HARK Newsletter - April 2005 Issue

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Welcome to the HARK Monthly Spiritual Newsletter.

In this month's newsletter:
1. Inspirational quotations
2. New on our web site
3. How to be spiritual without necessarily being religious.
4. GLOBAL LOVE DAY
5. International Conference - Seeds of Transformation
6. and FINALLY...

1. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTATIONS:

"There is only one religion though there are a hundred versions of it" Bernard Shaw

"The value of an idea has nothing whatever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it" Oscar Wilde

"To have a positive religion is not necessary. To be in harmony with yourself and the universe is what counts, and this is possible without positive and specific formulation in words" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"If the gods do evil then they are not gods" Euripides

"If you have two religions in your land, the two will cut each other's throats; but if you have thirty religions, they will dwell in peace" Voltaire

"Almost everyone who has read history in a more than casual manner knows that when the great figure of God appears in a controversy, the shooting cannot be far off" Stewart H Holbrook

2. NEW ON OUR WEB SITE

There is a new web page on our site dedicated to HUMANITY and UNITY. It is a page where you will ONLY find references to web sites who choose to make a difference, whether it is through love and humanity, through charity or through peace.

There are some inspirational messages and ideas being promoted on a global scale and this page is there to help you find some light on earth. Enjoy.

http://www.hark.net.au/humanity.htm

3. ARTICLE "How to be spiritual without necessarily being religious?"

by Julie Hargreaves

It occurred to me recently that I see an ever growing number of people who are spiritually minded, who have beliefs that recognise either a supreme being, a greater whole, or something which can be collectively called god. And, yet they feel disconnected from most traditional religions, or feel that religions are not providing the answers in a form in which they can relate.

So, where do you go to connect, if you don't follow the lingo of the latins or the mantra of the muslims? How do you follow the "Lord of the Dance" if you feel your rhythm is more freestyle, when the available options seem to be a formation waltz or the military two step? How do you "tune in to god" on a radio with only preset channels?

I would like to make it clear, that I am not anti-religion, but I am pro-choice.

I do not want to be merely quoted information from a book which is deemed to be the word of god, but I do want to understand and know the essence and the values which inspired it.

It is not enough to read a particular written doctrine and say this is absolute truth, this is the word of god, this is the law above all others and must be followed without question.

I do question. I want to know - how can a text, which has been translated and revised from it's original inception still be accurate to the original "word of god"? Even if it was, how could it be absolutely and totally relevant today when written from the context of centuries ago? And even accepting all of that, how can the essence of god really be condensed into words without losing something in the process?

For example, no matter how eloquently, I might be able to describe the taste of an orange, it would still fall far short of what the real taste of orange was like. I might read a book about oranges as a starting point to learning and knowledge, just as I might read a religious text to start to know god. But, it is only a starting point, a guide along the way and a signpost for direction.

I might also search out knowledgeable people, just as I would look for others who have experienced oranges and who might also help me in my studies, perhaps even show me where to find one or how they enjoy them. However, if they tell me that THEY are the only one with the key to the orangery or that I have to join the Orange Appreciation Society in order to get near enough for a sniff, then I start to think that it's not just oranges that I can smell!

It is when exclusivity creeps into religious attitudes, where the rituals and rites seem to take precedence over the core values of our spiritual unity, that I start to look for answers elsewhere.

All these "good books", waved fervently by their devotees as badges of allegiance might be based on spiritual values, but people being people, often put people focused interpretations on them and then they lose some of the divine essence to baser human frailties.

Most of the "good books" could really be refined down to a few essential principles upon which all interpretations of them would be based. That way, freedom to choose a particular way needn't violate someone else's choice about their path, because they are both still based upon the same fundamental principles. By trying to be a step-by-step guide to heaven, a good book's focus on one route often excludes other options, which may be equally valid. Added to that, human nature has a tendency to validate it's own beliefs by reinforcement (sometimes forcefully) and by denigrating anything else that doesn't fit or follow.

To illustrate - here is one core principle that you can find in most "good books" in some form or other:

> > > Treat others as you wish to be treated < < <

This very simple but profound principle gets trodden on and trampled to death by all the presumptions of rightfulness, the intentions of the righteous and the glory of the mighty.

Presumably, those who go into battle, with their "good book" in hand ready to impose their righteousness, their lifestyle, their beliefs, their way on others, also expect to be treated in that same way. After all, if they are following the instructions of their own "good book" they must be acting how they wish to be treated!

And, if someone abuses another in the name of some "good intention", whether they perceive it to be for "their own good", or the greater good, it also means that they expect the same treatment if the tables are turned.

History is littered with the debris from "good intentions" and "righteous warring", but are we really living now in more enlightened times?

Personally, I feel disappointed by the standards being upheld by many religions. Too many religious leaders are allowing fanaticism to become established at the expense of unity and the expansion of all humanity. Too many are turning blind eyes to behaviour that subverts the morals and ethics of which they espouse, and in doing so teach double standards to those who look to them for a spiritual lead. Too many are becoming entrenched in their own dogma rather than inspiring others through enlightened guidance. Too many are taking judgmental stands and preaching intolerance and separatism rather than acceptance and union. Too many expect rigid adherence to a rule book and expect rituals to be undertaken "religiously".

In fact the term "religiously" has now taken on slightly negative connotations and is often used in other contexts to indicate following an idea or ideal slavishly and without question.

