Today's violence in Paris, and recent attacks in Baghdad and Beirut, once again break our hearts as the lives of innocent people are shattered by cowardly acts of terrorism. Our prayers go out to all who are affected by these horrible incidents as well as to all impacted by ongoing violence in other parts of the world. As the Jain prayer tells us: "Violence is the root cause of all miseries in the world. Violence, in fact, is the knot of bondage." Violence is designed to create fear and dispel hope. May we stand together in the face of this violence offering one another the light of our care, compassion and love, which are forces more powerful than the shadows of violence. We will continue to work together in solidarity for peace and justice. No violence will deter us from this goal.
In peace… Victor
The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr.
Executive Director
United Religions Initiative
Read more responses from the URI family to the ongoing global tragedy:
I woke up this morning to the devastating news we now all know of and I was completely shattered. But I found solace, through email threads with kind and compassionate words, such as those started by Victor and Galina, knowing that our URI global community stands firm in condemning those senseless acts of violence and offering an embrace for those who grieve--even showing empathy by grieving with them.
I wrote something on my blog to express my thoughts and feelings.
Love and Light,
Ludwig Quirog, Regional Coordinator for SEA-Pac Central Zone
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Dear friends!
These are the days when we all Have to and Must stand on guard of Peace. We should realize that there are forces in the world whose wish is to plunge the Planet in terror and chaos, while we want to live a happy life. Today they killed people of Paris, and every day all over the world thousands of humans die from violence....The plague of the 21st century is called "terrorism".
This is not the time to "put ashes on the heads" in terror, we all should realize that only together we can bring a difference.
We have to understand the roots of this terrible phenomenon - terrorism, the aims of those who launched it. Why religion is misused severely today? Why did the terrorists' leaders manage to attract so many young people? and so on...
Without understanding this and without trying to undertake some positive steps, we can't expect changes to safer world.
For whom the bell tolls today - we know. Let's pray for those who passed away and pray for those who live!
Galina Ermolina (Russia)
Euro-Asia CC
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On behalf of the URI family, our hearts go out to the people of France and Lebanon, and to the families of those whose lives were so needlessly taken.
United Religions Initiative Southeast Asia and the Pacific
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To our brothers and sisters in Paris and particularly to our friends at Coexister, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio in San Francisco sends its condolences and prayers in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris. We stand in solidarity in praying for peace to prevail in Paris.
Blessings and peace,
Linda L. Crawford
Executive Director
Interfaith Center at the Presidio
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Dear Friends Peace and Harmony,
Once again every human heart is wounded and full of sorrow after the horrible attacks in Paris and Middle East. I strongly condemn that and stand in solidarity with the victims of attacks.
May The Merciful God touch every human heart and grant them enough courage, tolerance, and wisdom to respect the co-exists. Let Peace Have a Chance to Grow for The Dignity and Beauty of the World.
God bless everyone.
Jahangir Piara
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Dear Friends,
How many tears we will shed!!! This inhuman act must be condemned with stronger voice and acts. Our vows must be stronger and we must stop not until our goal is reached.
I find no words to express my pain upon hearing these brutal acts.
Biswadeb Chakraborty, URI Regional Coordinator, East India
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I am speechless after this terrible anti-human act in Paris few hours ago.
Let us globally pray, support and be in solidarity with those suffering violence; let us urgently strengthen the solidarity of all URI family in the face of violence and martyrdom in the 21st century!
Pax vobiscum,
Rev. Hierodeacon Petar Gramatikov
Global Council Trustee - United Religions Initiative
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Dear All,
Shocked! have no languages to express ! we pray for peace their soul and god will give us mental support to future act.
Pray for all and pray for us.
Shaikh Sayeed Hossain
President
Global Peace Tourism
Dhaka Bangladesh
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Dear Victor and all,
I am speechless of this very difficult terror attack in Paris, May Peace Prevail in Paris we will keep our work to end this violence all around the world. I have pain over pain now after living the last 40 days of terror from the occupation in my country Palestine
May Peace Prevail in France
May Peace Prevail in Palestine
With Regards,
Tareq
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Dear Victor,
Thank you for your call to peace as solidarity. Words fail to articulate the horror and pain of these attacks that are not only one or two or three nations but are attacks on us all. We are brothers and sisters together. And as you say, it is together we must work harder than ever to end grievous atrocities and build a culture of peace throughout the world.
