We join with many people around the world today in the launching of the Charter for Compassion, an initiative begun by Karen Armstrong and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. With a council of 18 members of diverse faiths and diverse cultures, Karen Armstrong has created a document to motivate us to put compassion into our faith actions, our prayers, and our interactions with others. We will gather at the Franciscan Family Center with other religious men and women this afternoon, November 12, 2009, at 3:30pm, in Nairobi, Kenya to mark this occasion.
Our prayer of compassion for the world will include what we universally accept as the golden rule, as found in the scriptures of various religions:
Christianity: “So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; this is the Law and the Prophets.” Mt 7:12
Islam: “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” Sunnah
Taoism: “Regard your neighbor’s gain as our own gain and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.” T’ai shang Kan Ying P’ien
Confucianism: “Is there one maxim which ought to be acted on throughout one’s whole life? Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness: do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.” Analects 15,23
Buddhism: “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful” Urdana-Varga 5,18
Hinduism: “This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you” Mahabharata 5,1517
Judaism: “What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowman. That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary.” Talmud, Shabbat 31a
Zoroastrianism: “That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.” Dadistan-i-dinik 94,5
Visit the website at www.charterforcompassion.org. There you will be invited to Learn, Share and Act for compassion.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
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