Morality/Universal moral principles

We learn some universal moral principles and ideas, through short statements of wisdom.

The moral teachings we will learn are inspired, among others, by faiths and belief systems like atheism, Bahá'í, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Taoism, Unitarian Universalism, and Zoroastrianism.

Modern work on a global ethic includes the efforts of Martti Ahtisaari, Paulo Evaristo Arns, Aung San Suu Kyi, Patriarch Bartholomew I., Joseph Bernardin, Crown Prince Hassan Bin Talil, George Carey, André Chouraqui, Muhammad El-Ghazali, Count K. K. von der Groeben, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, Hassan Hanafi, Teddy Kollek, Franz Konig, Lev Kopelev, Hans Küng, Jonathan Magonet, Rigoberta Menchu, Yehudi Menuhin, Hajime Nakamura, Dileep Padgaonkar, Konrad Raiser, Mary Robinson, Helmut Schmidt, Shu-Hsien Liu, L. M. Singhvi, Rene-Samuel Sirat, Sulak Sivaraksa, Juan Somavia, Cornelio Sommaruga, Sigmund Sternberg, Muhammad Talbi, Codrin Tapu, Carl Friedrich von Weizsacker, Richard von Weizsacker, Elie Wiesel, Mahmoud Zakzouk, and others.

Introduction: Why it is important to learn universal moral and spiritual principles?
To counteract the opposition to spirituality, attacking from the rich lands of the Northwest, and religious fanaticism, finding shelter in the poor countries of the Southeast, we must acknowledge that we are all equal, different but together.

Beliefs
Do not try to convince others. Be open to arguments, but never give up on what you hold most dear, and never ask others to do that.

The greatness of humans
"In the world, there are a few people who can do a lot of evil, and a lot of people who can do a few things to prevent them. Be one of the latter!"

The human value
The value of someone lies in what they have done and can do, and not in the regard or respect of others.

The hands of women


Save the world by putting it in the hands of women. They will never send their children to die in war.

How to travel through life


You can step over dead bodies arrive soon on the mountain top but, getting dizzy, fall from a great height.

You can sit on others' shoulders and see far away, but soon stop, because the others get tired of carrying you.

You can hold the others' hands tight and pull them, leaning on them when you get tired, go far and start a new country, where you will be king or queen.

The good teacher
The good teacher is the one who helps students find within themselves the way to the truth of their life.

The story of life
We are the main authors of the story of our life, but the others are co-authors.

Write a good story for your life, because is the story that lasts into the world and that you will read forever.

Missing someone


Missing is not suffering, but it is ending suffering. To miss is to need, and to need means to live.

The "revelation"
The great revelation is that it’s not the continuation that is important, but the “Existence” as a whole. Life is a movie so great that it does not need a sequel.

The creed of humankind
Time gives life, but does not take it back, because time only goes forward. In this sense, life is forever.

Death is an end, and the end is fulfillment, completion, and not destruction.

Belief has the power to change the reality, love and friendship also.

Faith is not deception. Want to know more, but don’t hope more than you know today.

Believe in projects, but also in unpredictable future.

All has an end that only makes things complete.

The meaning of life
Live you life primarily for its own sake, and not for some goal or achievement.

The people within
Differences between us are caused by differences within us. Every person has the traits of every other person, but in diferent proportions.

People and power
Personal power is an illusion. Power is held either by myths or by institutions, not by flesh and bone people. Power is not in the hands of the leaders, but in the minds of the followers.

I will not sacrifice myself
Sacrifice leads to nothing good - only to frustration, violence and resentment.

We are not guilty
The feeling of guilt is a bad judge: it condemns the saint and acquits the villain.

No shame
To be ashamed means to live by opinion of others. Have no shame, but behave responsibly!

People, be modest!
We are evolved beings, but let's not forget that the even the virus is our elder brother.

Our home, what we made of it?
We destroy our home as if we hoped that someone shall come to save us. But no one will.

The journey of life
Life is a narrow path between the walls of reality and the falls of imagination.

Friendship and love
True friendship and love are not intrusive or possessive. Don't try to change or improve the other, because no one can do a better job than Nature.

Eulogy to sleep
Rest and sleep complete our work and give it meaning.

The strength of a woman
There is no stronger being than a woman who finds her strength in tears. Let's learn from her!

The wisdom of a child
Children do not take the world for granted. They marvel at everything and consider it a blessing. "It takes a lot of maturity to achieve the wisdom of a child."

The guide to life
Behave as if the fate of the whole world depended on your behavior.

Treat the other person as if she were the only person living on Earth besides yourself.

Let’s treat one another as is best for all.

Never do something just to please or upset somebody.

Don’t blame anyone, not even yourself.

Even if you feel despised by all, you can still become the most respected.

Believe in the world we build together with our minds and hearts. Body fails but culture prevails.

Listen to your ancestors. They are hundreds of years older than you.

A global ethics
Universal ethics is one that highly values both the individual and the world: be responsible for the whole world, and for every person with whom you relate.