Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Climate Change Requires Global Solutions, Say Faith Leaders



TORONTO, November 22, 2011 - United Church of Canada

Later this month, Mardi Tindal, the Moderator of The United Church of Canada, will join faith leaders from around the world as they gather to bear witness at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa.

Tindal will be attending the conference as part of a World Council of Churches delegation. She and the Rev. Willard Metzger, General Secretary of the Mennonite Church Canada , will be representing a diverse group of Canadian faith leaders from many different religious traditions and faith-based organizations. The message they will carry with them to Durban is an interfaith call of solidarity for leadership and action on climate change.

“Climate change is a planetary crisis that knows no borders,” says Tindal. “There is one human family and one Earth that is our common homeland.”


Tindal explains that the teachings of our faiths tell us that the best interests of one group or nation are served by pursuing the best interests of all. Climate change is a global crisis and requires global solutions that put the well-being of all people first—especially the most vulnerable.

“The world’s religious traditions teach us to look beyond ourselves—individually and collectively—now and for future generations, as we confront the crisis of ocean and climate change,” comments Tindal.


She says that at its root the unprecedented human contribution to climate change is symptomatic of a spiritual deficit: excessive self-interest, destructive competition, and greed have given rise to unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.

She adds that the Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change [PDF: 6 pp/102 KB] argues that the foundations for a sustainable economy must include the values of restraint, cooperation, and reciprocity.

“As religious leaders, we see people as more than consumers with unlimited appetites,” says Tindal. “We believe we must work together in transforming cultures of self-interest and unprecedented consumption into cultures of justice for all.”


Tindal believes the November 28–December 9, 2011, 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in South Africa has the potential to be a transition point where we, as a global community, change how we think about and act to address climate change.

“Our environment is the natural source of our wealth and the home of millions of species for which we are planetary stewards,” says Tindal. “How long can we barter this priceless inheritance for the promise of growing economic returns?”

Tindal explains that Canadian faith leaders are calling for leadership to put the long-term interest of humanity and the planet ahead of short-term economic and national concerns.

She says some countries are far more adversely affected by climate change than others as they experience major changes in weather patterns. They know the impact of rising seas and erosion of lands, leading to drought or flooding. These countries are most often among the poorest and least equipped to respond.

Tindal says it is time for all of humanity to take stock of our collective behaviour and to transform cultures of consumerism and waste into cultures of sustainability.

“Our everyday choices about food, transportation, clothing, and entertainment are all practical expressions of what we value,” says Tindal.
At the same time, disconnections between our professed beliefs and our daily actions indicate our need for personal and collective awareness and transformation.

Tindal explains we need to seek coherence between our beliefs and our actions, so that our lives and consumption habits reflect our relationship with the rest of humanity and Earth itself.

“Humanity’s relationship with the environment has become distorted by actions that compromise the welfare of future generations of life,” she says. “We have a moral imperative to act.”


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Former United Church Moderator Bill Phipps Fasts for Courage at Climate Change Conference



CALGARY, November 22, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On Sunday, November 27, 2011, former United Church Moderator, the Very Rev. Dr. Bill Phipps, will begin a 10-day fast in support of the political, religious, and civil society leaders who will be gathering in Durban, South Africa, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17).

"My fast is a prayer of hope, encouragement, and solidarity for the leaders who gather there," explains Phipps. "Giving up food is my offering, an embodiment of the struggle to save our fragile world."


Phipps conducted a similar fast in 2009 when the UN climate change talks were held in Copenhagen. He says he believes that bold decisions at COP17 are even more urgently needed than they were two years ago.

"Since the meetings in Copenhagen, climate change has accelerated. I feel that humanity's future is in grave peril," says Phipps. "For the healthy future of our earthly home, I believe the Durban meetings are a critical moment in human history."


Phipps, an outspoken activist, says his fast is a form of prayer, not a protest. He explains that fasting is part of many ancient spiritual and religious traditions. It is used by people who want to clear the mind and body and focus on Spirit.