This will only happen when policies change that directly encourage peace between nations, where weaponry sales are globally monitored and used only for protection and not attacks. May our prayers bring some measure of solace and some measure of comfort in this dark hour. May peace prevail on Earth.
Karen Barensche, Regional Coordinator for URI Southern African Region
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In the Bahá'í Faith I found an exhortation intended to incite and encourage.
"Gird up the loins of your endeavor, O people of Baha, that haply the tumult of religious dissension and strife that agitateth the peoples of the earth may be stilled, that every trace of it may be completely obliterated. For the love of God, and them that serve Him, arise to aid this sublime and momentous Revelation. Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction." - Baha'u'llah
With regret by the sad events and in prayers for those who are suffering as well as the unity of the human kind,
Mostafa Bartar (CC Campinas, Brazil)
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Desde la Red Nacional de Educadores Agrarios del Paraguay, condenamos el auge de la violencia entre los seres humanos. Nuestras oraciones por la Paz de todos
From the National Agricultural Educators Network of Paraguay, we condemn the rise of violence among humans. Our prayers for the peace of all.
Dr. Silvio Torres Chávez
PREMIO CULTURAL MERCOSUR 2009
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Dear All,
I read with utter disgust of the acts that shook the whole world.
The world leaders must act in this respect.
Best Regards,
Raymond Enoch
CEED Nigeria CC
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Terrorists smile again. We get more and more shocking news one after another. "The only thing that we learn from history is that no one learns anything from history". But we cannot continue like this forever. Instead of an army of killers we need hundreds of thousands of peace builders. We should not allow any one to play with fire. Let us pray for lasting peace and unite for a terror free world. It is the birth right of our children. They will not forgive us if we remain silent and neutral, always.
With prayers,
Dr. Abraham Karickam, URI South India Regional Coordinator
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Dear Abraham,
I fully agree with you.
What a terrible tragedy. Let us work together for lasting peace.
Father Dr. James Channan OP, URI-Pakistan Regional Coordinator
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Dear James,
You say so helpfully, “Let us work together”.
To which I say YES YES YES.
Something good could just come out of this latest of endless horror stories daily reaching us. Meantime we have to all watch and pray - AND SHARE.
George from New Zealand
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YES. Dear George,
Together with hearts and minds focused on Hope. Focus on witnessing as URI does, with its powerful visions... the peace and love that can be between peoples of faiths.
Tonight we will have a presence at the Vigil in our Federation square in Melbourne. Candles will be lit, prayers will be held in the hearts of people of all faiths and cultures …along with gratitude for the love that exists in the world as people see the importance of unity.
For there is only love and this love is very powerful. In fact, it is in all around all of us all the time. We but just need to connect with it. Love will always overcome and transform... love that sees the creator in all of creation, love that allows the light to shine in each one of us--no matter what... never giving up, as St. Paul the Apostle teaches.
Love is patent and kind. It does not keep a record of the faults in others. It does not take pride in itself but works only for the good of others, seeing the self in the others. It never gives up. Love, given unconditionally to all... transforms even the hardest of hearts. I have seen this myself.
I once had a youth point a knife at me, meaning to do me harm. I was a youth worker at the time in a troubled city. I mustered with in me all the love I could give and my heart poured it into the youth and he dropped the knife and came into my arms.
So powerful is love that it helps others to find their own light. I urge all to love and in that love pray for not only those who are suffering but for their perpetrators, for those who cannot, do not live in love will only ever know it if they too are in our prayers.
Love.
Pauline Crosbie of Bumblebee Global Renewal Projects CC
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Thank you, Father Abraham. This is a powerful message we must carry forth both in word and action!
What can we do now as a global movement of peace builders?
To our friends and family in Beruit, Baghdad and Paris, our hearts are with you.
