The NAIN Board gathered starting on Friday evening for an informal social time and met for a full day on Saturday and half day Sunday morning. Meetings consisted of committee reports and a budget review. The Board has taken a significant step to approve a deficit budget in order to accept a policy to support ten $500 young adult scholarships for NAINConnects and two interns for a $500 stipend and a $500 scholarship to the next Connect. An ad hoc committee has agreed to help finance this intention. We have benefited so greatly from our commitment to Young Adult involvement in our NAINConnects and in NAIN work. This renewed commitment has energized the Board. We hope that our NAIN membership will also be inspired by the young adults already committed to our work and to the wonderful inter-generational exchange that we now have at our Connects.

In attendance at the meetings were Sam Muyskens - Treasurer, Gail Allan, Bettina Gray – Chair, Kay Lindahl, Paul Chaffee, Woody Trautman, Jim Wiggins – Vice Chair, Betsy Wiggins, Brian Farr, Ursula Knudsen-Latta – Intern, Grove Harris, Rachael Watcher, Karen Boyett, Jason Smith, Andrea Parker – Intern, Rob Hankinson – Secretary/Chair Elect, and Judy Trautman.

Our 2010-2011 interns, Andrea Parker and Ursala Knudsen-Latta were made Corresponding Board Members for the meetings. Their assistance during the year and their active input to Board discussions was extremely helpful.

Sikh Gurdwara Visit

Early attendees and Board members visited the Sikh Gurdwara worship service and a delicious Langar lunch. The hospitality was exceptional. There was a tour of the new Gurdwara.

Sikh Gurdwara

We then returned to the hotel for registration.

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Screening of Globalized Soul

We had a special screening of the movie “Globalized Soul” with filmmakers Kell Kearns and Cynthia Lukas, who briefly introduced the film [reviewed in the previous NAINews].

One of the inspiring stories of the film is about Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, head of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order in the Holy Lands, who turned his home into a center where Christians, Muslims and Jews spoke and prayed together, learned of each other, and created grassroots projects for peace.

He founded a movement from these gatherings – The Jerusalem Peacemakers. Sadly, he died before the release of this film. His two sons came to this screening and spoke to us. I feel sure that they will carry on their father’s work.

Another inspiring figure in the film is Asha Mehta, a practitioner of Jainism, one of world's oldest religions. Asha and her husband Mahendra, both in their 70s, have given their lives to helping the poorest and most physically challenged of humanity. In the holy Jain city of Palitana they organized and ran a "Mega-Mobility Camp". With the help of volunteers from around the world, the two week "Camp" fit and distributed 29,000 artificial limbs, adult tricycles, wheel chairs, and hearing aids. All services were free.

Cynthia Lucas invites local communities to screen the film. If you contact her <CynthiaLukas345@msn.com>, she will try to arrange a visit of the filmmakers to your presentation. "Globalized Soul" will be live-streamed worldwide for the UN International Day of Peace on Sep. 21, 2011.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari

At the 2000 Universal Freedom Seder, interfaith event organized by Ruth Broyde Sharone, Izzeldin Bukhari, son of the late Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, accepts gift offered by Aaron Kessler, son of Rabbi Marcia Prager and Cantor Jack Kessler. The T-shirt reads: "Shalom Peace Salaam." Photo by: Ruth Broyde Sharone

Screening of Globalized Soul with Producer Cynthia Lucas, filmmaker Kell Kearns, and Sheikh Bukhari’s sons. Photos Lynne Eriksson

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Evening Program

The hotel provided nightly manager receptions. A Mariachi Band serenaded us in the ballroom entryway.

Manager’s Reception and Informal Networking. Photos Lynne Eriksson

Following that we had a lovely Mexican buffet dinner. Paul Eppinger, for the Arizona Interfaith Movement, and Bettina Gray, Chair of NAIN, welcomed us.

Dinner and Welcome. Photos Lynne Eriksson

The program began with brief interfaith invocations – Sounding of the Shofar – Fred Missle; Muslim Call to Prayer – Sid Shahid; Prayers by Sikh – Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa; Jain – Mahendra Shah, Christian Science – Blythe Evans, Native American Hoop Dancers.

