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LETTERS
GOLDEN RULE AMBASSADOR PLEASED WITH
U.N. REMARK IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Dear Friends,
Greetings of
peace and blessings from Ethiopia.
I am so happy to inform you that H.E. Father Miguel d`Escoto
Brockmann, President of the 63rd General Assembly of the
UN made a very moving remark and mentioned the Golden Rule on the
occasion of the opening of the General Assembly of the United Nations. In
his remarks he said: "We must move beyond lamentations,
speech-making and statements of good intentions and take concrete action
based on a firm resolve to replace the individualism and selfishness of
the dominant culture with human solidarity as the golden rule that guides
our behaviour."
As a matter of
fact I wrote him a thank you letter and also kindly asked him for the UN
to endorse the Golden Rule Proclamation which I am working on to
get many countries to endorse. I also sent a letter to the Secretary
General of the UN and all member
States of the UN,
along with the poster of the Golden Rule. Currently I am working hard to
get the United Nations to proclaim a Golden Rule Day.
May Peace
Prevail on earth
Mussie Hailu
Coordinator of the Golden
Rule Goodwill Ambassador Programme”
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TORONTO AND AREA EVENTS
VOICES OF
HOPE
World AIDS Day Community
Concert – “Voices of
Hope”
Stop AIDS: Keep
the Promise – Leadership 2008
Recognizing World AIDS
Day with Casey House, Dr. Peter Center and Maison
du Parc
Date: Monday, December 1,
2008, Time: 7:00 p.m.
www.caseyhouse.com/en/foundation/voices_of_hope/
Location: Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen
Street East, Toronto
“On
December 1, 2008, Canada
and the world will recognize the 20th Anniversary of World
AIDS Day.
As we enter the third decade
of this global initiative to recognize HIV/AIDS as a critical health
issue, Casey House invites you to join us and keep the promise by showing Canada
your leadership. In conjunction with Dr. Peter Centre (Vancouver)
and La Maison du Parc
(Montréal) we will unite in one voice in support of people living
with HIV/AIDS, when we host Toronto’s
inaugural World AIDS Day community concert, “Voices of Hope”.
“Voices of
Hope” began in Montreal in 1993 as a creative response
to participating in the international effort to support World AIDS Day
and as a way to raise awareness and funds for people living with
HIV/AIDS. “Voices of Hope” has
become a local tradition and an important fundraiser to support the
healthcare programs and supportive services provided by Maison du Parc for people
living with HIV/AIDS in Montreal.
In
a true demonstration of leadership, three HIV/AIDS healthcare
organizations will unite in producing “Voices of Hope” concerts in their
respective cities on December 1, 2008. The concerts will raise awareness
throughout Canada
and the world about the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, including the need
for support and understanding of people living with HIV/AIDS, and the
need for ongoing healthcare, education, and prevention initiatives.
The
Casey House “Voices of Hope”
concert will feature a variety of stellar musical talent from the Toronto area, respectfully paying tribute to the
people we lost during the last 12 months within Casey House’s
Residential and Community Programs as well as recognizing and honouring the men and women who live with HIV/AIDS in
Canada.”
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LIGHT UPON LIGHT:
THE WORLD OF THE UNSEEN
Friday December 5, 7:30 pm
Noor Islamic Cultural Centre, lower level, 123 Wynford
Drive, North York
Light refreshments will be served.
Admittance is $5.
Contact: islamicilluminations@gmail.com 416-444-7148
“Light
Upon Light Spirituality Discussion Series features a variety of
spiritually nourishing subjects. This
is an inclusive space where participants of all faiths actively
contribute in a manner that is respectful to all.
This series is led by Dr. Timothy Gianotti
2008-2009 Noor Fellow in Islamic Studies, York
University
2007-2008 Noor Chair of Islamic Studies, York University
Previous Topics:
Spiritual
Knowledge / Love / Tests & Trials / Loving Universally while Living
within Particularity (featuring the writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook)
/ On the Importance of Being a Stranger in the World / Dreams, Death and
the Journeys of the Spirit / On the Art of Being Grateful / The
Importance of Solitude / Core Paradoxes: freedom in servitude, wealth in
poverty, life in death, gaining by spending, spiritual advancement
through sin”
Next scheduled
date:
Friday January 9 at 7:30 pm
Light Upon Light, Topic: Being a
Perpetual Beginner
For
more detail
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YOUTH TRAVEL TO SIX NATIONS MOHAWK
MUSEUM IN BRANTFORD
Sunday
December 7
For
information or directions for the Museum can be given for drivers of
vehicles by calling 519-759-2650.
