Principles Of A Global Ethic

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1998 Parliament of the World's Religions A Global Einic The Principles of a Global Ethic i Our world is experiencing a fundamental crisis: A crisis in global economy, global ecology, and global politics. The lack of a grand vision, the tangle of unresolved problems, political paralysis, mediocre political leadership with little insight or foresight, and in general too little sense for the commonweal are seer every vhere: Too many old answers to new challenges... Hundreds of millions of human beings on our planet increasingly susser from unemployment, poverty, hunger, and the destruction of their families Ilope lor a lasting peace among nations slips away from us. There are tensions between the sexes and generations. Children die, kill, and are killed. More and more countries are shaken by corruption in. politics and business. It is increasingly dislicult to live together peacefully in our cities because of social, racial, and ethnic conficts, the abuse of drugs, organized crime, and even anarchy. Even ncighbors osten live in fear of one another. Our planet continues to be ruthlessly plundered. A collapse of the ecosystem threatens us. Time and again we see leaders and members of rcligions incite aggression, fanaticism, hate, and xenophobia-even inspire and legitimize violent and bloodly consicts. Religion osten is misused for purely power-political goals, including war. We are filled with disgust. We condeinn these blights and declare that they need not be. An ethic already exists within the religious teachings of the world which can counter the global distress. Of course this ethic provides no direct solution for all the immense problems of the world, but it does supply the inoral foundation for a better indiviclual and global order: A vision which can lead women and men away from despair, and society away from chaos.

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1993 Parliament of the World's Religions A Global Ethic hold in common and which we jointly affirm, cach on the basis of our own religious or ethical grounds. . * that the realization of peace, justice, and the protection of Earth depends on the insight and readiness of men and women to act justly; that action in favor of rights and freedoms presumes a consciousness of responsibility and duty, annel that therefore both the minds and learts of woinen and men must be addressed; * that rights without morality cannot long endure, and that there will be no better global order without a global ethic. We know that religions cannot solve the environmental, economic, political, and social problems of Earth. However they can provicle what obviously cannot be attained by cconomic plans, political programs, or legal regulalions alone: A change in the inner orientation, the wbole mentality, the "hearts" of people, and a conversion from a false path to a new orientation for lise. Humankind urgently needs social and ecological reforms, but it neels spiritual renewal just as urgently. As religions or spiritual persons we commit ourselves to this task. The spiritual powers of the religions can offer a fundamental sense of trust, a ground of meaning, ultimate standards, and a spiritual hoinc. Of course religions are credible only when they eliminate those conflicts which spring from the religions themselves, dismantling mutual arrogance, mistrust, prejuclice, au cven hostile images, and thus demonstrale respect for the traditions, holy places, feasts, and rituals of people who believe differently. By'n global ethic we clo not mean a global icleology or a single unified religion beyond all existing religions, and certainly not the clomination of one religion over all others? By a global ethic we mean a fundamental consensus on binding values, irrevocable standards, and personal attitudes. Without such a fundamental consensus on an ethic, sooner or later every community will be llicatencd by chaos or dictatorship, and individuals will despair. II. A fundamental demand: Every: human being muust be treated luumunely. Now as before, women and men are treated inhumanely all over the world. They are robbed of their opportunities and thcir freedom; their human rights are trampled underfool; their diperty is disregardled. But might does not make rigid in the face of all inhumanity our religious and cihical convictions deinand that every luman lycin 31nst be treated lumanely! We all are fallible, imperfect men and women with limitations and defects. We know the reality of evil. Precisely because of this, we feel compelled for the sake of global welfare to express what the fundamental clements of a global ethic should be-for inclividuals as