Just Imagine

       Imagine a gathering of United Religions Initiatives (URI) members of diverse religions, spiritual expressions, and indigenous traditions from across North America, working together harmoniously to create cultures of peace, justice, compassion, and dignity for all living beings. And imagine that they share a meal together that does just that!

       Imagine the multiplying effect that can happen when participants at this North America Regional Assembly take the experience of a 100-percent compassionate meal back home to their local URI member groups or Cooperation Circles (CCs). Imagine the impact this might have over time for the well being of other living beings.

       Such a meal and such an experience are on the cusp of happening soon. And we have done this before . . . take a look (here) at a vegan meal (i.e., free of any animal products) enjoyed at the URI Global Leadership Conference held last September in Sarajevo. However, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE to raise the necessary funds!  

       As an Animal Chaplain and Humane Minister, I have noticed the disconnect many religions have from the tenets of extending Compassion for All Living Beings. As a Spiritual Leader of my own nonprofit (www.ahowan.org), I have traveled through India, Sri Lanka, the USA, South Africa, Costa Rica and Canada sharing a message to many different religions and other groups of Peace with All Animals (including humans). What I have learned is, the starting point for many of us is what we are accustomed to putting on our plates. And the ways we have conditioned ourselves to extend compassion to some animals and not to others.

       Religions and cultures often justify the mistreatment of certain animals and certain groups of humans considered “the other”. If, however, we dig deep into the tenets of the major religions, we learn the message is inherently different (see “Religious Teachings,” https://compassion4alllivingbeings.org/links/). This is the message of the URI CC, Compassion For All Living Beings, which I am blessed to be a member of! We are inviting the members and leadership of URI, our parent organization, to take another look at these tenets by extending compassion, peace and dignity to all living beings — and to take note of how this begins with what we choose to put on our plates. In other words, to walk our talk.

       For a long time I have been dreaming of an opportunity to share this important message with groups of people who can really take it to heart and let it ripple out in a larger way. And here it is! I need your help, however. We need your help!

       The North America Regional Assembly will take place July 27-29, 2018, near Baltimore, Maryland, with some 100 CC representatives from across the region in attendance. The registration fee, meals and lodging costs of my participation, and ground transportation have all been covered. Yet to be raised are the full costs of my round-trip airfare and the printing our Compassion for all Living Beings brochure (which can be found here). We’ve set July 11th as the deadline to purchase the flight ticket.

        Here is the link to make a donation of any amount: GoFundMe.

From my Heart to your Heart,

Compassion for All Living Beings Cooperation Circle, United Religion Initiative

For more information on Compassion For All Living Beings:
www.compassion4alllivingbeings.org

For more information on URI:
https://www.uri.org/

For more information on URI North America:
https://urinorthamerica.org/web/

For more information on the URI Multi-Region:
https://urimulti.org/