Renee Morgan-Brooks and Zephryn Conte taught us a lively song, “Living the Golden Rule”, available on their CD “Passionate Soul of Creation”.

Ambassador Mussie Hailu of Ethiopia was the Keynote Speaker. His address follows.

Opening Remarks of Ambassador Mussie Hailu, Regional Director of United Religions Initiative for Africa and Board Chairman of Interfaith Peace-building Initiative at the North American Interfaith Network Annual Connect Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona from July 34 to 26 on the theme of “ Many People, Many Faiths, One Common Principle-The Golden Rule”

Read entire document at http://www.nain.org/news/MussieHailu.pdf

Following the speech, Mussie presented Paul McKenna with a Golden Rule Ambassador award; Paul McKenna, of Scarboro Missions, and Terry Weller, of Interfaith Unity News, presented Mussie with an award and t-shirt; and Mussie presented Paul Eppinger with a Golden Rule Ambassador award, which Paul extended to his whole team.

Award presentations at Opening Banquet – Photos courtesy of AZIFM.

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Mon. July 25

Breakfast Meeting - The Interfaith Observer

Thirty attended an early-morning breakfast discussion of The Interfaith Observer’s September launch at the North America Interfaith Network’s annual Connect, July 24-26, in Phoenix, Arizona. [Photo: Terry Weller]

http://theinterfaithobserver.org/

Eldred Spain and Bahá’í Devotions

Devotions

Eldred Spain (President of AIFM), greeted attendees and moderated the morning session. Devotional music and prayers were presented by the Bahá’í Faith.

Keynote Dr. Harry Gensler

Our morning keynote speaker was Dr. Harry Gensler, a Jesuit priest and professor of philosophy at John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH. http://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler/goldrule.htm

Gensler’s GR

Treat others only as you consent to
being treated in the same situation.

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Monday Workshops

Jeffrey Wattles: ”The Golden Rule and the Ethics of Reciprocity”

My workshop, “The golden rule and ethics,” used—approximately—the following text presented in PowerPoint slides and printed in a handout. I attempted to give some tips of icebergs to whet appetites and offer something immediately useful, drawing on my book. A beloved friend let me know that I tried to teach too much.

Lessons from the history of the Confucian golden rule

Lessons from the history of GR in ancient Greece

Lessons from the classical Jewish GR

The golden rule aligns with universal regard

A spiritual renaissance with the golden rule

— https://sites.google.com/a/kent.edu/jwattles/home/comparative-religious-thought/methods-in-the-study-of-religion/the-universal-family--more-than-metaphor

The golden rule and base desires

An interfaith puzzle with the golden rule

In conclusion, I left this as an interfaith, golden rule puzzle for the participants without attempting to sort things out. In Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, Ishmael is invited by his new friend, Queequeg, to join in pagan worship. Ishmael reflects: “But what is worship?—to do the will of God—that is worship. And what is the will of God?—to do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man to do me—that is the will of God. Now, Queequeg is my fellow man. And what do I wish that this Queequeg would do to me? Why, unite with me in my particular Presbyterian form of worship. Consequently, I must then unite with him in his; ergo, I must turn idolator.” (In the 1967 Norton critical edition, this is in chapter 1, p. 54).

One addendum I should make is the notice that my book, The Golden Rule, is no longer available online: Oxford is very definite about that, but the press has brought down the price to $29.95.

Read the entire text and updated reflection of Professor Wattles’ two addresses at http://www.nain.org/news/JeffWattles.pdf

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Betsy Wiggins: “Women Transcending Boundaries”

History of WTB http://www.wtb.org/?page_id=93

Acts of Kindness Weekend http://www.wtb.org/?page_id=1733

Betsy & Mussie -
Photo Betsy Wiggins

Paul McKenna: “The Golden Rule Curriculum for Schools”

Golden Rule Curriculum http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/curriculum.php

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Grove Harris: “The Golden Rule and the U.N.”

