There, I was very afraid of what the Afghans would say or do when they learned I was a Jew. On the very first day, one of the Muslims in our delegation dragged me over to a group of Afghan men and said “I want you to meet my friend, Craig, he’s a Jew!” The men touched their hearts and said “Ah, a person of the book.”

Everywhere we went, every time Iftekhar introduced me and the Christians in our group, Afghans would touch their hearts and say “people of the book.”

We went to a mosque that had been bombed by the U.S. with holes in its walls and rubble all around. Inside, children were studying the Koran, boys rocking back and forth as they chanted. I sat down with them, recalling the rocking I had learned about in Hebrew school…. “sometimes when you are praying the spirit is so strong that you can’t sit still….” After a few moments sitting with the children, the Imam came over and said the Afghan version of “Pop Quiz!” The children stopped and looked up. “What are the books that we hold sacred?” he asked. “The Torah!” one child answered. “The Psalms.” another added. “The gospels and the Koran!” the last child chimed in (perhaps hoping for extra credit).

“This man is a Jew!” the Imam then said. “And what are Jews?” he asked. “People of the book.” was the answer.

We met hundreds of Afghans during that time, many who had lost loved ones or suffered grave injuries launched from the bellies of U.S. warplanes. We never heard the word “infidel” and were graciously welcomed wherever we went. Yes, one little girl who had lost almost her entire family was brave enough to look us in the face and say “I hate you!” as well she should have.

If we had a charter of compassion, and we really lived by it, if we all lived by the Golden Rule, we wouldn’t have done to her family what we did. We need the charter…… we need the Global Marshall Plan.

Thank you Karen Armstrong!

That is not just in the US. It is worldwide, though the form it takes may vary slightly from nation to nation.

The reason for this is all too often swept under the rug, even by supporters of the idea of Armstrong’s Charter: it is because true compassion requires that the compassionate be deeply selfless. In all my life, I have met only one or two people capable of such selflessness.

The rest of us must struggle hard to approach that state. Unfortunately. most people simply do not have the stomach for such intense spiritual struggle.

http://charterforcompassion.org/

Almost up to twelve thousand affirmations as of this posting.

The Charter For Compassion

A call to bring the world together…

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others – even our enemies – is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings – even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.

Love does not have to be centered on romance or sex. We can Love all of God’s children by striving to help every one share in God’s gifts on earth.

It’s a wonderful project that Armstrong has taken on, and we’re happy to share in it. Details here