"I believe that a sustainable tomorrow is a spiritual question," he says. "Each and all of us bear responsibility for the ecological legacy we leave for future generations."


Throughout his fast, Phipps will be inviting members of churches, other faiths, and the general public to offer their own prayers for the planet during the meetings in Durban, November 28-December 9, 2011.

In particular, Phipps says he will be holding The United Church of Canada's current Moderator, Mardi Tindal, in his prayers. Tindal will be attending COP17 as part of a World Council of Churches delegation.

During his fast, Phipps also plans to visit the constituency offices of various political leaders, including those of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Alberta Premier Alison Redford. The schedule of those visits can be found at http://www.billphipps.ca/fast-for-courage.html.


Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Heart of Christmas (Official Music Video) - Matthew West


Last Christmas, Matthew West released a touching video, One Last Christmas inspired by the true story of the Locke Family and their quest to make one final Christmas wish for their son come true.

This year, Matthew delivers yet again another heart-warming and beautiful song, The Heart of Christmas as the title song from the GMC movie The Heart of Christmas based on this incredible story of the Locke family and the community that gave this little boy one last Christmas.

This is truly a Christmas must-see!!




Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Canadians Give a Darn by Giving A Day


TORONTO, November 15, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - In support of The Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dignitas International, Give a Day celebrates its 8th year. A simple yet powerful way to make a real difference in the struggle against AIDS in Africa, the Give a Day initiative encourages Canadians to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic by giving one day's pay on World AIDS Day, December 1, to either The Stephen Lewis Foundation or Dignitas International or both. To date, Canadians have raised over $3,000,000 through Give a Day.

"The AIDS pandemic will be halted when we assert that the current situation is intolerable and the solutions are within our grasp. Be part of the answer. Please, give a day." - Dr. Jane Philpott, Founder of Give A Day


2011 Give a Day Campaign

The 2011 campaign is well underway. This year, ten law firms, hundreds of articling students, healthcare professionals from more than twelve hospitals, and several communities are running Give a Day events.

How it Works


Give a Day recommends participants donate to two excellent recipient organizations: the Stephen Lewis Foundation ( www.stephenlewisfoundation.org) which provides funding to grassroots organizations that are turning the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa, and/or Dignitas International ( www.dignitasinternational.org), a medical humanitarian organization working to increase access to life-saving treatment and prevention.

The money raised helps keep children in school where both nutrition and education are provided; helps provide community support for those attempting to deal with the tremendous losses they've suffered; and provides treatment, care and support to children and adults who are dealing with HIV/AIDS in Africa on a daily basis.

What You Can Do


Host a Give a Day Harambee: "a party with a purpose" to raise funds and awareness about HIV/AIDS. Make it a fun theme party or just because!

Join the challenge and donate a day's pay !


New Documentary Chronicles the Nativity Story through the Eyes of Five Canadians

Must See TV Series of the Christmas Season

TORONTO, November 16, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - What happens when the paths of five strangers intersect in the Middle East on a search for the truth about Christmas?

Tricord Media, Crossroads Television System (CTS), Aboriginal People's Television Network (APTN) and Windborne Productions are proud to present Journey to Christmas; a 21st Century meets the 1st Century television experience.

The four part documentary series follows the epic voyage five diverse Canadians take to Israel and Palestine and their examination of the hype and history surrounding the virgin birth of Christ.

Renowned scholar and television commentator Nazir Shaheen guides an unusual cast of characters, which includes an agnostic, an artist, a skeptical radio talk-show host, a native youth worker, and a singer-songwriter on their nativity quest. Highlighted by breathtaking high definition cinematography, Shaheen takes this group of modern day 'wisemen' to fascinating historical and archeological sites.

Journey to Christmas also includes appearances by Canadian astrophysicist Hugh Ross who examines the science behind the star of Bethlehem, and Paul Maier, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Western Michigan.

Journey to Christmas premieres December 3rd and 4th on CTS and repeats December 19th on APTN.

A pre-screening of Journey to Christmas will take place November 22nd at 3:00pm at the National Film Board of Canada Mediatheque studios in Toronto.

JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS has an interactive website www.journeytochristmas.com The website features extra scenes from the production, blogs from the participants, expanded commentary on aspects of the story from the experts, location information and insights from the makers of the documentary.

ABOUT TRICORD MEDIA

Tricord Media is an international distributor of faith and family values entertainment content, based in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. It is a non-profit corporation that supports content that has a positive moral message, to inspire people to transform lives and communities. Tricord Media strives to bring spiritually uplifting and wholesome programs for all family members to enjoy. www.tricordmedia.ca


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Controversy over that Viral 'Murmuration' Video



© Screenshot of 'Murmuration' on Vimeo

from TreeHugger.com
by Jeff Kart - Science / Natural Sciences

Here's a new word for some of us: Murmuration. See the video for a view. It's a sight to behold. A river of nature. A flock of starlings flying together above the water in Ireland.

What does the term mean? Murmuration is a collective noun for starlings. Like a murder of crows, just less well known.

The Vimeo video, posted by Sophie Windsor Clive, is two minutes long, with some still shots mixed in. It has close to 600 comments so far, most of them a variation on "Wow!"

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.



Just like the birds, this video has taken flight on the Internet. MSNBC notes that Liberty Smith also was part of the experience, and that the film, taken on Ireland's Shannon River, was submitted to a World Wildlife Fund competition.

But ... there's a question as to its chances of winning.

The WWF competition is called "Life. Nature. You. Make the Connection." The contest is now closed, but entries can be found on WWF's Vimeo site.

A discussion on the Vimeo site revolves around the possibility that the murmuration video was edited to meet a 2-minute time limit for the contest. A longer version of a video, also by Clive and Smith, and also called "Murmuration," was submitted to other contests, which appears to break the WWF contest rules requiring original content.

So it's being speculated that the magical starlings won't win the prize (at least in this case). An 8-minute "Murmuration" video by Clive and Smith was part of the London Short Film Festival in 2010, among other contests.

read more story at TreeHugger.com

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel • End-of-Life Decision Making



OTTAWA, November 9, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - End-of-Life Decision Making constitutes one the most serious social and ethical issues facing all developed countries.

On October 27, 2009, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) announced the commissioning of an Expert Panel, consisting of eminent scholars and chaired by Prof. Udo Schuklenk, Professor of Philosophy and Ontario Research Chair in Bioethics, Queen's University. The Panel was given a mandate to consider the large body of medical science evidence that, if summarized for the public, would be helpful to their consideration of the issue. The panel was also requested to review the evidence and experience from the various jurisdictions that permit physician-assisted death.

While the RSC itself does not have an opinion on these matters, the panel was struck as a service to Canadians, who would benefit greatly from having a careful, balanced review of various pros and cons of the decriminalization of physician-assisted death from well-reasoned ethical and legal standpoints.

On November 15, 2011, the Expert Panel will release its report at a press conference in Ottawa, Ontario. Also on November 15, the report will become publicly and freely available for download on the website of the Royal Society of Canada at: www.rsc-src.ca/expertpanels_reports.php


The main messages that are elaborated upon in the report include:

...What are the principal challenges facing Canadians with respect to End-of-Life Decision Making?

...How does Canada perform in terms of ensuring access to high quality palliative care?

...What are some of the primary legal questions that would benefit from clarification?

...Does the evidence support claims that decriminalization of assisted dying will result in vulnerable persons being subject to abuse, or to a slippery slope from voluntary to non-voluntary euthanasia?

...Should assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia be legal? Why or why not?


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Canadian interfaith leaders call for climate change action



from Embassy Magazine
By Fred Hiltz
Published Oct 31, 2011

As governments throughout the world prepare for the next global climate change summit, COP 17, later this month, Canadian faith leaders urge them to take collective action by signing and implementing a binding international agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol that commits nations to slash carbon emissions.

The following is an excerpt of an open letter from 26 Canadian leaders of faith community and faith-based organizations, released earlier this week.

