GKAS 3412 6 cr. Human Rights, Global Ethos and the

slide2. GKAS 3412
6 cr. Human Rights, Global Ethos and the Problem of Religion
Ihmisoikeudet, globaali eetos sekä uskonnon probleema www.ulapland.fi/en/globaleducation/c2-gkas3412<br>
slide3. GKAS 3412
6 cr. LECTURE SESSIONS: 6 x 4h
EXERCISE SESSIONS: 0h www.ulapland.fi/en/globaleducation/c2-gkas3412<br>
slide4. Lecture 1 (cont’d … ») : • Globalization requires a shared foundation:
» PRE: Fundamentally, globalization is an ongoing exercise in altruism, learning increasingly selfless social behaviour (from
‘self-love’ and various degrees of ‘exclusive love’ towards ‘inclusive or universal love’).
» If we would ignore the altruism aspect, what could we imagine the historical process to have been like?
» The historical logic of globalization is, in fact, very simple: (1) all human groups develop from relative independence towards
increasing interdependence; (2) interdependence eventually leads to inseparability or unification/unity; (3) unity, in turn, leads
to oneness or being genuinely one society and one people.
» Thus, the history of tribes, peoples, and nations has been experienced and effectively reached its conclusion; what we are
witnessing is the beginning of the history of humankind, the history of a human race conscious of its own oneness — a global
turning point in the course of civilization.
» The unification of the earth’s inhabitants is neither a remote utopian vision nor, ultimately, a matter of choice: it constitutes the
next stage in the process of social evolution, a stage toward which all the experience of past and present is impelling us.
» The central issue facing all people — whatever their nation, religion, or ethnic origin — is that of laying the foundations of a
global society that can reflect the oneness of human nature.
• Pluralism is an insufficient ethical foundation:
» Why would pluralism be an “insufficient ethical foundation”?
» Mere pluralism is utterly insufficient as the values foundation for a peaceful and successful global society: there is a need for
some universal ethos at the core of the sense of solidarity and common purpose of world citizens.
» Possibly the greatest challenge of human history: How to achieve unity of purpose and core values in the diversity of implementation
and action — given the spectrum of human experience, culture and mentalities?<br>
slide5. Lecture 1 (« … cont’d … ») : • A flexible system of ethical principles:
» It is entirely possible, in fact both likely and already experienced, that there would be a hierarchical values system — i.e. a flexible
ethical system (or “ethos”) incorporating various levels of values with corresponding degrees of flexibility (cf. universal & abstract
principles/values vs. specific & applied rules/norms, cf. also formal principles vs. ‘true’ values).
» Think of some custom or habit or norm that would appear unconstructive. What ethical ideal or moral principle can you see in their
background, motivating their existence? How could that ideal or principle be expressed in a more constructive manner?
» There are ethical principles — sometimes referred to as human values — by which solutions can be found for every social
challenge; the essential merit of ethical principle is that it not only presents a perspective which is in harmony with human potential,
it also induces an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures.<br>
slide24. Lecture 1 (« … cont’d) : • How to identify and articulate universal ethical principles?
» Who has the authority to identify and articulate universal ethical principles? What could some of these ethical principles be?
» In the absence of a better authority, the United Nations is, currently, the only human system with sufficient global legitimacy to
claim such power.
» The whole United Nations Charter and work of the UN in the area of global ethos has been squarely founded upon the idea of the
universality of the worth and rights of all human beings and the oneness of humankind as a whole — justice and unity are reciprocal
in their effect.
» World order and world citizenship can be founded only on an unshakable consciousness of the oneness of mankind — a truth which
all the human sciences confirm (anthropology, physiology, psychology, recognize only one human species, albeit infinitely varied in
the secondary aspects of life).
» Until this prerequisite for world order and world citizenship is acknowledged and the issue addressed, none of the ills afflicting our
planet will find solutions. Why?
» … because all the essential challenges of the age are global and universal, not particular or regional; the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights was an attempt in this direction.<br>
slide25. Lecture 2 (cont’d … ») : • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (cont’d … ») :
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights (from the PREAMBLE): “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world ...”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights (from the PREAMBLE): “Now, Therefore the General Assembly proclaims this UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations ...”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 1: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 3: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 13: “(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within
the borders of each state.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 13: “(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to
return to his country.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 18: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this
right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private,
to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 21: “(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this
will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret
vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”<br>
slide26. Lecture 2 (« … cont’d … ») : • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (« … cont’d) :
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 26: “(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in
the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be
made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 26: “(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality
and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and
friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of
peace.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 26: “(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be
given to their children.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 28: “Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights
and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.”
» Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ARTICLE 29: “(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full
development of his personality is possible.”
» With all this declared and signed, what else is missing?<br>
slide27. Lecture 2 (« … cont’d) : • It’s just a beginning — the main challenge is still ahead:
» While an excellent first attempt, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is just that: first attempt — it is still a long way from
properly identifying and articulating universal ethical principles; one defect is the Declaration’s failure to recognize the reciprocity
of rights and obligations (except marginally).
» RE: Possibly the greatest challenge of human history: How to achieve unity of purpose and core values in the diversity of
implementation and action — given the spectrum of human experience, culture and mentalities?
» RE: It is entirely possible, in fact both likely and already experienced, that there would be a hierarchical values system — i.e. a
flexible ethical system (or “ethos”) incorporating various levels of values with corresponding degrees of flexibility (cf. universal &
abstract principles/values vs. specific & applied rules/norms, cf. also formal principles vs. ‘true’ values).
» PRE: The watchword for humanity’s global maturity, and its touchstone, is the principle of Unity in Diversity; it presupposes that
the diversity of humankind is fundamental to the social reality and is also a valuable resource for the entire humanity; it also insists
that unity is needed in matters that are intrinsically universal or global.
• The challenge of diversity, as a resource and an obstacle:
» PRE: Diverse cultures and mentalities have the potential, both to build bridges, thus promoting global solidarity, and to put up
walls, thus causing separation and conflict.
» Love or allegiance for one’s country does not exclude love of family or community, rather, it enlarges the circle of relationships;
the same applies to allegiance and love for the world, mankind as a whole.
» How can we do two things at the same time: (1) overcome the hampering limitations of cultural norms, traditions, mentalities,
and beliefs, and (2) maintain the wealth of diversity and the potentially constructive influence of various cultures?<br>
slide28. Lecture 3 (cont’d … ») : • Destructive habits based on constructive principles — a case study:
» PRE: The fundamental ethos of Afghan mentality: unreserved obedience to tradition is the highest human virtue; correspondingly,
deviation from tradition is the basest of human vices; for ordinary Afghans, who have no practice in the independent study of religion
and the Koran, tradition is the same thing as Islam, and Islam is the will of God — thus, tradition is the will of God.
» PRE: In western thinking, this Afghan ethos of “unreserved obedience to tradition” is easily seen as a purely negative principle;
however, as long as such obedience relates to socially constructive and wholesome, or neutral and harmless traditions, such
discipline is a strength rather than a weakness.
» PRE: In the case of harmful or damaging traditions, it is not the principle of obedience that is the problem but rather blindness, i.e. not
questioning destructive features of traditions; even in the case of destructive traditions and habits, it is important to notice that the
tradition itself may have, historically, risen from a positive and constructive principle which has later transformed into an extreme and
rigid application.
» PRE: For instance, the use of the burkha is supposedly an extreme, distorted and rigid application of the principle of chastity, or
honour killing is an extreme, distorted and rigid application of the principle of honour and respect — neither chastity nor honour are
destructive social values (indeed, to the contrary).
» PRE: If it is hoped that the destructive expressions of potentially good principles into violent and unjust habits are abated, outsiders
to the Afghan culture, particularly people from western countries, would do well to show their approval and respect for the innate
worth and wholesomeness of the values behind such traditions, and then proceed to show that good principles and values can be
expressed in a multitude ways and that in certain extreme applications other equally important principles and values are broken
(e.g. human rights).<br>
slide29. Lecture 3 (« … cont’d … ») : • Destructive world-views assuming global proportions:
» The western civilization retains many of its virtues (e.g. sense of enterprise, efficient administration, well-developed science &
technology) — yet, it is the western civilization that, primarily, spreads the culture of individualism and materialism; it is the western
civilization that sets the mode for international standards of “right vs. wrong”, of human rights, of development goals and policies etc.
» What’s wrong with this setup? Why would it be a problem?
» Central among the ethical standards and modes of action of modern western civilization are the super-value of pluralism (which is
conscious and articulated) and an individualistic-materialistic world view (which is subtle and insidious); as a consequence, the
globally spreading standards in international and interpersonal everyday relations suffer from a distortion.