Grove Harris is a Representative to the United Nations, Temple of Understanding. She spoke about the United Nations Environment Programme.

http://www.un-ngls.org/IMG/pdf/TempleofUnderstanding-doc.pdf

United Nations Environment Programme - http://www.unep.org/

Grove Harris consults, speaks, and writes about religious diversity in America and the interfaith movement. Most recently she served as the program director for the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, orchestrating over 600 programs for the Parliament held in Melbourne, Australia, December 3-9, 2009. She has presented at the American Academy of Religion, Brandeis University, Harvard University, Union Theological Seminary, the North American Interfaith Network, and the Global Youth Leadership Institute. As a Peace Commissioner, she represented the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities in Krusevac, Serbia. Grove was the managing director for the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, and earned her Masters in Divinity from Harvard. She is a writer and sought-after speaker in the areas of Paganism and young adult interfaith engagement. She is a North American Interfaith Network trustee, co-chairing its Board Development Committee. [Bio from The Interfaith Observer]

Karen Boyett & Kay Lindahl: ”Women’s Leadership”

· What would a world with more women in leadership look like?

· Women meet in circles, not rows – theater style.

· Might be fewer wars, because women do not want to lose their sons, daughters.

· Hard role for women, because they have to ‘do it all’.

Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership: Where Grace Meets Power, To be published in October 2011 by SkyLight Paths Publishing

http://womenofspiritandfaith.org/index.cfm?preset=wheregracemeetspower

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Tour and Luncheon at the Hindu/Jain Temple

Group Photo at Hindu Jain Temple. Photo Ruth Broyde Sharone

Panel: “Broad Questions Faced by Interfaith in the 21st Century”

Paul Eppinger, moderator, Mr. Salim Jaffer, Muslim; Beverly George, Buddhist; Jason Smith, Young Adult; Rabbi David Kunin

Jaffer: Bring common humanity to the forefront in the midst of extremism. Art andfilm can do this. Iranian cinema offers examples - Majid Majidi, The Kite Runner movie are examples. Pluralism is the face of the 21st century. Look beyond the physical – respect differences.

Kunin: Golden Rule and other narratives of essential sameness are problematic. Declaration of Human rights is better than the Golden Rule.

George: Are we One? Interdependence

Smith: engage exclusivists, non-theists, agnostics; civic engagement – ethics of service and responsibility – shift away from spirituality; sustainability – foster spirit of collaboration Return to Contents

NAIN Annual General Meeting

After the formal meeting, we broke into groups to discuss how best to meet our mission.

L.D.S. Institute and Dinner & Young Adult program: Jason Smith

Kristy Bergman, Angela Butel, Joshua Cook, Katherine Allen King, Craig Phillips, Karen Boyett [behind],
Jason Smith, Anne Marie Roderick, Sana Saeed, Vanessa Gomez Brake, Honna Eichler, Brad Seligmann

The following are my notes from this discussion.

How the GR changed a situation –

Kristy – shared humanity and needs; Muslim and Christian women in Africa brought water to a village – water has no color, no religion

Josh – dialog between evangelical Christians and GLBT rights – shared value of common humanity improved level of dialog, language changed; to combat homophobia and bullying really saved lives

Social or political issue in your community that GR could solve

Brad – policy on immigration

Vanessa – she is Philippine, not African American or Latina; see people as humans, need more civil discourse

Katherine – South Carolina passed resolution similar to Arizona. If she were brown would she need a passport to prove citizenship?

Anne Marie – denominational conference on same sex union was very polarized. Would GR help?

Sana – Her middle brother is marked for deportation. Immigration laws can split families.

GR embodies solidarity and compassion overcoming barriers

Honna – Presbyterian – Jewish relations hold very opposing views. Start with a sense of relationship. Don’t try to solve the Middle East, but work on present relationship.

Katherine – has an interfaith family. Build relationships at dinner dialogs. A fundamental Christian was at first hostile to idea of Hindu arranged marriage, but eventually held wedding shower for her.

Craig – relationships inform. While in India, he learned about relating to Indians. Is married to an Iranian.

Josh – Zen, Onondoga, and campus were spiritual preparation. Blood is same as ocean, breathing. On a fundamental level we are all stardust. Told of a friendship with Muslim that started by arguing. Desire to learn from each other became a spiritual practice. When the Muslim friend asked him to pray with him, he burst into tears and felt converted to Islam.

