Seeking New Solutions
IDEAS FOR A BETTER FUTURE
December, 2004
Vol. 3, Number 12
   
Read Selections on
Leadership from the book,
World Diplomacy:
Leadership (four rules)
World Diplomacy
(vol. 1, no. 10 - Oct., 2002)
Leadership(Criterion 1) World Diplomacy
(vol. 1, no.11 - Nov., 2002)
Leadership(Criterion 2) World Diplomacy
(vol. 1, no. 12 - Dec., 2002)
Leadership(Criterion 3) World Diplomacy
(vol. 2, no. 1 - Jan., 2003)
Leadership(Criterion 4) World Diplomacy
(vol. 2, no. 2 - Feb., 2003)
Other excerpts from the book
World Diplomacy:
Introduction
World Diplomacy
(vol.1, no. 2 - Feb., 2002)
Hope for the Future
World Diplomacy
(vol. 1, no. 9 - Sept.,2002)

 

Archives 2003: Read previous monthly selections
January:
(Vol. 2, No. 1)

Leadership Criterion 3: Leaders are dedicated to solve the problems of the planet

February:
(Vol. 2, No. 2)

Leadership Criterion 4: Leaders create cooperation and hope.

March:
(Vol. 2, No. 3)
Avoiding Dictatorship in a Free Society — Part 1
April:
(Vol. 2, No. 4)
Avoiding Dictatorship in a Free Society — Part 2
May:
(Vol. 2, No. 5)
Art and Politics
June:
(Vol. 2, No. 6)
Living the Good Life
July:
(Vol. 2, No. 7)
Core Values
August:
(Vol. 2, No. 8)
The Tour de France — A
Sporting Model for Diplomacy
September
(Vol. 2, No. 9)
Teaching Teens — Part I
October
(Vol. 2, No. 10)
Teaching Teens — Part II
November
(Vol. 2, No. 11)
Moving Forward
December
(Vol. 2, No. 12)
Worls Peace in Less Than a Month?

 

© 2004 SNS Press. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All

This holiday season many religious greeting cards will carry this statement as a heartfelt wish and then it will be quickly forgotten. Religion and religious faith will comfort many for the rest of the year with the sense of security that comes from feeling that one is "saved." In a prosperous nation it is easy to feel saved and secure in one's faith. In other nations where each day begins and ends with suffering and insecurity, religious salvation is surviving the struggle to stay alive.

Do those who believe in a supreme, just and loving God truly believe that the divine intelligence would condone the separation of the living into the "saved" and the "damned?" What a sad, blasphemous joke that would be — what a humiliating irony for a God of creation. No person in their right mind destroys what they create. Would, then, a God? The division of people into the "good" and the "sinful" even contradicts the universal religious concept that life is a journey of many tests that will eventually lead to the realization of the Golden Rule, and then to a life dedicated to serve others. That some live their whole life without ever realizing this is a human failure, but not a reason for being condemned. Life presents the continuous possibility for learning from one's mistakes and for working to pay off one's debts through service.

The tragic fact of human history is that the main enemies of peace and goodwill have been religious or political fanatics who felt they were chosen, and to hell with others if they didn't believe in the same way. The destroyers of peace have forever been the self-righteous, the intolerant, the greedy. How can heaven be the reward of a fearful, hellish life on earth? How can heaven be reserved for the "saved" who stand idly by while others suffer, or worse, persecute others, isolated in the well-being of their selfishness, smug in their disdain for the less fortunate or for others who do not hold their beliefs?

Goodwill, on the other hand, is the will and determination to do good and improve life for others without thought of personal reward. Goodwill is the unobstructed expression of the human soul. It is not just being devoted to one's religion, but rather it is being devoted to the well-being of others. It is working to create the environment wherein all people may fulfill their natural rights and potentials. When a person is able and willing to express his or her humanness, the result is a life of goodwill. Goodwill is living a life that does not violate the laws of nature, but rather, promotes them. These laws related to human society are evident in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Humanity is fortunate that there are over 5,000 organizations and millions of people who are actively working 365 days a year to bring peace through acts of goodwill. These groups do not profess religious or political allegiance. They are not motivated simply by faith, but by taking action for the good of others. They are often going to the most hellish places to work, not waiting for a God to take them to heaven.

Below we pay tribute to just a few of these groups who demonstrate goodwill through their goals and works. They stand as shining examples of the power of the human "will to good" which is the only possible saving force in a world victimized by the selfish and self-righteous:

  • CARE works with poor communities in more than 70 countries around the world to find lasting solutions to poverty. They look at the big picture of poverty, and go beyond the symptoms to confront underlying causes. With a broad range of programs based on empowerment, equity and sustainability, CARE seeks to tap human potential and leverage the power of individuals and communities to unleash a vast force for progress.

  • The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies promote the humanitarian activities of 178 national organizations among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, they seek to prevent and alleviate human suffering. In a world with increasing isolation, tension and recourse to violence, it is clear that the Red Cross Red Crescent must champion the individual and community values which encourage respect for other human beings and a willingness to work together to find solutions to community problems. The seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent are; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

  • Oxfam believes that in a world rich in resources, poverty isn't a fact of life but an injustice which must be overcome. We believe that everyone is entitled to a life of dignity and opportunity; and we work with poor communities, local partner organizations, volunteers, and supporters to make this a reality. Oxfam's goal is a world where every person is secure, skilled, equal, safe, healthy, heard.

  • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is the nation's most effective environmental action organization. They use law, science and the support of more than one million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things.

  • Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. In pursuit of this vision, AI's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights. AI is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. It does not support or oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection of human rights.

  • Save the Children is a leading nonprofit humanitarian relief and development organization working in more than 40 countries throughout the developing world and the United States. Our mission is to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children in need. Save the Children has been on the humanitarian front lines since it was founded 70 years ago. Every day, we see how more women and children in war zones around the world need protection from violence, rape, family separation, exploitation and forced military servitude.

  • Médecins Sans Frontières or Doctors Without Borders delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation. They believe that all people have the right to medical care regardless of race, religion, creed or political affiliation, and that the needs of these people supersede respect for national borders.

Our wish at SNS Press for the new year is that people will take heart and take part some way in humanitarian works of goodwill as demonstrated by these groups. May we all work together in our humanness and diversity to make a world at peace regardless of race, nationality, political or religious beliefs.

© 2004 Richard Sidy

Some poems related to this theme:

Making Friends
Take Heart
To Our Youth
Meteor

Archives 2004
Read previous monthly selections
January: (Vol. 3, No. 1)
The Four Freedoms
February: (Vol. 3, No. 2)
Global Consciousness I
March: (Vol. 3, No. 3)
Global Consciousness II
April: (Vol. 3, No. 4)
Global Consciousness III
May: (Vol. 3, No. 5)
Global Consciousness IV
June: (Vol. 3, No. 6)
Global Consciousness V
July: (Vol. 3, No. 7)
Global Consciousness V
I
August: (Vol. 3, No. 8)
Global Consciousness V
II
September: (Vol. 3, No. 9)
Is "Liberal" a Dirty Word?
October: (Vol. 3, No. 10)
Bullies in Our Political Culture
November: (Vol. 3, No. 11)
Can Idealism Solve Problems?
December: (Vol. 3, No. 12) Peace on Earth, Goodwill

 

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