Guiding Principles for Civil Society from Guru Granth Sahib ji

2004 Declaration of Guiding Principles

New York, September 13, 2004. Sikh attendees of United Nations Organization NGOs meeting released the 2004 Declaration of Guiding Principles for Civil Society to nudge forward. These principles are taken from the universal wisdom of Sri Guru Granth Sahib compiled 400 years ago.

Ten Points Declaration of the Guiding Principles for Civil Society.

1.To Recognize Presence of Divine Light in every living being.

2.To recognize that the earth is created according to God’s cosmic blueprint and it is therefore intrinsically good. Nature is our mother, our home, our security, our peace, our past and our future. It is our obligation to treat natural things and habitats as our sacred temples and shrines, to be revered and preserved in all their intricate and fragile beauty.

3.God is the Creator and its creative manifestation extends to all humans. Therefore, all humans are intrinsically creative in partnership with God.

4.It is a human destiny to emulate the divine attributes; such as Identity with Truth, Fearlessness, Without Animosity, Eternal Personality, beyond the genetic and mimetic imprisonments, and Free Spirit that lives in Gratitude.

5.To experience Divinity in work and service, in art and science, in philosophy and religion, and in environment and creation.

6.To follow the principles of righteous living by believing in: Human Equality, Human Dignity, Justice, and Human Behaviors that cleanse the Body and the Mind.

7.To build the institutions of altruism and sharing in social infrastructures. Examples are: Langer or free community kitchen attached to every congregation, OR Institutions like Pingalwara for every unfortunate citizen.

8.To be Advocate for those who are most vulnerable in our society.

9.To exert Spiritual and moral responsibility to Guide politics and political institutions, and to provide guidelines for leadership of religious institutions.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/essays-on-sikhism/751-guiding-principles-civil-society-guru-granth.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=751

10.To build a world order without the culture of “mera Tera” (meaning “mine and yours”) psychology. It is a transgression of the divine principle of unity in god’s creation to profile and divide people in “us “ and “them”

 
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I dont know why I feel point 10 contains all above points. Perhaps because this is due to the concept of Ik Ong Kaar.