Truth, Amnesty and Reconciliation for Sustainability

We, the undersigned, citizens and leaders from around the world (and America), support the campaign for Truth, Amnesty and Reconciliation (TAR):

1) as a fundamental pillar of any and all movements for world ecological, economic, spiritual, political and human sustainability;

2) as an opportunity to end the Wars (against Drugs and Terrorists, for nuclear proliferation, in arms trafficking, etc.), the secrecy, coverups and violence; by supporting truth, amnesty and forgiveness; to build a world of peace, nonviolence and brotherhood of men.

We, the undersigned, hereby request: - (1) our respective elected (or unelected) Government's representatives; - (2) individuals within the United Nations; - (3) our spiritual, corporate, and sports leaders; - (4) and others;
TO support President Bush, the United States Senate and Congress, the United States Armed Forces and the American people (our fellow Americans) IF they wish to choose such an initiative as a possible alternative to solving these problems.

As various other visionary leaders have said:

"Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind...War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." -- John F. Kennedy

"Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and calm pulse to exterminate his kind. He is the only animal that for sordid wages will march out... and help to slaughter strangers of his own species who have done him no harm and with whom he has no quarrel.... And in the intervals between campaigns he washes the blood off his hands and works for "the universal brotherhood of man" - with his mouth". -- Mark Twain

"It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of religion. The other is mere business." - Mahatma Gandhi

"Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, and it is essential for human survival." - Dalai Lama

"If the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another." -- Winston Churchill

And, considering the many religions, spiritual teachings and beliefs that help us as human beings to create meaning to our lives, we, the undersigned, united for truth, amnesty and reconciliation, as well as for diversity and appreciation of each others choice to choose a spiritual teaching, religion, or none. We, therefore choose to be a united human family living in peace, irrespective of our 'beliefs':

"Do unto all men as you would wish to have done unto you; and reject for others what you would reject for yourselves." -- Islam

"Full of love for all things in the world, practicing virtue in order to benefit others, this man alone is happy." -- Buddhism

"Seek to be in harmony with all your neighbors; live in amity with your brethren." -- Confucianism

"A man obtains a proper rule of action by looking on his neighbor as himself." -- Hinduism

"Regard Heaven as your father, Earth as your mother, and all things as your brothers and sisters."
-- Shintoism

"What is hurtful to yourself do not to your fellow man. That is the whole of the Torah and the remainder is but commentary." -- Judaism

"An it harms none, do as 'ye will." -- Wiccan

"The faults of others we see easily; our own are very difficult to see. Our neighbor's faults we winnow eagerly, as chaff from grain; our own we hide away as a cheat hides a losing roll of the dice." -- Buddhism

"First take the log our of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -- Christianity

"They who quarrel with others, instead of quarreling with their own hearts, waste their lives." --
Sikhism

"Hurt not others with that which pains yourself." -- Buddhism

Tzu-Kung asked: "Is there one principle upon which one's whole life may proceed?" The Master replied, "Is not Reciprocity such a principle? ...what you do not yourself desire, do not put before others." -- Confucianism

"Putting away lying; speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another."
-- Christianity

"Say what is true! do thy duty. Do not swerve from the truth." -- Hinduism

"Do not clothe the truth with falsehood; do not knowingly conceal the truth." -- Islam

"Speak ye every man truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates."
-- Judaism

All quotations appeared in the book, "Oneness: Great Principles Shared by all Religions" by
Jeffrey Moses. It was published by Fawcett Columbine,
a division of Random House, in 1992.

[Comment: For those unaware of how a Truth, Amnesty and Reconciliation program can be setup, or to find out more about how previous Truth and Reconciliation Programs were setup, view the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Final Report, presented to President Nelson Mandela at:
http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/commissions/1998/trc/volume1.htm ]