well as for communities and organizations, for states as well as for the religions themselves. We trust that our often millennia-old religious and ethical traditions provide an ethic which is convincing and practicable for all women and inen of good will, religious and non-religious. At the same time we know that our various religious and ethical traditions often offer very clifferent bases for what is helpsul and what is unhelpful for men and women, what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. We do not wish to gloss over or ignore the serious disferences among the individual religions. However, they should not hinder us from proclaiming publicly those things which we already This means that every human being without distinction of age, sex, race, skin color, pliysical or mental ability, language, religion, political view, or national or social origin possesses an inalienable and untouchable dignity, and everyone, the incliviclual as well as the state, is therefore obliged to honor this : clignity and protect it. Huinans must always be the subjects of rights, must be ends, never mere'means, never objects of commercialization and industrialization in economics, politics and media, in research institutes, and industrial corporations. No. one stands "above good and evil"-no human being, 110 social class, no influential interest group, no cartel, no police apparatus, no arny, and no state. On the contrary: Possessed of reason and conscience, every human is obliged to behave in a genuinely human fashion, to do good and avoid evil! 1 - -4

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1993 Parliament of the World's Religions , zz 'n mdh We are persons who have committed ourselves to the precepls and practices of the world's religions. We confirm that there is already a consensus among the religions which can be the basis for a global ethic-a minimal sunduinental consensus concerning binding values, irrevocable strindards, and fundamental moral rillilmules. Today we possess sufficient economic, cultural, and spiritual resources to introduce a better global order. But old and new ethnic, national, social, economic, and religious tensions threaten the peaceful building of a better world. We have experienced greater Iechnological progress than ever before, yet we sec that world-wide poverty, hunger, death of children, unemployment, misery, and the destruction of nature have not diminished but rather havc.increasca. Mamy peoples are threatened with economic ruin, social. disarray, political marginalization, ecological catastrople, and national collapse. 1. No new global order without a new global ethic? We women and incn of various rcligions and ;**"zions of Earth, therefore address all people, religious and non-rcligious. We wish to cxpress the following convictions which we hold in common: We all have a responsibility for a better global orlier. * Our involvement for the sake of human rights, freedom, justice, peace, and the preservation of Earth is absolutely necessary. . In such a dramatic global situation humanity necals il vision of peoples living peacefully together, of cthmic and ethical groupings and of religions sharing responsibility for the care of Earth. A vision rests ori lopes, goals, ideals, standards. But all over the world these have slipped from our hands. Yet we are convinced that, despite their frequent abuses and failures, it is the communities of faith who bcar a responsibility to demonstrate that such hopes, ideals, and standards can be guarded, grounded, and lived. This is especially true in the modern state. Guarantees or frecciom of conscience and religion are necessary but they do not substitute for binding values, convictions, and norins which are valid for all lumans regardless of their social origin, sex, skin color, language, or religion. * Our different religious and cultural traclitions niust not prevent our common involvement in opposing all Torins of inhumanity and working for greater humaneness. * The principles expressed in this Global Ethic can hic affirmed by all persons with ethical convictions, ...cther religiously grounded or not. * As religious and spiritual persons we base our '.'s on an Ultimate Reality, and draw spiritual power imone hope thercsrom, in trust, in prayer or ineditation, in word or silence. We have a special responsibility , for the welfare of all humanity and care for the planet Earth. We clo not consider ourselves boller than other. women and men, But we trust that the ancient wisdom of our rcligions can point the way for the future. .. We are convinced of the fundamental unily of the human family on Earth. We recall the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. What it formally