Barack Obama – Golden Rule President?

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President Obama cites Golden Rule in support of same-sex marriage

In a column which ran in USA Today recently, David Gibson discussed the Golden Rule as related to President Barack Obama’s recent support of same-sex marriage.

The article talks about the universality of the Golden Rule. Gibson quotes Nancy Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University: “Given today’s religiously diverse context, this way of thinking about religion and spirituality provides a handy bridge across religious differences.”

That comes as no surprise to those of us who have come to recognize the ubiquity of the Principle of Mutuality in every aspect and element of life.

This growing recognition of the Golden Rule is encouraging, as has been President Obama’s repeated use of it. However …

I look forward to the day when a world leader openly acknowledges the Golden Rule as his or her guiding principle. When it’s invoked in order to reach compromise and consensus in legislative and policy decisions we’ll know that we have reached a milestone in the recognition of the unity in our diversity.

I appreciate how difficult this will be. To stay within the Christian context of President Obama’s comments, the story of Jesus offers ample evidence of the lengths that entrenched interests will go to in order to silence any position other than their own.

The risk may be significant; the benefits, however, are hard to overstate.  Ammerman notes that in research of American congregations, over half of the members identified “how we live our life every day and how we treat others” as the aspect of their faith that matters most.  And in his 2005 study Soul Searching, researcher Christian Smith identifies “moralistic therapeutic deism” – a form of non-dogmatic faith that could be characterized as grounded in the Golden Rule – as “the de facto religion” of American youth. I would argue that Smith’s conclusion could also be applied to those who claim no “religious” affiliation at all.

From a purely political perspective, that means that any leader with the courage and insight to connect with that enormous block of voters will have not only the democratic mandate to lead their country, but the moral mandate as well.

Given the challenges facing our global community, it doesn’t seem to me as though that’s too much to ask of those who seek our permission to govern us.

Together, we can make this a truly Golden Rule world.

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The Golden Rule Poster – More Than a Decade Later

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It’s been a little over a decade since Paul McKenna gathered a wide range of people of differing faiths and talents to create the Golden Rule Poster.

When he brought an essay that Leslie Mezei had written about the Poster in 2002 to my attention, I asked him if he would offer a short reflection on his own experience of the Golden Rule Movement and what, if any, progress he felt had been made. Here is his response:

As I reflect back on the 10-year period since the publication of the the Golden Rule Poster, I am struck by the growing interest in the Golden Rule around the world. Even the tragedy of 9/11 has not been without its blessings. On September 11 of last year, the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, multifaith prayer services were celebrated throughout the Western world. In the spirit of the Golden Rule, September 11 is evolving into “a day of service.”   

Peace
Paul McKenna

Reading the 2002 essay was the first time that I had known how closely the creation of the Poster and the tragedy of 9/11 were in time.  I couldn’t help but be struck by how different the actions of Paul and those associated with him were from those who were, and still are, involved in acts of war, terrorism and exploitation.

You can read Leslie’s essay here.

Please take the time to pass along this link, to leave a comment, or to add your name to the Consider the Other Pledge.

Together, we can make this a truly Golden Rule world.

 

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Golden Rule Poster in Urdu

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Golden Rule texts in 13 religions translated into the Urdu language

 A few weeks ago, Scarboro Missions published the Urdu translation of the Golden Rule texts in 13 religions and it is now posted on the Scarboro site. It is estimated that close to one billion people understand spoken Urdu. The use of the Urdu language is concentrated inSouth Asia– mostly inPakistan,BangladeshandIndia. But Urdu-speaking people reside in many countries throughout the world.

The translation proved to be quite a challenge and it took us almost two years. This translation project was headed up by Shahid Akhtar, an interfaith activist and Urdu-speaking man in Mississauga. Shahid was extremely diligent in the translation process, even to the point of checking it with scholars during a trip to Pakistan. Gratitude plus to Shahid!