Angela – Anthropologyis an opportunity to reach across boundaries, participating in the life of the people you are observing. Academic and interfaith work is coming to know people.

Sana – Interfaith group in Virgina come together to talk about issues, such as affordable housing and push the agenda. They can meet with congress to find housing, improve bus routes to services.

Have you ever felt that the GR does not apply?

Craig – when GR becomes a standard for judging other; when voices say a religion does not have it. Is it too general to have impact? Perhaps lacks core meaning.

Josh – It’s a form of violence to deny someone else’s integrity. It is possible to focus so much on unity that we forget the value of our differences. Peace doesn’t mean homogenized. In our distinctness we are cared for and not violated. Make room for people who are post-religious or secular.

GR has been criticized as being self-centered

Craig – I felt more connected to the Platinum Rule – treat others as they wish to be treated. Sincere concern for someone who you feel is needing someone. It is not bad to encourage religiosity from his lens.

Vanessa – At core, meet people where they are. Sometimes GR is too simplistic. Invite conflict – it can bring change.

Anne Marie – Within diversity there is something connecting us. SWholeness in knowing oneself – that helps relating to others.

Craig – I am not a pluralist, but an inclusionist. If I don’t embrace liberal interpretation, am I not accepted by the GR.

Younger generations are accused of being selfish, less compassionate.

Brad – Most of his work has been with interfaith youth. His HS youth are so passionate. The elders say, “we don’t do that”, “that’s a complicated issue”. The youth have unchained compassion.

Sana – HS students are an inspiration. ‘Lisa’ did a knitathon at Washington National Cathedral – knit hats, gloves, scarves for homeless – 100 doing it. Gen Ys [born 1981 – 2000 are ethnically diverse, most educated, politically progressive.

Honna – At CPWR youth saw need to include the marginalized. Blog for emerging and ethical religious leaders. They are intentional in reaching out to GLBT and diables. They are grateful for the foundation adults have laid.

Josh – Consumer culture shapes youth.

Anne Marie – 9/11 played role – the young do not remember when U. S. was not at war.

Brad – There is a growing grou of non-affiliated. How can we reach out to them. He told of youth who ‘ame out’ as an atheistic in a fundamental Christian group. “He did not buy it.”

Vanessa – 33% are spiritual, not religious; secular humanist. Return to Contents

Tuesday, July 26

Devotions

Sokka Gakkai Devotions - Dr. Susan Brewer, prayer, Sherry Roberson, Soloist;

Dr. Paul Eppinger, Moderator, Anne Taylor, Dr. Hedda Alsworth, S.S. Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa,
Rev. Dr. Mitzi Lynton, N. V. Shamasundar, Ahmad Daniels,– AIFM Board members.

Plenary Session: ARIZONA INTERFAITH MOVEMENT and the Golden Rule

http://www.azifm.org/

· Started at Ecumenical group, in 16 years grew to 22 faiths; have staff and offices

· After 3 years in the State Legislature, on May 13, 2003, Arizona became the first Golden Rule State – not a law in nature, but encouragment to treat each other with respect

· Developed Live the Golden Rule License Plate - in 2007, 500,000 license plates

· Educational effort – include in school curriculum - a tool for problem-solving - calling program AGREE, and that stands for Arizona Golden Rule Education Efforts

· 1 minute video – 13 Harkins Theaters ran it for 6 weeks, 5 times daily, 6825 ad a week, 1-2 million saw it

· After 9/11 a Sikh from their community was murdered; AzIM responded with prayer circle and gift, huge memorial at Civic Center, attended by Mayor, Governor

· Interfaith Calendar on tabloid size glossy paper – 1800 copies distributed by superintendent of Schools, so that classrooms are aware of Holy Days – will share the calendar electronically so other groups can personalize and use

· Books – Voices of Faith, vols I-II [soon to be III, endorsed by HH Dalai Lama] Our Voices of Faith books are filled with wonderful and inspiring information on comparative religion. Not only will you discover more about other religious traditions, but you will be inspired by the beliefs we share. This set of books, written by members of the Arizona Interfaith Movement, is a must-have collection for your library.

