Promoting peace
Michele Marr
Hoping to provide more than a bridge over troubled waters, leaders
and members of the Huntington Beach Church of Religious Science are
inviting people to join them at a 64-day international nonviolence
campaign that starts today.
The campaign, A Season for Nonviolence, was created in 1998 by
Arun Gandhi, co-founder of the Institute for Nonviolence and grandson
of Mohandas Gandhi, the Mahatma, to advance worldwide public
awareness of Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence and to promote their
practice as a way to heal and transform the global social landscape
through individual and grass-roots actions.
The dates for the first campaign were chosen to commemorate the
50th and 30th anniversaries of the assassinations of Gandhi and
Martin Luther King, Jr.
In recent years, The Assn. for Global New Thought, which shares
many of the teachings, principles and practices of Religious Science
and Unity churches, has increasingly embraced the cause of A Season
for Nonviolence.
“Our philosophy, as a general principle, teaches us to be for
something and against nothing,” said the Rev. Peggy Price, senior
minister of the Huntington Beach Church of Religious Science. “The
principles of nonviolence cross all spiritual lines, all religious
lines, all racial lines. All lines, period. All human lines.
“This year, given the circumstances all over the planet, we wanted
to really focus on [nonviolence] and bring it to the community,” she
said. The church has chosen the theme “Planet Peace, for Life,” for
its program this year.
Price will kick off the season for her own congregation on Feb. 2
with the first in a series of talks she will give on Mahatma Gandhi’s
principles of nonviolence -- six principles that teach: “Nonviolence
means choosing nonviolence as a way of life by practicing peace
daily.”
The Assn. for Global New Thought has developed an action list, “64
Ways in 64 Days” to practice peace, tolerance and nonviolence. The
list is available on the association’s Web site, www.agnt.org.
Price and a committee of others dedicated to finding peaceful
solutions to personal, community and global conflicts have organized
a full program of speakers and events for the 64-day tribute to
peace.
Activities have been planned to appeal to all ages.
“Our goal for the children during A Season of Nonviolence is [to]
have them to look for peaceful solutions in all areas of their
lives,” said Gary Bates, the church’s youth director.
Each Sunday morning, Price’s message, or that of a guest speaker,
will focus on an aspect of nonviolence. Each Wednesday evening, the
church will sponsor a guest speaker, a workshop or an event to
explore the importance of tolerance and peace.
“We want to provide a forum for people to learn about the many
ways that others are practicing peaceful ways of relating in their
daily lives,” said Joy Kolesky, a member of the Church of Religious
Science who has helped promote the events.
For Thursday, March 20, the church has organized a guided tour of
the Museum of Tolerance led by Rabbi Abraham Cooper who is curator
for the museum.
On Saturday, March 29, the church will host a Peace Fair, a
gathering of various peace organizations that will present
information, exhibits, demonstrations and experiential activities
related to their work.
* MICHELE MARR is a freelance writer, reach her at
michele@soulfoodfiles.com.
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