proclaimed on the level of rights we wish to confirin and deepen here from the perspective of an ethic: The full realization of the intrinsic dignity of the human person, the inalienable freedom and cquality in principle of all humans, and the necessary solidarity and interdependence of all humans with : cach other. On the basis of personal experiences and the burclensume history of our planet we have learned * that a better global order cannot bc crcated or enforced by laws, prescriptions, and conventions ! alone; Aster two world wars and the end of the cold, war, the collapse of fascism and nazism, the shaking to the foundations of communism and colonialism, humanity has entered a new phase of its listory. -3

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993 Parliament of the World's Religions A Global Ethic It is the intention of this Global Ethic to clarify what this means. In it we wish to recall irrevocable,' inconditional ethical norms. These should not be bonds and chains, but helps and supports for people to sind and realize once again their lives' direction, values, orientations, and meaning. s trafficking and organized crime, olten equipped with new lcchnicn' possibilities, has reached global proportions. Many places still are ruled by terror "from above;" dictators oppress their own people, and institutional violence is widesprcail. Even in so:ne. countries wlerc laws exist to prolcct ir vidual freedoins, prisoners are tortured, men and women re mutilatou, hostages are killed. i Coin There is a principle which is sound and bas persisted in many religious and cthical traclilions of humankind for thousands of years: What you do not ivish clonic to yourself, clo not do to others. Or in positive terms: What you wish done to yourself, do to, atliers! This should be the irrevocalyle, unconditional Vidrin for all areas of life, for families and communitics, - for races, (nations, and religions.. . Ever form of egoisin should be rejected: All Swisliness whether individual or gollective, whether in the form of class thinking, racista, nationalisin, or. sexism We condemn these because they prevent human from being authentically human. Selfdetermination and self-realization, agc thoroughly ..! legitimgte so long as they are not separated from time huinanoll-responsibility and global responsibility, that is, from responsibility for fellow humans and for the planet Earth..... This principle implies very concrete standards to which we humans should hold firin. From it arise four broaci, ancient guidelines for human behavior. which are found in most of the religions of the world. . a) In the great ancient religious and ethical traclitions of humankind we find the directive: You : shull not killl Or in positive terms: Ilave respect for life! Let us reflect anew on the consequences of this ancient directive: All people have a right to life, safely, and the free clevelopment of personality insofar as liey do not injure the riglits of others. No one has the right physically or psychically to torture, injurc, inuch less kill, any other human being. And no people, no slale, no race, no religion has the right to hate, to ! discriminate against, to "cleanse, to exile, much less to liquidate a "Toreign" minority which is different in behavior or holds different beliefs. b). Of course, wherever there are humans there will be conflicts. Such conflicts, however, should be resolved without violence within a framework of justice. This is true for states as 'vell as for individuals. Persons who hold political power must work within thic Crainework of a just order and commit themselves to the most non-violenc, peaceful solutions possible. And they should work for this within an international order of icace which itself has need of protection and defense against perpetrators of violence. Armament is a mistaken patli; clisarmament is the cominancuanto th?c times. Let no one be dcccived: There is no survival for humanity without global peace! 111CUOCOU TA !?! ? motiu 1. Comitment to a Culture of Non-violence and Respect for Life. . ! . Numberless women and men of all regions and religions strive to leac lives not determined by egoism but by commitment to their fellow humans and to the world around them. Nevertheless, all over the world we lind endless haired, cniyy, jealousy, and violence, not only between individuals but also between social and ethnic groups, between classes, races, nations, and religions. The use of violence, drig .. c) Young people must learn at home and in school that violence may not be a means of selling clifferences with others. Only thus can a culture of non-violence be created. d) A human person is infinitely precious and must be inconditionally protected. But likewise liic lives of animals and plants which inhibit this planet with us descive protection, preservation, and care. Limitless exploitation of the natural foundations of life, ruthless destruction of the biosphere, and militarizalion of the cosinos are all outrages. As human beings we have a special responsibility-especially with a view to future

