Apatow On Catholic Roots, Interfaith Mission and The Ultimate Objective

April 25, 2011 - PRLog -- In Christianity, the true test of a connection with divinity is the manifestation of love (agape: Greek) in the context of care, concern, compassion and benevolence.  To comprehend the significance of love (agape), we need only to refer to the scripture that explains the substance of God, I John 4:8: "God is Love."  It is in this divine conception that the importance of every human being is expressed,  Matthew 25:40:  "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

In Buddhism, as expressed by the Dalai Lama: "Compassion and love are not mere luxuries.  As the source both of inner and external peace,  they are fundamental to the continued survival of our species." -- The Four Immeasurables: Love, Compassion, Sympathetic joy, Rudy Harderwijk, A View on Buddhism.

In Baha'i: "You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. Do not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals, recognizing them as the servants of one God."  -- Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, page 453.

In Confucianism: Chang Tsai’s Western Inscription (eleventh century) was inscribed on the western wall of hang Tsai’s study and was enormously influential in Neo-Confucian thought. Describing the essential kinship of all beings with heaven and earth, it maintains that compassion is the highest expression of kinship. --  Confucianism Sacred Texts, Harvard University Center for the Environment, Forum on Religion and Ecology.

In Judaism: The Torah commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18), which Rabbi Akiba described as the essence of the Torah. -- Judaism 101, Love and Brotherhood.

In Hinduism, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself'-- because thy neighbor is thyself; God is in both thee and thy neighbor, and both are in God. He who acts in this spirit need not fear that his acts will bind him to further existence." -- The Bhagavad Gita, trans. Franklin Edgerton, p. 165. Hinduism: Ethics and Society, World Religions Area/Country Studies Cultural Awareness Language Resource.

In Islam: "You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another." Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, Selected and Translated by Kabir Helminski.

In Jainism: Nonviolence is based on love and kindness for all living beings. Nonviolence in Jainism is not a negative virtue.  It is based upon the positive quality of universal love and compassion.  One who is actuated by this ideal cannot be indifferent to the suffering of others. -- Five Great Vows (Maha-vratas), Complied by Pravin K. Shah,  Jain Study Center of North Carolina.

Love inspires an interest and focus on every need, plea or cry for help and prompts a desire to provide assistance.  

In the grand picture of divinity at work in all facets of the interfaith community, love is the common theme that unites and encompasses the true potential through which the scope of suffering and affliction can be alleviated and peace achieved. -- International Interfaith Peace Declaration. [1]

Note: Interfaith overview on "The Golden Rule" included on the full text of the "The Ultimate Objective." [2]


THE UNMET NEEDS Poverty Facts and Stats: From Globalissues.org [3] unless otherwise noted

Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.

Water problems affect half of humanity:

Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.

Out of 2.2 billion children in the world, 1 billion live in poverty (every second child)

According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”

Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhoea...  (preventable diarrhoeal illness)

Shelter, safe water and health
For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

-- 640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
-- 400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
-- 270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

Today, the United Nations Arts Initiative Millennium Medicine Project [4] targets 5 Billion people across the globe who lack access to basic surgical services and advanced medical technologies.

According to the Association of Rural Surgeons in India, "Only one billion out the total of six billion population of the world has any access to the type of surgical care seen in the hospital of Western Europe and America. In India, out of the population of one billion as of today, not more than 10% has any access to this type of surgical care."

Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were girls. And these are regarded as optimistic numbers.

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

According to the World Bank, in 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world accounted for 76.6% of total private consumption. The poorest fifth just 1.5%

1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity:

Breakdown:

South Asia: 706 Million
Sub-Saharan Africa: 547 Million
East Asia: 224 Million
Other: 101 Million

The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the 41 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world’s 7 richest people combined.

The world’s low income countries (2.4 billion people) account for just 2.4% of world exports

For every $1 in aid a developing country receives, over $25 is spent on debt repayment.

The poorer the country, the more likely it is that debt repayments are being extracted directly from people who neither contracted the loans nor received any of the money.

For economic growth and almost all of the other indicators, the last 20 years [of the current form of globalization, from 1980 - 2000] have shown a very clear decline in progress as compared with the previous two decades [1960 - 1980]. This included:

-- Growth
--  Life Expectancy
--  Infant and Child Mortality
--  Education and literacy

To get a grasp on the scope of unregulated market activities associated with the global market crash in 2008:

Policy initiatives to address financial crimes by Humanitarian Resource Institute,  following the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999, included unregulated shadow banking activities in the OTC derivatives market that transitioned from $88.2 trillion at end-December 1999 (BIS: 18 May 2000) [5] to $1.4 Quadrillion, that is 1,400 trillion in 2006 (HRI : ECB: 4 April 2006). [6]    

Related:

* Current Humanitarian Emergencies: All Countries, ReliefWeb. Url: www.reliefweb.int

It is in pursuit of strategic planning and project development, to address the size and scope of unmet needs that exist in the global landscape, that Humanitarian Resource Institute exists today.


References:

1. International Interfaith Peace Declaration: Humanitarian Resource Institute www.humanitarian.net/peace/declaration.html
2. The Ultimate Objective: Humanitarian Resource Institute. Url: www.humanitarian.net/Omnia_vincit_amor/
3. Poverty Facts and Stats: From Globalissues.org. Url: www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
4. Millennium Medicine Project: Pathobiologics International, Humanitarian Resource Institute, United Nations Arts Initiative. Url: www.pathobiologics.org/mmp
5. The global OTC derivatives market at end-December 1999: Bank for International Settlements (BIS), 18 May 2000. Url: www.bis.org/press/p000518.htm
6. Bogle/Stiglitz: Economic Crisis Dialogue: Humanitarian Resource Institute, 5 March 2010. Url: www.unarts.org/news/aiie_ecd352010.html

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Humanitarian Resource Institute United Nations Arts Initiative: Promoting the arts as a vehicle for solution oriented strategic planning and development across the globe.