Tasmania: May 2019

Tasmania LogoGreetings of peace! The world has watched in horror over the last few weeks as, one after another, places of worship have been violated by terrorists during times of worship, two of them targeted on specially holy days.  We have all mourned together and held each other in prayers and in light and supported each other with love and compassion, so that through the tragedies, closeness and understanding may be fostered. For our gathering this month we will join with Tom Teniswood and Byakko Shinko Kai in the Symphony of Peace Prayers.


Greetings of peace!
The world has watched in horror over the last few weeks as, one after another, places of worship have been violated by terrorists during times of worship, two of them targeted on specially holy days.  We have all mourned together and held each other in prayers and in light and supported each other with love and compassion, so that through the tragedies, closeness and understanding may be fostered.

Our efforts have been renewed to deepen the peace and understanding between our different faith communities at every level.

Many messages of support and solidarity have resulted, including recently the two below from the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, of which Religions for Peace Tas is a member.

For our gathering this month we will join with Tom Teniswood and Byakko Shinko Kai in the Symphony of Peace Prayers.  Details are below and a flyer is attached.  May peace prevail on earth …

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Holy Days and Festivals in April

DateReligionFestival
6 May Islam
Ramadan begins
18 MayBuddhismVesak
24 MayBaha'i Declaration of the Bab
29 MayBaha'iAscension of Baha’ullah
1 JuneIslamLailat al Qadr 
5 June IslamRamadan ends, Eid ul Fitr 
9 JuneJudaismShavuot
9 JuneChristianity (Western) Pentecost
16 JuneSikhismMartyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev

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Message from the Parliament of the World’s Religions on the recent tragedy at Chabad of Poway:

The Parliament of the World’s Religions extends its deepest condolences to the victims of the anti-semitic shooting attack that occurred this past Sabbath in the Poway community. On Saturday,      April 27th the Chabad of Poway Synagogue was attacked by a shooter who killed one person, injured three and irrevocably affected the community.

Just last week, we condemned the terror attacks that took place in Sri Lanka, and once again we are saddened by this violation of a sacred space and life. We condemn this and all acts of terrorism against all peoples.

We unequivocally condemn anti-semitism and stand with the Jewish community in Poway and around the world.

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Message from the Multicultural Council of Tasmania:

In very recent times, we have witnessed immeasurable tragedy around the world and in response have felt great sadness here amongst our Tasmanian communities, expressed by you, our members.

On behalf of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, I express our sincere thanks for your courage, compassion and humanity, over the past few weeks.

Violence in any form is unacceptable and the violence recently visited upon New Zealand and Sri Lanka has shown that in face of great tragedy, love and compassion still reign supreme, here in Tasmania.

Tragically, we now see that a further catastrophe has occurred in a Synagogue in California with the shooting of more people, whilst in their place of worship. As members of the international community, it is incumbent upon us all to name these acts for what they truly are, that is violence against humanity, all humanity.

Failure to recognise that violence against another human being is an attack on life itself represents our failure to identify with each living human being on the planet, irrespective of religion or race. These are not just attacks on religion. They are attacks against you, me and every person who shares planet Earth. We’re in this together. We all have a role to play and cannot extricate ourselves from these tragic events. Failure to do so is a failure to engage and empower every living person against the mantra of hate and violence.

Here in Tasmania we have amongst us leaders who recognise the significance of these attacks upon each of us. This past weekend leaders and community members came together from many different cultural backgrounds and religious faiths to share words of love, compassion and to denounce violence.

Our Tasmanian religious leaders and representatives taught us a valuable lesson in what harmony and leadership truly mean. United voices from Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist and Christian leaders spoke of unity, peace, love and compassion for each other, not as religious beings but as human beings.

Peace gatherings with all faiths around the country in recent weeks have also proven that life itself is sacred, irrespective of belief or background and that together we can all be free.

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Baha’i Community: Soul Food

This month Soul Food celebrates 10 years of presentation of this free community event.

This program “A Home of Joy and Delight”  will explore the importance of families, and how unity and peace in the home can profoundly impact unity and peace outside the home and aims to reflect the spiritual nature of love and how we respect our fellow man.

The music for this program will be the renowned Ishvari Devi (Dance) Deo Bosco (guitar) and Toby Straton (piano). We welcome you to invite family and friends to come and enjoy this free community event. Refreshments will be served.

Hope you can join us at the Baha’i Centre of Learning, 1 Tasman Highway 3m Sunday 5th as we celebrate this unique event. More information, contact Val De Nadai for the Soul Food Team   0404080768

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Hindu Society of Tasmania
The next satsang for the group discussion of the Vivekachudamani of Shankara will be held on Monday 6 May from 6.30-.8.00pm at the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave., Sandy Bay.

The Vivekachudamani is a group of poetical couplets authored by Shankara around the eighth century and examines non-dualism, one of the classical orthodox philosophies of Hinduism.  Everyone is welcome!  

Enquiries to Sree at njeyasreedharan@gmail.com or 0413 936 936

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Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre:
Coaching the Mind: a workshop and meditation

Are you thinking a lot and not getting things done?
Feeling stressed, unhappy or unsatisfied?
Wishing to develop positive attitudes to protect yourself from negative influences?
You may find this Coaching the Mind workshop helpful.  A flier is attached.
If we can coach our minds using kindness and care, we can focus our thoughts on love, peace and wisdom in a consistent way.
The facilitators are Kim Ooi and Helen Ong, experienced meditators and teachers from Malaysia.
When: Tuesday 14 May from 7.00-8.45pm
Where: Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd (Cnr of Bell Street), New Town.
Booking: 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org
Download a Flyer for this event

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Symphony of Peace Prayers
Join us at Wind Song to participate in our annual World Peace Flag Ceremony and the planting of a new Peace Pole on the land recently gifted to the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council.