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1993 Parliament of the World's Religions A Global Ethic generations-for Earth and the cosmos, for the air, water, and soil. We are all intertwined together in this cosmos and we are all clependent on each other. Each one of us depends on the welfare of all. Therefore the clominance of humanity over nature and the cosmos. must not be encouraged. Instead we must cultivater living in harmony with nature and the cosmos. ancient directive:.:No one has the right to rols or clispossess in any way whatsocver any other person or the commonweal. Further, no one has the right to use her or his possessions without concern for the needs of society and Earth. e) To be authentically human in the spirit of our great religious and ethical traditions means that in public as well as in private lifc we must be concerned for others and ready to help. We must never be ritlilcss'anid brutal. Every people, cvery race, every religion must show tolerance and respect-indeed high appreciation-for every other. Minorities need protection and support, whether they be racial, ethnic, or religious b) Where extreme poverty reigns, helplessness and clespair spread, and theft occurs again and again for the sake of survival. Where power and wealth are accumulated ruthlessly, feelings of envy, rosenlinent, and deally hatred and rebellion inevitably well up in : the disaclvantaged and marginalized. This leads to a vicious circle of violence and counter-violence. Let no one be deceived: There is no global peace without global justicel c) Young people must learn at home and in school that property, limited though it may be, carries with it an obligation, and that its uses should at the same time serve the common good. Only thus can just economic order be built up. 2. Commitment to a Culture of Solidarity and a Just Economic Orier. d) If the plight of the poorest billions of humans on this planet, particularly women and children, is to be improved, the world economy must be structured more justly, Individual good deeds, and assistance projccts, indispensable though they bc, arc insufficient. Tlie pariicipation of all states and the authority of. international organizations are needed to buill just economic institutions. Numberless men and women of all regions and religions strive to live their lives in soliclarity with one another and to work for authentic fulfillment of their vocillions. Nevertheless, all over the world we find endless hunger, deficiency, and need. Not only "inclividuals, but especially unjust institulions and structures are responsible for these tragedies. Millions of people are without work; millions are exploited by poor wages, forced to the edges of society, with their possibilities for the future destroyed. In many lands the gap between the poor and the rich, between the powerful and ihe powerless is immense. We live in a world in which totalitarian state socialism as well as unbridled capitalism have hollowed out and clestroyed many ethical and spiritual values. A materialistic mentality breeds greed for umlimited prosit and a grasping for endless plunder. These clemands claim morc and morc ofllic community's resources without obliging the individual to contribute more. The cancerous social evil of corruption thrives in the developing countries and in the developed countries alike.ro! ia) In the grent ancient religious and ethical traditions of humankind 've find the directive: You shall not stcul! Or in positivc termis: Deal honestly and fairly! Let us reflect anew on the consequences of this A solution which can be supported by all sides inust be sought for the debt crisis and the povert, of the dissolving second world, and even more the third world. Of course conslicts of interest are unavoidable. In the developed countries, a distinction must be made between necessary and limitless consumption . between socially beneficial and uon-beneficial uses or property, between justified and unjustisiecl uses of natural resources, and between a profil-only and a socially beneficial and ecologically oriented market economy. Even the developing nations must search their national consciences. Wherever those ruling threaten to repress those ruled, wherever institutions threaten persons, and wherever might oppresses right, we are obligated to resist-whenever possible non-violently.