» The ‘pursuit of happiness’ is increasingly transmuted into an aggressive and almost unlimited self-justification to pursue one’s own
advantage without committing to common weal or a greater purpose — a view that is often aggressive in its operation and breeds
dogmatic adherence to one-eyed individualism-materialism and assumes fanatical characteristics; this trend is steadily taking the role
of a global ‘substitute religion’.
» What is the ethical and moral foundation of ‘pursuit of happiness’ as a value, as an imperative of life? What assumptions about
human reality does this value reflect? How can this pursuit be manifested as a human weakness and as a human strength?<br>
slide30. Lecture 3 (« … cont’d) : • The individualistic-materialistic dogma:
» What have been the moral consequences of the individualistic-materialistic world-view? What positive vs. negative effects has
it had on the life of society?
» The individualistic-materialistic view of reality is a ‘lop-sided’ ideology eroding the lives of both the individual and the society;
empirical indications of this include: (1) collapse in the sense of community, (2) self-destructive behaviours, and (3) the damage
done to generations of youth who learned to believe that violence, indecency, and selfishness are triumphs of personal liberty.
» The very outcomes of dogmatic individualism-materialism — the unsustainable social trends it has brewed in humanity’s life —
bespeak of the falsity of the ideology: individualism-materialism is not an exhaustive, or even correct, interpretation of reality and
leads, in fact, to a misguided distortion of human nature. What is the difference between principle & dogma?
• The foundation of global ethos: oneness of mankind:
» World citizenship and world order must be based on a global ethos: at the core of this ethos resides a universal sense of
responsibility and an accompanying culture of service; such sense of responsibility and culture of service cannot evolve in a
moral vacuum — they must be informed by principle.
» RE: There are ethical principles — sometimes referred to as human values — by which solutions can be found for every social
challenge; the essential merit of ethical principle is that it not only presents a perspective which is in harmony with human potential,
it also induces an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures.
» In their efforts to solve problems and overcome social challenges, all stakeholders (individuals, organizations, governments etc.)
would be well served, if they would first seek to identify the ethical principles involved and then be guided by the perspective and
aspiration they invoke as well as the willpower and dynamic they inspire.
» The underlying ethical principle for a just and equitable society — the ‘meta-principle’, if you like — is consciousness of the oneness
of mankind; it has always been the guiding principle of any society (from clans and tribes to city-states and nation-states) and has
taken the form of unity in diversity, which has been the chief guarantee for sustainability and inclusiveness.
» As most other issues in this global era, the challenge with global ethos is, primarily, a change of perspective, a shift in world
view — we must overcome a crisis of perception.<br>
slide31. Lecture 4 (cont’d … ») : • The contribution of religions to civilization — direct and indirect influences:
» How has religion influenced civilization?
» Religion has always had an undeniable influence on civilization: both in terms of personal and collective moral, and in terms
of cultural, artistic, literary, scientific and technological advances; this is unanimously approved by the majority of historians.
» There are many obvious examples of the civilizational outcomes of indirect religious influence: the Renaissance was a co-result
of the civilizational influence of both Christianity and Islam; the Christian Reformation movement had a boosting influence on the
rise of entrepreneurship, economy, productivity and industry; these are “indirect” in the sense that the emphasis is on the concrete
cultural advances rather than on ethical or spiritual teachings.
» However, there are also many examples of the civilizational outcomes of direct religious influence: the ancient Persian Empire,
the Kingdom of Solomon, the Byzantium Empire, the Dominion of Ethiopia, the Abbasid Caliphate, the Ottoman Empire etc.;
these are “direct” in the sense that, when they were at their peaks, the moral and ethical aspects of religious teaching were as
much present as were the outward cultural achievements — civilization was a combination of moral and cultural advance.<br>
slide32. Lecture 4 (« … cont’d … ») : • World religions, geographical and statistical facts:
» There are hundreds of religions in the world; the vast majority of them are so-called “indigenous religions” or “folk religions” —
these have the total of some 500 million adherents, worldwide; then there are “world religions” that have over 6'000 million ad-
herents, worldwide.
