Friday, July 8, 2005

Interfaith voices on the tragedy in London 11:09 am edt

 

A state of One must persist even in the face of great tragedy and evil. These voices help us move, ever so slowly, to a Culture of Peace. In a remote area of Afghanistan a huge sleeping Buddha of compassion sleeps under the earth. I pray that together we can awaken compassion from her sleep and move it into our hearts and across the world.

 

May Peace prevail.

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends:

United Muslims of America Interfaith Alliance along with numerous mosques and Islamic institutions have condemned the "Terrorist" acts in London, U.K.

We, American Muslims support our Government, the British Government and any Government in all its efforts to wipe out terrorism from the global scene. 

We pray for the lost lives and hope for quick recovery of people injured due to the terrorist actions.

Iftekhar Hai, URI supporter and Trustee at Large

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Dear Friends:

I arrived in London a few hours after the bombings yesterday and was 
impressed on how strong the British people seemed in their resolve to 
move forward as quickly as possible.

I was also impressed that unlike the U.S. media the British media 
seemed deliberate in saying pointing out that there are many peace 
loving people that are Muslim and that these acts were in fact not 
authentic Islam.

It seems to me that the more acts of violence done in the name of any 
religion are condemned as not being
authentic religion the less appeal terrorist groups will have to 
religious fundamentalists.

As the prayer below from the NCC USA says, there are many ways we 
need to work toward peace.

Be Well

Dave Randle

"The National Council of Churches joins in prayer for those who were 
injured and offers its sympathy to those who lost loved ones in the 
mass transit bombings in London today.  Such violence never serves to 
advance a cause or a viewpoint, but merely strengthens the resolve of 
those who are attacked.  Even as we heighten our vigilance and seek 
to bring the perpetrators to justice, we must also continue to pursue 
peace in a thousand ways .  May God grant us PEACE!

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We share the British and the world's sorrow for the
senseless killing of and injuries to innocent people
as a result of the bomb blasts in central London.

Acts of violence to resolve conflict anywhere in the
world, at any period in history, achieves naught, as
violence only begets further violence.

Terrorism perpetuated by individuals, organisations or
, worse still, state sponsored,  only escalates  a
vicious cycle of  enmity and hatred.

If indeed today's bombings were carried out by
Al-Qaeda , as alleged by the British authorities, or a
related organisation in the name of Islam, we condemn
this brutal and inhumane action in no uncertain terms.

Nowhere in this religion of peace, mercy, compassion
and complete submission to the Almighty is the killing
and maiming of innocents ever permitted.

We believe this is a position shared by all religions,
and spiritual/indigenous traditions.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families
of the bereaved and pray for the quick and full
recovery of those injured.

We pray to the Almighty to give us fortitude in this
most trying of times and may He grant us the elusive
peace that the world so covets.

Whatever it takes, we will work together with our URI
family and all the peacelovers to overcome the
destructive elements that threaten our lives.

May Peace Prevail on Earth!

Dr Amir Farid Isahak
Chairman
INSAF/URI Kuala Lumpur CC

LIVE8 - THE BIGGEST SPIRITUAL EVENT EVER - JOIN IN
by William Bloom
info@williambloom.com

LIVE8 - THE BIGGEST SPIRITUAL EVENT EVER - JOIN IN WITH MEDITATION,
PRAYER AND HEALING

This Saturday's Live8 Concert will be the biggest spiritual event that
humanity has ever experienced.
   
This is an extravagant claim, but two things are for certain. First, never
before in the history of humanity have so many people been involved in a
single shared experience. Second, the core of the experience is both
celebratory and moral - 'spiritual' by any other name.
   
The figures and reality of the event are impressive and worth repeating.
Live8 will be the biggest broadcast ever, with more than 5.5 billion
people able to tune in through a variety of media. The global population
today stands at 6.5 billion which means that 85 per cent of all people
will be able to watch or listen to the concert. This surpasses the
previous 2004 record of the 3.9 billion people who watched the Olympic
Games.
   
No matter how cynical some may be about its showbiz buzz, the whole
happening can be positively described as contemporary collective religion
and spirituality at its best. It has all the features of great worship.
Song, rhythm and noble ideals.
   
Whether it is the Gregorian chant of Christian monks, hymn singing, tribal
and pagan dance, Buddhist mantras, Islamic song-prayers or one of the many
other cultural forms - throughout history, in all times and places, people
have come together to share their spirituality through music.
   
Today the shared music of our globe is rock and pop.
   
This Saturday the congregation is almost everyone on the planet.
   
Global, collective worship.
   
And the event has depth - the depth of true meaning, compassion and
relevance. It is concerned with the suffering and deaths of millions of
children and adults, condemned by a poverty that can be remedied. It will
raise consciousness and open hearts.
   
It is fully engaged in social and political realities, bringing direct
pressure to bear on the 8 world leaders who will meet in Scotland for the
G8 summit and who have the opportunity now to increase aid, release debt
and create a global trading system that is fair, immediately saving lives
that are otherwise slaughtered by our gods of uncaring commerce and power
politics.
   
But as a spiritual event, Live8 will also carry atmosphere and energy. It
will call in and transmit love, compassion and connection. Anyone who
remembers the LiveAid concert of 20 years ago, or the opening and closing
of the last Olympic games, will remember the powerful emotion and energy
of those events.
   
This Saturday, then, is also an opportunity for prayer, meditation and
healing.
   
There is occasion here for everyone to participate. As well as being
enthusiastic supporters and spectators, we can also give co-creative
spiritual engagement. Whatever the event appears to be on the outside, in
the inner world it also has immense power.    During the worldwide
concert, we can pray and meditate for global healing and justice for all
the world's people.

We can call for and send healing.

We can increase our commitment to a life style that harms no one and no
being.
   
Religion by religion there is a common myth that their saviour will return
and lead humanity to a better world, to heaven on earth. This is an old
model, a hope dependent on a single leader. Today's world is more
democratic, less hierarchical. There is the possibility that humanity as a
whole can manifest its spirituality and love of freedom. As with the fall
of the Berlin Wall or the response to the Tsunami disaster, the heart and
passion of humanity can manifest in enormous group events.

As we know every few seconds a child dies of extreme poverty. A lost life,
a devastated family.  I cannot live with this any more. Most of us cannot
bear it.
   
Linked by the global communications network, linked by our shared prayers
and meditations, let this coming Saturday truly be the greatest spiritual
event ever.  Let it move and transform the hearts of all of us,
manifesting practically in a transformed world.
   
Enjoy the party. Anchor the passion. Heal the world.

William Bloom
June 2005
www.williambloom.com
www.holism.info

The Planetary Awakening Network
http://www.planetawake.org
contact Maggie Erotokritou
surya@spidernet.com.cy