Shahid worked with a team of us here at Scarboro including Lucy Thorson and David Warren both of whom are linguistically skilled; each made a major contribution to the project. Lucy had previously headed up the team that translated the Golden Rule texts into Hebrew. Thanks Lucy and David!

Pervaiz Salahuddin, a friend of Shahid’s, was a great support to Shahid in the project. Pervaiz has technical skills in the realm of Urdu script and the digital reality. Pervaiz, thanks for the rescue!

The posting of the texts proved to be a major challenge for Chris Atkinson, our web master.  There were a lot of unforeseen developments in terms of the posting process but Chris handled it in his usual graceful and competent manner. Gratitude plus to Chris! 

The translation, publication and posting of these texts in Urdu is an effort to further universalize the already universal message of the Golden Rule. This is a major accomplishment!

When you click the link below, it will take you to our “Multilingual Versions” page. If you look to the left of your screen, you are given the choice of clicking one of eight languages. Urdu is listed at the bottom of this list. Here is the link:

http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/sacred_texts.php

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The Golden Rule and Reciprocity in Animals

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TED Talk:

Frans de Waal: Moral behavior in animals

This is a fascinating talk with video excerpts from tests that de Waal has conducted to identify and contextualize the concepts of empathy and reciprocity in animals. He isn’t making any case for, or against, the origins of the observed behaviours other than to place their development within an evolutionary framework.

That’s a pretty “dry” an explanation, but I encourage you to watch this presentation. de Waal is an excellent presenter and the talk is full of amusing anecdotes as well as some thought-provoking research.

If you ask anyone, what is morality based on? These are the two factors that always come out: One is reciprocity … and a sense of fairness, and the other one is empathy and compassion.” Frans de Waal

 

 

 

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Mystery and Reality

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The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced. - Aart van der Leeuw, Dutch poet, 1876 – 1931

Most people prefer a comforting certainty, even if it’s a fiction, to a mysterious reality.

But we can perceive “mystery” in different ways. If we think of it as something that we have no control over, and which can confront us with danger or confusion, it can indeed be disquieting, even frightening.

However, Continue reading →

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Space to Choose

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Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. - Viktor E. Frankl

It’s not very poetic language, but then Frankl was a psychiatrist, not a poet.

“Stimulus” is a terribly clinical term to describe our relationships with each other and the world around us.

The point though, that I take from the quote is that there’s always an opportunity in our interactions with “the other”, whether an individual or some other aspect of the universe, for us to choose how we respond.

We might choose a self-oriented response, one that focuses on the greatest immediate benefit to ourselves alone.

Or … Continue reading →

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Simply Golden Rule Great

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There is no greatness where there is not simplicity. – Leo Tolstoy

Of course, the Golden Rule immediately sprang to mind as soon as I saw this quote.

Is there any more succinct statement that summarizes the underlying Principle of Mutuality that binds us? And as writers like Tolstoy know, the most impactful way to make a point is to do so as briefly as possible.

We’re often critical of the brevity of social media. Who, goes the argument, can say anything in 140 characters or less?

The Christian version of the Golden Rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, is 49 characters, including spaces. Continue reading →

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Message from Ambassador Mussie Hailu – Golden Rule Day 2012

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Message of Ambassador Mussie Hailu on the occasion of the International Golden Rule Day, April 5th 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters throughout the world

On the occasion of the celebration of International Golden Rule Day which was started here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2007, I send you greetings of peace, light and best wishes.

As we are celebrating the International Golden Rule Day, I pray for the creator of the universe to open our hearts and minds to understand the uniqueness of each one of us and to pour out the spirit of unconditional love, Compassion and to understand and fully embrace the idea that, though we are people from different faiths, traditions, culture and color we all are part of one human family with the common principle of the Golden Rule.

One of the most important missions for humanity at this stage must be to bring people together with the shared goal of creating a peaceful world for all to live in. And this is what we are trying to address through the International Golden Rule Day.