» The concept of “world religion” is used (in the academic field of comparative religion) of those religious movements that have spread
widely and have had a stronger civilizational influence on a larger scale — so it is more focussed on socio-cultural influence and
geographical distribution rather than on the number of followers; these include:
› Christianity: 2’400 million adherents
› Islam: 1’900 million adherents
› Hinduism (incl. Jainaism & Sikhism): 865-1'000 million adherents
› Buddhism (incl. Shintoisim): 800 million adherents
› Judaism: 15 million adherents
› Bahá’í Faith: 6 million adherents
› Zoroastrianism: 3 million adherents<br>
slide34. Lecture 4 (« … cont’d) : • Religion as the “light of the world”, and its “darkness” — walls & bridges:
» The principle of commitment to greater good — invariably advanced by all world religions — has been a driving force in the process
of unification and social maturation; religions have been the engines of the historical and evolutionary imperative of social cohesion
and unification.
» One may rightly ask: If religions have been promoters of “commitment to greater good” and of “cohesion”, how is it then that there
has been, and still is, such hatred and animosity between the followers of various religions, causing such political and cultural
conflicts, such human cruelty and perversity?
» Religion as a two-edged sword: (1) Religions have had an undeniable positive influence on humanity’s societal life — their dynamic
and regenerative impulse which, when in its full vigour, gives new energy to both the lives of individuals and the development of
culture.
» Religion as a two-edged sword: (2) Religions have also had an undeniable negative influence on humanity’s societal life — the
juxtapositions and destructive conflicts caused by the narrow interests and politicization of religious institutions and clergy saps
the flow human development and creativity and halts the original constructive impulse.
» For instance, during the Middle Ages, the Crusades and the war over Jerusalem were, supposedly, wars of religion; viewed in the
actual teachings of Christianity and Islam — the actual sayings of Jesus and Muhammad — these campaigns and their “justifications”
fall in sharp contrast against the spirit of the teachings of these religions; hence, the religions that were allegedly fought for, in fact,
stand against these wars.
» The concept of “religion” is, therefore, problematic: the word means two completely different things, referring to (1) the original
regenerative impulse brought by the life and teachings of the Founder Teacher of a religion, on the one hand, and to (2) the
subsequent dilution of those teachings with compromising interpretations and vested interests of religious leadership, on the
other.
» How can the regenerative and life-giving impulse of religion be maintained while, at the same time, avoiding the dilution of spiritual
teachings and the dogmatization, politicization and radicalization of religious communities?<br>
slide35. Lecture 5 (cont’d … ») : • The shared ethical and spiritual foundation of world religions (cont’d … ») :
» What commonalities can be found between the various world religions?
» The Golden Rule is the teaching that we should treat others as we ourselves would wish to be treated; it is an ethic variously
repeated in all the great religions of the world.
» Hinduism: “The true rule is to do by the things of others as you do by your own.” “This is the sum of all true righteousness: deal with
others as thou wouldst thyself be dealt by. Do nothing to thy neighbour which thou wouldst not have him do to thee after.”
» Judaism: “Whatever you do not wish your neighbour to do to you do not to him.” “What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow men.
That is the entire Law, all the rest is commentary.”
» Zoroastrianism: “As you do you will be done by.” “That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good
for its own self.”
» Buddhism: “One should seek for others the happiness one desires for one’s self.” “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would
find hurtful.”
» Christianity: “Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to them.” “As ye would that men
should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”
» Islam: “Let none of you treat a brother in a way he himself would dislike to be treated.” “No one of you is a believer until he desires
for his brother that which he desires for himself.”
» Bahá’í Faith: “If thou regardest Mercy, look not to that which benefits thyself; but to that which will benefit thy fellowmen. If thou
regardest Justice, choose thou for others that which thou choosest for thyself.”<br>
slide36. Lecture 5 (« … cont’d … ») : • The shared ethical and spiritual foundation of world religions (« … cont’d) :
» The Golden Rule, however, is only the basic ethic of moral behaviour — it is the expression of justice between human beings;
in fact, all great world religions go beyond that: they command their followers to exercise mercy to others, i.e. to return evil with
goodness.
