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Foundations for Peace
Ninth in the Making Peace series
The Voices of History
Page Copyright © 2002 Dorian Scott Cole
Newsletter Content © 2002 Katherine Gordy Levine, M.S.W., E.F.T.; used by permission.
It has been my privilege over the last several years to correspond occasionally with Katherine Levine through a couple of lists, and come to appreciate her as a caring and compelling humanitarian and person of individual faith. I also am enriched by and recommend her books, and her newsletter. A therapist, she operates the Emotional Fitness Training program, and authors and publishes the Staying Strong Newsletter.
All of the Staying Strong newsletters are worth sharing (see the subscription information below), but I thought that sharing this one as part of my series on peace was especially appropriate. It speaks to two of my frequent themes: 1) that in this world we inherit a rich history that provides strong clues about how we should treat each other; and 2) that, "'Love your neighbor' doesn't stop at the person next door who looks like we look and thinks like we think. We are all neighbors over all the earth." It is my privilege to share the Staying Strong Newsletter, below, just as it appeared.
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Emotional Fitness Training, Inc.’s
STAYING STRONG NEWSLETTER
June 24, 2002
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This issue begins by looking at the Golden Rule across time
and culture, asks you to Right Two Wrongs, and ends with a very
little laugh.
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"This is the sum of duty. Do not unto others that which
would cause you pain if done to you."
Vedic circa 3000 BC
“What is hateful to you, do not to our fellow man. That is
entire Law, all the rest is commentary.
Talmud, circa 1300 BC
“Do not to your neighbor what you would take
ill from him.”
Pittacus, 650 BCE
"That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto
another whatsoever is not good for itself."
Zoroastrian , circa 600 BC
“Do unto another what you would have him do unto
you, and do not do unto another what you would not
have him do unto you. Thou needest this law alone.
It is the foundation of all the rest.”
Confucius, 500 BCE
“Hurt not others in ways, that you yourself
would find hurtful.”
Buddhism, circa 500 BCE
"One should treat all beings as he himself would be
treated."
Jain 500 BC
"Regard your neighbor's gain as your gain and your
neighbor's loss as your loss."
Tao 500 BC
"Do not do to others that which would anger you if
others did it to you."
Socrates, circa 470-399 BC
“Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.”
Thales, 464 BCE
“What you wish your neighbors to be to you,
such be also to them.”
Sextus, 406 BCE
“We should conduct ourselves toward others as we would
have them act toward us.”
Aristotle, 385 BCE
“Act toward others as you desire them to act toward you.”
Isocrates, 338 BCE
"Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors."
Seneca 5-65 AD
"Therefore all things whatsoever you desire that men should
do to you, do you even so to them. For this is the Law
and the prophets."
Jesus of Nazareth, circa 30 CE
"Be charitable to all beings, love is the representative of God."
Shinto circa 500 AD
"No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that
which he desires for himself."
Mohammed circa 620 AD
"We obtain salvation by loving our fellow man and God."
Sikh tradition,circa 1500 AD
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Across all centuries and in all corners of the world, religious
leaders and philosophers say the path to good life lies in being
caring and fair. Cross-cultural studies of morality support these
ideas; most people try to live in caring and just ways.
Why then has war been so much a part of human history and
why are we at war today? Because there is a strong human
tendency to put some people in the circle of care while others
remain on the outside. Six of the above quotes speak of the
Golden Rule in terms of “others,” three in terms of “neighbors,”
two of “fellow man,” two of “another,” one of “men,” one of
“inferiors,” and one of “brothers.” Only one refers specifically
to caring for “all beings.”
The further outside our circle of care another is, the more he or
she becomes “the Other.” Some humans can be placed so far
outside of this circle of care they are not even considered human.
The three following conditions intensify the tendency to place
others outside of the circle of caring: survival needs, particularly
during times of famine or war; greed--wanting to get what
others have or keep what you have; and finally, various power needs.