Bus transport is available.
“Join the members of the
World Spirit Youth Council on their trip to Six
Nations Mohawk
Museum at the Woodlands Cultural
Centre at 184 Mohawk street
in Brantford.
Bus leaving at 10 AM from Warden and St. Clair south east corner, on the dot
so be there a little early. The bus will also stop off at the U of T MultiFaith centre at 10:45AM at 569 Spadina Avenue north of College
at the top of the circle. Members of the interfaith community are invited
to join the group.
The tour is
organized by Lauren Williams, the
Executive Director of Woodlands Cultural centre and is from Noon to
3:30-4PM”
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Scarboro Missions
Advent 2008
CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
SERIES
Wednesdays 7:30
p.m.—9:00 p.m. Everybody
welcome.
Scarboro Missions,
2685 Kingston Road, (corner
Brimley/Kingston)
inquiries: Tel: 416-261-7135
ext 266 Fax: 416-261-0820
terryg@scarboromissions.ca or www.scarboromissions.ca
November 26th: John Main Christian Meditation
by Scarboro Missions Meditation Community of 25
years.
December 3rd: Praying with St. Augustine
by Fr. Larry Clark, member Augustinian Order
and Pastor of St. Brigid parish Toronto.
December 10th: Praying with Julian of Norwich
by Nada Conic– lecturer University of
Toronto and spiritual counsellor at Manresa.
December 17th: Prayer of the Heart
by Peter McKenna, S.C.J. & Kathy Murtha,
Director, Scarboro Missions, Mission Centre.
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Universal Worship Service
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Universal Worship Service With Three Flute Soloists
Sunday,
December 14, at 1:30 pm sharp
At the Institute of Traditional
Medicine 533 Queen Street West, 2nd floor, between Bathurst & Spadina
For further information
contact: Rev. Leslie Gabriel Mezei, 416-226-2869, leslie@barberry.ca or go to the website at: Institute of Traditional Medicine,
“In this season many faith groups use light in their
celebrations. In this interfaith service we will light a candle for each
tradition, read from their sacred texts and chant their music. There will
be a special dance with a crown of burning candles, we will together
light a candle dedicated to the well-being of all, and will listen to the
music of Aboriginal North American, Japanese and Turkish flutes. You are
invited to join us for tea and sweets and conversation after.”
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1-DAY BUDDHIST
MEDITATION RETREAT ON
THE HEART-OPENING PRACTICE OF METTA (LOVING-KINDNESS)
Saturday, December 13
Sponsored by Spring Rain Sangha
Location: The Toronto Mahavihara Temple at 4698 Kingston Rd. , Scarborough
, ON
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00
pm (please arrive before 9:00 am to sign in)
Cost: By Donation
Contact: 416-792-5229
or Gary.Kezar@yahoo.ca
Registration/Application
Form: www.SpringRainSangha.com
"This one day of guided meditation
introduces practices that help us become more loving individuals.
By gently re-orienting the heart and mind to focus on the positive
energies of loving-kindness and well-being, the practice of metta helps to gradually open our hearts to
unconditional love for all beings, including ourselves. A sustained
practice in metta meditation also helps to
dissolve the idea of a separate self that keeps us feeling alienated from
one another. Metta helps us cultivate
equanimity in the face of life's inevitable difficulties. People of
all faiths are welcome to attend this unique event."
The meditation will be led
by Philip Starkman and Jim Bedard.
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Sufi Order International
NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION —
EAT, DANCE AND PRAY TOGETHER
Wednesday, December 31, at 7:00 pm
Held at neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 79
Hiawatha Road, Toronto
(between Gerrard
St E and Dundas St E, west of Coxwell Ave)
We suggest a donation of $20 for the evening.
