Compassionate Activism for Global Healing

A Video Overview
Produced by Global New Thought for the 2009
Parliament of the World’s Religions

Originally Published on AGNT

Out of a deep conviction and pure passion to give our movement a clear
voice and commanding presence on the global stage, the
Association for Global New Thought has been born.

New Thought is a spiritually motivated way of life that embraces the ancient wisdom traditions of east and west. We embody the belief that consciousness is elementally creative, reciprocates thought, and thereby shapes all manifestation. Our principles reflect a universal conviction that the community of all life is sacred; our practices of meditation and prayer enhance a worldview promoting reverence for, and service to humanity and planet earth. New Thought is committed to global healing through personal transformation, community-building, interfaith, intercultural, and interdisciplinary understanding, and compassionate activism.

The Association for Global New Thought was co-founded in 1996 to represent the leading edge of the New Thought lineage. Its constituent member churches and centers (700-800 in network) among Unity, Religious Science, and nondenominational New Thought spiritual communities are called forth by a deep commitment to bring the principles and practices of cocreation to a sacred and troubled world.

Principles of Spiritually Guided Activism
The goal of the Association for Global New Thought’s programs in spiritually guided activism is to support concerned and informed citizens in their emerging role as ethically motivated community leaders.

Spiritually guided activism is a term pioneered by the Association for Global New Thought and like-minded organizations to describe individuals who are spiritually grounded AND also believe we need to take action in our communities to create positive change in this nation and beyond.

Spiritually guided activism is characterized by religious, racial and cultural inclusiveness, non-attachment to religious symbols and systems, promotes a non-hierarchical power ideology, is unconditionally nonviolent, a-partisan, holistic, integral, whole systems oriented, and interdependent, both objectively (socially diverse, interdisciplinary) and subjectively (body-mind-heart-spirit).

“Our goal is to create a beloved community.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

If we really want to create a more compassionate and loving world, we first need to become more loving and compassionate, ourselves. We need a new vision of a society governed by love, where compassion is the high standard. Conflict between individuals, groups and nations is steeped in misunderstanding and distrust. Negative, fearful, angry thoughts fuel rhetoric from opposing sides that invariably leads to alienation. Nothing short of conscious communication producing sincere interactions will aid us in resolving our differences. Until our leaders understand this, there will be no lasting peace in the world. It is the responsibility of the spiritually motivated citizen activist to be proactive in demonstrating a new ethic of leadership, to our existing leaders and among each other.