Cecilia Ines Garcia, Argentine PtC-Europe: Leader of international Youth-Department Liberty – Equality – Fraternity Liberty Liberty or freedom defines the unlimited possibility to think, talk and act freely. This statement has nothing to do with any narcissistic and individualistic self-realization attempts. It is even the full contrast. The demand for freedom is ethically justified – however, with a certain reservation that thoughts and actions must be directed not only upon the personal, but, primarily, upon the welfare of the general public. Therefore, the advantage must always be given to that action which is useful to a bigger circle, which means two or more persons or the general public. Liberty is a component of natural law and must be granted in the greatest possible measure. It may find a certain restriction only if the higher standing rights of the community are impaired or endangered. Provided an idea or an object serves mainly the community and the general welfare, it must be able to develop and must be supported accordingly.
GUNTHILD LIER, Germany 1st Vice President Int. Association PEACE trough CULTURE - Europe Culture – Synthesis of Religion and Science A growing tendency of separation can be observed during the past one hundred years or so in the western hemisphere with respect to religious and denominational “believers” and the so called “non-believers” or rather: those thinking differently, sometimes having a strictly scientific view of the world and of the life on our planet. This latter group is growing rapidly, at least in the so called West. However, the absence of a higher orientation in human thinking and acting is a risk to the well being within a society, since the reflection from an existing world philosophy determines the social behaviour of the individual at large.
UMAR IBRAHIM VADILLIO, Spain / Malaysia The Judgement on Riba It is generally assumed that from the point of view of material wealth, things have never been better than today. That, despite just crossing over the most murderous century in human history which saw the first-time use of weapons of mass destruction on civilian population, the colossal annihilation of the eco-system and fauna, and the largest numbers of starvation victims known in history. All past and present miseries are forgotten before the general assumption that the average person today enjoys a standard of living not equaled in any other time. Yet, it has not been the same for all people of the world. While a material improvement has been achieved for a relatively small portion of mankind, the bottom half still lives on an income inferior to the poverty line of 2 USD a day, and collectively inferior to the income of the 387 largest individual earners. This disequilibrium in wealth goes hand in hand with an equal in political and military imbalance that has turned one nation in particular into the police ruler of the world.
Christa Zettel Journalist, Writer, Mythologist (Austria) Creative mythology as a tool to reshape not only our world view, but also our picture of man, in order to reach a new level of (integral) consciousness Consciousness and Mythology According to Jean Gebser, consciousness is structured in the archaic, magic, mythic, mental and integral conception of the mind. All people (and because of the fundamental biogenetical law, every individual) have to undergo these structures in the course of developing culture. None of these is better or worse than the others, and all contained in the sub-consciousness. The stage for a fundamental change is, however, not the conscious “I” but the sub-consciousness. Whenever a culture (or an individual) is ready for the next structure, chaos erupts, reflecting a psychic crisis, which tends to break down the old order and create a new one.
Rabbi Dr. Meir Danino, Israel Spirituality, Materialism and Conflicts I am glad to bring all the congress participants, a message and the blessing from the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar. The message is that of peace and a spiritual blessing for successful meetings and harmony to all of you. The holy Jewish wisdom tells us that: "The advantage of man over animal is none ... except the holy soul". Thus, if we want to create a human society, we must promote spiritual culture. Otherwise, we will be equal to animals if not worse. "RUAKH" is the word in Hebrew for spirit, very much like the Arabic or Kazakh languages. "RUAKH" as opposed to "GESHEM"= Materialism. Thus we interpret the old winter prayer of; "MASHIV HARUAKH UMORID HAGESHEM", as: whoever wants to bring upwards spirituality must bring materialism downwards. Because spirituality, can only exist by suppressing all forms of materialism and it will not be sustained in a vessel of materialistic nature.
Reinhold Maria Stangl, Austria President Int. Ethical Association “Welt-Spirale” (World-Spiral) UNIVERALO – The understanding of the reality of GOD, related to the modern spiritual and scientific findings Introduction: Everything in Universe is subject to the same natural laws. The construction of microcosms and macrocosms is of highly logical, mutually related quality. This fact is only possible if everything in the whole Universe depends on a higher rational Force. Subtle energy is everywhere and in everything – it is omnipresent and the basis of all natural laws.