For additional information please see the poster at
our website at www.soitoronto.org/events/eatdanceandpray.pdf or call Fred at
416-627-9666 or e-mail Victor at dec31@thecenterforthehealingarts.com.
“Please join us for
our annual New Year's Eve Celebration. We will ring in the New Year
with a Universal Worship, Dances of Universal Peace, Chanting, Dinner and
Dessert. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. with a pot luck
dinner.”
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WORLD HEALING EVENT
Monday, Dec. 31 6:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
St. Lawrence
Hall 157 King Street East
(Southwest corner of King and Jarvis Streets)
Join millions worldwide in the 22nd Annual World
Peace
“Prayer / Meditation starting at 7:00 a.m. Toronto time (Noon G.M.T.)
This event is sponsored by
individuals, community and corporate efforts.
For information on how you
can participate, with us, or in your own place.
call (416)
760-7685 (888) 859-5579
e-mail dec31@peace-the-21st.org
IMAGINE...how a moment in
time can change your life.
IMAGINE...what moments in
time have changed your life.
IMAGINE...how this moment in
time can change all our lives.”
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BOOK REVIEWS
FIRE DEPARTMENT RELIGION
By
Carl G. Carlozzi, DMin
“There are spiritual lessons to be learned in
the most unlikely of places…
What
if world religions treated you and each other with the same kindness,
respect and equality that you receive when you dial 911? What does fire
department customer service have to offer the world’s religions
about treating all people with dignity and respect?
If the word “religion” literally
means “to bring together”, then why do world religions
inadvertently foster divisive exclusivity? Fire Department Religion
by Carl G. Carlozzi, DMin,
demonstrates that if the world’s religions adopted fire service
customer service principles, religion would finally bring people
together, promote universal human rights, create opportunities for world
peace, and ultimately lead to a validation of the One God whose voice we
all hear in equally beautiful ways.” …”
Read More About
This Book
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SOUL SEARCHING: THE JOURNEY
OF THOMAS MERTON
Companion Book To PBS Documentary Video Celebrates
Legacy Of Thomas Merton Forty Years After His Death
“The book is
available as a hardcover with a DVD of the film, or in paperback.
Clips from the film can be viewed
at www.morganatkinson.com/images/merton.html
“Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk and one of the most important spiritual
voices of the twentieth century, is celebrated in a new PBS documentary
by filmmaker Morgan Atkinson. Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas
Merton will air on December 14, 2008, a few days after the fortieth
anniversary of Merton's death on December 10. A companion book also
entitled Soul Searching (Liturgical Press) adds
to the portrait of Merton with additional rich material.
The film and book contemplate the
life and work of the "believing beatnik" who influenced
generations of seekers through his writing, particularly his memoir The Seven Storey Mountain, in
print for sixty years.
Atkinson interviewed thirty
Merton friends and scholars and distilled more than sixty hours into a
one hour film, leaving a trove of material that's included in the book.
Interviewees assess Merton's legacy as a contemplative culture critic,
"a Thoreau for the twentieth century"; a literary critic and
poet; an activist and peacemaker; a spiritual theologian; and a
contemporary father of the church.
"Merton connects with a remarkably wide array of
readers," says Atkinson. "He thought outside of conventional
'spiritual boxes”....”
Read More About
This Book and View Video Clips
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RESOURCES
WE ARE AND WE
EMBRACE PEOPLE FROM
DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS AND ALL WALKS OF LIFE
humanityhealing.net/welcome.htm
“We recognize the necessity of maintaining the
integrity and dignity of Human Life in every stage of its existence: from
the beginning until the end.
Humanity Healing was started
to combine Healing with Spiritual growth to offer a more complete healing
to those in need. We believe that true Lightworking
consists of service to others. We believe that we are all connected and
that by helping another, we help ourselves. This is especially true in
the areas of Healing and Spiritual growth.
Globally, there are many
people and regions in crisis. The principles of Altruism and the
Brotherhood of Man have declined in importance as individuals, nations
and religions focus on the differences between each other instead of the
similarities within our shared Humanity.
We believe that with
Compassion, Education and Volunteerism through Spiritual Activism, this
can be changed. Each individual can make a Commitment to reach out. Each
individual can make a Commitment to work towards the Common Good.”
