Arlington Declaration
August 29, 2003
Preamble
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal
and inalienable rights of all members of the human family
- which is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in
the world - presupposes and implies certain obligations or
responsibilities, Now, therefore, The AMSS 3rd Regional Conference,
Southwest; Proclaims this Declaration of represents a common
standard of commitment by this conference to the end that
every individual and organ of society shall contribute to
the . consciousness of these responsibilities of individuals
and institutions to be founded by education and teaching as
well as strengthened and promoted by progressive measures,
national and international.
| Article 1 |
All men are created equal having the
right to life, property and pursuit of happiness, as
well as to rights and freedoms guaranteed in the fundamental
laws and constitutions of modern democratic states.
Every human being, regardless of social origin, sex,
property, color, language, nationality or religion,
ought to be treated humanely. |
| Article 2 |
All human beings should oppose fanaticism, hate,
and social exclusion, and work for greater humaneness.
|
| Article 3 |
All individuals, state, social class, pressure
group, police should aim at: Do good and avoid evil,
indeed practice benevolence. |
| Article 4 |
All human beings, endowed with reason and conscience,
should act towards one another in a spirit of sisterhood/brotherhood.
Therefore, there should be applied to all human beings,
both individuals and groups, including among others
families, communities, races, nations, and religions,
the long-standing principle of so many ethical and religious
traditions: What you do not wish done to yourself, do
not do to others. |
| Article 5 |
No one, except in the case of self-defense, has
the right to injure or to kill. Every human being ought
rather to have respect for life. |
| Article 6 |
The lives of animals and plants which inhabit this
planet with us likewise deserve protection, preservation,
and care. That is, we humans are a part of nature, not
apart from nature. Hence, as beings with the capacity
of foresight we bear a special responsibility - especially
with a view to future generations - for the air, water,
and soil, that is, for the earth, and even the cosmos.
|
| Article 7 |
Conflicts ought to be resolved without violence.
This principle is valid for all institutions, especially
states, as well as for individuals. Particularly public
officials are obliged to work within a framework of
a just order and to commit themselves, whenever possible,
to non-violent, peaceful solutions. |
| Article 8 |
No one has the right to rob or dispossess in any
way any person, group of persons, or the commonweal.
Every human being ought rather to deal honestly and
fairly. |
| Article 9 |
Property, limited or large, carries with it an obligation;
ownership not only permits the personal use of property
but also entails the responsibility to serve the common
good. |
| Article 10 |
Economic and political power should not be misused
as instruments of domination, but for service to humanity.
Therefore mutual respect and the will to mediation should
be fostered so as to reach a reasonable balance of interests
in a sense of moderation and fairness. |
| Article 11 |
The communications media, to whom the freedom to
report for the sake of truth is entrusted and to whom
the office of guardian granted, do not stand above ethics
but have the obligation to respect human dignity, human
rights, and fundamental values. They are duty-bound
to objectivity, fairness, and humaneness. Hence, they
have no right to intrude into individuals' private spheres,
manipulate public opinion, or distort reality. |
| Article 12 |
Politicians, scientists and artists are doubly obliged,
as individual persons and as society's leaders, to model
ethical standards, and especially to serve truth. |
| Article 13 |
Religious persons, and especially religious leaders,
whose religious freedom is guaranteed, ought to avoid
prejudice, fanaticism and hatred towards those of different
belief, let alone incite or legitimize religious wars.
They rather should always be guides for truthfulness
in thinking, speaking, and acting. |
| Article 14 |
All human beings are created by Almighty one Creator,
God/Allah and granted inalienable rights, privileges
and responsibilities with obligation to fulfill themission
of being vicegerent on this planet earth, nay, universe
at large. No power has the authority to limit, restrict
and circumscribe or preclude this mission or deny these
rights, privileges and responsibilities except Him. |
| Article 15 |
Pluralism and diversity are among the key thematic
concepts of all the religions. Monotheistic faiths envision
people everywhere of good will and strong belief, ,
as forming a religious commonwealth, united in a common
enterprise of enjoining good and preventing wrong. Such
a vision is particularly appropriate in our age of pluralism
and rapid globalization. Humans are thus entrusted with
a special mission to highlight this powerful divine
message, especially in view of the threat from religious
extremists from many faith traditions. |
| Article 16 |
Sanctity of human life and preservation of human
dignity must be realized as an essential prerequisite
to world peace. The root cause of worldwide turmoil
and conflict is injustice, which is silenced under the
pretext of extremist terrorism or war, but should be
dealt with objectively with common sense solutions based
on a grassroots, nonviolent approach. |
| Article 17 |
Terrorism is extremism in all of its focus. Endeavor
should be made too combat extremist tendencies by opposing
the use of violence in settling differences and disputes,
particularly when it is unprovoked andindiscriminate.
|
| Article 18 |
Interfaith and intercultural dialogue must be encouraged
to bring understanding and cooperation and oppose oppressive
and authoritarian regimes, which create the very conditions
that give rise to extremism. |
| Article 19 |
Senseless violence is committed in the name of ideologies,
nationalism, racism and in the name of religion. Thrust
of all revealed religions is peace, love, justice and
human brotherhood. Aggression, oppression and injustices
contributes to all forms of extremism" |
| Article 20 |
The state-sponsored terrorism should not be left
out. Let us not fight violence with more violence. It
is a big folly to think that violence and terrorism
can be dealt with by more counter-violence and more
counter-terrorism. |
| Article 21 |
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted
as implying for any state, group or person the right
to engage in any activity aimed at the destruction of
any of the rights, freedoms or responsibilities set
forth in the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human
Rights or subsequent UN documents. |
Conclusion
Even more pressing in this rapidly emerging Global Age than
learning to understand those who think differently from us
is the need to agree on a minimum set of ethical principles
which will determine how we will act toward each other; we
need to develop a Global Ethic. This minimal ethic will be
arrived at by consensus through dialogue, and then on it as
a firm base will be endlessly extended through ongoing future
dialogue.
Recognition and acceptance of humanistic values is the solution
for the mankind. Such values are universal and natural product
of the social and cultural evolution of humanity. Religions
and ideologies must reject irrational claims to exclusiveness
of the truth they pretend to represent and embrace the universal
human values in their moral and social message. They must
work together with others on this common basis. This must
be a conscious and intentional effort in search of unity,
cooperation, mutual love, and peace.
In this new Age, Dialogue of Civilization on a global basis
working toward mutual understanding and a global ethic is
now not only a possibility, it is a necessity.

|