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1993. Parliament of the World's Religions A Global Ethic * Representatives of religions who dismiss other religions as of little value and who preach fanaticism anc intolerance instead of respect and understanding j! To be authentically human in the spirit of our feat religious and ethical traditions means the ; following: We must utilize econoinic and political power for service to humanily instead of misusing it in mithless battles for clominalion. We must clovelop a spirit of compassion with those who suffer, with special care for the children, the aged, the poor, the clisabled, the resugees, and the lonely. * We must cultivate mutual respect and consideration, so as to reach a rcasonable balance of interests, instead of thinking only of unlimited power and unavoidable competitive struggles. * We must valuie a sense of moderation and inodesty instead of an unquenchable greed for money, prr 'ge, and consumption. In grced humans lose their "SU ," their freedom, their composure, their inner peace, and thus that which makes them lauman. 1) In the great ancient religious and ethical Traditions of humankind we find the directive: foil shall not lic! Or in positive terns: Speak amil ac! truthfully! Let us reflect anew on the consciences of this ancient directive: No woman or man, 10 institution, no state or church or religious community has the right to speak lies to other humans. F b) This is especially truc * for those who work in the mass incdia, to whom we entrust the freedom to report for the sake of truth: and to whom we thus grant the office of guardian. obligation to respect human dignity, human righis, aur fundamental values. They are duly-bound to objectivity, fairness, and the preservation of human dignity. They have no right to intrude into individuals' private spheres, to manipulate public opinion, or to . distort reality; 3. Conmilment to a Culture of Tolerance and a Life of Truthfulness. o for artists, wrilers, and scientists, to whion we' cutrust artistic and academic frecclum. They are not exempt froin general ethical siandards and inusi solve the truth; - Numberless ibinen and men of all regions and religions strive to lead lives of honesty and truthfulness. Nevertheless, all over the world we find endless lics and cleceit, swindlling and hypocrisy, ideology and clemagoguery: * Politicians and business people who use lies as a :: nenis to success; .? Mass incciii whicli sprcad ideological * for the leaders of countries, politiciaus, and political parties, to whom we entrust our own freedoms. When they lie in the laces of their people, when they manipulate the truth, or when they are. guilty of venality or ruthlessness in domestic or foreign affairs, they forsake their credibility and deserve to lose their offices and their voters. Conversely, publie opinion should support those politicians who dare io. speak tlie truth to the people at all times; misinformation 'ijstcacl of information, cynical commercial interest, instead of loyalty to the truth; : Scientists arid researchers wlio give themselves ; over to morally questionable ideological or political :. programs or to cconomic interest groups, or who .. justify research which violates fundamental ethical ::: valucs; * finally, for representatives of religion. When loy stir up prejudice, hatred, and enmily towards those of c!ifferent belief, or even incite or legitimize religious wars, they deserve the condemnation of humankind and the loss of their adherents. Lct no one be deceivec: There is no global justice: without truthfulness and humaneness! -7

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1993 Parliament of the World's Religions A Global Etnia anew on the consequences of this ancieni circctire: No one has the right to degrade others to mere sex objects, to lead them into or hold ihem in sexual dependency c) Young people'inust learn at liome and in school to think, speak, and act truthfully. They have a right to information and education to be able to make the decisions that will form their lives. Without an ethical formation they will hardly be able to distinguish the important from the unimportant. In the daily flood or informalion, ethical standards will help them discern when opinions are portrayed as facts, interests veiled, tendencics exaggerated, and facts twisted. b) We condemn sexual exploitation and sexual discrimination as one of the worst forms of human clegradation. We have the duty to resist wherever the clomination of one sex over the other is preached ove! in the name of religious conviction; wherever sexlial exploitation is tolerated, wherever prostitution is fostered or children are misused. Let no one be cleceived: There is no authentic humaneness without a living together in partnership! d) To be authentically human in the spirit of our great religious and ethical traditions means the following: We must not confuse freedom with arbitrariness or pluralism with indifference to truth. i * We must cultivate truthfulness in all our relationships instead of dishonesty, dissembling, and opportunism. c) Young people must learn at home and in school that sexuality is not a negative, destructive, or exploitative force, but creative and affirmative. Sexuality as a life-affirming shaper of community can only be effective when partners accept the responsibilities of caring for one another's happiness. * We must constantly seek truth and incorruptible sincerity instead of spreading ideological or partisan hall-truths. d) The relationship between women and men should be characterized not by patronizing behavior or exploitation, but by love, partnership, and * tristworthiness. Hunan Tulfillment is not idential with sexual pleasure. Sexuality should express and reinforce a loving relationship lived by oual partners. : . We must courageously serve the truth and we must remain constant and trustworthy, instead of yielding to opportunistic accommodation to lise. Some religious traditions know the ideal of a voluntary rcnunciation of the full use of sexuality Voluntary renunciation also can be an expressivit of identity and meaningful fulfillment. 