Continue
Reading
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A NEW VIDEO FOR GOLDEN RULE SUPPORTS
“Interfaith Unity’s
Founding Publisher says: “This is the best resource on the Golden Rule
in the world religions since the Golden Rule poster!”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ci613QcC5E&feature=email
READERS NOTE: that by clicking on the rectangle
icon at the bottom right corner, a full screen version will appear.
It was created by the Humanity Healing Network,
see listing above.”
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HIV MINISTRY
REPORT
From Religion
& Ethics Weekly
“Bishop T.D. Jakes and other black church leaders
announced a new initiative to promote HIV/AIDS testing and awareness in
their congregations. Almost half of all new HIV diagnoses are among
blacks. Evangelical churches, both black and white, have long been
accused of not doing enough on the issue. But Kathi
Winter (pictured) is one evangelical trying to change that. It’s a
very personal crusade for her, as Kim Lawton reports.”
View
the Video of this Interview
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A charter "created by the world for the
world"
KAREN ARMSTRONG’S TEDprize
TO PURSUE A “CHARTER FOR COMPASSION” SEEKS CONTRIBUTORS
An open letter from TED.com (Technology, Entertainment, Design)
“We urge you to take a
moment to watch a short video that went live
on the web this month. Beautifully filmed and edited by TEDster Jesse Dylan and his team at Form TV, it might
just be the most inspiring thing you see this week.
That video,
and this website mark the launch of an inspiring global endeavor to
celebrate compassion and to promote a new collaboration between the
world's religions. What we're doing, starting today, is to begin writing
the Charter for Compassion that Karen Armstrong called for earlier this
year when she made her TED Prize wish. And the exhilarating twist here is
that the writing won't be done behind closed doors. It will be done by
you... and perhaps millions of others around the world. Because we're
using special collaborative web tools created by the geniuses at Kluster to enable this be truly a charter
"created by the world for the world".
Later this week millions of
Muslims, Christians, and Jews will be sent an email inviting them to come
to the site and offer their choice of words, in their own language, to
help create a charter capable of inspiring the world to focus on what the
great religions share, as opposed to what divides them. Already people
are responding to this amazing idea with passion and excitement. The goal
is to obtain all input from global participants within the next four
weeks, select the best contributions with the help of a council of
religious "sages", and conduct a major launch of the finished
document in 2009.
We'd love you, the TED community, who saw the birth of this idea
in March, to be among the first to contribute.
The two things you can do to help now:
1. Help us write the Charter! The first writing phase begins now
with the Preamble, a concise explanation of why the Charter is necessary
and urgent.
2. Send out the ask to everyone in your
network. We want this to be a truly global and diverse document that
represents all of our voices.
A very exciting day for the TED Prize. We are honored to have
you on this journey with us.
Thank you to all of you who have helped get us this far! And a
special thank you to Kluster who have put so
much into building this site.”
Very best wishes,
Chris Anderson TED Curator
Amy Novogratz
TED Prize Director
www.CharterforCompassion.org”
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NEWS
YOUTH AROUND
THE WORLD SEE SPIRITUALITY
AS IMPORTANT
AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT
Results of Search Institute study show 90 percent of youth
believe life has a spiritual dimension
“MINNEAPOLIS - November 13, 2008 - A two-year
global research project reveals that today's youth view spirituality as
an important part of their lives, though most rarely talk to others about
it. Respondents to the far-reaching study, led by Search Institute's
Center for Spiritual Development, included young people from a wide range
of cultural and religious backgrounds, spanning 17 countries and six
continents. The study was sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation.
"We
have spent two years listening to youth ages 12 to 25 from many countries
and traditions talk about spiritual development and its role in their
lives," said Eugene C. Roehlkepartain,
co-director of the Center for Spiritual Development. "Many young
people are keenly interested in these issues, but relatively few have
opportunities to talk with others about the things that really matter to
them." The young people surveyed are most likely to say they are
both spiritual and religious (34%), with 23% indicating that they are
spiritual, but not religious. They are also most likely to see both
religion and spirituality positively.
