a charter on universal religion
- Attachments:
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Randall Apps on -
Religion deals with the heart and mind.
Politics deals with the laws or body.
Both are needed. The mind and body need to work together.
A proposal for a 2nd level, like a Senate level, of the UN, has been discussed. (See quote and link below)
One where nations send representatives of faith or community leaders, not politicians. A religious level within the UN has 3 advantages:
1) Dominating faiths and governments in geographical zones would be held accountable for actions against smaller faiths (has your faith been persecuted in some areas?)
2) Words of faith leaders would carry more weight and respect from all when spoken in a UN environment
3) Faith groups still keep the integrity of their beliefs, while having a forum to openly discuss with other faiths under the working model of the UN model.
Devin O'Rourke said:The problem with asking the UN to issue a prescriptive document that outlines a "universal religion" is two-fold.
For one, it threatens the free expression of religious belief that doesn't fall within a bracketed "universal religion". As Graeme has pointed out, the UN has already declared freedom of religious expression to be a fundamental human right. To then ask them to define what it means to truly be religious would fly in the face of this already established precept.
Second, the UN is terrible ill-equipped to take any kind of prescriptive stance when it comes to religion. The UN is a secular body composed of government leaders and politicians. ...
So, it would seem something on the scale of what you're calling for has already taken place, though external to the UN, which I believe is the best route. These interfaith coalitions and their statements should act as ADVISORY resources to the UN only, however. To ask the UN to take an official religious stance is wading into treacherous waters that endangers religious freedom around the world.
Speech given inside the UN August 18th, 2000 (about 10 years ago)
In particular, God calls upon us leaders - especially religious leaders -in hope that we will stand against the injustices and evils of the world, and bestow His true love upon the world. Hence, all people of faith must become one in heart in order to give full expression, in both words and actions, to God’s passionate desire for humanity’s restoration and peace. World peace can be fully accomplished only when the wisdom and efforts of the world’s religious leaders, who represent the internal concerns of the mind and conscience, work cooperatively and respectfully with national leaders who have much practical wisdom and worldly experience about the external reality or "body. " In this light, it is time for us to give serious consideration even to the prospect of restructuring the United Nations. For example, perhaps it is possible to envision the United Nations as a bicameral institution.
The existing United Nations structure, composed of national representatives, may be regarded as a congress where the interests of each member nation are represented. However, I submit that serious consideration should be given to forming a religious assembly, or council of religious representatives within the structure of the United Nations. This assembly or council would consist of respected spiritual leaders in fields such as religion, culture, and education. Of course, the members of this interreligious assembly will need to have demonstrated an ability to transcend the limited interests of individual nations and to speak for the concerns of the entire world and humanity at large.
The two chambers, working together in mutual respect and cooperation, will be able to make great advances in ushering in a world of peace. The wisdom and vision of great religious leaders will substantially supplement the political insight, experience and skill of the world’s political leaders. Even at this moment, more and more conflicts are breaking out across the world over disputed borders. As a result, the world is sustaining substantial loss of human life. In addition, the money poured into war-making and peacekeeping runs into the billions of dollars. So many resources and efforts are being wasted. Yet, comprehensive solutions have not been fully achieved with respect to any given conflict.
Rev Dr Sun Myung Moon
for the full speech, click on link or copy and paste http://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/SunMyungMoon00/SM000818a.htm
-
Permalink Reply by hsnbhatta on
-
the speech quoted by you sums up exactly my concerns. now a time has come when UN ,if it has to go for near universal peace has to adress this issue of religious intolerance in the garb of freedom of expressions that is ruling the roost.globally the political agenda is an indirect religious hidden agenda.osama bin ladens counter attack[islamic] is a retallition to american[ christian] declaration of war against iraq ,afghanistan. the palestenian problem is syncretic in nature.
-
Permalink Reply by Mystic Tourist on -
All religions hope to forge a universal religion. It is what they consider of themselves. More than anything else religions are cultural and the bridge therefore must be what they have in common. Forming another religion that would be all inclusive is more of the same. We are a diverse community with common and good concerns. We have this in common. Lets use the bridge that exists and celebrate our diversity.
-
-
unless we are ready to merge our identities for a larger cause we cant achieve peace.religious differences are man made.a christian does not want to leave his religious identity ,and a Muslim his own. we have evolved enough to shed the differences but we wont then peace is a nightmare.let us not talk about it.
-
Permalink Reply by Maynard on -
I should point out a couple relevant documents generated by past Parliaments of the Worlds Religions, available by links from http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm?n=4&sn=4
1993: Toward a Global Ethic: Initial Declaration
1999: A Call to Our Guiding Institutions
It has been my hope that the Council would be able to instantiate a permanent Parliament upon these foundations, and become a full time voice for evolving these principles, and regularly inspiring our guiding institutions, and the Parliament's vast constituencies, to more actively work toward these common goals.
-
Permalink Reply by Betsy Whitfill on -
If the institution of religion has the purpose of ritualizing human aspiration, that human aspiration toward "something" higher, better, for all human beings could be a basis also of describing our common heritage. Whether one is atheist, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish or whatever, to be human is to aspire. That aspiration is perhaps the key.
Also, perhaps it should be discussed whether or not God has said all He intends to say to humanity, and whether what God has said is totally encased in the various sacred texts. What if God has a habit of intervening in human affairs? What might be our response, initially and over the longer term?
-
Permalink Reply by Grigori Rho Gharveyn on -
Thank you Dr Bhatta,
We may need to carefully examine our terms and goals first.Should our goal be the amalgamation of all the world's religions into a single Universal Religion, or should our goal be the fraternization of all the religions of the world with their cultural identities, doctrines, and beliefs left intact?
We are humbled to have spoken with an angel who told us the latter is our common goal and destiny.
Angel Zadkiel informed us that all the world's religions must learn to work together toward a single common purpose, the survival of our race, and that this goal should be achieved while respecting and preserving the various cultural and theosophical differences of each person's religions.
It's funky being a mystic, we are telling you what we experienced from the mouth of an angel, we can't expect anyone to believe we were actually graced in such a manner; saying this may be taken to be some sort of a power play, a potentially underhanded effort to trump someone else's perceptions of their own spiritual authorities.
For this, we apologize.
We whole-heartedly support the latter goal, fraternization of all religions for the purpose of our mutual survival, regardless of its provenance.
Namaste
-
Permalink Reply by Grigori Rho Gharveyn on
-
We like this approach Randall, thank you for sharing it...Namaste
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
© 2012 Created by The Parliament of Religions.