4. Commitment to a Culture of Equal Rights and Partnership Between Men and Women ::: Nunberless men and vomen of all regions and religions striive to live their lives in a spirit of partnership, and responsible action in the areas of love, sexuality, and family. Nevertheless, all over the world there are condemnable forms of patriarclay clomination of one scx over the other, exploitation of women, sexual misuse of children, and forced prostitution. Too frequently, social inequities force women and even children into prostitution as a means of survival-particularly in less cleveloped countries. c) The social institution of marriage, despite all its cultural and religious variety, is characterized by love, loyalty, and perinanence. It aims at and should guarantee security and mutual support to husband, wise, and child. It should secure the rights on l ily members. All lands and cultures should develop economie and social relationships which will enable manage and family life worthy of human beings, especially for older people. Children have a right of access to education. Parents should not exploit chicken, nor children parents. Their relationships should rilleci mutual respect, appreciation, and concern. a) In the great ancient religious and ethical traditions of humankind we find the directive: You shall not commit scxial immorality! Or in positive : terms: Itespect and love one another! Let is rellect

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1993 Parliament of the World's Religions. A Ciobal Ethic WWW. S I To be authentically human in the spirit of our great religious and cthical traclitions incans the even for many controversial questions, suitable: solutions should bc alfainable in the spirit of the fundamental principles we have jointly devolepice here. following: 1. We need mutual respect, partnership, and understanding, instead of patriarchal cloinination and cigindation, which are expressions of violence and engencler counter-violence. 2. In many areas of life a new consciousness of cthical responsibility has alreally arises. Taclor ve would be pleased if as many professions as possible, such as those of physicians, scientists, business people, journalists, and politicians, would develop up-to-tate codes of ethics which would provide specific guidelines for the vexing questions of these particular professions. .. We need mutual concern, tolerance, readiness for reconciliation, and lovc, instead of any form of possessive lust or sexual misuse. Only what has alreadly licen experience in nersonal and familial relationships can be practiced on We level of nations and religions... 3. Above all, we urge the various commilis of faith to formulate their very specific chies: Whites cacli saith tradition have to s:ly, for example, inbout the meaning of life and death, the enduring of suffering and the forgiveness of guilt, about selfless sacrifice and the necessity of renunciation, about compassion and joy. These will deepen, and make more specilie, the already discernible global ethic. : A Transformation of Consciousness! * Historical experience demonstrates the following: Earth cannot be changed for the betler unless we achieve a transformation in the consciousness of individuals and in public life. The possibilities for transformation have already been glimpsed in areas such as war and peace, economy, and ccology, wlicre in recent decacles fundamental changes have taken place. This transformation must also be achicvce in the area of cthics and values! In conclusion, we appeal to all the inhabitants of this planet. Earth cannot be changes for the better unless the consciousness of individuals is changeci. 10 pleciye to work for such transformation in individual and collective consciousness, for the wakening of one spiritual powers thougl: reflection, meditation, partiyer, or positive thinking, for a conversion of delicat. Together we can inove moulains! Withoniai willingness to take risks and a reariiness to solice there can be no fundamental change in our situation! Thierelore we commit ourselves to a con o ba to a comment global cthic, to better mutual understandiing, as well as to socially beneficial, peace-fostering, and Fut-friendly ways of life. Every individual bas intrinsic dignity and lalicnable rights, and cach also has an inescapable responsibility for what she or he clocs and does not do.' All our clecisions and cleeds, even our omissions and lures, have consequences. Keeping this sense of responsibility alive, deepening it and passing it on to future generations, is the special task of religions. We invite all men and women, i whether religious or not, to do the sime.. We are rcalistic about what we have achieved in this consensus, and so we urge that the following be obscived: 1. A universal conscasus on many clisputed ethical questions (from bio- and sexual cthics through mass incdia and scientific ethics to economic and political cthics) will be difficult to attain. Nevertheless,