globalbriefs
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Call to Action Freedoms Foster World Peace
Human Rights Day on December 10 honors local and global activities working to initiate, strengthen and sustain the civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights and freedoms enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Hu- man Rights of 1948. Such principles are considered the bed- rock of peaceful and just societies. President Jimmy Carter sums up the need: “We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes—and we must.” The United Nations Human Rights Council, created in 2006, comprises 47 member states responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. The protection of fundamental human rights was a cornerstone in the es- tablishment of the United States and remains a central goal of U.S. foreign policy. This country understands that the existence of human rights helps to secure peace, deter aggression, promote rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies and prevent humanitarian crises. In 2048: Humanity’s Agreement to Live Together, author Kirk Boyd maintains
that “Peace and prosperity can be attained through the realization of five basic fundamental freedoms for all people: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, freedom for the environment and freedom from fear.” These establish a framework within which other necessary rights can flourish. “That struggle,” declared Robert F. Kennedy, “…will be won by action, by
those who commit their every resource of mind and body to the education and improvement and help of their fellow person.”
Take action at
RFKCenter.org,
SpeakTruth.org and
CarterCenter.org.
World Religions Survey Shows Americans
are Religio-Centric
The role of religion as a social force of enduring significance in the modern world is recognized by American historians and sociolo- gists, according to studies published by the American Historic Association and Social Science Research Coun- cil. Yet, a new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life indicates that Ameri- cans are generally less than knowl- edgeable about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions. On average, Americans cor-
rectly answered half of 32 questions in the survey. Atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons were among the highest-scoring groups, outperform- ing Catholics and both evangelical and mainline Protestants. At the same time, many Americans are devoted readers of scripture; 37 per- cent say they read the Bible or other holy scriptures at least once a week, not counting worship services. But Americans as a whole, or 70 per- cent, are much less inclined to read books or visit websites about other religions.
Additional Pew data show that
while most countries provide for religious freedom in their constitu- tions or laws, only a quarter actively respect this legal right. Sixty-four nations, or about one-third of the world’s countries, impose restrictions on religious practice.
Take a quiz at
Features.PewForum. org/quiz/us-religious-knowledge.
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