Description: Description: Description: Description: Interfaith Inspirations Interfaith Inspirations for Our Globalized World We live in a Globalized world. Even though we speak different languages, have different governments, live in different cultures, worship in different ways, and pride ourselves on our differences, we are too often ignorant about religious faiths other than our own. This book written by individuals from 22 different faith traditions helps to dispel the ignorance and misunderstanding of others that so frequently causes distrust, hatred, violence and war. 365 inspirational messages will give you an entire year of readings to live by—expressions of the Golden Rule in action.

· Experience Interfaith - meet and greet, then Sikh Langar vegetarian dinner and a small group discussion over moderated questions - “Faith Fair” to ask more questions about particular Faith Traditions.

· Faith Forums, Speakers bureau

· Voices of Faith and Songs Concert

· Golden Rule Awards Banquet

· Helping develop Interfaith Golden Rule merit badge for all Scouts – Canadians already have

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Tuesday Workshops

Jannet Nordemann — “Canadians for Compassion”

· Lawyer, she founded this Canadian response to Karen Armstrong’s Charter for Compassion

· London First "Compassionate City in Canada", but Jannet is looking for a country-wide endorsement

· According to the International Institute of Compassionate Cities, there are over thirty compassionate city campaigns in the United States, Amsterdam, Pakistan, United Arab Emeris, Israel and other locations world-wide.

· developing curriculum for all levels of education - University Heights Public School will be declared the first "Compassionate School" in Canada

· http://canadians4compassion.org/

· Jannet traveled across Canada to create Documentary Trailer: Conversations on the Road To Compassion http://canadians4compassion.org/campaignupdates/videos:a--KEimWEww

· Children’s Charter for Compassion - http://www.childrenscharterforcompassion.com/childrens_charter_for_compassion - less religious, from a child’s point of view

· Developed a ‘Compassion App’ for Apple, free for Candians

Dr. Harry Gensler — “Defending the Golden Rule”

http://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler/goldrule.htm

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Don Frew – “Weaknesses of the Golden Rule.”

(originally titled: “Am I not welcome?”: The Dark Side of the Golden Rule)

Elder Don Frew, Covenant of the Goddess, NAIN Connect 2011, Tempe AZ

Good morning. My name is Don Frew.

As mentioned after breakfast, this talk isn’t really Weaknesses of the Golden Rule; the title in the program book is an error. It’s actually “Am I not welcome?”: The Dark Side of the Golden Rule and it addresses many of the same concerns brought up by Rabbi David Kunin and Jason Smith on yesterday’s panel.

Introduction

I think I bring an unusual perspective to this topic.

On the one hand… I’m about as much of an interfaith movement “insider” as one can be. I joined the Berkeley Area Interfaith Council in 1985 and have been doing interfaith work on behalf of my faith tradition for over 25 years. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio and on the Global Council of the United Religions Initiative. I represented my religious organization, the Covenant of the Goddess, at all of the modern Parliaments of the World’s Religions, where I was invited to join the Parliament’s Assembly of the World’s Religious & Spiritual Leaders in 1998.

On the other hand… I’m a Witch. That’s about as much of an “outsider” as one can be. There are still interfaith councils in the US that won’t allow Witches to join. Even worse, there are many places in the US where people still lose pets, jobs, child custody, or even their lives for being Witches. So the topic of inclusion and exclusion in interfaith is one that is dear to my heart.

[…]

Conclusion

While sharing similarities allows us to find the common ground to build relationships and then friendships, we won’t achieve peace until we use that safe space to share and accept our differences… to truly accept all faiths.

To do that we need to be more careful about the way we present ourselves, the language we use, and even the way we structure our meetings. We need to be open to engaging religions on their own terms, without preconceptions of what religion is or what we “all” supposedly share, avoiding syncretism and respecting the integrity and uniqueness of each faith tradition and the boundaries that can make dialog and cooperation difficult, but not impossible.

