Note: Whether you support the work of the PWR itself or not, the following statement of their stance on rising authoritarianism embodies the viewpoints of this website, speaking to the global phenomenon of wildly increasing allowance-of-harm from governments towards their own people and others. While we see the "fall" of structures of systemic harm as a necessary, it is also Heartful Living & Dying's position that it falls to each of us to find our part in the dismantling of such structures, the care and tending of our targeted populations and the creative re-imagining and building of a better world for all. Further, we do acknowledge that oppressed populations from Indigenous groups, to People of Color, to religious minorities, LGBTQIA+, the Differently Abled, Women and others have been screaming these facts at the less-oppressed for - in many cases -100's of years, and that as such, it falls to the newly awakened and less-endangered among us to take up the cause.
Not everyone is a revolutionary, not all will have the skills or courage to place themselves upon the front lines - perhaps you are an artist; paint, dance, sing your truth. If you are a water-bearer, bring water; a nourisher, deliver food. If you have financial means, give generously to those doing the other things, and those who struggle merely to survive. Whatever you see your strengths to be, investigate how you might be needed; no one who is called to be a part of the next wave needs to sit this one out. AND anyone who is directly in harms way SHOULD. If you are a part of a targeted population, yours is to protect yourself. Please do not place yourself in harm's way unless you are certain it is your calling.
MAY WE EACH FIND OUR WAY TO OUR MOST AUTHENTIC SELVES, WHICH CAN AND WILL ALWAYS LEAD US TOWARDS UNITY, COMPASSION, AND DESIRE FOR THE WELL-BEING OF ALL BEINGS.
Thank you PWR for your statement, below. (Those curious may follow the links to explore PWR further).
Not everyone is a revolutionary, not all will have the skills or courage to place themselves upon the front lines - perhaps you are an artist; paint, dance, sing your truth. If you are a water-bearer, bring water; a nourisher, deliver food. If you have financial means, give generously to those doing the other things, and those who struggle merely to survive. Whatever you see your strengths to be, investigate how you might be needed; no one who is called to be a part of the next wave needs to sit this one out. AND anyone who is directly in harms way SHOULD. If you are a part of a targeted population, yours is to protect yourself. Please do not place yourself in harm's way unless you are certain it is your calling.
MAY WE EACH FIND OUR WAY TO OUR MOST AUTHENTIC SELVES, WHICH CAN AND WILL ALWAYS LEAD US TOWARDS UNITY, COMPASSION, AND DESIRE FOR THE WELL-BEING OF ALL BEINGS.
Thank you PWR for your statement, below. (Those curious may follow the links to explore PWR further).
Statement on Interfaith Responsibility in a Time of Rising Authoritarianism
Around the world, communities are witnessing a troubling rise in fear‑based governance, shrinking civic space, and the targeting of vulnerable groups. These developments are not isolated events, nor are they confined to one nation or community. They remind us that injustice grows when silence replaces solidarity.
In the face of systemic cruelty counter to the values fundamental to all religions, and to the democratic ideals to which the United States has long aspired - we will not be silent.
As an interfaith organization committed to the dignity of all people, the Parliament of the World’s Religions affirms that this moment carries a clear moral responsibility. Our responsibility is to protect human dignity, practice compassion, and defend justice through our words and by our actions, in the public arena and in our individual lives. We are responsible to hold accountable those in positions of power, and to support one another in our wholehearted commitment to the values we share.
Across our diverse traditions, we share a conviction that human worth is inherent, compassion is not selective, and justice is not optional. When any group is dehumanized through policy, rhetoric, or violence, the fabric of our shared humanity is torn.
Authoritarian movements depend on division. They seek to turn neighbor against neighbor and to misuse religion as a tool of exclusion. Yet across the globe, people of conscience are choosing another path: standing together across differences, protecting one another’s rights, caring for the Earth, and insisting that no human being is disposable.
Authentic religious freedom cannot exist where one worldview is elevated above all others or where dissent is punished. It thrives only in pluralism, rooted not in mere tolerance, but in mutual responsibility.
We stand at a crossroads. The choices we make now will shape the world future generations inherit. If authoritarianism feeds on isolation, our answer must be connection. If it thrives on despair, our answer must be hope made visible. If it seeks silence, our answer must be courageous presence.
The personal is political because policies touch bodies, families, and future, because people matter everywhere.
Guided by its landmark declaration, "Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration", the Parliament of the World’s Religions calls on all communities to choose courageous presence over silence, dignity over fear, and solidarity over division.
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