» “A noble soul will ever exercise compassion even towards those who enjoy injuring others or those of cruel deeds when they
are actually committing them — for who is without fault?” (Hinduism)
» “Anger is never appeased by anger. Anger is appeased by loving kindness. This is an eternal truth.” (Buddhism)
» “Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to subdue hatred.” (Judaism)
» “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you.” (Christianity)
» “Moreover, good and evil are not to be treated as the same thing. Turn away evil by what is better, and lo! he between whom
and thyself was enmity, shall be as though he were a warm friend.” (Islam)
» “The religion of God is for love and unity; make it not the cause of enmity or dissension.” “Ye were created to show love one to
another and not perversity and rancour. Take pride not in love for yourselves but in love for your fellow-creatures. Glory not in
love for your country, but in love for all mankind.” (Bahá’í Faith)<br>
slide37. Lecture 5 (« … cont’d) : • The weakening of religion and the spread of secularization — material vs. spiritual views of human reality:
» RE: The concept of “religion” is, therefore, problematic: the word means two completely different things when referring to (1) the
original regenerative impulse brought by the life and teachings of the Founder Teacher of a religion, on the one hand, and to
(2) the subsequent dilution of those teachings with compromising interpretations and vested interests of religious leadership, on
the other.
» The spread of the latter meaning of the word “religion” has disillusioned (for good reason, too) the masses of people and has
prepared the stage for the spread of a narrow-minded commitment to selfish pursuit of happiness, instead of commitment to common
good; after all, as Jean-Paul Sartre (who was openly anti-religious) said: “Indeed, everything is permissible if God does not exist”.
» RE: The ‘pursuit of happiness’ is increasingly transmuted into an aggressive and almost unlimited self-justification to pursue one’s
own advantage without committing to common weal or a greater purpose ... ; this trend is steadily taking the role of a global ‘substitute
religion’.
» RE: … collapse in the sense of community and self-destructive behaviours inculcated by a dogmatic and lop-sided ideology ... Is
seen, for instance, in the damage done to generations of youth who were taught to believe that violence, indecency, and selfishness
are triumphs of personal liberty.
» The “creed” of the individualistic-materialistic dogma is simplicity itself: (1) reality, including human reality, is essentially material in
nature, (2) the goal of human life is the satisfaction of material needs and wants, (3) society exists to facilitate this quest, (4) the
collective concern of humankind should be an ongoing refinement of the system to be ever more efficient in carrying out this assigned
task.
» In this “creed”, religion is either (1) simply driven back into fanaticism and unthinking rejection of progress, or it (2) is reduced to a
kind of personal preference and a pastime designed to satisfy spiritual and emotional needs of the individual; the sense of community,
cohesion and mission that had defined the major world religions was sidetracked and stifled.
» The fundamental issue is: spiritual and materialistic conceptions of the nature of reality are irreconcilable with one another and lead in
opposite directions — intellectual honesty cannot accept that both would be true simultaneously; reality is either purely materialistic
and physical, or it is a versatile and complex entity of the material & the immaterial, the concrete & the abstract, the physical & the
spiritual.<br>
slide38. Lecture 6 (cont’d … ») : • Interfaith cooperation and possibilities of religious reawakening:
» The problem of the choice between the materialistic and the spiritual conceptions of reality is obvious: if one chooses the former,
the result is the social degeneration and collapse we see around us; but if one chooses the latter, the spectrum of competing and
conflicting religions is daunting.
» The dilemma of choice for any unbiased and honest seeker of truth will remain as long we fail to appreciate the foundational unity
of religions; this, in turn, will not be solved as long as the followers, and especially leaders, of various religions insist on their claims
of privileged access to truth.
» The experiences of the past century in “interfaith dialogue” and other “ecumenical attempts” are praiseworthy attempts to break the
walls of religious orthodoxy; the loosening of the grip of religious prejudice was first seen publicly in World’s Columbian Exposition
in 1893, during which a “Parliament of Religions” was prefigured, with a vision of spiritual and moral consensus and the goal of
“emancipating the world from bigotry”.
» The Parliament of Religions was a laudable attempt, no doubt, and it produced a new tradition of interfaith dialogue that still goes on
among open-minded and enlightened religious people, including some leaders of religion; however, these initiatives, well-intentioned
as they were, lacked both intellectual coherence and spiritual commitment.
» In so far as giving up the “monopoly of access to truth” is concerned, attempts have been utterly insufficient and inefficient: the
suggestion that all of the world’s great religions are equally valid in nature and origin is still stubbornly resisted — so fundamental
a reorientation religious leadership appears, for the most part, unable to undertake.
• The persistence of religious prejudices and intolerance — the responsibility of religious leaders (cont’d ... ») :
» The legacy of the twentieth century is that prejudices that once seemed inherent in the nature of the human species are everywhere
giving way; that so fundamental a change could occur in so brief a period — virtually overnight in the perspective of historical time —
suggests the magnitude of the possibilities for the future.
