Charters for Humanity
By Susan Ellis
Christmas Day is over. For me always a time of reflection, you know - Christmases past, new year coming etc. I go to a Christmas Eve service and then on Christmas day I take in a movie before sitting down to the traditional turkey dinner. It was my intention to see a feel good movie "Blind Side." But on getting to the crowded theatre I found the schedule had changed from what had appeared in the newspaper. My show wasn't on till the evening. So instead the George Clooney movie "Up in the Air" caught my attention. It was not a feel good movie. I became so aware that this recession was truly showing the true character of Corporate America. How anonymous are people when they cease to be individuals with lives and dreams and expectations, but things that become obsolete and disposable.
Can we create a new world order? A shift in consciousness that brings dignity and equal value for all people; respect for the land from which we must take so much. I was born in a country and now reside in another where there is universal health care. How can the US consider allegiance to a belief that "all men are created equal" and then fight to retain health care for just the chosen few? I am well aware that Medical Corporate America has only just begun to show its angry teeth. Fundamental religion is also showing vengeance as it tries to hold on to its power in a changing world.. Yes I do believe that the new world order and a shift in consciousness are appearing. It's almost like the 60's all over again.
The UN climate change conference in Copenhagen saw the happy faces of the champagne swilling Energy and Chemical world celebrating victory. But in so doing they exposed their nakedness, they exposed their shallowness. They helped to ignite the flame of grassroots humanity into unity.
Individuals say what can one voice do, what difference can one vote make? But when the voice becomes a choir, when the vote becomes a majority, stuff happens. In my last blog I talked about speaking out for Copenhagen and that people would be ringing bells and gongs on Sunday 13th December. I was at one such gathering. Watch the YouTube capturing of the event. Look at the people involved. We might not stand in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square, but we were heard.
I am relieved to discover two websites where the informed grass roots people of the world are not standing by to let the ethos of the corporate world and fundamental religion stand in the way of change. They call us to unify into one family to save both ourselves and the world in which we live.
The first is The Charter of Compassion created by Karen Armstrong, an expert on world religions.Watch a YouTube movie where she talks about the reason for the charter.
The Charter of Compassion
A call to bring the world together…
The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.
It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.
We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.
We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.
The second website which restores my faith in humanity is THE EARTH CHARTER
Preamble
We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.
Earth, Our Home
Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust.
The Global Situation
The dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Communities are being undermined. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened. These trends are perilous—but not inevitable.
The Challenges Ahead
The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.
Universal Responsibility
To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature.
We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. Therefore, together in hope we affirm the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and transnational institutions is to be guided and assessed.
P R I N C I P L E S
I . RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE
1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.
To read the rest of the principles, go to the website
In the movie "Up in the Air" a character has to jump off a bridge to make change happen. How many more people have to die before we realize each person has value? So I'm working on the compassion and the responsibility bit so I will have something worthwhile to say when asked in 2020 "what did you do with your footprint?"
Christmas Day is over. For me always a time of reflection, you know - Christmases past, new year coming etc. I go to a Christmas Eve service and then on Christmas day I take in a movie before sitting down to the traditional turkey dinner. It was my intention to see a feel good movie "Blind Side." But on getting to the crowded theatre I found the schedule had changed from what had appeared in the newspaper. My show wasn't on till the evening. So instead the George Clooney movie "Up in the Air" caught my attention. It was not a feel good movie. I became so aware that this recession was truly showing the true character of Corporate America. How anonymous are people when they cease to be individuals with lives and dreams and expectations, but things that become obsolete and disposable.
Can we create a new world order? A shift in consciousness that brings dignity and equal value for all people; respect for the land from which we must take so much. I was born in a country and now reside in another where there is universal health care. How can the US consider allegiance to a belief that "all men are created equal" and then fight to retain health care for just the chosen few? I am well aware that Medical Corporate America has only just begun to show its angry teeth. Fundamental religion is also showing vengeance as it tries to hold on to its power in a changing world.. Yes I do believe that the new world order and a shift in consciousness are appearing. It's almost like the 60's all over again.
The UN climate change conference in Copenhagen saw the happy faces of the champagne swilling Energy and Chemical world celebrating victory. But in so doing they exposed their nakedness, they exposed their shallowness. They helped to ignite the flame of grassroots humanity into unity.
Individuals say what can one voice do, what difference can one vote make? But when the voice becomes a choir, when the vote becomes a majority, stuff happens. In my last blog I talked about speaking out for Copenhagen and that people would be ringing bells and gongs on Sunday 13th December. I was at one such gathering. Watch the YouTube capturing of the event. Look at the people involved. We might not stand in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square, but we were heard.
I am relieved to discover two websites where the informed grass roots people of the world are not standing by to let the ethos of the corporate world and fundamental religion stand in the way of change. They call us to unify into one family to save both ourselves and the world in which we live.
The first is The Charter of Compassion created by Karen Armstrong, an expert on world religions.Watch a YouTube movie where she talks about the reason for the charter.
The Charter of Compassion
A call to bring the world together…
The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.
It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.
We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.
We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.
The second website which restores my faith in humanity is THE EARTH CHARTER
Preamble
We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.
Earth, Our Home
Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust.
The Global Situation
The dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Communities are being undermined. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened. These trends are perilous—but not inevitable.
The Challenges Ahead
The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.
Universal Responsibility
To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature.
We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. Therefore, together in hope we affirm the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and transnational institutions is to be guided and assessed.
P R I N C I P L E S
I . RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE
1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.
To read the rest of the principles, go to the website
In the movie "Up in the Air" a character has to jump off a bridge to make change happen. How many more people have to die before we realize each person has value? So I'm working on the compassion and the responsibility bit so I will have something worthwhile to say when asked in 2020 "what did you do with your footprint?"
Posted by Key Life Journey's Blog at 12/26/2009 12:30 AM 
Categories: opinions and thoughts
Tags: climate change conference in Copenhagen
Categories: opinions and thoughts
Tags: climate change conference in Copenhagen
I don't intend to copy this website, however I really like the theme. Could you comment on which theme are you using or was it customized for this website?
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It is through Brandon Klayman of
http://www.consciouscommerce.cc/
The blog headers are my own photographs.
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