Karen Armstrong
On November 12 2009 The Charter for Compassion which has been drawn up by a multi-faith, multi-national group of thinkers will be revealed:
Like the Charter of Human Rights, this Charter for Compassion is a yardstick against which the laity as well as religious and secular leaders can measure their behaviour; it can empower congregations to demand a more compassionate teaching from pastors and preachers; it can mobilise youth, who have seen at a formative age what happens when bigotry becomes rife in a society; it can make interfaith understanding a priority; inspire exegetes, scholars, educators and the media to explore the role compassion has played in the traditions, and ensure that compassion is a focal point in the curricula of schools, colleges and seminaries.
The Charter seeks to change the conversation so that compassion becomes a key word in public and private discourse, making it clear that any ideology that breeds hatred or contempt - be it religious or secular - has failed the test of our time.
The Charter was the wish of religious scholar and writer Karen Armstrong after she won the 2008 TED Prize and has been supported by The Fetzer Institute an organisation promoting global love and forgiveness.
Religion isn’t about believing things. It’s about what you do. It’s ethical alchemy. It’s about behaving in a way that changes you, that gives you intimations of holiness and sacredness.
~ Karen Armstrong
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
~ Dalai Lama
Do you love your creator? Love your fellow-beings first.
~ Prophet Muhammad
Its the bit people too often forget.
Religion isnt about who is right or wrong.
Religion is about being a decent person.
I may be going to hell because I dont believe in someones god, but I’ve always been a decent respectful guy who will give anyone the time of day.
I’m happy to take my chances, and the truth is, that if there is a god, and he doesnt think I deserve to get in to heaven cos I didnt shout at “heathens” in his name, then maybe the choice wasnt so special anyway.
If Jesus said his way was the only way, what was it? Not any religion ( which came later)
-compassion.
Thanks for reading.
I heard Karen Armstrong speak last week, she was amazing and is focusing her efforts on building dialogue between all people based on compassion!
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[...] must be some direct experience that one can use as the basis for that understanding (Blogs visited: In Good Faith, Learn English with Turgay Evern, This Tumbleweed Life, by Hibernopithecus, Insight, Rethorykal [...]