» A threshold has been crossed from which there is no credible possibility of return; fundamental principles (incl. those of universal
human rights) have been identified, articulated, accorded global publicity and are becoming infused into institutions capable of
imposing them on public behaviour.<br>
slide39. Lecture 6 (« … cont’d … ») : • The persistence of religious prejudices and intolerance — the responsibility of religious leaders (« ... cont’d) :
» Tragically, and unexpectedly (in view of the process of secularization), organized religion, whose very reason for being entails service
to the cause of brotherhood and peace, behaves frequently as one of the most formidable obstacles in the path; in particular, it has
long lent its credibility to fanaticism.
» The consequences of religious dogmatism, in terms of human well-being, have been ruinous; in addition to the spiritually fatal effect
of fanaticism, there is the betrayal of the life of the mind which, more than any other factor, has robbed religion of the capacity it
inherently possesses to play a decisive role in the shaping of world affairs.
» Religious reconciliation does not call for abandonment of faith in the fundamental teachings of any of the world’s great belief systems;
what is essentially needed, on the part of both religious leaders and the rank-and-file of believers, is the renunciation of all claims to
exclusivity or finality; these claims wrap their roots around spiritual life and suffocate impulses to unity, instead promoting hatred and
violence.
• Meaningful living and global ethos — prospects (cont’d ... ») :
» Religion has served throughout history as the ultimate authority in giving meaning to life; in every age, it has cultivated the
good, reproved the wrong, and held up a vision of potentialities as yet unrealized; from religious counsels people have derived
encouragement in overcoming limits imposed by the world and in fulfilling the yearnings of the soul.
» How is this “yearning of the soul” seen and expressed in ordinary daily life and situations?<br>
slide40. Lecture 6 (« … cont’d … ») : • Meaningful living and global ethos — prospects (« … cont’d … ») :
» Famous Finnish poet, Eino Leino, describes beautifully this inner yearning of the
human soul, in his poem “Hymn to the Fire” (in Finnish: “Hymni tulelle”, 1901):<br>
slide41. Lecture 6 (« … cont’d) : • Meaningful living and global ethos — prospects (« ... cont’d) :
» One thing that tackling the environmental crisis has taught us is, perhaps, also the most profound question humanity has ever
faced: How to envision humankind living on this planet with, simultaneously, a sustainable future and an interdependent civili-
zation?
» This question has forced us to look beyond technical solutions for immediate problems; humanity is now asking questions about
the consumer culture and its underlying values. One of the unique effects religious teachings have on human heart is that they
can relieve the human tendency toward greed & consumption and, instead, promote a sense of contentment.
» Establishing sustainable patterns of individual and collective life requires a new consciousness in human beings, including a
new conception of ourselves and our place in the world. From where will such a new consciousness arise? Where will the volit-
ion and self-discipline needed to implement it in countless habitats and environments be found?
» For instance, the capacity to sacrifice for the well-being of the whole, to trust and be trustworthy, to find contentment, or to give
freely and generously to others — the human heart is not inspired to such noble virtues by mere pragmatism or political necessity
nor even by ideology; these virtues arise from the deepest sources of human motivation and yearning. In this effect, faith and re-
ligion have shown to possess a unique capacity.
» In this sense, religion has been the chief force binding diverse peoples together in ever larger and more complex societies; in this
ever-expanding conception of society, the individual capacities have been released and found fuller expression; the global age we
have entered makes it possible for the entire human race to see this civilizing process as a single phenomenon.
» PRE: A sense of global responsibility and an accompanying culture of service are basic requirements of world citizenship.
» It is the scriptures of all religions that have always taught the believer to see in service to others not only a moral duty, but an avenue
for the soul’s own approach to God; today, the progressive restructuring of society, on a global level, gives this familiar teaching new
dimensions of meaning.
» The schools of the world face a real challenge in religion: Can they become genuine fora of the emergence of global ethos — can
teachers become promoters of ethical dialogue between various faith communities, taking the step beyond mere religious tolerance
towards religious reconciliation?<br>
slide42. “Right living is no longer the fulfilment
of an ethical or religious demand.
For the first time in history
the physical survival of the human race
depends on a radical change
of the human heart.”
• Erich Fromm (1976) • “Religion should unite all hearts
and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth,
give birth to spirituality, and bring life and light to each heart.
If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division,
it were better to be without it,
and to withdraw from such a religion
would be a truly religious act.”
• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1911) •<br>