TAGS
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
INCLUSION & RESPECT
“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” ― George Washington
TOLERANCE
Today is Human Rights Day. It’s the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by countries around the world—after the atrocities of World War II finally inspired the global community to work together to solve international disputes more constructively.
COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE
With everything going on in the world right now, it is time to change. It is time to stop condoning discrimination of any kind. I would rather we devoted our energy to teaching the next generation to respect others, their color, beliefs, and religion, instead of having to teach them how to protect themselves from discrimination.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
A friend of mine who lived among the native Inuits of far Northern Canada told me that if a person in the community, through his or her behavior, attitude and refusal to change, had now become a liability to others, he would simply “disappear” for the community. People would literally no longer see, communicate or acknowledge the person in any way, shape or form, even if he was standing right there. He would literally cease to exist, as far as the community went. Then, once he got his act together, people would once again see and acknowledge him.
COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE
Would you honor these unbelievers for being religious in an otherwise materialistic world and respect their sincerely held beliefs? Or would you try to convince them to change their ways and accept the “right beliefs” out of concern for them and their ultimate fate?
TOLERANCE
Enough people got so tired of living in a country that treated them like prisoners, and the system became so unworkable, that they began to protest.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY
I surprised myself the other day when I recognized that I was actually prejudiced against another religion. That was a real eye-opener as I have been on the receiving end of religious hate on several occasions, and that is never fun. Some backstory will help.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY
We are all human. That was not a choice. We all have human rights. That is not a choice either.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
This situation has gotten so bad that there are now law firms that specialize in defending churches’ rights against suppressive government zoning boards, and these law firms make enough to stay in business just combating government suppression of religion.
TOLERANCE
I’m about to board a flight back to the U.S. after spending two weeks delivering human rights lectures and musical performances to youth in Taiwan. Door to door the travel time is about 25 hours. In other words, I’m about as far away as I could be from home while still being on planet earth.