“The gift of land has allowed Aboriginal people to come home to our mother’s country,” Michael Mansell.

Everyone is invited to bring a picnic lunch and gather at Wind Song from 11am on. We will begin to walk to the land at 1pm and our Peace Flag Ceremony will be at 1.45pm. Everyone is then invited back to Wind Song for a ‘cuppa’! Transport to and from the land will be provided for those who need it. Please be prepared for all weather, as we will be outdoors for the Ceremony.

“Let our two worlds combine –yours and mine. The door between us is not locked-just ajar,” Aunty Dawn Blazely.

RSVP Wednesday 15th May
For more information contact Tom Teniswood on 0418995319 or email windsong@skymesh.com.au
Please note, that as it is conservation land, no dogs are permitted.
Infinite love, happiness and laughter,
Download an invitation to the Symphony of Peace Prayers for Saturday 18 May 2019.

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Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
Living the Change Leadership training webinars to support us in talking to our faith groups about the climate crisis.

A webinar series will begin on Wednesday 29 May 7pm AEST and run for three Wednesdays. The sessions will go for no more than 1.5 hours.

I’d like to especially draw your attention to the request that some of you start a later leadership training webinar series on May 29. We do need a good number of volunteers who can help us rollout our ambitious program for 2019 which involves creating more opportunities for peer-to-peer coaching and support.  

This will be an online meeting using Zoom.
Please contact Thea Ormerod for login details.
M: 0405 293 466
E: chair@arrcc.org.au

Webinar presenters will be

Philippa Rowland, Buddhist, President of the Multi-Faith Association of SA, Committee member of Religions for Peace, with qualifications in sustainable agriculture and long experience in climate activism Mark Delaney, Christian, author of Low Carbon and Loving It, climate activist, and lived in India serving people in the slums for much of the last 25 years Thea Ormerod, retired social worker, long-time justice advocate, coordinator of ARRCC’s LtC campaign in Australia.

There are some pre-readings, available from Terry. The readings will give you a better sense of how ARRCC, as a Partner of the global Living the Change (LtC) campaign, is approaching encouraging people of faith to work towards more climate-friendly lifestyle change. During the webinars, we will prepare you to guide the discussion within (1) the “Suppers” structure and (2) the workshop structure, each of which is a different context for adult learning.

You may also like to browse the revised website with its much-simplified, freshly launched commitment tool!
Check out https://livingthechange.net/

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more! Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
We would like to invite you to our national AGM to be held on Thursday 6 June 2019 from 7.00-8.30pm.. 

The guest speaker is Maina Talia, a Theology PhD candidate from Tuvalu. He is co-chair of the Global Forum of Indigenous Peoples on Climate Change, and has represented the views of Pacific peoples at UN climate negotiations. His topic is: “The experience of Pacific peoples, and whether their voices being heard at UN climate negotiations.”

The Tasmanian hub for the AGM will be at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd (cnr Bell St) New Town.

A light vegetarian meal will be served from 6.15pm.  If you would like to join us, could you RSVP to Terry by 5 June and let us know if you have any special dietary requirements? 

A donation to help us cover the cost of the meal would be appreciated.
Contact person is Terry Sussmilch at sussfam@bigpond.com or 0438 069 728.
With warmest blessings,
Thea Ormerod

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From Zenit:

A bloody year for Christians:
https://zenit.org/articles/acn-reports-on-bloody-year-for-christians/

Catholic Churches in England and Wales work towards Zero emissions:
https://zenit.org/articles/church-in-england-and-wales-welcomes-net-zero-report/

No revenge for the attacks in Sri Lanka:
https://zenit.org/articles/the-federation-of-asian-bishops-no-to-retaliation-and-revenge/
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Albert Einstein to his daughter Lieserl:
Albert Einstein and his daughter Lieserl

“When I proposed the theory of relativity, very few understood me, and what I will reveal now to transmit to mankind will also collide with the misunderstanding and prejudice in the world.

I ask you to guard the letters as long as necessary, years, decades, until society is advanced enough to accept what I will explain below.

There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us. This universal force is LOVE.

When scientists looked for a unified theory of the universe they forgot the most powerful unseen force. Love is Light, that enlightens those who give and receive it. Love is gravity, because it makes some people feel attracted to others. Love is power, because it multiplies the best we have, and allows humanity not to be extinguished in their blind selfishness. Love unfolds and reveals. For love we live and die. Love is God and God is Love.

This force explains everything and gives meaning to life. This is the variable that we have ignored for too long, maybe because we are afraid of love because it is the only energy in the universe that man has not learned to drive at will.

To give visibility to love, I made a simple substitution in my most famous equation. If instead of E = mc2, we accept that the energy to heal the world can be obtained through love multiplied by the speed of light squared, we arrive at the conclusion that love is the most powerful force there is, because it has no limits.

After the failure of humanity in the use and control of the other forces of the universe that have turned against us, it is urgent that we nourish ourselves with another kind of energy…

If we want our species to survive, if we are to find meaning in life, if we want to save the world and every sentient being that inhabits it, love is the one and only answer.

Perhaps we are not yet ready to make a bomb of love, a device powerful enough to entirely destroy the hate, selfishness and greed that devastate the planet.

However, each individual carries within them a small but powerful generator of love whose energy is waiting to be released.

When we learn to give and receive this universal energy, dear Lieserl, we will have affirmed that love conquers all, is able to transcend everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life.

I deeply regret not having been able to express what is in my heart, which has quietly beaten for you all my life. Maybe it’s too late to apologize, but as time is relative, I need to tell you that I love you and thanks to you I have reached the ultimate answer! “.

Your father,
Albert Einstein

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In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
Vice Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
Phone 6272 6521