When
asked what it primarily means to them to be
spiritual, youth in the United
States said it means believing there
is a purpose to life (41%) and believing in God (33%). In comparison,
youth surveyed in India
indicated that being spiritual means being true to one's inner self (38%)
and believing in God (33%).
Researchers
in the multi-method study listened to more than 7,000 young people during
a series of focus groups, interviews and surveys. Because of its scope
and diversity, this study offers one of the first snapshots of spiritual
development across multiple countries and traditions.
Search
Institute's Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence
(CSD) is a global initiative committed to the advancing scientific study
of spiritual development in young people and the development of tools and
resources that allow parents and youth leaders help young people develop
spiritually. For more information, visit www.spiritualdevelopmentcenter.org.
About Search Institute: Search
Institute is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization whose mission
is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy
children, youth, and communities. To accomplish this mission, the
institute conducts research, communicates new knowledge, and brings
together community, state, and national leaders.”
For
more information, visit http://www.search-institute.org.
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CATHOLICS AND MUSLIMS PLEDGE TO IMPROVE LINKLinkedinDiggFacebook
By RACHEL DONADIO – New York Times
Published: November 6, 2008
“VATICAN CITY
— Catholic and Muslim leaders worked on Thursday to deflate
suspicion between their two faiths, pledging at a high-level seminar here
to work together to condemn terrorism, protect religious freedom and
fight poverty.
The meeting came
a year after 138 Muslim leaders wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI after he offended many Muslims by quoting
a Byzantine emperor who called some teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
“evil and inhuman.” In turn, top Vatican
officials have worried about freedom of worship in majority-Muslim
countries, as well as immigration that
is turning Europe, which they define as
a Christian continent, increasingly Muslim.
But on Thursday
both sides said they hoped that the seminar would open a new and
much-improved chapter in Catholic-Muslim relations, as the two groups
said they might establish a committee that could ease tensions in any
future crisis between the two religions.
“Let us
resolve to overcome past prejudices and to correct the often distorted
images of the other, which even today can create difficulties in our
relations,” Benedict told the Muslim delegation. He called the
gathering “a clear sign of our mutual esteem and our desire to
listen respectfully to one another.”
Addressing the
pope on behalf of the Muslim delegation, Seyyed
Hossein Nasr of Iran,
a professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University in Washington, said that throughout
history, “various political forces” of both Christians and
Muslims had carried out violence.
“Certainly
we cannot claim that violence is the monopoly of only one
religion,” he said.
…”
Read
the Full story
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Christians and Muslims Want Public Voice
Panel Rejects States Pitted
Against Religion in Europe
“MECHELEN, Belgium, OCT.
23, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A panel of Christians and Muslims is affirming
that people can be citizens and believers, and that being a person of
faith and a good citizen are not mutually exclusive identities.
This is one point from a final
statement released today from a Muslim-Christian conference on
"Being a Citizen of Europe and a Person of Faith: Christians and
Muslims as Active Partners in European Societies."
The conference began Monday and
ended today. It was sponsored by the Council of European Bishops'
Conferences and the Conference of European Churches.
The Christian-Muslim group noted that some European nations have state
churches, while others do not. "All, however, ideally have taken a
decidedly neutral stance as regards religion. […] There are,
however, cases where one detects a process that is leading towards a
progressive relegation of religion to the private sphere."
The final statement urges states
to "guard against confronting its citizens with the choice between
loyalty towards it and fidelity towards their religious
convictions."
"As Christians and Muslims
we affirm that we are citizens and believers, not citizens or
believers," the group emphasized. "We are therefore called to
work hand in hand in appropriate ways with the state to which we belong
without becoming subservient to governments. […] As Muslims and
Christians we believe in the principle of integration. This does not and
must never carry with it the demand to forsake our religious
identities…”
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INSPIRATION
“To love is to expand oneself, to open oneself to the infinity of being which
is in us and around us. And this infinity of being in love is what we
mean by God.”
Fr. Bede
Griffiths - Pioneer of Interspirituality
"In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and
nothing less, than what all the world's great religions demand - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto
us. Let us be our brother's keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our
sister's keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one
another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well."
Barack
Obama
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