Read the complete text of Don Frew’s presentation at http://www.nain.org/news/DonFrew.pdf

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Rev. Sam Muyskens — The Wichita, KS Golden Rule Project

Three Golden Rule Retreats to Choose From:

Event I

Golden Rule Youth Retreat

(High School Age Youth)

Sunday, March 6. 5:00-9:00 p.m.

Location: Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue

Event II

Curriculum Training Workshop

Monday, March 7, 2011,

6:30-9:30 p.m.

Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church

Event III

Golden Rule Adult Retreat

When: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 6:00-9:30 p.m.

Location: Lorraine Ave. Mennonite Church

PLUS

Three Condensed Golden Rule Lunch Hour Experiences To Choose From:

Event IV

Introduction to

Golden Rule Leadership Curriculum

Introduction of the Curriculum from a more secular leadership perspective

http://globalfaithinaction.org/?p=1136

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Free-time to connect with other participants

Lunch – Coexist Foundation

http://www.coexistfoundation.net/en-gb/home/1/home.htm

The Coexist Foundation is a charity which works to promote understanding and respect between Jews, Christians and Muslims through education, dialogue and research.

Coexist Prize - To showcase powerful stories of individuals bringing people of different faiths together, and give impetus to these endeavors

Understanding Islam quiz on App Store

Understanding Faiths

‘Understanding Islam’ is the first in our series of internet learning resources designed to give an accessible but thorough introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

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Bud Heckman

Afternoon Workshops

Izzy Kalman: “The Golden Rule Solution to Racism and Prejudice”

Eliminating racism and prejudice has been a major concern for social activists for many decades, yet the results have been limited, and racism and prejudice continue to plague most societies in the world.

Mr. Kalman suggested that the reason for these limited results have been that the emphasis has been put on the wrong side of the equation. The expectation has been that the people bearing the prejudicial attitudes are the ones who need to change by giving up their prejudice. However, few people believe they are prejudiced. When we harbor negative attitudes towards members of another group, we tend to believe that our views about them are objective assessments, and that they are the ones who are imperfect and need to change.

Izzie presented a powerful, entertaining and counterintuitive approach to using the Golden Rule to ending hostility and promoting harmony. The Golden Rule, he explains, is not needed to teach the obvious lesson that it is bad to be an abuser, but is actually a formula for how not to be a victim! It is easy to be nice to people who are nice to us.

The problem is, What should we do when people are not nice to us? If we expect them to be responsible for changing, we are likely to be victims for eternity. But when we learn how to use the Golden Rule, we can turn our enemies into friends. Rather than depending upon others to willingly give up their prejudicial views, we can get them to relinquish their prejudice towards us easily and quickly, without anyone else’s help, through the simple power and wisdom of the Golden Rule.

Israel Kalman

Ivan Cendese and Izzie Kalman roleplay

This entertaining and eye-opening presentation:

1. Explained that the Golden Rule is a scientific rule for creating harmony.

2. Presented a set of simple, but not obvious, rules for turning enemies into friends.

[from Editor’s notes

a. Refuse to give the power to get me angry

a. Anger feeds our enemies. Treat everything you tell me as if coming from a friend. Love criticism – it will bring you to your highest level.

b. I will not be afraid of you – it is the weaker position.

c. I will not defend myself from you - it is the weaker position.

d. I will not attack you. This puts stop to the attack.

e. If you hurt me, I am only going to let you know that you hurt me, not get angry. Pain to anger is instant reflex. But if I get angry, I will not get what I want.

f. Don’t tell authorities – talk directly to the person – unless crime has happened or is likely to happen.

g. Don’t be a sore loser. If you are cheated, you can say it, but don’t get angry.]

3. Used role-playing to demonstrate how to use these Golden-Rule-derived rules for ending racism and prejudice and improving attitudes of groups towards each other.