As the world grapples today with the horror or yesterday, this portion of the URI Preamble calls to me:
"We believe that our religious, spiritual lives, rather than dividing us, guide us to build community and respect for one another.... We unite to build cultures of peace and justice.... We unite to build safe places for conflict resolution, healing and reconciliation."
As fear and hatred of "the other" take root in the hearts of many, may we, as a global family, spread this message.
Sari Heidenreich, URI Regional Coordinator for North America
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Dear URI Family,
When I hear this horrible news about the TRAGEDY in Paris. I am writing with mourning and broken heart.
I am continuing praying for the victims. Such a kind of act is alarming us to stand up against the terrorism.
Pakistan is already suffering with terrorism as thousands of innocent people are killed.
The people of Pakistan strongly condemned terrorism. We are standing with people of Paris in their hard time. Wars are not the solution of any conflict. Now it’s time of Unity for Peace. My prayers are for victims healing and who lost their lives may their soul rest in peace.
Let us join in meditation for a peaceful world.
Yuel Bhatti
Executive Secretary
United Religions Initiative Pakistan (URI)
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Dear all,
My heart is broken, but no time for emotions only. Our duty is to protect the young generations around the globe. I still believe in the role and potential of interfaith cooperation.
Yours in peace,
Dr. Shlomo Alon
Former Vice-Chair of IARF and URI
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Peace Greetings!
The time has come to recall messages of saints to direct our actions.
Indeed Paris Terrorism has shocked the world again. How many more to happen in future...cannot be predicted?
While we continue to pray for the victims and for the healing of Earth planet, from a pragmatic view, we feel the time has come to change our thoughts about the goal of our actions.
It is time for soul stirring and reflecting about the actions we do on behalf of any organizations we represent.
What is the goal of our actions? How serious are we in going to the root of the problems and working towards long-term solutions?
Swami Vivekananda in his famous 1983 world parliament bold speech emphasized that a religion must be practiced in order to awaken the divinity that already exists within man.
"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed"
Referring to the above UNESCO Motto, during 1970's Swami Prabhupada while speaking to UN representative boldly said that UN couldn't succeed in its motto as it couldn't curb wars within nations and emphatically stated,
“Unless there is individual awakening of the divine consciousness, there is no use of crying for the world peace"
The above clarion call stands perfectly valid today.
The Dalai Lama, NL in Peace also echoed the above spirit of Swami Prabhupada.
He said, "World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just the absence of violence but the manifestation of human compassion."
As we continue to recall several messages of great saints of our earth planet, we notice they all speak on the same page when they give guidelines for world peace.
So what is the problem in accepting their guidelines?
It is the need of the hour for every spiritual organization, faith groups including those involved in exclusive grass root or field works to ensure that they must either train or give the process of awakening inner divinity to fellow dependents or subordinates as primary long term benefit for the latter.
Same is true during festival or cultural gatherings or fund raising events for social cause. Awakening of inner divinity or one's relation with God must be incorporated so that all those who participate are put on the path of reviving their divinity or reviving their relation with God.
US Congresswoman Tulasi Gabbard during her recent Diwali greetings message has shared how in practice a festival like Diwali must be observed.
You can view her 5-minute message. It was uploaded before the Paris attack.
She says, everyday light has to be lit within our heart to love God and through that expand love to all mankind.
Many times there is inter-faith or cultural gathering during festivals or other times sans Divine awakening of oneself.
For example if a non-Hindu burst crackers on Diwali day, the media and NGOs connected to event highlight them saying other religions participated in Diwali. Same is true for Christmas or Id etc.
The Media, photo-operations business and NGOs or Govt. etc. are least bothered about the goal of festivals or goal of inter-faith/cultural gathering or the goal of social work. They are least bothered about the true benefit that should be attained by such participation.
Same is true even in places of worship, where commercialization of festivals has taken over the purpose of celebrations.
This is indeed a big challenge to be addressed and rightly spoken by Mother Teresa. She said, "Feeding the stomachs of the poor is not so difficult. Feeding the starving hearts of humanity with God's love -- that is the great challenge".
