Date: Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 6:18 PM
Subject: [FHRS_USA] Pope Visit to US: demonstration and parade for Preservation of Religious Diversity
To: religious-freedom@yahoogroups.com, fhrs_usa <FHRS_USA@yahoogroups.com>
Please send this to your yahoo groups. thanks, sunanda
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Special request to all the Hindus to be part of this Parade during the visit of Pope to US
Join the Demonstration and Parade against conversion activities during Pope Visit to New York in April 2008. Pagan cultures from all across the World such as Native Americans, Russia, Greece, Lithuiania, Latvia, South America, Africa and others in US are participating in this.
Please sign the petition that will be submitted to UN General Secretary:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectreligions/
P.S. Click below to know more about alarming Missionary activities in India.
http://protectreligions.org/images/pdfs/threat%20to%20hinduism%20%28full%20version%29.pdf
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Demonstration and Parade for Preservation of Religions of the World during Papal Visit to United Nations & Yankee Stadium
Visit: http://protectreligions.org (professionally created website)
1) United Nations, Fri Apr 18th, 10AM - 1PM (Parade from UN to Gandhi Statue at Union Square Park)
2) Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, Sunday Apr 20th, 1PM - 4PM
Context:
Religion is the one of the most potent forces shaping world affairs. This has always been the case, but it is particularly true right now. Much of the charity as well as the strife in the world today is inspired by religion.
When religion can be such a force for love, compassion and spirituality, why is it also such a cause of strife and war? One specific aspect of some religions is the root cause of the problems: exclusive truth claims which teach that other religions are false and have to be eradicated through conversion and even killings.
Rabbi Harold Kushner summarized the "Only my religion is right" phenomenon as:
"There's a sense that in order for me to be right, everyone who disagrees with me is wrong. It makes religious interfaith cooperation more difficult. If I believe that, I have to believe that other people's religions are worthless, invalid."
"You have to understand that religion is not about getting information about God. Religion is about community. The primary purpose is not to get us to heaven but to put us in touch with other people. I can have fierce loyalty to my family without denigrating other people's family. I can have fierce loyalty to my own religion without denigrating other people's religion. In the same way, my neighbor can say that his wife is the most wonderful woman in the world. I can take that as a statement of love, not fact."
Diversity is the rule of the creation. Only in diversity can the human mind survive. Such diverse religions as the Hinduism, Zoroastrians, the Baha'i, Gnostics, Romuva, Druids, Slavic and Wiccans, the indigenous religions of Africa, Americas and Australia; Buddhism and the ancient and subtle I-Kuan Tao, all are faces of a grand prism expressing their understanding of creator and his creation that unites every human being, nay every creature and the creation itself.
But a great amount of this diversity was destroyed and continues to be destroyed by religions professing exclusive access to the mind of God and labeling all other spiritual traditions as evil. It is natural to have agreements and disagreements among religious philosophies, a very few aggressive religious groups express their intolerance to the extent of destroying other religions in order to establish their exclusivist truth claims beliefs. The degree of violence and hate perpetrated by such religions during last two centuries has been colossal in the history of mankind. Mahatma Gandhi called the religious conversions conducted by missionaries who convert and spread hate as the deadliest poison that ever sapped the fountain of truth.
During World Congress for Preservation of Religious Diversity in 2001, Swami Dayananda Saraswati said that the ancient religions of the world have become like endangered species. However, he said, unlike the endangered species, we can confer and therefore come together to find out ways and means to see that diverse religious traditions are saved. Conferences held by organizations such as ICCSUS, World Congress of Ethnic Religions (WCER) are helping to bring together traditions across the world. The Papal visit to United Nations provides the cultures of the world a great opportunity to bring international attention to the threat of religious exclusivism and its consequences for the world religions and humanity.
What is being planned? The plan is to do a Demonstration and a Parade during Pope's visit to UN on April 18th (10AM - 1PM) honoring native cultures of the world and highlighting each culture that was destroyed and the atrocities committed. The parade will include banners, posters and dramatizations, prayers. The parade will start at United Nations and will proceed through the middle of Manhattan in New York City and end at Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Union Square. We also plan to meet United Nations Secretary General to present our case. The message is not against Christianity, but against the practice of intolerance under the mask of exclusive faith claim which happens to be the root cause. We plan to highlight the works of eminent thinkers such as Mahatma Gandhi who stood against religions conversions and intolerance. Mahatma Gandhi, who is greatly revered in the West stood for brotherhood among religions. (Note: Similar demonstration and parade will also be held in front of Yankee Stadium, New York on April 20th, 1PM-4PM).
Why is this important? History showed to us that change never happens by itself. It requires a collective and determined action to bring about that change. Today, most conversions activities are planned, executed and supported by funds from the West, particularly the United States. Many times they are contributed by unwitting church goers who have little idea as to what their contributions are causing. The Roman Catholic Church along with various Protestant and charismatic groups are the prime movers of the global conversion enterprise. Media management by the Church promotes the image that missionary activity simply is spreading a gospel of love and compassion to the unfortunate peoples of the world. There is no public voice for the victim's story.
Why now? The pope's visit to UN attracts worldwide attention, and we plan to use this occasion to present the victim's side of the effects of missionary activity. Through this demonstration and parade, we plan to bring international attention to the relentless onslaught of religious conversion activity, what it has done and continues to do to the cultures of the world. Our goal is to create a counter discussion to the whole missionary activity, to raise awareness that this activity has a dark side.
Who is organizing this activity? The initiative to hold a demonstration and parade was started by a small group of individuals representing various native cultures. The word spread around the world through internet which resulted in tremendous response from various native culture groups around the world. This is sponsored by 'World Congress of Ethnic Religions'.
What you can do?
Join Demo/Parade: We earnestly request the various cultures of the world to take part in the Demonstration and Parade to present their case. This is a rare and unique opportunity that should not be missed because it gives exposure to World community the need for preserving all the cultures of the World. Register at http://protectreligions.org
Endorse us: We request every organization that support this cause to endorse this event for preserving cultures by sending email to protectreligions@gmail.com. Include the name of your Organization name along with a comment on the reasons why your organization support this activity. Endorsement can also be done at website http://protectreligions.org.
Sign Petition: Sign Petition to United Nations Secretary General at http://protectreligions.org. Contact members of your organization and friends to do the same.
What arrangements are made?
· For those attending from outside NY area such as from out of state or country any required hosting and transportation arrangements can be made upon prior communication to protectreligions@gmail.com .
- Bus arrangements can be made for within NY Tri State area, if needed.
· All the required signs, banners will be prepared by volunteers but the participants are encouraged to bring any such material they have for the event.
· Each native culture participants are requested to participate in their traditional attire.
For more information.
Web: http://protectreligions.org
Email: protectreligions@gmail.com
Phone: 847-462-4692
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