Presenter: Israel (Izzy) Kalman, MS, Nationally Certified School Psychologist

Mr. Kalman has been working as a school psychologist and psychotherapist since 1978. He is Director of Bullies to Buddies, Inc., an organization he created to teach people how to use the Golden Rule to stop being victims of bullying in school, at work, in the home, and throughout life. He is author of a book for youth, Bullies to Buddies: How to turn your enemies into friends, and other products and publications on solving bullying and relationship problems. He has the dubious distinction of being the world’s most serious critic of the anti-bully movement, a movement that is well-intentioned but dismally failing because it is a flagrant violation of the Golden Rule. His website, www.Bullies2Buddies.com, has free manuals that have been helping children and schools throughout the world reduce bullying by teaching the correct application of the Golden Rule. His website also has a free manual, The Golden Rule Solution to Racism.

For the past nine years, Mr. Kalman has been teaching his powerful techniques to mental health professionals and educators throughout the U.S. and Canada under the auspices of Cross Country Education, a leading provider of continuing education to professionals. 40,000 people have thus far attended his full-day seminars.

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Ruth Broyde Sharone / Sande Hart: ”Beyond Theories, Were the Rubber Meets the Road”

What would you do in an interfaith stand-off when you are trying to apply the Golden Rule and one or more people would have to compromise their religious traditions?

A case study was shared involving a Buddhist, a Hindu, and a Jew, These were some of the questions that were posed.

What is the right thing to do?

What is the decent thing to do?

What is the respectful thing to do?

Does one of us have to compromise to make it alright for the other two?

Can someone in this situation compromise without feeling resentful?

Will the decision we ultimately make change the nature of our relationships, our friendships?

What would God want us to do? Or Buddha? Or Krishna?

After hearing the case study, the audience was asked to break up into small "pods" and, if possible, come up with a solution that would be respectful to all three people caught up in this interfaith drama. Each of the small groups than offered a summary of their deliberations to the entire group.

www.filmsthatmatter.com Return to Contents

Photos Ruth Broyde Sharone

Jeffrey Wattles: “Taking Interfaith Golden Rule Movements to the Next Level”

Our days together gave me a crash refresher course in interfaith dialogue. It was delightful to meet so many new people, to learn so much in those intensely packed days, and to rise as quickly as I could to the challenge of two contrasting moments. One was symbolized by the song, “Livin’ the Golden Rule,” and the other by the critical and cautionary notes sounded by Rabbi David Kunin, Don Frew, and Craig Phillips. The lessons I began to learn apply as well to teaching, writing, and evangelizing. I am continuing to think about what adjustments in my practices will do justice to what I have begun to learn from each interaction.

Read the entire text and updated reflection of Professor Wattles’ two addresses at http://www.nain.org/news/JeffWattles.pdf

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Plenary Small Group Discussion: “Where Do We Go From Here”

Small groups discussed what where we needed to go next. Report outs included more emphasis on youth, local recognition of UN initiatives, inclusion of evangelicals and conservatives in the conversation, inclusion of secular or non-theists and those not subscribing to a traditional faith in the conversation.

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Sybil Eppinger moderator

Anne Taylor & Karen Boyett recorded. Photo Lynne Eriksson

Feature Movie: “Animating the Golden Rule”

“Scarboro Missions’ Golden Rule movie has been released in the United States under the title – “About the Golden Rule.” This movie is very useful to teachers, youth leaders and interfaith educators because of its themes of youth, global citizenship, multifaith, multiculturalism, ethics, diversity and the arts. The DVD features Eleventh Grade students in three Toronto high schools embodying golden rule values in skits, artwork, interviews, music, dance, and rap.

The film eloquently demonstrates how character education can be engendered in young people using play, fun, creativity and the arts. The movie also contains a comprehensive introduction to the concept of the Golden Rule which is helpful for both teachers and students. This film has been used for teacher-training particularly in religious education, multicultural studies and world religions.

Thematic to the movie is the Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Poster which has achieved international renown as an educational and interfaith resource. The poster features the Golden Rule – symbolically and scripturally – in 13 religions. This groundbreaking movie was produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker, Tina Petrova (Rumi: Turning Ecstatic).

To view a four-minute segment of the Golden Rule movie, click this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewp4k4-X_E8

You can order the movie from Choices Video:http

://www.choicesvideo.net

Tel. (888) 570-5400 E-mail getinfo@choicesvideo.net Return to Contents

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