiritual beliefs.

The old mindset of "our way or the highway" does not work anymore. What does work is seeing that we are all equal. We are all creating lives perfect for who we are, where we are, and what we want in life. Respecting this diversity is the starting point for creating a world that is peaceful, loving and thriving.

David Tasaka is a staff member of Unity Church of Hawaii.