There are a group of people sitting in a circle debating their beliefs. One is a Christian, there is a Jew, a Muslim, a Native American, a Buddhist, a Clairvoyant and Psychic, and a Scientologist.

All are believers, all are aware. The group are debating the differences in their beliefs. The debate at times becomes heated, as they focus on the differences in what each believes. The belief of each is so strong that none have the ability to shake the belief of another, and the debate which has lasted for many weeks, is going in circles.

A homeless man, who is trying to sleep in an adjoining doorway, becomes frustrated by the debate, which is making it difficult for him to sleep. The homeless man, who has entered the building to complain about the noise, stands in the middle of the group. Each one of the group feels compassion for the homeless man, because they each have a good heart.

The homeless man is given soup, and with nothing else to do, the homeless man offers to help the group in their debate. The group gives the homeless man a piece of paper, and as the soup is consumed, and bowl refilled, each explains their beliefs to the homeless man, who makes notes.

The group had decided that by explaining their beliefs to the homeless man, the homeless man would be 'converted' by one of them. The homeless man was just happy to be out of the cold, with warm food, and conversation to break the monotony of his homeless and hopeless life.

When the last of the group had finished, the homeless man studied his notes, and then asked for another piece of paper. The homeless man considered what each member of the group had said. Each member of the group had spoken with the conviction, of a true believer.

Slowly, having nowhere else to go, the homeless man wrote down everything which was common to each of the group, ignoring the labels which each of the group had applied based on their own beliefs. The similarities within their beliefs filled both sides of the paper. The homeless man requested another piece of paper, and on this piece of paper, the homeless man wrote all of the differences within their beliefs. There were four lines.

The homeless man stood to leave, and the group asked which one of the group did the homeless man believe was right. The homeless man replied; "All of you, and none of you." The homeless man handed the papers to the group, and left.

The group studied the two pieces of paper. The group realised that they had spent weeks discussing what amounted to a few lines on a piece of paper, instead of discussing the similarities within their beliefs, which had completely filled both sides of the other piece of paper.

The group began discussing their similarities. One of the group again looked at the list of differences. What had been four lines, was now three lines, and each had learned something from the others. The group was amazed that some of the words on the 'differences page' had disappeared, and went to find the homeless man. There was no trace of the homeless man. It was as if the homeless man had never existed.

The following night, the homeless man returned, and again had soup. The group showed the homeless man the list of differences, which was now two lines. They asked the homeless man where the words had gone, and why the words had disappeared.

The homeless man asked for the list of similarities within their beliefs. On the list of similarities within their beliefs, the homeless man found the words which had disappeared from the list of differences within their beliefs. The homeless man handed the list of similarities within their beliefs back to the group, and suggested that the group read the list of similarities within their beliefs again.Within the list of similarities within their beliefs, the words which had disappeared from the differences within their beliefs, now appeared in order, and in the right context. The group saw that many of the differences within their beliefs, had not been differences within their beliefs, but aspects of their respective beliefs which had been taken out of context. Now that the aspects of their respective beliefs had been put back into context, the aspects of their respective beliefs made sense, and fitted perfectly within the list of similarities within their beliefs.

The homeless man again disappeared into the night.

One week later, the homeless man returned to the group. As the homeless man again consumed the soup, a laser surgeon was removing a tattoo from each member of the group.

The homeless man asked what was happening, and the group explained that when they had finished discussing the similarities within their beliefs, only one difference within their beliefs had remained. The difference which had remained, was the brand which they wore, and that difference was artificial. The group were now having the only remaining difference within their beliefs removed.

A knowing smile appeared on the homeless man's face. The group knew that the homeless man had known the truth from the first meeting, but the group also knew that if the homeless man had told them the truth, none would have believed. The group knew that they had to find the truth for themselves, otherwise they would not have accepted the truth.

The homeless man again disappeared into the night.

The friends who had once been a group, had each joined the debate convinced that they would prove the truth to the other members of the group. If one had suggested that each would succeed, the others could not have accepted that it was possible that each would succeed, but that each would succeed, was the only way any could have proven the truth.

Each one of the group had learned that the differences within their beliefs only existed, because they had been taught that the differences within their beliefs existed. Much of what each had been taught was correct, and they had each assumed that all that they had been taught was therefore correct. Each of the group had needed to untangle their own beliefs, before they could see the truth. It had been what each of the group had previously learned, which had prevented the group from learning the truth.

The homeless man had not been taught any of their beliefs previously, and the homeless man had learned nothing which interfered with the homeless man learning more. The friends could not believe that they had not been able to see the truth, when they had been so close to the truth.

We must remember the story of the homeless man. We must remove the brand, the tattoo, the label, and we must see only the truth.