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In recognition of the Paris Declaration, which was signed on November 12, 1995, the United Nations instituted November 16 as the “International Day for Tolerance”. The date was chosen to pay tribute to the signing of UNESCO’s constitution in 1945....

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Seven Faces that Reveal God

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Ecumenism

Several Degrees of Knowledge

Source: Reflection of Goodwill, taken from the book “Tesouros da Alma” [Treasures of the Soul], November 2017.

We are all children of the same Father, or of a single planet, as the skeptical line of thinking imagines, for it still does not admit the reality of a Superior Celestial Intelligence. Scientific thinking, however, by virtue of a Reason that is free from dogmas, prejudice, and taboos, will get there.

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Alziro Zarur

Brazilian thinker Alziro Zarur (1914-1979) wrote: “There are as many religions as there are degrees of understanding of human beings, according to the sum of their incarnations.”

Analyzing this quote from the great journalist, radio broadcaster, writer, philosopher, social activist, and founder of the Legion of Good Will (LGW), Alziro Zarur, I can ecumenically conclude that, following the same reasoning, there are several perspectives for understanding Philosophy, Politics, Economics, Art, Sport, Sociology, Physics, Chemistry, Anthropology, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and other areas of human knowledge.

Ethical Ecumenism

That is why respecting the opinion of others is a clear definition of Ecumenism, which, in turn, in no way suggests abandoning any commitments made to a community. Being ecumenical is also being responsible; therefore, it means no harm to the elementary principles of ethics.

José de Paiva Netto is a writer, journalist, radio broadcaster, composer, and poet. He is the President of the Legion of Good Will (LGW), effective member of the Brazilian Press Association (ABI) and of the Brazilian International Press Association (ABI-Inter). Affiliated to the National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Union of Professional Journalists of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the Union of Writers of Rio de Janeiro, the Union of Radio Broadcasters of Rio de Janeiro, and the Brazilian Union of Composers (UBC). He is also a member of the Academy of Letters of Central Brazil. He is an author of international reference in the concept and defense of the cause of Ecumenical Citizenship and Spirituality which, according to him, constitute “the cradle of the most generous values that are born of the Soul, the dwelling of the emotions and of the reasoning enlightened by intuition, the atmosphere that embraces everything that transcends the ordinary field of matter and comes from the elevated human sensitivity, such as Truth, Justice, Mercy, Ethics, Honesty, Generosity, and Fraternal Love.”