Asserting the neutrality of Buddhism will not make alt-right and extremist Buddhist worldviews go away. What is needed instead is for there to be dialogue amongst Buddhist communities to acknowledge the values they wish to uphold—and, importantly, to clarify the values that go against the Buddha’s teachings.
News
From Hiroshima, UN chief calls for global nuclear disarmament
It is totally unacceptable for states in possession of nuclear weapons to admit the possibility of a nuclear war, António Guterres underscored early on Saturday in Japan at a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
“Nuclear weapons are nonsense. Three-quarters of a century later, we must ask what we’ve learned from the mushroom cloud that swelled above this city in 1945”, he urged during the solemn event at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park attended by dozens of people, including hibakusha, young peace activists, Japan’s Prime Minister and other local authorities.
The UN Secretary-General warned that a new arms race is picking up speed and world leaders are enhancing stockpiles at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars with almost 13,000 nuclear weapons currently held in arsenals around the world.
Tackling Human-Trafficking in Asia: Challenges and Best Practices
The Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network has been attending the issue of human trafficking as one of its program objectives. Human trafficking is at its highest in Asia and Oceania regions. An online seminar examining this issue will be held on Thursday, September 29th, 2022. There will be plenary and breakout sessions.
Remembering Hiroshima
“Nuclear weapons are nonsense. Three-quarters of a century later, we must ask what we’ve learned from the mushroom cloud that swelled above this city in 1945”, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gueterres urged during the solemn event at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park attended by dozens of people, including hibakusha, young peace activists, Japan’s Prime Minister and other local authorities.
Joint Interfaith Statement to the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Religions for Peace Australia has endorsed the Joint Interfaith Statement to the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The statement will also be read at an interfaith vigil coordinated by the URI Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons on Friday, 5 August at 2pm EDT. It will take place at the Tillman Chapel at the Church Center for the UN, and also via zoom.
Canberra: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions
Charlie Hogg, National Director of Brahma Kumaris Australia will give one talk on how the ancient wisdom from India can help us find solutions to modern problems at the Larry Sitsky Recital Hall, ANU, on evening of 5 August 2022 from 6:00pm.
This programme has been postponed.”Ancient Wisdom Modern Solutions” lead performer for this programme has COVID and so we are postponing this programme. We will let you know the details about this programme in future which is likely to be in warmer months.
NUCLEAR PRAYER DAY ~ AUGUST 6, 2022
On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 AM, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. Since then, the potential for nuclear catastrophe has grown to an unimaginable scale.
This August 6th, the 77th anniversary of that horrific tragedy, people around the world will be joining with Voices – United Religions Initiative – worldwide – in prayer for a future free from the threat of nuclear weapons. Many will be praying on August 6th, but also all weekend long.
Statement to the Tenth Review Conference of Parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Religions for Peace Australia actively seeks peace in Australia and worlwide: peace between faith communities and religions, and peace between nations. We believe that preventing – and seeking prevention of – multiplying and construction of nuclear weapons is critical to the well-being of all people who live on our only home – Planet Earth. With this purpose – central to our Religions for Peace purpose – we have signed the Statement to the Tenth Review Conference of Parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Faith Communities Supporting Healthy Family Relationships
From 2018-20, Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health was proud to partner with University of Melbourne to deliver a Participatory Action Research project called ‘Faith Communities Supporting Healthy Family Relationships.’
The project was established by the Multifaith Advisory Group (MAG) based on recommendations 163 and 165 of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence, and funded by the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Multicultural Affairs Unit.
Protect our planet with your superannuation
Is your Superannuation fuelling global warming by funding coal, oil & gas projects? Come and share, learn and discuss what actions we can take. You are invited to attend our free multifaith groups by registering for one of these free 90-minute online Australian Religious Response to Climate Change workshops about SUPERANNUATION on Thursday 11th August 2022.
Canada visit forces Pope to ‘slow down’
The Pope said the Canada trip showed he needed to slow down.
He said he had not considered resigning until now.
He strained his right knee ligaments earlier this year and treatment forced him to cancel a trip to Africa.
Australians reject discrimination that is based on religious belief
Analysis of the recent census results on religion and religous observance in Australia, new understandings have arisen regarding discrimination based on religious belief. The Australian Cooperative Election Survey (ACES) is a collaborative project involving Australian universities that used YouGov panel data and methodologies to study the 2022 federal election, has provided an analysis of the data, published in The Conversation.
Vatican commits to Paris Agreement
The news that the Holy See will be joining the Paris Agreement indicates that the Vatican will be stepping up its climate diplomacy. The Holy See has announced that, on 6 July, its Permanent Observer at the United Nations ‘deposited before the Secretary-General of the United Nations the Instrument with which the Holy See, in the name and on behalf of Vatican City State, accesses to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’. The announcement continued that the Holy See would be acceding to the Paris Agreement as soon as that treaty’s ‘legal requirements’ allow.
Christians in Jerusalem
After being received by representatives of the churches managing the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem on 15 July, President Joseph Biden was accompanied on a short tour to the site of the birth of Christ, where he was awaited by Patriarch Theophilos III, the Custos Father Patton, and the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Norahan Manugian, all of whom took Biden on a tour and exchanged discussion with him in the presence of a number of Palestinian officials.
Pope names three women to Vatican office overseeing bishop nominations
Pope Francis has named three women who will serve as members of the Vatican office that vets bishop nominations, in another first for women to have a say in Catholic Church governance.
Racism: It Stops with ME
Racism. It Stops With Me is a national campaign that provides tools and resources to help people and organisations learn about racism and take action to create change.
Celebrating the Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet and one of the most beloved and recognized leaders of our time, turned 87 on Wednesday.
His Holiness is the fourteenth person to be recognized as a Dalai Lama, believed to be a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. The self-proclaimed “simple monk” has dedicated his life to that spirit of compassion, and in turn has made a worldwide impact with his service as a statesman, spiritual teacher, and theologian. In this article we look at his life as inspiration for our own. These days, we need the Dalai Lama’s wisdom more than ever.
This teaching by the Dalai Lama explains how the Buddhist teachings of mindfulness and compassion lead inevitably to feelings of self-confidence and kindness.
Reuters: Interview with Pope Francis
In a 90-minute interview Pope Francis spoke on many topics including his health, abortion and travel plans.
The 85-year-old pontiff said resignation “never entered my mind” but may if his health failed him in the future.
He repeated his condemnation of abortion, following the US Supreme Court decision, comparing it to “hiring a hit man”.