So we feel, inter-faith dialogue has to mature to explore new horizons to promote welfare services or other activities such that it should harmonize external and inner life of mankind and also sustain the link between inner self and universal consciousness/God. Without giving this benefit of bringing out one's dormant divinity or one's love for God, our actions remain incomplete or sometimes it is waste from long-term perspective.
The action 'Violence' is missing in the dictionary of 'Divinity' or God's Love.
Hence in the name of God or Divinity, no Violence can be committed.
It is still not late. The advocates of violence in the name of religion irrespective of any religion are still in minority.
Messages of saints along with the process must be disseminated through appropriate network and collaborations amongst the larger group who are interested in uniting humanity based on compassion or God's love for all. Unless a genuine process is undertaken to practice awakening of one's divinity, it would be difficult to realize brotherhood.
Indeed practice of spirituality is a great path to explore within dialogue.
Thanking you
In prayers for solution,
Jayanti R. Chavan
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Dear Friends,
It seems that the recent tragedy in Paris has mobilized world attention on the scourge of terrorism which is daily destroying the lives of thousands of people around the globe. The horror of what happened there had already unfolded days earlier in both Beirut and Baghdad. Unfortunately many terror organizations use distorted religious beliefs as the basis for their violence. I recently returned from the Parliament of World Religions where I participated in activities with my sisters Potre Diampuan, Sabina Rifat, and Despina Namwembe, and heard about the horrific acts of religious violence taking place in Africa, Pakistan, and the Phillipines. In Jerusalem we are daily dealing with terrorist attacks -- and it is not a recent phenomenon but has been going on for years. My own son is a survivor of a Hamas terrorist suicide bombing, so the violent reality of terrorism in the name of religion has seared my soul and powerfully motivated me to work to build harmony among the people of different religions in our region.
I firmly believe and experience that the only antidote to terrorism is building trust among people and strengthening the truth of our religions. Already thousands of people in the hundreds of URI CC's around the world are doing the holy work of promoting enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence. Now we are called to strengthen our commitment, expand our activities, and enlist thousands of others to join us.
Blessings and love,
Elana Rozenman
Executive Director
TRUST - Emun
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Dear friends,
Yes, this is really another madness, like the attack in Ankara recently as well as others around the world.
Thanks God all our URI friends are unharmed, even though some have friends who are affected.
So true that "Instead of an army of killers we need hundreds of thousands of peace builders." Amen.
We will never give up and continue to work for peace, respect, justice, balance, everywhere...
Our friends of Coexister CC are working on social and other media, calling for coexistence, and they are involved in launching a platform of 40 organizations which will spread the message that "We are united". Let us support them - as well as our friends in Ankara and Turkey, and around the world - to continue the good, hard work for peace, justice, harmony and balance.
Many warm greetings from
Karimah K. Stauch, URI Europe Coordinator
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Abraham,
Your wise words reminded me of a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.:
“We will not build a peaceful world by following a negative path. It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war but on the positive affirmation of peace. We must see that peace represents a sweeter music, a cosmic melody, that is far superior to the discords of war. Somehow, we must transform the dynamics of the world power struggle from the negative nuclear arms race, which no one can win, to a positive contest to harness humanity’s creative genius for the purpose of making peace and prosperity a reality for all the nations of the world. In short, we must shift the arms race into a peace race. If we have a will – and determination – to mount such a peace offensive, we will unlock hitherto tightly sealed doors of hope and transform our imminent cosmic elegy into a psalm of creative fulfillment.”
Liam Chinn, Director of Evaluation and Learning
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The Interfaith Center at the Presidio will hold vigils in response to the violence in Paris, Beirut and beyond with quiet reflection and words of solace. People of all faiths, traditions, and beliefs are welcome to attend. Please join us.
The Presidio Chapel
130 Fisher Loop, Presidio
San Francisco, CA, USA
Monday, November 16 and Tuesday, November 17
12:00-1:00 pm
The Interfaith Center at the Presidio welcomes, serves, and celebrates the diverse spiritual wisdom and faith traditions of the Bay Area and is networked with interfaith groups locally and globally.
Fred Fielding
The Interfaith Center at the Presidio