In a world where we could pool our resources, share our wealth,
and create enough for all, greed and power needs are the
primary forces keeping us from peace on earth. Wanting all to
believe as you believe is a power need. This is true even when
your beliefs are grounded in a greater good.
Most convert seeking religions believe their way is the only way
find a better life now and in the world to come. Non-believers or
infidels can’t get to heaven. Believing that and believing that one
should care for others as yourself, it can become a greater good to
seek converts. At the same time, as Walter Parker Stacy notes:
“History records the tragic fact that men have gone to war and cut
each other’s throats because they couldn’t agree as to what was
to become of them after their throats were cut.”
If I had all power, I would command all religions to let G-d
be the ultimate judge of whether a person is worthy of entry
into heaven. According to my beliefs, G-d is always the
ultimate judge and we should devote ourselves to building peace
on earth.
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The United Nations estimates that 38,200 children died of
hunger and malnutrition on September 11, 2001.
Feed the hungry: click here. http://www.hungersite.com
Visit http://www.tolerance.org Web project of the Southern Poverty
Law Center. This web site was named on June 19th as the Best Activist
Site last night at The 6th Annual Webby Awards, the leading international
honors for Web sites. It contains facts such as: “Every hour ...someone
commits a hate crime. Every day ...at least eight blacks, three whites,
three gays, three Jews and one Latino become hate crime victims”
More detailed news accounts of hate crimes and hate group
activities. For example: Scores of white supremacist events – hate
concerts, hate rallies, white pride conventions, cross burnings and
other gatherings-- have been scheduled from June to October. Sites
range from Oregon to Alabama. Is a hate rally coming to your
town? Experts say summer is the prime recruiting time for hate
groups. What are the key recruitment tools? Concerts and rallies.
Visit this Web site and find out whether one is coming to your
neighborhood.
Finally, this web site suggests hundreds of small and large steps you
can take to increase tolerance and reduce hate. Here is a menu of
things you can pick from as an this week’s exercise in righting a
wrong:
Attend a play, listen to music or go to a dance performance
by artists whose race or ethnicity is different from your own.
Read a book or watch a movie about another culture.
Attend services at a variety of churches, synagogues and temples to
learn about different faiths.
Shop at ethnic grocery stores and specialty markets. Get to know
the owners. Ask about their family histories.
Create a "diversity profile" of your friends, co-workers and
acquaintances. Set the goal of expanding it by next year.
Sign the Declaration of Tolerance and return it to:
The National Campaign for Tolerance
400 Washington Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
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A very small laugh: THE UNSPEAKABLE LAW:
As soon as you mention something- if it's good it goes
away- if it's bad, it happens.
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You can do any of the following: by
E-mailing us.
Find out how to make money doing good by becoming
an Emotional Fitness Trainer.
Get a personal consultation about a life problem. Everyone
who receives this news letter is entitled to one free E-mail
consultation.
Suggest a topic, quote, wrong to right, or a joke.
Become a guest contributor.
Subscribe friends, enemies, anyone you think needs help
Staying Strong to the newsletter.
Unsubscribe yourself.
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Feel free to send this letter to others you know who would
be interested in subscribing.
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Therapists, human services, and others can request a hard
copy attachment of the introductory Staying Strong
newsletter. Other therapists have found it useful to have
copies in their waiting rooms. Still others
have subscribed clients, staff, families to the
Staying Strong Newsletter. While Emotional
Fitness Training, is not therapy, it is a useful support
for those in therapy. Any therapist interested in expanding
into coaching should consider becoming an Emotional
Fitness Trainer.
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© Copyright by Emotional Fitness Training, Inc. When
sharing the entire newsletter including credits.
The words Emotional Fitness Training® and Emotional
Fitness Trainer® are registered trademarks and cannot
be used without permission.
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Katherine Gordy Levine, M.S.W., E.F.T.
The Emotional Fitness Training Center
135 West 238th Street, 2E
Bronx, NY 10463
718 601 6685
Other distribution restrictions: None
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