“A principle embraced by every faith, and by every moral code,” better known as the Golden Rule, has formed the backbone for the Charter for Compassion — a document that has been affirmed by tens of thousands of people around the world.
It was born as the wish of former nun and religious author Karen Armstrong, who won the TED Prize in 2008. The award included US$100,000 and help granting a “wish to change the world.” Armstrong wished for help creating a charter based on the rule, which she said transcends individual religions.
The charter was compiled from the individual contributions of more than 150,000 people from over 180 countries. It was unveiled on Nov. 12, 2009.
The 310-word document calls for us to “dethrone ourselves from the centre of the world and put another there” by alleviating suffering, treating all people with compassion, respecting all religions, and rejecting any scriptural interpretation that breeds violence or hatred. More than 37,000 people have signed their names to the document.
For more information see charterforcompassion.org.