Our world is coming together and as such all nations are our close neighbors and our wellbeing increasingly depends on how well we interact and live together with others based on the teaching of the Golden Rule  which says “ Treat others the way you want to be treated”

In this interrelated and globalized world we need the Golden Rule more than ever as it is a fundamental human value needed today as the basis for co-existence. We need to make it the first article of our faith and the last article of our creed as the Golden Rule is not an option – it’s the key to our common survival.

The Golden Rule is the way to manifest world interfaith harmony in the world and it is one practical action that leads us from war to peace, from killing each other to co-existence, from disrespect to honoring each other, from hate to love, from despair to hope, from darkness to light, from being selfish to living for the sake of others and from revenge to forgiveness.

Each and every one of us needs to practice and exert all our effort to be a peaceful person. We need to acknowledge that peace is only possible in the world when each and every one of us start to make peace within ourselves, families and in our respective communities. Each of us needs to commit ourselves as best as we can to become a non-violent and make personal pledges for peace.

We need to focus on what we can do in a practical term to change the things we can change than talking about things we cannot change. And I am happy to be part of a movement like United Religions Initiative and Interfaith Peace-building Initiative and to be able to work with people like you from all over the world who decide to be part of the solution and take concrete action to bring positive change in the world by living according to the value of Golden Rule and Compassion for all.

By promoting interfaith cooperation and engaging in inter-religious constructive dialogue we learn to respect one another. We learn to appreciate both our differences and the common values that bind us to one another like the Golden Rule. We need to recognize pluralism and respect diversity. Pluralism is an obvious fact of life. As it is has been stated mutual understanding is no longer a luxury but an absolute prerequisite for peace and co-existence in the world.

If we truly want to open a new chapter in human history and see a new world based on a culture of peace and social justice, I believe it is high time to promote the Golden Rule throughout the world as it is a fundamental principle that addresses critical issues such as democracy, human rights, respect for each other, gender equity, social development, interfaith harmony, constructive dialogue among nations, violent conflict prevention and building right human relationships.

It is with this core values in mind that in 2007 through the Interfaith Peace-building Initiative (IPI) we declared April 5 as a “Golden Rule Day” and called upon all citizens of the world, religious leaders of the world, mayors of the world, heads of state of the world, the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States, interfaith organizations, schools, higher learning institutions, the business community and civil society  to join IPI in proclaiming this day as International Golden Rule Day and to live accordingly to make this world a better and ethical place for all. Currently I am working to get the United Nations to proclaim the Golden Rule Day.

In addition to this we also started in 2007 a Golden Rule Goodwill Ambassador program to highlight the need for the Golden Rule in the world to promote a culture of peace, interfaith harmony and a Global Ethic. Since 2007 every year we honor an individual or organization with Golden Rule Medal and appoint Goodwill Ambassador.

Let us be instruments of peace and a living example of the teaching of the Golden Rule. Let us walk the talk by taking practical action in supporting the initiative of Karen Armstrong Charter for Compassion which is the base for the Golden Rule.

May Peace, Golden Rule and Compassion Prevail in our Heart, Mind, Family, Community, Country and the World.

In Peace and Gratitude

Ambassador Mussie Hailu

Regional Director of United Religions Initiative for Africa and Board Chairman of Interfaith Peace-building Initiative

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Golden Rule Day – April 5, 2012

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United Religions Initiative

Proclamation

WHEREAS, United Religions Initiative is a global interfaith organization whose purpose is to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings; and

WHEREAS welcoming the initiative of Interfaith Peace-building Initiative a URI CC in Ethiopia to proclaim the Golden Rule Day; and WHEREAS, for thousands of years the GOLDEN RULE, which says “TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED” has been affirmed in many religions, traditions, indigenous cultures and secular philosophies as a fundamental principle of life and the foundation on which a global ethic is founded; and

WHEREAS, the Golden Rule is a universal message which is accepted and embraced throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, the Golden Rule is the best tool to educate people about respect and mutual esteem in order to achieve peaceful coexistence and solidarity among members of different ethnic groups, cultures and religions; and

WHEREAS, the Golden Rule plays a major role in promoting the culture of dialogue so that understanding and trust may develop among individuals and peoples as these are the conditions of authentic peace; and

WHEREAS, the Golden Rule message is simple, universal and powerful and it is the most prevalent and universal moral principle in human history;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, United Religions Initiative, does hereby proclaim April 5 as

GOLDEN RULE DAY

June 9th, 2009, San Francisco, CA, USA,

Rev. Charles Gibbs, Executive Director

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH

Although I haven’t yet received a press release from URI or Ambassador Mussie Hailu regarding this year’s Golden Rule Day, I wanted to ensure that it didn’t pass unremarked here.

