Dr Carey was the keynote speaker at closing ceremonies, which included a celebration of harvest festivals from around the world and a call to religious leaders to foster a sense of commonality in the next millennium. The Archbishop said western secular thought, buttressed by the explosion of technology, offers a false security that's leading to social decay. And I question the hubris that often accompanies western thinking today. Giving thanks on a continuous basis is the core value for virtually every major religion, Dr Carey said. Technological advances are also a gift from God to his people, the Archbishop said, listing ways a sense of gratitude helps us reach our full potential.
Tolerance is written into the codes of all major religions.
Giving thanks to God through regular prayer and worship allows us a more generous understanding of the world around us. The Archbishop described an incident when he was principal of Trinity College in Bristol, England. I got up that morning prepared to give him a very rough time. But as I walked up the hill I decided to think of him as an individual with very unique gifts - and as someone who means well, in spite of some severe faults. I was no longer angry and vengeful.