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From Poverty to Power Green, Oxfam 2008 - weman

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2 POWER AND POLITICS I BELIEVE, THEREFORE I AMBahá’ís, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs,and Taoists – attended a World Faiths and Development Conferencein 1998, they revealed a startling degree of consensus about some oflife’s deepest truths:• Material gain alone cannot lead <strong>to</strong> true development: economicactivities are inter-related with all other aspects of life.• The whole world belongs <strong>to</strong> God. Human beings have no right<strong>to</strong> act in a harmful way <strong>to</strong> other living creatures.• Everyone is of equal worth.• People’s well-being and their very identity are rooted in theirspiritual, social, and cultural traditions.• Social cohesion is essential for true development.• Societies (and the world) must be run on the basis of equityand justice. 24This convergence can be seen in the co-operation between faithsacross the developing world, where <strong>Oxfam</strong>, a secular agency, supportsand works with partner organisations from a number of faiths, whoshare common goals of rights and social justice.BOX 2.1THE GOLDEN RULEBrahmanism: ‘This is the sum of duty: do naught un<strong>to</strong> otherswhich would cause you pain if done <strong>to</strong> you.’(Mahabharata 5, 1517)Buddhism: ‘Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would findhurtful.’ (Udana-Varga 5,18)Christianity: ‘Do un<strong>to</strong> others as you would have done un<strong>to</strong> you.’(Jesus, quoted in Luke 6:31)Confucianism: ‘Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness:do not un<strong>to</strong> others that you would not have them do un<strong>to</strong> you.’(Analects 15, 23)Islam: ‘No man is a true believer unless he desireth for hisbrother that which he desireth for himself.’(Azizullah – Hadith 150)37

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