The above proclamation is from 2009, when URI recognized April 5th as Golden Rule Day. Following is Ambassador Hailu’s comments from last year -

April 4, 2011 -

Dear Fellow World Citizens,

It is indeed my great honor and pleasure to send you greetings of peace and best wishes on behalf of Interfaith Peace-building Initiative (IPI) and United Religions Initiative (URI) Africa Region on Golden Rule Day, celebrated annually on April 5th.

The Golden Rule, which says “treat others the way you want to be treated” is the most prevalent and universal moral principle accepted and embraced throughout the world. For thousands of years it has been affirmed by many religions, traditions, indigenous cultures and secular philosophies as a fundamental principle of life and the foundation on which a global ethic is founded. Its message is simple, universal and powerful.

The Golden Rule is also the best tool to educate people about respect, in order to achieve peaceful coexistence and solidarity among members of different ethnic groups, cultures and religions. It plays a major role in building right relationships and promoting a culture of dialogue so that understanding and trust may develop among individuals and peoples, as these are the conditions of authentic peace.

Because of this strong core belief, in 2007, IPI proclaimed April 5th as Golden Rule Day and called upon the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States, heads of states, religious leaders, mayors, higher learning institutions, schools, businesses, interfaith organizations and civil societies to join us in proclaiming the Golden Rule Day and to live according to its teaching to make this world a better place for this generation and generation yet to come. In response to this call, religious leaders, mayors and different organizations in over 90 countries joined us in proclaiming the Golden Rule Day and many organizations are joining us on a daily basis. Currently we are working for the Golden Rule Day to be celebrated throughout the world and for the General Assembly of the United Nations to pass a resolution on the Golden Rule Day.

Every year IPI also honors individuals or organizations as Goodwill Ambassadors of the Golden Rule, presenting them with the Golden Rule Medal.

We strongly believe that the Golden Rule will bring world interfaith harmony; build more trust, understanding, harmony and respect among followers of different religions; and create the opportunity for them to come together to resist forces of division that spread misunderstanding and mistrust among peoples of different religions.

Therefore on the occasion of the Golden Rule Day, we ask you to proclaim the Golden Rule Day and to promote its teaching as one practical action to create a better world for all.

On this Golden Rule Day I want to extend my appreciation, acknowledgment and thanks to all individuals and many organizations in the world who are working hard to promote the Golden Rule, Compassion, Interfaith harmony and a culture of peace. Karen Armstrong, the noted religious scholar and founder of the Charter for Compassion, is among those who have been named Goodwill Ambassador of the Golden Rule.

IPI, a URI member organization, is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and  works to promote the teaching of the Golden Rule and a culture of peace,  interfaith harmony, and constructive dialogue among different religions  and cultures. URI is a global interfaith peace organization with special consultative status with Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Its purpose is to promote enduring daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.

May Peace and Golden Rule Prevail on Earth.

Ambassador Mussie Hailu

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New Video on Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Ministry

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Press Release

New Video on Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Ministry

 This 7-minute video profiles the ground-breaking Golden Rule ministry of the Scarboro Missions Interfaith Department inCanada. The Scarboro Missions Golden Rule poster has achieved international renown as an educational and interfaith resource.

 Scarboro has developed Golden Rule curriculum for both adult and youth audiences. Each week at Scarboro Missions, high school students participate in interfaith workshops. Here they have the opportunity to embody Golden Rule values by way of drama, music, dance and other creative means. Continue reading →

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