However, it is through asking questions that we expand our knowledge and that we increase understanding. We may step out of the comfort zone of routine perhaps, but we are then able to discover something greater than we previously knew or were. We may still have faith in a higher existence, we may still trust that we will reach it, but each day we can ask ourselves - which path shall I take? who's company do I choose? who am I? what are my values?

If we stop asking questions, we stop growing.

If we stop growing and expanding our spirit, we are merely following a familiar groove and are invariably looking down rather than upwards or 'god'-wards.

4. GLOBAL LOVE DAY - 1st May 2005

APRIL UPDATE: MESSAGE FROM HAROLD BECKER

Dear Friends,

April 1st and we are just one month away for the second annual Global Love Day on Sunday, May 1, 2005. We are hearing from you daily (64 countries and growing) sharing your individual and group plans and are delighted with the wonderful response - keep sending us your ideas and celebration events. We already know of over a dozen cities world wide where people will be gathering to share love and heard from countless others who will be with their families or intend to just "be love" for the day.

At this writing we have 5 new proclamations in hand and know of many more on their way: they include Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Clearwater and Palm Bay, Florida, and Iowa City, Iowa along with our original 13 from mayors and governors from the first year. The Invitational submissions are in from around the globe and are simply amazing. We look forward to sharing these in May. Plus, our flyer is available in 10 languages too!

Be a part of it. Spread the word. If you are inspired to help spread the word, we would love your assistance. You can post flyers, email, call or write to your friends and family, community, corporations, governments and media to announce this event. You can also tell us what you plan to do that day yourself and/or with friends (remember to send us your pictures too!) Let us know if you would like to underwrite and sponsor any aspect of our efforts. We gratefully accept your time, energy and contributions. As a 501(c) 3 corporation we are a tax deductible charity if you would prefer to assist in this way.

Please take a moment to see the Global Love Day pages http://www.thelovefoundation.com/Global_Love_Day.htm or visit our main site www.thelovefoundation.com

Thank you for your courage to love.

Love, light and peace,
The Board - Harold, John, Francine, Tam, Darlene, and Lanis
Our Country Coordinators - Lydiah, Raphael, Magda, Martin, Emmanuel, Wendi, Keyvan, Julie, Shiva and Shed
The Love Foundation, Inc.
www.thelovefoundation.com

Think: Global Love Day
Feel: Love Begins With Me
Remember: May 1, 2005

5. International conference June 3-5

> > > TO EXAMINE RELIGIOUS EVOLUTION 'TOWARD A SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE'

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- March 29, 2005 -- Weapons of mass destruction do exist in Iraq. Indeed, they exist worldwide. But they aren't the military hardware you might think. They are an arsenal of individual and collective beliefs that proclaims, "My path is the only right path to God."

Close to 1,000 people from around the world -- clergy and laypeople, scholars and students, professionals and laborers, business people and artists, policy makers and concerned individuals of many faiths and traditions -- intend to locate and dismantle those weapons in an international theological conference to be held at Bard College, 90 miles north of New York City, June 3 through 5.

The conference ...

"Seeds of Transformation: Toward a Spiritual Renaissance in a Time of Fundamental Change" (http://bard.humanitysteam.org),

... will reveal a trend in which people around the world inspect the spiritual weapons in their arsenal of beliefs, including ideas that we are "better" than others, that we are separate from one another, and in particular that God wants it only one way on this earth and that we had better get it right or we are sure to be condemned.

The groundbreaking event, which will also explore the ramifications of the trend, will feature some two dozen speakers, including world-renowned authors, theologians, scientists, artists and spiritual leaders of Eastern, Western and indigenous faiths.

It is co-sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College (www.bard.edu/iat), dedicated to a better understanding of the world's religious traditions, and Humanity's Team (www.humanitysteam.org), a non-profit, pluralistic educational movement founded by the "Conversations With God" author Neale Donald Walsch.

Besides lectures, panel discussions, seminars and workshops, the conference will feature special screenings of award-winning films depicting the changing religious and spiritual climate, a live theatrical production of a critically acclaimed religious drama, inspiring sculptures and paintings of scriptural figures and spiritual expression, uplifting performances by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning musicians, and an outdoor multifaith prayer service officiated by clergy from a range of faith traditions, among the many activities of intellectual and spiritual enrichment.

The event will also serve as the site of Humanity's Team's 2005 Worldwide Gathering. Dubbed a "civil rights movement for the soul," Humanity's Team -- composed of some 10,000 people from 94 countries on six continents -- seeks to free people from oppressive beliefs about God, life and each other so that humanity can truly experience unity and oneness.

The price of attendance for all three days is $460, including all meals, if paid by April 15; it's $650 after April 15. There are discounts for groups of three or more. Attendees may also register to participate on any single day. Affordable sleeping accommodations on campus are also available.

For more information or to register, logon to http://bard.humanitysteam.org or call (845) 256-1444.

6. AND FINALLY ...

IS GOD BLACK OR WHITE?

A white man and a black man were arguing vehemently about whether God was black or white.

"God, is white!" insisted the white man.
"No way," replied the black man, "I'm sure God's black."
"I'll prove to you God is white," said the white man, "Come with me."

Both men, thereupon, made the long ascension to the top of Mt. Sinai.
The white man called out, "God, hear my prayer. Please tell us what colour
you are!"

From the heavens came down a booming voice. "I AM WHAT I AM!" echoed all over the mountain.

"There, you see!" said the white man, "God, is definitely white!"
"Well, how do you know God is white from what he said?"
"Well," remarked the white man, quite impatient at this point, "If God were black he would have said `AH IS WHAT AH IS'"

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