Signatories include representatives of the: Anglican Church of Canada (Most Rev. Fred Hiltz), Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada, Canadian Council of Imams, Quakers, Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Federation of Hindu Temples of Canada, Mennonite Church Canada, Bahá'ís, Presbyterian Church in Canada, United Church of Canada, Citizens for Public Justice, Faith and the Common Good, and KAIROS.

We, representatives of Canadian faith communities, are united in our conviction that the growing crisis of climate change needs to be met by solutions that draw upon the moral and spiritual resources of the world’s religious traditions.

We recognize that at its root the unprecedented human contribution to climate change is symptomatic of a spiritual deficit: excessive self-interest, destructive competition, and greed have given rise to unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. Humanity’s relationship with the environment has become distorted by actions that compromise the welfare of future generations of life.

Our faith traditions and sacred texts call upon us all—individuals, civil society, businesses, industry, and governments—to consider the spiritual dimensions of the crisis of ocean and climate change; to take stock of our collective behaviour; to transform cultures of consumerism and waste into cultures of sustainability; and to respect the balance between economic activity and environmental stewardship.

The Nov. 29-Dec. 9 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) conference in South Africa has the potential to be a transition point—where we, as a global community, change how we think and act.

The challenge of climate justice

Climate change is a planetary crisis that knows no borders. Some countries are far more adversely affected by climate change than others. They are experiencing major changes in weather patterns. They know the impact of rising seas and erosion of lands, leading to drought or flooding. These countries are most often among the poorest and least equipped to respond.

Many countries are suffering from the long-term consequences of unrestrained carbon emissions that damage the atmosphere. We believe all nations need to adopt energy policies that result in actual emission reductions to a fair and safe global level. Organizations, businesses, and individuals have similar duties to reduce their emissions.

For high-income nations such as Canada, justice demands that our governments shoulder a greater share of the economic burden of adaptation and mitigation—first and foremost, because of access to greater means, but also because of an historic role in contributing to its causes. We have a moral imperative to act.

A call for leadership and action

We call for leadership to put the long-term interest of humanity and the planet ahead of short-term economic and national concerns.

The teachings of our faiths tell us that the best interests of one group or nation are served by pursuing the best interests of all people. There is one human family and one Earth that is our common homeland. Climate change is a global crisis and requires global solutions that put the well-being of all people first—especially the most vulnerable.

Furthermore, our environment is the natural source of our wealth and the home of millions of species for which we are planetary stewards. How long can we barter this priceless inheritance for the promise of growing economic returns?

In our neighbourhoods and communities, and in businesses and organizations, we need to change wasteful patterns of production and consumption. This calls for a cultural transformation that brings the values of sustainability to the forefront of public consciousness—and into more responsible practices. We cannot wait for others to act but instead must lead by example.

Religious organizations, public institutions and businesses all have important roles to play in promoting ethical consumption and more sustainable lifestyles and practices in their everyday operations.

We speak respectfully to our political leaders, who have been entrusted with authority by Canadians. We ask that you act with due regard for the values of both religion and science, looking objectively on the problems confronting our planet. Climate science points to a future of greater instability and unpredictability, problems that can be addressed by action today. We stand ready to work alongside you to promote a future of security, prosperity, and justice—for humankind, and the whole of creation.

As you carry out your responsibilities at COP 17, we urge you to honour the values we have described and adopt the following policy goals:

- in the spirit of global solidarity, take collective action by signing and implementing a binding international agreement replacing the Kyoto Protocol that commits nations to reduce carbon emissions and set fair and clear targets that ensure global average temperatures stay below a 2 C increase from pre-industrial levels;

- demonstrate national responsibility by committing to national carbon emission targets and a national renewable energy policy designed to achieve sustainability;

- implement climate justice, by playing a constructive role in the design of the Green Climate Fund under United Nations governance, and by contributing public funds to assist the poorest and most affected countries to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.

We believe these to be practical and critical measures necessary to secure the well-being of the planet for future generations of life.

read more story at Embassy Magazine